no idea what else to do for my poor baby...

[Lillylou1991]

My poor little boy is 7 weeks old and having terrible tummy pains.
Hes been to the gp whos diganosed him with a mix of growing pains, reflux and constipation so put him on infacol and movicol (every other day)
Since then he seems to have gotten worse. Hes withering around in pain and cant sleep more than 20 mins before hes screaming again. The worst is when hes rigid with so much pain he cant even scream.
Ive tried it all. Massage, warm bubbly baths, leg rotations, tummy time and even done calpol to try and help but nothings working and its breaking my heart.
Anyone got any advice on what to do?

I'm surprised the GP went ahead and prescribed Movicol for a seven week old. That seems highly unusual.

(My DD started Movicol at 7m and is now 4, so I know a lot about babies and Movicol!)

How frequent are his bowel movements and what sort of consistency?

Severe constipation in such a young baby needs to be investigated and not fobbed off with Movicol, even though Movicol is the first line treatment and is very effective. Seven weeks is just a bit too young, I think. I would be asking for a hospital referral to rule out bowel diseases like Hirschsprung's and milk allergies/CMPI.

Growing pains!!!!! Yes could be reflux but meds should be helping if not ask for different one.

Is he actual constipated? You shouldn't have to use it everyday as that itself will give you stomach cramps if there's nothing to move along. Go back ask to change reflux meds if that isn't improve in few days get referee. Sounds awful x

first thought to me is milk allergy/intolerence

reflux and colic is usually default diagnosis but often they are symptoms not a diagnosis. I'd go straight back and ask fir a trial of a prescription milk.

See i think movicol is a bit much for a baby who isnt even meant to have calpol yet... my DH told me to trust the gp and stop overthinking things.
vague he normally goes every 3 days or so and is on 5oz ever 4 hours. The gp said with the amount hes eating that he should be going everyday and to give the movicol every other day till hes going everyday then wean him off it. When he does go i think its normal, yellow mushy (ick)
The infacol im fine with. We used it before religiously and DS reacted well to it.
Im defo going back to the gp tomorrow but im just worried hes not going to sleep and i cant cope with seeing him in his much pain... i feel helpless.

Not got any words of wisdom but my 4 week old takes 4 oz every three hours (so a similar amount to yours over the day) and she only poos every three days. I'm not sure a sweeping 'should poo every day' is helpful.
Hope he gets it sorted soon, k

The gp said with the amount hes eating that he should be going everyday and to give the movicol every other day till hes going everyday then wean him off it.

That's nonsense. Is he BF or FF? BF babies can go a week or more without pooing. I FF my babies and, although you expect them to poo more often (DD would only go once every six days and was definitely constipated) three days isn't too worrying, as long as the poo isn't dry and like pellets (or like squeezing clay out of a tube, as my DD was) and/or causing them pain to pass. Mushy is fine, although the Movicol would be contributing to that.

Can you see another GP? This one sounds very misguided.

I would return to a different GP. I'm not a dr so won't criticize yours.

My first thought was milk allergy. Does he have excema or throw up after feeds?

When you say he's taking bottle every 4 hours - are you feeding on demand or to a routine? Could he simply be hungry?

I think i will ask for a different doctor tomorrow and see what they say.
vague he does pass the smallest pellet like nappy after a lot of complaining and pushing then about 10 mins later will have a huge explosion which again hes crying and withering around in such pain before and after.
glen no ezcema or rashes. Had milk spots for a while but theyve gone now.
bittapitta luckily i have such a good natured little man and while i will happily feed him on demand its actually just our routine that hes hungry every 3/4 hours.

He is formula fed on Aptimil after a hell of a nasty time trying to BF and listening to everyone guilt tripping me into thinking FFing my DS is wrong. Hes had tummy problems since birth, struggling with constipation but my god its so awful now the only thing that keeps him calm enough to drift off for 20 mins is being cuddled up tightly in my arms so its starting to effect me in more ways than just emotionally

try aptimil comfort milk

If he's diagnosed reflux, why is he on infacol and movicol? Why nothing for the reflux, not even infant Gaviscon (which doesn't actually do much, btw, but is the usual first step!)? My DC1 was on movicol at around 10w but alongside domperidone, after Gaviscon did nothing and before moving onto omeprazole. I can't remember what DC2 was on and when because having a 2yo and a baby both with severe reflux simultaneously definitely fries your mind a bit - but at no time did they give infacol.

Both mine would arch and go rigid during and immediately after feeds, the screaming was awful too. The vomiting made a diagnosis obvious. Constipation went along with it, whenever enough actually stayed down it just didn't come out the other end.

What helped:
Holding upright, especially during feeds and for a good half-hour afterwards
Wedging the mattress up a bit - either prop up the legs (think the ones we bought were called "bed blocks", we still use them now as DC2 has asthma) or if still in the Moses basket, rolled-up towels under the head end of the mattress (also works in a pram)
Using a bouncer chair as upright as possible and with as little bend in the middle as possible (try to keep the stomach stretched out instead of scrunched up)
As little time in the car seat as possible - that made things much worse
Using a sling/baby carrier rather than a lie-flat pram/buggy
Walking up and down stairs after feeds - for some reason the slight bouncing motion seemed to help winding.
Cranial osteopathy. I was sceptical but desperate. However, after every single session, both DC would be totally relaxed and fall asleep for a good 90-120 mins. Dc1 only ever slept for 40 mins at most, Dc2 for 25.

