Am I useless, stupid or just over reacting..I don't know what to do.

[Daddy1975]

Our 7 week old just doesn't seem right. GP, HV All say everything is fine, weight gain etc. Have done so much reading and it looks like reflux as well as colic. Went to A&E yesterday and they did blood test with result of low sodium and iron, concerns of borderline dehydration. We're then given anti reflux milk (the thick stuff) and told not to worry about mild possetting or vomiting and only worry if it is projectile. 2 feeds into the new milk and we had the first ever projectile, and another later. She has now settled and 12 hours with only minimum possetting as we Have reduced the amount and increased regularity of feeds but now she just seems lethargic..with intermittent sudden bouts of really painful crying. Other symptoms like legs going crazy, arching of back during and after feeds...my wife is trying so hard, I don't know how to help either of them. Are we just nuts, are we really doing something wrong or are the health professionals missing something...any advice is really really appreciated. I'm sorry I'm a dad posting on here but I don't know what else to do. Please help.

This is just an idea but have you raised the question of Cows Milk Protein allergy? You're describing our youngest at that age, and that's what it was. How is her skin? Is she puffy, or have hives? What about her breathing after a feed?

Perhaps she has an intolerance to dairy? Has this been ruled out?

I'd call NHS 111 and get her seen by an out of hours doctor. Or I'd go back to A&E

Hit send too soon. Definitely sounds like reflux at a minimum, with possible allergies.

Tbh, I think I'd go to A&E again, particularly if she seems lethargic.
At the very least the GP again or out of hours doctor.

Perhaps silent reflux. DD had similar symptoms, never sick but fussy feeder, hiccupy, windy and would cough and splutter when laid flat.

A sympathetic GP prescribed Ranitidine which made a huge difference. She came off it in the summer at 18 months old. Boots gripe mixture was useful too. She liked her bouncy chair in a very upright position, and we tilted her mattress and carrycot, although she preferred sleeping tummy to tummy on us.

Infacol made her worse, as did gaviscon. Consultant paediatrician prescribed domperidone, but we weren't keen on using it because of links to geart arrythmia and it made her agitated and restless anyway. Many people told me she would love a sling but she hated being wrapped up, our local sling library got us into ring slings which were great.

Hope things improve for you.

Our referral to consultant was because of a trip to sick kids a&e, definitely a good idea to push to see someone again.

I felt very much like you a week ago. Turned out my daughter had a blockage in her tummy which was preventing her from digesting everything she took in, and she tended to vomit it back up. It's called pyloric stenosis. It's rare but I'm just flagging it up to you as a potential cause of the distress, vomiting and the blood resulrs. I think it's worth looking into. (Easiest way is to do ultrasound)

We only got ours diagnosed so quickly because I became so worried about her on a Friday evening that we went to A&E which kind of jump started a load of tests and monitoring.

I think had I started with a GP visit, we'd still be going back and forth with reflux medication and cutting out dairy and so on.

My thread from last week is here but bear in mind my first post was written when I was hugely anxious and sleep deprived: the condition/treatment doesn't have to be quite so alarming, if you see what I mean. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/2736096-4-week-old-daughter-and-pyloric-stenosis-handhold-please

Please ask me any questions if you like. I know how awful the feeling of helplessness is. All you want is for them to take their feed and it's so upsetting when it all comes back again. Take photos of the amount of vomit if you think it's a lot.

P.s. I was told by the OOH doctor we saw not to bother with 111 or OOH when they are tiny babies as they tend not to be able to help or prescribe anything for such little ones. He told me that it would always be ok to go to A&E if you have a newborn.

Her skin is fine, no rashes or anything. Breathing is fine after feeding can be noisy at night but I think it seems normal..she has so much wind and has done since day one that I do think we need to investigate the allergy connection. Thank you.

Thanks to all of you for responding. I am sleep deprived and conscious therefore of over reacting....Plimsolls, I had read about this as symptoms seem similar but as she is still passing ok I hopeful it's not. (Wish you all the best with your danger). From what people have said here and our own reading, (wakes immediately she is put on her back unless it's a deep sleep, has to be upright, does like the sling though, car seat for short periods of time, bouncer for half an hour at most), I think it must be silent reflux, but my god she screams in pain. I'm going to monitor for next 3 feeds but will start the ball rolling with A&E on intolerances and possible blockages if things don't go right. Thanks, you have all given me the confidence to go back and insist again and again until we get to the bottom of it. I appreciate all your help, thank you.

Plimsolls..... It was a really bad typo....I meant To write I wish you the best with your DAUGHTER!!!!

Ok she just projectiled the whole last feed, going back to AE...

daddy my daughter was still producing the adequate number of wet and dirty nappies. She was keeping some food down. I've also found (post-surgery) that her nappies are now much wetter and much fuller...

Maybe just ask them about p.s, just in case.

Please don't ever worry about overreacting with a baby of that age. I worried that I was being a neurotic new mum when my DS was a few days old and he was very poorly and would probably have died if I'd waited for the midwife to return the next morning. Always better to be safe rather than sorry. Youve done the right thing. I hope everything's ok.

I think we all worry with a newborn particularly a first child that we are being neurotic and ridiculous and also that there is something seriously wrong and you might miss it. I've got no advice on whether she is fine or needs more medical attention but what i would say is that if you are concerned that there is something wrong take her back to a&e, if you are being neurotic then the worst that will happen is you are sent home reassured that nothing is wrong and you can look back and laugh at how neurotic you were much better than leaving it and your dd becoming very ill.

I read your op and thought cows milk protein allergy. My ds had it and we didn't realise as he was breastfed and it was only the odd bottle of formula that he always brought straight back.

Ask them to prescribe dairy free formula and don't give up when you know something isn't right.

I battled for my ds over undiagnosed tongue tie and milk and egg allergies. I knew something wasn't right. Good luck

My baby also had pyloric stenosis, I had never heard of it before just knew it wasn't right the way they were bringing feeds up etc.

Definitely worth a out of hours visit. I hope things sort quickly, it's awful seeing a tiny baby in pain.

I definitely think you need some further tests and treatment - I would guess CMPA and horrid reflux. Once you get the right formula and meds sorted things should start to settle. Unfortunately it can time to get the right medication and dosages so please keep going back if you aren't happy or worried about your daughter. Remember you know her best and if you or your wife feel somethings not right stand your ground and keep pushing for help.

I hope things get sorted soon, having experienced severe reflux with my youngest it's so hard to cope with

Let us know how you get on at A&E.

Drive safely 💐

Any update OP? I hope you got some help for your wee girl.

Thanks again to everyone who has posted. It's been a fretful last 24 hours, with a mis diagnosis at one point being told she needed surgery for a blocked intestine so were referred to another hospital. More scans and confirmation that wasn't the case. Still here at the moment with loads of tests including blood, pee and poo and an ecg. Belief now is that it is reflux with an intestinal infection. She's been on a drip for the past 24 hours and to be fair that has improved her immeasurably. We have discussed allergies but they want to rule out infection first. Going to be here for a couple of days we think till its sorted. When I have the results I'll post it just in case it's useful to others. It was and is a real help having other parents input here on mumsnet. Really, thank you all for your comments.

So glad you've got the help you needed and hope she continues to improve.

What a horrible time for you all, I'm glad that your wee girl is getting the help now. Hopefully you'll get some answers soon, take care OP.

Good luck and best wishes. This was us exactly one week ago. Things will get better very quickly now the hospital is investigating. Thinking of you

(I was able to use a dummy and some sucrose water stuff the nurses gave me to soothe my daughter last week. I also expressed milk & hospital froze it for us. Just in case it's helpful)