Going mental every feed

[Inapickle123]

Hoping someone can help.

For the past two weeks, DS (just turned 4 months) has refused to feed during the day. It's never been his favourite time but he's started screaming when he sees the bottle, taking a few sucks then turning away and crying then whining and groaning because he's so hungry (his current record is 9 hours without eating)

The only way I can get him to eat at all during the day is to wait til he is absolutely exhausted and is almost asleep. He'll then take 2-5 ounces as he has no fight left in him.

He will take his last feed (7pm), dreamfeed (1030) and night feed (4am) with not much complaint.

Hehas been on ranitidine for reflux for 6 weeks and it was great but seems to have stopped working (lots of projectile vomiting going on). Dr has prescribed the next drug up (can't remember the name) but so far it doesn't seem to be having much of an impact.

He has been teething but the pain seems to have subsided as soon as teeth became visible in his top gums. In any case, teething painkillers (we tried them all) had no effect-he still wouldn't eat.

I am at a complete loss. Nothing has changed-same milk (aptamil comfort), bottle and teats. I've tried new milk, new teats, hotter, colder, new bottles...nothing seems to work.

Does anyone have any experience of this? I'm really worried he's started to associate his bottle with pain/being uncomfortable and we'll never break the cycle.

In my mind it's one of four things:

1. reflux is particularly bad and the vomit coming up has hurt his throat, meaning swallowing is sore (would explain the first few successful sucks then pulling away and tears). If this is the case, How can I fix it?
2. bottle is bashing against his top gums and against his teeth less likely as he's still taking his dummy
3. decided he doesn't let the taste
4. allergy/intolerance to milk that has always been there (feeding has always been difficult) but he's now understanding that his pain comes about after his milk so is refusing to eat.

I don't know what to do. Every bottle is a battle and it's so upsetting seeing him get into such a state.

Any suggestions? I'm going to go to the GP next week to ask for a paediatric referral but it would be helpful to go in with a clear understanding of what could be wrong.

Fellow reflux mummy here - have you adjusted his meds' dose for weight changes? Ranitide esp is v sensitive. All i can suggest is that you persist with getting the right meds as he is obviously still in pain.

Cmpi?

That must be really tough and can't be doing either of you any good. Is there a reason that you are waiting until next week to go to the GP?

Has he been checked for cows milk protein intolerance and tongue tie?

Pickle, it sounds like you need to go back to your gp this week and get the ball rolling on the paed referral. Your ds sounds like he is very hungry.

You could try putting cool boiled water in the bottle. If your ds drinks it it may indicate that its not the teat or heartburn on drinking that is bothering him.

If he does drink the water, it may be because he knows the formula is making him sick. You could ask your gp for a trial of a hypo formula? Can you buy the formula over the counter without a prescription? It is more expensive but it may be worth a trial.

Last night was horrific-up every hour and back to crying in his sleep. I thought we were passed this. He's stopped napping too.

Couldn't get nice GP appointment til Tuesday but I'm going to set up camp tomorrow and insist on a referral.

He'll take water so it's definitely the milk. I've tried so many brands that the next step is hypo formula but thee GP refuses point blank to prescribe it without paediatric referral as it's so expensive. Do to think you can but it over the counter.

Beyond stressed. Taken 4 hours to get 6 oz in him and he's currently wailing and raising his legs to the ceiling. He won't even let me hold him, just squirms.

Part of me just feels like going to a&e-perhaps someone will actually listenthere.

Horribly stressful time for you.

My son was prescribed neonate and wouldn't touch it. Then he was prescribed a cow and gate one that was hypoallergenic and wouldn't take that either. He's on soya milk but it took until 9 months to work out the problem for me.

Keep hassling for the paed referral.
Keep on keeping on!!

Inapickle, sounds tough.
Going to a and e seems ott but actually may be a good way to get direct advice from a paediatrician. I believe they would be able to prescribe hydrolysed formula?
Bear in mind the sleep thing may not be connected, sleep often goes haywire at 4-5 mths due to some major developmental changes

The sleep issues don't really bother me as any regression is better than the first 10 weeks, where he would only sleep for 4 hours in 24.

Will go to the GP tomorrow and, should he get worse over the weekend, ill just goto a&e. I'm loathe to do it as he's not an emergency in the sense that I can get him to eat but it's a horrific process. Wouldn't want to take the care from someone who desperately needs it.

I just can't understand where the aversion has come from and why it's surfaced now. Three weeks ago he was doing so well, taking 6 oz 4/5 times a day.

Pickle-I'm in ireland and the special formula s can be bought without prescription from a pharmacy here. Could you go to your local pharmacy and ask? Ds was on nutramigin 1 which made a big improvement, its about twice the price of normal formula. Also trialled aptimel pepti, but he didn't do aswell on that as its not lactose free. If his formula is changed it takes a few days for them to realise the new milk won't make them sick. Definitely push for a paed referral. Your gp sounds very unsympathetic. Hugs.

Honestly if that was my DS I'd be asking my GP to admit him tomorrow. That's the fastest way to see a paediatrician, other than using a&e.

