DD2 (7 mo) not right, don'tknow what's wrong, worried dr will think I'm malingering (long -sorry)

[Bumperlicioso]

DD2 is not right at the moment. On Tuesday she was grunting all day, as if she was constipated and by the evening she was writhing around in discomfort and crying, then eventually closing her eyes and wanting to sleep. Last night at 3.30 she did it again. I had already fed her at 1am so was trying not to feed her, and she wasn't hungry she was just really uncomfortable. I rocked her on my shoulder and she fell asleep again - this is unheard of for her, she is a sleep fighter! Again she woke up at 6, I fed her and she was uncomfortable again. I fed her to sleep but she was breathing funny, with a sort of catch in her breath, not as though she couldn't breath but as though she was in discomfit. She woke half an hour later in pain again but has now gone back to sleep.

I thought it was constipation, she had been doing tiny poos and seeming to struggle but she did a big poo before bed last night so I'm not sure what the problem was in the night, her tummy was a bit gurgly.

The thing is I was only at the drs yesterday as for the past 6 weeks DD was coughing herself sick at night, I went to the dr's (3 different ones) 3 times and each time they suggested a virus, just phlegm or too much milk. The last doctor gave us an inhaler for the coughing which didn't help, but we stopped dairy and immediately she stopped being sick. I went back to the dr yesterday to discuss it with him and he didn't seem to believe in a dairy intolerance, suggested putting her back on the dairy and gave us a different inhaler to try (ventolin). He also suggested seeing the HV and having her weighed.

I also mentioned the writhing around, wondering if she was constipated but he said that was a different issue to the vomiting and dismissed it. I saw the HV who said to keep her off the dairy for a month then try introducing it gradually again. Weight is fine. For the apparent constipation she suggested fruit, juice etc. But when it initially occurred on Tuesday I gave her OJ, prune juice (couple of medicine spoonfuls) and it didn't seem to help, it didn't seem to make her poo any better so maybe it isn't constipation. She also had OJ and oranges yesterday.

Sorry this is really long, I'm just not sure what to think. I'm fed up with playing medical detective and wish my dr would take me seriously. I'm seeing the same dr again today, not sure what to say, as until you see her writhing around and shaking you can't appreciate that there is something wrong. Does it sound like simple constipation?

Two of mine suffered with constipation, when they were still ebf. I don't remember shaking or much grunting, but I do remember the crying and clear discomfort. I spoke to the HV about DD, who trotted out the line about 'whatever's normal for each bf baby is normal.' We went on with this for sme time, her having a tsunami poo every week - 10 days and then a couple of relaxed days, only for the crying to start up again.

With DS2 I saw the gp, who gave me suppositories to cut in half. I was quite , but we only used them twice, as each time they produced instant and overwhelming results! I realised it was just the pressure which made the difference. What I'm trying to say is it might be worth gently pressing on the skin just above where the action takes place; it might be enough to stimulate the bowels and give some relief. Obviously, if it doesn't work straight away it's not going to, so give up at that point.

Not sure fruit and juice are much help in this situation, tbh - you can get yourself tangled up in knots trying to manage something that may come down to a slow muscular response.

Coughs, I'm sure you know, can take weeks to clear, but if you're worried about her breathing don't think twice about seeing the gp again.

Thanks for the reply. I don't know what it is. If it was constipation would she be in constant discomfort (she's not). I expected a tsunami poo but it wasn't too bad yesterday, and that was before bed, and she was still in pain last night. I don't know if it a reaction to something she's eating? She hasn't really had anything new though.

Her breathing isn't a problem as such, it's more that she is groaning slightly in her sleep. I just haven't had much luck with the dr so far, among the things he doesn't believe work or exist are calamine lotion, olbas oil or any decongestant, and apparently dairy intolerance

Not sure if this is just constipation, she is now in the sling dozing and whimpering, having been on the breast dozing and whimpering :(

Are you sure her breathing is fine? "Grunting" and nostril flaring are indications of working hard to breathe. Also, they tend to get sleepy as working hard for oxygen consumes a lot of energy. I would take her along to A&E and say you are worried about her breathing. Even if the breathing is fine, it will get her checked out by a paediatrician and you may find out what is wrong.

Got a Drs appointment in an hour.

How'd you get on?

the first thing i thought of is acid reflux, this is just what my ds did when he was suffering he would grunt and strain and seem very uncomfortable, we too thought it was constipation at first.. but it most definitley wasnt!
could possibly explain the groaning in sleep too... just a thought

Actually, a thought.. it could be her ears. it was always the last thing I thought of when mine were tiny, but often turned out to be the cause of unexplained crying.

Thanks for the messages. Been to the dr then eventually the paediatric unit. Long story short, probably a virus. They were worried the grunting was beathing difficulties, it's not, it just appears to be her thing! She's definately not right but just been advised to give calpol/nurofen.

I did wonder about reflux when she was being sick. You could literally see the milk bubble out of her. Could she have it after 6 months of not having it? Any other symptoms?

im pretty sure it can occur at any age suddenly,
have you noticed her making gulping noises for no reason, arching her back, sounding like there in congestion in her chest?