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Original poster

Top Paed Doctor has advised me to wean pre 4 mths

51 replies

Oblomov · 13/01/2009 09:24

Went to see Top Paed Doctor in Surrey yesterday, privately through BUPA. I still haven't got an appointment throught he NHS and it has been over a month, but thats another story.
He said that he didn't think ds2 had reflux. and to stop the gaviscon, ranitidine and domperidone, immed, because he had been on theem a month and we had seen no improvememnt.
He thinks he is very windy. And there is nothing that can be done, thta I aren't already doing.
He suggested weaning him asap. Give it a few weeks he said. That will make 15 weeks. Less than 4 months.
He said that having somethig more substantial in his stomach might aid digestion and cut down on the wind.
He was very old school. And I know the 'guidelines', are for normal, healthy children, which mine is not. But...... having given it some thought, I just find this hard to accept.

OP posts:

MrsGokWan · 13/01/2009 09:49

Have you tried cranial osteopathy. I have seen it work on several babies like this.

thisisyesterday · 13/01/2009 09:50

oblomov, do you think part of the problem could be that you're trying to keep him awake more during the day and he is tghen getting overtired and thus super upset at night?

i know when my 2 get overtired they are nearly impossible to get to sleep.

check kellymom for reversecycling (ie, day and night mixed up)

i think if his problem was diet/wind related it would be happening ALL day. not just at night.
it could just be bad colic....

there is an interesting bit by dr harvey karp (whose book, the happiest baby on the block, I recommend a lot to people) about soothing a crying baby and GERD.
harvey karp

NotQuiteCockney · 13/01/2009 09:52

Oh, yes, white noise can help. (Belgo, this is cheaper to run than the hoover. We have it. It works.)

thisisyesterday · 13/01/2009 09:52

for the record, I absolutely would NOT wean early. the health implications of early weaning are not worth it just because some old paed can't decide what is wrong with him.

i would try different ways of getting him to sleep... swaddling, rocking, on his side/tummy(!)... just anything to make him comfy and sleepy at night.

belgo · 13/01/2009 09:53

NQC- I think maybe I should actually be doing the hoovering

bigTillyMint · 13/01/2009 09:53

OOh this sounds really awful for you, I don't know how you're coping so calmly.

FWIW, my mum always proudly tells people I was breast-fed, but in my baby book (which she wrote!), it says that she started weaning me at 3 weeks - gasp - and that I was on 3 meals a day at 3 months
This was in the dark ages, of course!

That said, I have no allergies or food intolerances, eat anything and everything and am a healthy weight.

And lots of French mums give their babies all sorts of strange concoctions in their bottles way before 6 months.

Hope someone can come up with some good suggestions for you.

thisisyesterday · 13/01/2009 09:53

he needs a certain amount of sleep during the day, so don't limit it too much. that will def make him overtired and hard to get to sleep at night

Stretch · 13/01/2009 09:54

That's very intersesting thisisyesterday! I find that sleeping in the day actually helps DS to sleep more at night! Stops him from being overtired!!

Stretch · 13/01/2009 09:55

Haha! Interesting I meant!

NotQuiteCockney · 13/01/2009 09:55

belgo - that's crazy talk!

thisisyesterday · 13/01/2009 09:55

that's exactly what I am saying stretch!

TotalChaos · 13/01/2009 09:57

what about going private to a baby sleep specialist? have vague memories of a former poster, aloha, following that route with some success. I wouldn't be inclined to wean earlier than 4 months because the paed just doesn't seem to have given any compelling justification.

ilovelovemydog · 13/01/2009 09:57

Post this in breast/bottle feeding too?

No advice, and clearly am not qualified, but sympathy! It's so hard dealing with all sorts of medical people when there's someone one is worried about....

silverfrog · 13/01/2009 09:58

oh, this sounds so hard.

dd2 was definitely affected by my diet (bf until 17 months, and only after that stoppped did her nappies begin to clear up). Cutting back on dairy helped her quite a lot.

I would second suggestions to let him sleep a little more in the day. If either of my girls (now 4 and 2) gets too tired then they have a restless night. The more rested he is, the more relaxed he will be about settling.

