Poorly baby

[mamajemma]

Hi everyone

My 7 week old hasn't slept properly from about a week old and isn't settled. Originally treated for colic then when nothing worked she was diagnosed with silent reflux (no tests or anything they just put her on gaviscon)

The gaviscon the first night worked amazing, she slept for 7 hours! Then the next night wasn't so good, then the next day worse then back to normal!

She's now on day 6 of omeprazole and she is screaming in pain at night and I can hear the big bubbles in her stomach. She arches her back and screams that much she can barely breathe, I'm heartbroken and writing this in tears I hate seeing her like this.

Doctors have said I need to give this 2 weeks to kick in.. I can't do it. I feel so helpless.

I've now been diagnosed with post natal depression because of this and I've had 3 hours sleep in 3 days. I am desperate for some answers can anyone help or advise?

She isn't sick after feeding or worse after a bottle and it's all at night time 💔💔💔

I bf mine and neither were worse after a bottle but both were worse at night. My first only slept in 45min chunks. I couldn’t count I was so tired at one point. It was cmpa.
Babies with cmpa tend to have reflux as well. Not all vomit or have rashes or funny poo, or fail to gain weight some just have griping stomach ache.
Be aware if it cmpa they are probably also going to be allergic to soya as well.
It often runs in families.
Is it the gp who has said wait two weeks? They hate prescribing the milk as it’s very expensive. Try videoing her screaming and arching because they are crap at believing first time mothers. My cousin got his diagnosed successfully at a&e which is where I should have taken my first. Instead we suffered for months. Xx

I'm sorry you are going through this it's absolutely awful.

I was in the same situation as you and found it overwhelming, perhaps because of the PND on top of it all. Anxious wasn't even the word.

We tried gaviscon etc etc etc

I don't think there is a specific test, I once timed a doctors appointment late on so they could see what he was like, within 30 seconds they diagnosed CMPA along with silent reflux (by the way he was presenting himself, although it's hard as it can also appear as colic type symptoms).

We had the milk prescribed and although it wasn't a miracle cure it definitely helped.

Also ask for a referral to a dietitian if this is the case, they helped me massively with food and the milk ladder which comes later. Also kept an eye on weight etc.

Hang in there, it will get better xx

@mayblossominapril
@DiscoDinoBooBoo

Thank you both so much for your advice. I stood my ground in the doctors today and had to argue with two of them and beg them to treat for cmpa.

We are now on nutramigen! She seems really hungry and wanting a feed every 1.5 hours though is this normal for this formula?! It's just not satisfying her x

It may be because the nutramigen is really watery, she may be able to guzzle more but it's more liquid than a meal.

I asked the doctor for something to thicken it (after I'd done my research and knew there was something available!!) it's called Carobel and it thickens up the formula.

Just outright ask, it's so annoying that you literally have to fight for everything but one more push and it should help.

Also nutramigen tastes awful so she's doing really well!!

Give yourself a pat on the back, it's hard when you are feeling down too. You are doing great! Sending love xxx

We had very similar!! Gp refused to believe CMPA until he came out with an excema rash at 3 months. Changed onto prescription milk and the change in Ds Was almost instant xxx

I hope things are much better for you both now you’ve got nutramigen

@mayblossominapril
@DiscoDinoBooBoo @2under2howscary
Thanks so much all of you. Really appreciate your replies!

She is suffering now from a really bad upset stomach due to this milk, was up screaming till 4am until she had the runs

Did anyone else experience this when changing milk to a prescription one?

Feel so lost! Am I doing the right thing?! Or replacing one problem with another? Suffering so much today can't stop crying I just want her to be ok xx

@mamajemma

Bless you! I don't think we had this but I remember it being just as bad and almost felt worse because I thought I had been given the answer and it wasn't working....

Took about a week to settle down. It's so difficult because when you are feeling exhausted yourself you literally question everything you do.

Remember, you are doing this to try and help her. It might be coincidence that she has an upset stomach so hang on if you can (unless you fear that it's really getting far worse).

Nutramigen isn't the only cmpa milk available, there is also an SMA alternative? But I'd stick it out a little longer if you possibly can.

Do you have support at home? Maybe take yourself away for an hour have a bath and try to relax if nothing else (easier said than done I know) but just to be out of the equation for a short burst to collect yourself again. Get clean and changed and start again.

Hugs xx

If it doesn’t settle down you may need a different milk such as neocate. Might be worth asking for referral to hospital as paediatrician and dieticians are much better than the gp

@mayblossominapril

I bf mine and neither were worse after a bottle but both were worse at night. My first only slept in 45min chunks. I couldn’t count I was so tired at one point. It was cmpa. Babies with cmpa tend to have reflux as well. Not all vomit or have rashes or funny poo, or fail to gain weight some just have griping stomach ache. Be aware if it cmpa they are probably also going to be allergic to soya as well. It often runs in families. Is it the gp who has said wait two weeks? They hate prescribing the milk as it’s very expensive. Try videoing her screaming and arching because they are crap at believing first time mothers. My cousin got his diagnosed successfully at a&e which is where I should have taken my first. Instead we suffered for months. Xx

I agree you should rule out CMPA that was what was wrong with my youngest. My eldest also had silent reflux but not caused by CMPA but his symptoms were cured by Omeprazole. He was diagnosed in A&E because I couldn’t wait another 2 weeks for the referral. A&E just sent us straight up to the Children’s ward and they gave us Omeprazole. My youngest was helped a bit by Omeprazole, Ranitadine (now banned) and Omeprazole all together at one point, but what made the most difference was cutting out dairy. I presume they’ve told you to keep them upright for 20 mins after a feed? Are you breast or bottle feeding? I had to express as she couldn’t stay latched so we put carobel in the bottles to thicken the milk, this helped a lot. It’s crucial you get some sleep. Is there anyone you can ask to take baby out for a walk each day while you sleep? That means go straight to bed, no tidying up, washing clothes etc. Has your health visitor been helpful? Our local team have a specialist feeding health visitor and she was really helpful. She suggested CMPA when others GP etc had said it couldn’t be as she didn’t have rashes.

I mainly bf and only topped up a couple of times a day with formula

I’m so sorry I only saw your first post for some reason. I would give it a week before changing her milk again. I would try carobel though, you can get it next day delivery from amazon if the GP won’t prescribe it. Have you tried infacol as well? Didn’t help my 2 but does help some babies. Also look on YouTube at gas relieving massage for babies. Cycling their legs and pushing their knees into their stomachs can help relieve some of the gas, plus massaging in circles on their stomachs with massage oil or olive oil, coconut oil etc.
You are absolutely doing the right thing by continuing to push the doctors, you have to advocate for you baby as they can’t say they need help. Have you been referred to a specialist?
I hope things improve for you very soon!