If you ask for a referral it will take at least a couple of weeks and he can't take that from what you've said.

Pack a bag for him and a bag for you. Be polite but firm that your DS is suffering, losing weight and won't take an adequate amount of milk. Be clear that if they won't refer in for assessment today as an admission you'll be going directly to a&e because you are extremely worried. Be as calm as you can, be factual, be sure of yourself.

Yes you can get nutramigen without prescription, even amazon sell it, but tbh your baby needs to see a paediatrician.

Good luck.

Ow did you get on pickle? Did you get a referral?

I agree with They from your description you need to assert yourself. Trust your motherly instinct. If you know he's not eating enough and is puking too much there may be more to it than the possibilities you have already mentioned. Weight seems to be an important factor for pediatricians with good reason, so if your child is losing weight or even just not gaining any, get to a doctor. Push it and push it until you get answers.

Out of interest, does he also have a lot of gas? I ask because I ended up in A&E with my daughter at about two months because she was terribly constipated and full of gas. Turned out that she couldn't handle ordinary formula milk, she had to have something they don't sell in the UK called 'Lemolac' which was a formula with the milk proteins partially broken down already. She thrived on that instantly.

I've just looked up 'lemolac' and it was basically normal formula milk with added citric acid which broke up the milk proteins in a similar way to cooking milk so that it was more easily digested. I don't know if there is something similar in the UK but it was very effective for our daughter. They say you shouldn't try milk free products without consulting your doctor, I am not sure why, perhaps someone else knows.

Managed to get an appointment with the GP this morning and she's putting a referral through.

DS hasn't lost weight (slowly gaining as low-ish birth weight), mainly because I'm tanking him up during the night as he will take milk when asleep/dozy as he has no energy to fight it. As such, GP was pretty dismissive and said he probably just doesn't like it and I have a stubborn baby!! I've to wean (DS just turned 4 months) and offer him 4/5 small meals during the day, topping up with milk when he will let me. Then ife to give bottles at night.

Today has been awful. Managed to get 8oz in him since 6am (now close to 7pm) and each ounce takes roughly 1-2hours, countless attempts, hysterical screaming and tears (mine and his)

I'll take the gp's lead and see how things go over the weekend. I have not qualms about rocking up to a&e with him if required.

It's so frustrating. Yes, he's gaining weight but if I want so vigilant then he wouldn't be. Essentially, in order for the GP to see a 4monrh old bottle refused as a problem, I need to let him starve. There is something seriously wrong with that approach.

Sorry for typos-on phone.

My ds was like this when he was 4 months old. Just would not take milk, even though he was obviously starving.p

This was 20 years ago, but the hv suggested giving him yoghurts instead, watered down with a bit of milk.

We never looked back, he devoured them. He's a wonderful 20 year old now with no visible problems....

Boomerwang-his gas has always been terrible, to the extent that he used to wake himself up screaming and continued to wriggle and moan for up to an hour until he farted. GP said it was colic. Eventually-after many, MANY visits (and video evidence) she conceded that it "might" be reflux and prescribed meds. I asked for the hypo formula but was refused.

He also has an awful time trying to poo. We had to put him on comfort formula because he got so constipated and, even then, he will strain and scream for 10-20minutes just before he manages to go. He's for a constantly red raw anus (no cream will remove this) and has NEVER managed to go lying down; he must be upright.

I've listed all his symptoms and all I get from my GP (and I've seen several) is that it's colic and he'll grow out of it.

DS just had a 25 minute meltdown, where nothing would settle him, just as I was trying to give him his bedtime bottle. He finally conceded as he was ravenous but the screaming and his obvious discomfort has really upset me.

Maybe ask your GP to prescribe omeprazol for the reflux - this is what my daughter had.

And don't be afraid to wean early - I weaned DD at just over 4 months. She still has milk (nutramigen formula as she had cows milk intolerance) but real food was the making if her.

Above all make your GP listen to you and don't take no for an answer.

Best of luck

Glad to hear you got a paed referral, hopefully they will be able to sort things out. IME gps seem to think once the baby is gaining weight then everything is ok....doesn't matter that your spending all day getting them to take little sips

I agree with what many others have said: don't take no for an answer. Yes, thousands of babies have suffered with colic, thousands suffer with gas and constipation (I even took mine into A&E cuz she hadn't pooed for four days and was only a few weeks old) but if you think you are losing your mind because it is relentless, and the screams rip your heart out and your baby can't sleep for the pain, then go back to the hospital and stay in their faces no matter how pissy they get because nobody can have you arrested for seeking medical attention for your baby! It's long waits, tiring journeys and a lot of talking over and over, but what is the alternative if it's not going crazy at home anyway?

How was everything over the weekend OP? Only just read your thread and I'm just so on your behalf. FFS doesn't your GP see that screaming all day to take 8 oz of milk because your baby is in pain needs something doing?? "He'll grow out of it" is a ludicrous thing to say. You have my sympathies- hope the weekend was better.