TotalChaos · 13/01/2009 09:58

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article729117.ece

interesting article here about sleep consultant from night nanies.

Original poster

Oblomov · 13/01/2009 09:59

People fall into 2 camps re sleeping in the day aswell. Some think that it doesn't make any difference to night time sleep.
I try not to let him sleep too much. But I don't limit him that much, or else I would just end up with an overtired, fractious baby.

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 13/01/2009 10:00

ds2 was affected by dairy and egg in my diet. but as I said before, the results of this would be felt ALL day. not just at night.

no gut related problem would cause problems only at a certain time of the day.

Original poster

Oblomov · 13/01/2009 10:00

Ladies I have to go. Thanks. Will be back later.

OP posts:

Stretch · 13/01/2009 10:01

Well, if you've just about tried everything just try letting him sleep whenever he wants?

Stretch · 13/01/2009 10:01

Well, if you've just about tried everything just try letting him sleep whenever he wants?

Stretch · 13/01/2009 10:02

Oh fgs!!!

NotQuiteCockney · 13/01/2009 10:05

It might make sense to let him sleep whenever he wants for a week (just write it down - and sleep when he does!), and then try to gently shift his sleep times around to when you want them, by a half hour per day or something like that? (And also try to sleep whenever anyone else can take him?)

Given he's not unhappy in the daytime, it doesn't sound like a diet thing. It sounds like a sleep thing.

I know that if I was in your situation, I would be tense and furious in the evening, in a 'fgs just go to sodding sleep already!' sort of way. Not that it's the baby's fault, but I'd be fed up and tired. And if I was tense like that, my baby would no doubt pick up on it, and be tense right back at me ...

thisisyesterday · 13/01/2009 10:07

agree with stretch and nqc.
keep a diary of when he sleeps, inc where and what you do/don't do to get him off to sleep.

it'll really help to know exactly what he is doing so that you can work on changing it.
then get yourself a copy of the no-cry sleep solution!

Original poster

Oblomov · 13/01/2009 10:10

stretch, have tried that - let him take lead

yesterday - have read no cry.and sleepeasy solution.

OP posts:

delightedoldbag34 · 13/01/2009 10:13

First, you have my huge sympathy. I've had a child with reflux so know where you are with the screaming, vomiting, not sleeping thing. Horrible.
If it isn't reflux and maybe colic I can't really help except to say it should end soon. (sorry, not helpful)
Otherwise my other suggestion (maybe a bit controversial but hell, you sound quite desperate) would be to try to get him into a proper routine of feeding/sleeping day and night. This didn't solve our problems with DD2 but definitely helped. It's not an overnight cure but I'd say a week is a good time to try it for. I too fit in with some others who say that getting their babies to have decent (but restricted) naps during the day helped them to sleep much better at night. Even now (age 2) she sleeps much better overnight and is easier to settle if she's had a daytime nap.
In terms of which routine I'd say it's up to you but I have used THAT VERY CONTROVERSIAL GF book with great success (although ignored some of the more radical advice like no eye contact etc - couldn't do any of that) but found the structuring and timings very helpful as a guideline as to how to run my day. I also tried the Baby Whisperer Tracey Hogg routine with DD2 but didn't have much success with that. But then different things suit differerent people. GF certainly claims that a set routine of feeding and sleeping can help minimise colic - don't know if this is true but perhaps worth a shot?

Really, I also would say it wouldn't hurt to get another opinion as the paed sounds like he was perhaps clutching at straws by suggesting early weaning.
Although my DD's reflux did improve once she started on solids (but I did wait until around 6 months so maybe it would have improved then anyway? who knows).
Anyway my thoughts are with you. Take care.

Oh by the way I don't have any personal experience of these but have read great reports of them being helpful for hard to settle and reflux./colic babies - apparently the Amby Hammock is very good as an alternative to moses basket. It rocks them back to sleep and more importantly is raised at the head end to help stop reflux. Have a look online and the Amby website gives loads of info. Sorry don't know how to do links. You can get them a bit cheaper on Ebay too as quite expensive new. The Reflux website also recommends them and apparently they are used in some hospital SCBU's as great for prem babies too as more comforting. Anyway just a thought (as you said he won't sleep in moses basket).
Am planning to get one for impending DC3 .......

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