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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Silent reflux, colic, hungry or just grumpy?

12 replies

bessmum · 14/02/2009 20:07

DS is 3 months old and exclusively breastfed. For the last week he has been crying inconsolably after feeds, particularly in the afternoons and evenings. This starts about 10-20mins after a feed and lasts until I take him out in the car or buggy or until his bath. He possets a bit of milk but doesn't really vomit and feeds well. Early on we had problems with crying/choking at feeds, probably due to over-supply of milk/fast let down but this settled really well with block feeding. He is thriving with very good weight gain and is otherwise well, although waking frequently at night still. I've always thought he was a bit of a grumpy baby, slower to smile and generally more upset than older DD and up to now I've accepted this as his personality and haven't been concerned. I'm now wondering whether he might have silent reflux and wonder whether I should be trying gaviscon or similar. In general I believe that little babies cry and tend to get better with time and I wonder whether the terms "colic" and "reflux" are over-used sometimes to try to explain the crying. However I don't want my little chap to suffer if there is something I can do to help. Have also wondered whether he is just hungry and needs supplementing with formula but don't really want to do this. Any advice welcome please.

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whomovedmychocolate · 14/02/2009 20:14

I think you'll find he's having a growth spurt. Entirely normal at this age - you need to feed him more often (sorry). He could also be teething.

FWIW I agree with you on the colic/reflux thing - DS was a waily little thing for the first four months for no more reason than he was a bit undercooked when he came out. He got older and suddenly cheered up and is now a gurgly 22 pounder (he's seven months now!)

whomovedmychocolate · 14/02/2009 20:16

Oh and the waking in the night thing - expect at least another six months of this (sorry again) but that's babies for you!

DS didn't smile till 12 weeks but he was early so it's not surprising! He's now physically and socially caught up and overtaken his peers of a similar age.

Rather than supplement - if you can, go to bed with him for a couple of days and feed as often as you can - eat lots and drink lots yourself and take some decent books as it is dull, dull, dull. But after three days your milk supply will be very bountiful! (You may need bigger bras!)

bessmum · 14/02/2009 21:31

Growth spurt, do you think so? Hadn't really thought of that as he cries mainly after a feed and when I offer the breast again he refuses. Also I seem to have lots of milk but you could well be right. Glad to hear your DS has settled down, I'm hoping for the same!

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neveronamonday · 14/02/2009 21:42

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eandz · 14/02/2009 21:46

how i realized my son had reflux after being in denial about it (i was adamant that it would be colic and it would go away at 12 weeks)

he used to spit up all the time (at every feed) and then separately throw up after a while.

even if he had burped...then there was the inability to lay down flat on his back (only happy in the sling).

so i hope it's just a growth spurt, i'll stick around in the case i can help in anyway.

madmouse · 14/02/2009 21:49

neveronamonday there is no such thing as expressing to check your supply

how much you express says nothing about how much milk you have, certainly not as a one off.

bessmum i hope you figure out soon what is making him miserable. Could he be overtired? Does he have enough naps?

InTheDollshouse · 14/02/2009 21:54

Watching with interest as he sounds so similar to my 3-month-old.

bessmum · 14/02/2009 23:17

Thanks all, just fed him and off to bed, he's settled well this time, just seems to be the afternoon/eve feeds so I think perhaps he is overtired. Today he napped really well but still screamed after feeds but quite often he struggles to nap. Also I can't get any sort of routine as I have DD at home too and he has to fit in with her. He's Ok lying flat at night and I guess that doesn't fit with reflux. I bet it is all due to lack of naps, I'll have to work on it somehow.

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saladsucks · 14/02/2009 23:32

bessmum - I feel your pain. My DS is 15 weeks and has been difficult to settle (my DD is just over 2 and a much easier baby in comparison). My DS vomits all the time. He doesn't cry after feeds as much as he used to but is constantly sick. He is breastfed, he is fine lying down at night but vomits all day long if I lie him down. So not all the symptons of reflux but still the vomitting. It was also harder to get him into a routine because of my DD but we managed by a combination of tweaking her routine and getting him into one.

You could try getting him to nap in a rocking chair/swing as he may sleep better upright. I also tried giving Gaviscon with a syringe, it wasn't pleasant but it did stop the projectile vomitting for a few days.

What about gripe water? If he has tummy pain that could helped get out some trapped wind?

neveronamonday · 15/02/2009 09:04

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bessmum · 15/02/2009 20:17

Saladsucks, sorry you're having similar trouble and thanks for the advice. I do really need to work on a routine, DS mainly naps out on the go when I'm out and about with DD. Unfortunately DS doesn't seem to like a bouncy chair or swing, he generally is a bit grumpy and cries after a few minutes, bless him. Neveronamonday I am sure that being overtired is a big factor. The weekend has been awful with screaming after feeds and he just wants to be upright so I think he has got a bit of reflux and tonight I've started Gaviscon from a syringe, it did seem to help but I need to work on his naps too. DS is miserable and DD is feeling neglected so feel like a rubbish Mum right now.

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saladsucks · 16/02/2009 21:02

bessmum - sorry so long to reply. you poor thing, you are not a bad mum. Sounds a bit like your DS is giving you confused signals, usually reflux babies like their bouncy chair or car seat because they are upright.

Other thoughts - are you eating something he doesn't like? If I have curry or brocolli (sp?) my DS gets grumpy. And various other foods go straight through him. He is a sensitive baby. (Baby Whisperer has good tips for "touchy" babies as she refers to them).

It may not help you but I stayed in for a week to get DS into proper routine (my DD is at nursery 3 days a week though). And then I changed the time I collect her from nursery to be the time of his afternoon nap. It was hard but my DD is now happy because her day is predictable as so is DS. Not easy and he falls out of routine very easily and takes time to get back into it each time. But has led to a lot less crying (but not less vomit).

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