Please help , 5 day old baby

[D1anax2x]

I’m just looking for some advise please if anyone has experienced this with their newborn. I have a 5 day old , he was absolutely fine but for the past 2 days he seems very unsettled. When he’s awake he always cries and goes red , he also goes very tense and fidgety. Almost seems like he is constipated but he isn’t. He is formula fed and on hipp organic. He feeds absolutely fine and has wet and dirty nappies. He doesn’t seem constipated , his poos are a normal consistency but he does do a lot of little poos. He does also make a lot of grunting noises. When he feeds he does also spit up little bits but not alot. We saw a health visitor today who did say he can be abit mucusy as he was delivered very quickly which can cause the spit up and sneezing. Just looking for some advise really if anyone’s been through it as it is very hard watching his constantly be like this whenever he’s awake. And to mention if we put on white noise or give him a bottle he settles down eventhough he’s probably not even hungry. Thankyou.

Thankyou everyone , a lot of people mentioned the prep machine so I’m going to try the kettle method instead. I understand how the hot shot method works and adding cooled down boiled water to it but the only thing confusing me is for the hot shot method can I use it straight away once boiled or do I need to leave it a certain amount of time before I can use it ?

I was thinking is he getting reflux from being overfed.
Try feeding less but thickening the milk, that might help.

Both my babies had reflux and the red face/leg straightening/screaming are symptoms, but at 5 days old it's a bit early to say and could just be gas.
Things that helped me with the gas (and I tried EVERYTHING) were switching from the prep machine to the pre-mixed bottles for a few weeks. Apparently the pre-mixed milk is easier to digest and there's no bubbles.
After a few weeks we switched to kendamil and this was great!
Also a chiropractor showed me how to sit baby up and very gently bounce on my knee to release gas, this worked better than patting on the back for us.
Good luck! I remember how hard these early weeks are x

Op just for now get the pre- made bottles of formula. They cost more but but will get you through this and may help pin down if it’s the way the formula is being prepared. The cost isn’t much in the bigger scheme of things. They are then ready and waiting when you need them and all the mixing is done. You can also try a few brands that way.

The stiff legs suggests he’s really uncomfortable so I’d consider getting him seen if the milk swap doesn’t help.

Curious - wouldn't you see from what was left in the bottle that a baby hadn't eaten a full feed?

I'd understand a poor latch being an issue with a breast fed baby not getting enough milk, but bottle fed you just keep going until they've finished don't you?

Poor latch is very much an issue that is as good as ignored for bottle fed babies. It can lead to reflux, intake of air and baby falling asleep at the bottle or stopping because of pain before they are truly full, the same way they would with the wrong sized teat.

Signs can often mimic symptoms of CMPA, plus the poor latch can lead to things like milk blisters where the baby overcompensates with their lips.

Poor latch is very much an issue that is as good as ignored for bottle fed babies.

This is so true. We were referred to the SALT feeding team due to DD2's issues and they were an absolute game changer in terms of sorting her latch on a bottle. Plus they had loads of teats that we could try without me having to buy lots of different brands that I never used again.

@Nodlikeyouwerelistening I read the last post before mine and realised what you meant - leakage 😂 I'm sorry; yes that could definitely explain things.

OP we went through lactase drops like nothing else... can't remember the name of that stuff even though we should have had shares in it. I would do baby massage for wind on my DS, which helped. The bicycle legs and the gentle but firm sweep around his large intestine that helped move everything through had the best effects.

I'd be adding at least half of the water from the freshly boiled kettle. Shaking it well, and letting it stand for a few minutes, before topping it up with cooled down boiled water. You'll likely need to leave it a while before you can use it. Do the wrist test every time. You can pop the bottle once made up in a jug of cold water to help bring the temperature down quicker. But the most vital thing is getting the bacteria killed off, so always make sure you've added freshly boiled water and leaving it mixed for a few minutes before adding any cooler water into it.

I'd look up pace feeding and try that. It's often recommended for giving bottles to mainly breast fed babies but I think it would also help to ensure he's doesn't take too much in one feed. As PP have said, it would also be worth having him checked for tongue tie - but google some pictures yourself as well because midwives are notoriously bad at recognising it. My second had a 100% tie which my (otherwise lovely) midwife tried to dismiss until I saw the feeding specialist midwife after developing severe mastitis...

Pre made formula worked great for us, it's easier for babies to digest because the proteins are broken down more in it
it's easier for a baby who might have sensitivities to cows milk protein to digest
Also bicycle leg massage to help trapped wind

Check CMPA

Just be aware that you can’t cool mam bottles down using a jug of water or by running it under the cold tap because the little holes in the bottom for the anti colic valve means the bottle isn’t 100% water tight so if non sterilised water gets in you could be introducing bacteria into your bottle. I was told this by the feeding midwife in hospital.

i personally love my prep machine and couldn’t be without it, and I have to give my bottles a thorough shake regardless because I use carobel so I’d still have to do that even if I used the kettle. Just let it stand for a couple of mins.

This sounds a lot like my oldest DS as a baby. I believe now he may have had colic/silent reflux. Do you still have the midwives out OP? Mention it to them, they should be able to point you in the right direction. Its hard going in the beginning, you sound like your doing really well, remember to take care of yourself too. Babies are hard work!

I agree with magnolia that baby carrier is best for such a young baby. Euro baby is what I used but there are plenty of good ones around. Do you have a baby wearing/sling library near you? These are so good if available.

I couldn’t relax using a prep machine. Aren’t they a contamination risk?

Just get the sealed pre made ones op . No mixing. No warm milk for germs to grow and no bottles to sterilise. It will majestic things easier for a couple of weeks while he is struggling - and might resolve it.

They are only a contamination risk if you aren't cleaning them properly or using non-branded filters. Now everyone is also advised to regularly check they are giving the right temp water. I do a temp check on mine with a food grade thermometer when I clean it by making a dummy feed up and the water is usually 72-73c so hot enough to kill any bacteria. Even the NHS website recognises that many people use them now and gives advice on how to use them safely. https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/bottle-feeding/how-to-make-up-a-feed/