Why is my baby so upset

[Squeakybubbles26]

So DD is 11 weeks old, and has always experienced windy issues whether it's too or bottom but this had improvement over the last few weeks.

However this week she had literally been crying - sometimes uncontrollably when she's awake! Feeding has become a real issue when she will only take 2 oz and then burp, and refuse to take any more either pushing it away or crying that she doesn't want it.

When she was 6 weeks old we changed her from Aptamil stage 1 to Hipp organic Stage 1. We did notice this made her sicky, possibly more spit ups but at first she seemed more content, would nap better in the day etc.

But now I'm at my wits end, the crying all day not knowing what to do to calm her let alone look after DD1 who's 3!

HV didn't seem concerned when I mentioned anything a few weeks back and said she's putting on weight etc so it's nothing concerning.

But now this crying I don't know what to do ..
Any advice at 3am is highly appreciated!!!

No advice other than see your gp rather than hv to see if cmpa is a possibility and perhaps try other formula milks.

Have a big hand hold though Endless screaming is soul destroying - hang in there!

Have you tried infacol? Really helped my little one bring up trapped wind. I found using it religiously for 24hours helped to break the trapped wind cycle and then it was much more manageable. Also try tilting the crib if possible so ever so babies head is slightly higher than feet.

It sounds like baby could have a slight allergy or reflux. Speak to your doctor maybe? Sometimes even just feeling like your trying to do something can make you feel 100 times better. Good luck.

DD may have a dairy intolerance. Have you tried soya formula? I take it you aren't breastfeeding? A friend who breastfed her baby with a dairy intolerance, had to avoid dairy herself.

Sounds like cmpa, in which case definitely don't give soya formula as the proteins are so similar most cmpa babies also have sya allergy. You'll need a cows milk free formula, such as neocate, prescribed by the gp.

*soya

And yes if breastfeeding then you'll need to cut out all dairy from your diet.

You have my sympathies, a cmpa baby is horrible thing to go through until you have the allergy under control (which will be quick once cow's milk is removed from the diet)

Thirding cmpa. A formula like nutramigen and some Zantac on prescription is required

Discuss first with hv obvs

See your GP. Hope you get some answers for your DD. My DS was and continues to be fussy with his feeds. He struggle with wind but also had silent reflux. He was given baby gaviscon. It can be absolute hell when they won’t settle/calm. Don’t be too hard on yourself as things will come together again.

My baby went through phases like this when she was teething. She'd have some milk, stop to wind, then scream and refuse any more. How are the gums looking?

Thanks for all your replies! We bottle feed, bless her she literally cries as we put the bottle near or in her mouth 😢

Over time it's got worse. I wonder myself if it's either silent reflux or a milk allergy.

Defiantly booking a doctors appointment today, can't see her go through another day in pain without answers.

Has anyone's children had a milk allergy? Did it get better once the milk was swapped?

I worry about if they do prescribe gaviscon as it can make them constipated.

Also I know what drs are like and probably will be fobbed off, but somethings not right. Surely a baby shouldn't cry literally all day??? (I must add the all day crying has got worse since Monday - before then she would cry but only periods throughout the day but nothing excessive)

@Imicola her gums don't seem any different but she's had her hand in her mouth constantly the last few days.

My baby is nearly 6 months old and has only just been diagnosed with CMPA and likely reflux. It’s been hell and tbh my mental health has suffered hugely. I’m still breastfeeding and my baby would cry all day. Things are better now in that she seems more settled and she’s not screaming all the time, but because she’s spent all her life being in pain we have no routine at all and everything now feels like an uphill struggle. We were fobbed off so many times with diagnoses of colic and just a fussy baby. People didn’t understand just how awful it was being at home with her, it got to the point where I didn’t want to take her out as she’d just scream. Taking her in the car was especially awful. It’s worth asking or a prescription for a milk free formula, but ime professionals seem to go to great lengths to tell you how rare CMPA is, as I first suggested it as a possibility when she was about 6 weeks old. Many seem under the impression that it’s a bit of a fad diagnosis which is just infuriating. In my tiny circle of friends I know of 4 babies who have it so it can’t be as rare as they’d have you believe. I’ve cut out all milk from my diet and the difference in dd is extraordinary. It can’t have helped that I was eating so much chocolate just to get through the days

@AwkwardAsAllGetout your poor daughter. Just hearing them cry in pain breaks my heart. Did you have good and bad days before your diagnosis? It's getting to the point I don't want to leave the house incase she cries (yesterday was by far my worse day of being a parent 😢).
What symptoms does your daughter have?
Can the allergy just develop or get worse over time? As I don't know if DD has had the allergy all the time or not :/

Make sure your GP sees you today. Getting a CMPA diagnosis is not straightforward and in my experience most GPs have woefully bad training on childhood allergies.