I'm sure there were other tricks, will try to remember. DC2 now almost 4 and both only suffer occasionally from reflux. DC2 did have a CMPI too, so you could maybe try different formulas (I BF both, so just cut out dairy myself so I'm afraid I can't recommend formula, but I'm pretty sure the consultants were prescribing a formula beginning with E to the FF parents at the reflux clinic, maybe someone else knows the name? It is available on prescription, so perhaps worth asking?).

Hope you find something that works soon.

Enfamil, I think!!

I didn't ff at that age and DS pooed at every feed which was v often at that age so please ignore me if this is nonsense but a lot of friends switched to hipp milk and found it made their babies much more comfortable.

You mention that he calms when held tightly. I would get myself a good sling. It keep him as upright as possible which may help with digestion and also give him that feeling of being held tightly and closely to his mummy. At night I would try safely co-sleeping and/or swaddling to see if that helps. Also, totally not recommended but when my DS was particularly uncomfortable with wind he always slept better on his front. As I say, I'm not recommending you do that but it did work for us.

This is a really interesting article circulating on the Health Visiting forum pages. May offer a different perspective?

babyhintsandtips.com/doctor-tips-colic-bore-your-baby-to-sleep/

Growing pains in a 7 week old baby sounds like bollocks.

Go back to another GP - if he has reflux he needs to be medicated for that.

I went to see my midwife cos i agreed about the movicol and she said not to use it anymore because thats a ceazy thing to pescribe him for no real reason. She just told me to do water between feeds (which ive already been doing so her advice wasnt helpful either)
Since then i thought he shiwed signs of improvement but today hes doubled over in pain, throwing up and keeps waking up screaming. Tempted to go a&e now :(

Different GP for sure. Growing pains? Talking complete bollocks.

Well i do remember my little brother had naaasty growing pains when he was 2 months old but he was abnormally tall (hes 12 now and 6ft already) so when he said it i went along with it.
Im not sure about allergies... ive nannied for babies with milk allergies and the noise from the pain was something ill never forget!
Im not a paranoid mother, i make a point of doing everything i can at home before asking a doctor but its getting so fustrating being made out as one by doctors (not that being paranoid is a bad thing, its just who i am and im a nurse). I know my son and this is not his normal smiley happy self

odog thank you for the advice. If im honnest (please dont shout at me ladies) my DS has always slept on his front. He hates laying on his back for anything other than playing with his gym mat.
I have a ergobaby carry sling, its very complicated to get him in and im scared to do it on my own. I will bite the bullet soon and get my MIL to help.

My DS was v much how you described, crying, vomiting, pulling legs up in pain, both when breast feeding and when moved onto formula, for the first few weeks he would only sleep held vertically on my chest, every time I lay him down he'd be in pain. Things that helped us:

Lying him on his front on my lap and rubbing his back, this really helped get his wind up and he often napped on us in that position.

Letting him sleep on his front, I know this is frowned upon and would not recommend, but this was the only position he would actually sleep in, same with my daughter.

Him getting bigger, he remained a puker for a long time, but as he got bigger and he started taking some solids he gradually improved.

Sending I know how hard it is to see your tiny baby in pain and not be able to do anything. My DS is 18months now and eats everything and doesn't seem to struggle with tummy pain or bowel issues at all now, wishing you the best of luck in getting it sorted.

A few things:

1. is he allergic to the milk? I would take him again to be checked but maybe an alternative dairy free one might suit

2. get another sling. The ergo baby is good once bigger but a pain when small. Get a soft stretchy wrap sling. Ergo also do one, or close caboo is easy as semi tied

christmas thank you for the s and thank you so much for the advice, hes always been much more comfortable on his front anyway but ive not tried laying him on my legs like that, will give that a go for sure!
art i do have the infant insert for the ergo baby, i just havent tried it all together yet. My friend has the same one and swears by it as she brought a bog standard sling (i think redkite?) But hated it. Normally i go to put it on to take him out then wussing out and i end up putting him in his pram instead!
Im still pretty darn sure hes not got a milk allergy, ive seen babies with milk allergies and my DS seems to be in a different sort of distress. Plys hes been FF since 3days old and these symptoms have only just started to occur about a week/2 ago.
Ive managed to get him down to sleep in his crib but not sure how long he'll stay down for and as much as i love him staying in bed with me i worry myself silly that i might accidentally hurt him or he'll get too hot so i end up sleeping terribly
Thanks for all the advice ladies!!

I have a 12 week old who is currenly being treated for suspected reflux/CMPi although like your LO she didn't have any rashes or eczema etc.
She was fine up until 5 weeks old then suddenly started refusing to drink as much, then started screaming, going rigid and arching back during feeds.
She is currenly on neocate in case of Cmpi and infant gaviscon and omeprazole for reflux. I know how hard it can be when baby doesn't settle. We don't have the back arching now but struggle to get her to drink much at all and weight gain is very very slow. She is also often unsettled between feeds and seems in pain.
Things we do to try and help are:
Keeping upright as much as possible especially after feeding.
Sling
Burping (gently) - often walk around house with hwr on shoulder gently stroking back- this also settles her a little if crying.
Dummy.
Battery powered swing chair in front of Tv (not ideal but it stops her crying long enough sometimes to enable me to make some lunch etc)

No I don't mean the infant insert, as they are Spain and you need two parts so unfortunately they are too hot indoors as insert thick and sweaty. I mean look at a regular wrap sling to use the first 6 months that you can use indoors also

Like these:

boba wrap -www.naturalbabyshower.co.uk/products/boba-wrap-black

Close wrap -www.naturalbabyshower.co.uk/products/close-caboo-organic-blend-driftwood-marl