sudden and drastic change in 12 week old

[squishy]

Last Sunday my DD was very difficult to settle, crying a lot - assumed, because she was very very sick on Monday that she was poorly. Tuesday, she was only sick once, but very clingy to me.

For the rest of the week, she has been her normal giggly, smiley self for the first 4 hours of the day but then not really sleeping as usual and by 2-3pm is constantly crying/shouting and although hungry, as soon as a bottle is given to her, she thrashes her head around or gags.

Normally, the only way I can settle her is either 'let' her get quite unhappy and angry for a while until she seems to be hungry 'enough' to eat properly and then will sleep. When she's like this, she can be soothed by holding her close but facing away.

This week she's started sleeping 10-12 hours a night.

I know I shouldn't be complaining with sleep, but the days are really getting to me - she cried more on Sunday and Monday of last week than she had in the previous 12 weeks (combined!).

Am I missing something?

You know, infants often get (as do adults) lactose intolerance for a while as a result of an upset tummy. So a trip to the GP is in order, because believe me, milk when you are lactose intol. HURTS.

Hmm, I had wondered about that, but the first 3 feeds of the day are fine and when she actually does settle to feed, she's fine, it's the thrashing about and visible distress that get to me. Can lactose intolerance be intermittant?

Bump to say - still clearly very hungry, just had about 60ml and then spent the next 45 mins making smacky lip movements, having one or 2 good sucks on the bottle and then thrashing head from side to side. Am getting quite distressed about this and have no idea what's going on....

Well, DH has managed to get her to sleep. She's not had enough to eat, but think she'll sleep till early hours now.

Could still really really do with any suggestions/advice/support. At one point, found myself laughing as she screamed hysterically in my arms - it was either that or join her by crying.

Stupid suggestion, maybe - but have you tried changing teats? DD went through a phase (she is now 15 weeks) when she seemed to get tired/ fed up before she had had enough to eat - we changed to faster flowing teats (avent no. 3) and she seems OK again - now just freaking me out by missing a bottle completely - but content and/or asleep (oh and she sleeps 12+ hours as well, which I agree entirely can be scary, however good it sounds to the sleep deprived!)

That's a thought. She's 12 weeks and I use 2 bottles - Mam number 2 teat and Tommee Tippee number 2. The TT one says it's for 3 months (so I shouldn't be using it already?) - the next one up is 6 months, but am never sure how 'strict' this should be. Will get the next Mam ones tomorrow to try - thanks, I have some hope!

This is more a sympathy message than one with useful advice. My ds2 was a bit like this (except from earlier than 12 wks) and it is very hard feeling that you can't do anything for them. I found that holding him upright (in a sling) after I fed him was what helped him most. In retrospect I think he had colic or something like that.

I wouldn't hesistate to ask your health visitor if you are at all worried.

Anyway, good luck!

Have you considered that she could be teething? Doesn't sound like a clear case of it, but teething can produce all sorts of weird behaviour! Sometimes the sucking can make it hurt more (whilst other times it seems to ease it!).

No experience of bottle feeding, but the teat thing sounds like a good possibility too.

Hiya - my dd is also 12 weeks and they do tend to have a growth spurt at this age, they also tend to sleep less in the day (in my experience, ds did this as well), I think the teat suggestion is good but also have you thought about wind? - sometimes it does build up through the day and by the 3rd feed can be quite painful, they are hungry but as soon as they try to eat the wind rears up and causes them discomfort. How many oz's are you giving and how often? I hope that this helps I do sympathise.

Thank you - she usually has about 3 good feeds (wind her during and after and she usually lets out a couple of belters in between feeds!) of anywhere between 4 and 7 ounces. I had thought of wind and have even given gripe water when constant winding have produced no more burps - she seems to like the gripe water, but no noticeable improvement! If we have another day like it tomorrow, will go to HV clinic on Tuesday.

Having said she sleeps well, she fought and fought and eventually went at about 11 tonight, having been like this since about 2 today with a couple of brief dozes in arms/on chest (tried several times to put her down for proper nap).

She does seem to be comfiest in vertical position, will try her in sling tomorrow to save my back!

Thanks for the support, it's gratefully received.

Squishy - it was about this age both my boys reflux kicked in 'properly' with the pattern you describe. Fine and happy in the morning, by 2pm it's all pants and you can't wait until they go to bed - both have been good sleepers too.

I'm still exploring the possibility of lactose intolerence with DS2 (17 wks) as he has quite bad eczema but moving them to enfamil AR which thickens up in the stomach and according to HV is more digestible (sp?) (or you could try sma staydown) has made the world of difference already. We changed our bottle too - from avent to NUK wide neck simply because he wasn't getting a good seal on the regular shaped teats.

Hope this is of help, if I was less knackered I'd do you a link but if you type 'silent reflux' into google you might find some helpful hints.