Dairy free formula is revolting so if you’re prescribed it be prepared for a bit of a battle getting your baby to drink it at first.

To those who recommend infacol, there is actually no scientific evidence that it works. It is purely a placebo. I believe their own marketing manager has said as much.

We had feeding problems on and off from about 2 months due to teething, although no teeth actually came in until 6 months. We didn't have all day crying though, so definitely worth getting to the Dr. Might be teething as all babies react differently, but as others have said it could be something else. How long has it been going on like this? Hope you get a helpful doc.

Yes we had good days and bad days. When we had our 6 week check (actually at 8 weeks due to our gps surgery faffing around cancelling it twice) I mentioned to the doctor that she seemed to be in constant discomfort. We could hear her belly churning away and she’d writhe in pain. She listened to her tummy and referred us to a paediatrician urgently as she thought that she might have a twisted bowel. That was ruled out. Before we saw the paed I cut out dairy as I’d already been reading around her symptoms, but I was told there was no need as the likelihood of an allergy was so tiny. I felt like people thought I was just neurotic. But she just got worse. She had terrible wind from both ends and her poo was so unpredictable. She could go a week without going and then go about 6-7 times in one day, and it varied from thick green liquid to bright yellow mucous. But still I was told it was normal for a breastfed baby (she’s my fourth so I knew that this simply wasn’t the case). A few weeks ago it was so awful I simply wanted to walk out the door and never come back, the crying was constant. Not even crying, screaming. So I emailed the paed we saw initially and explained her symptoms and she admitted us the next day. Allergy was diagnosed quickly. And now I wish I’d pushed far earlier, but what’s done is done. You know somethings wrong. Please don’t be made to feel you’re making a fuss about nothing

Gaviscon did make my little one constipated but I give him water to counteract that as much as possible. Since weaning I include fruit especially prunes in his diet also to help. Gaviscon was not a miracle cure however so if you’re not comfortable giving to your baby don’t. It made things better but nowhere near perfect.

Allergies are common. Four mums in my friendship group and four babies. One of them has a milk allergy and has to have a special formula which I can’t remember the name of now.

Both of my twins have CMPA - didn’t get dairy free formula until they were 7/8 months old. Their many issues resolved within 48 hours - eczema vanished, poos changed, nappy rash vanished, painful wind stopped. It was bloody miraculous.

Ask if you can try it - just say you want to try it and rule it out. It’s bloody expensive so they’ll fight against prescribing. If they refuse insist on a referral to the paeds dieticians. It’s awful how much babies have to suffer before we get help just because the solution is so expensive.

Slightly off topic, have u tried a dummy for comfort? My boy had terrible reflux n would cry a lot, No1 helped, (seems like a blur now), but a dummy gave us both some comfort, and a staggered feeding routine. It's exhausting but don't worry, you can do it. ♥

Hey just wanted to update you all. Saw the GP this morning and she was fantastic! Poor little one possibly has silent reflux, so she's prescribed her with ranitidine. She said from experience gaviscon doesn't always work so she goes the next step up straight away! If this doesn't work I can try thickened formula and then the next step is dairy free.
I think what helped was she said her son had reflux so she could actually relate and not just be a dr but a mother's opinion and understanding to (which helps when you've experienced the constant crying of a baby)!

@Popper456 yeh she has a dummy which works a dream especially after feeding helps to soothe any discomfort.

Great that you have an answer. Hope the ranitidine helps!

Glad you got sorted. Hope it works for you both. Friends of mine that used it saw a difference pretty quickly so fingers crossed there is some sleep at rest for you both in the near future x