Help me with my 7 week old

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Hi
So i need advice regarding my 7 week old. Since we brought him home, he was reluctant to sleep in his crib. He would only sleep if my husband and i held him upright (we had to take shifts). He would scream if we lay him down. I was breastfeeding him and topping him up with formula when needed (Hipp). Things were getting worse, he would scream inbetween feeds and after feeds, constant hiccups, gurgling and then swallowing spit up then screaming. At first i was sure he had colic but then i thought he had silent acid reflux. Doctor agreed and gave us infant gaviscon. I used this with my older son and wasnt impressed but thought i would give this a try. Its not great with breastfeeding and baby was reluctant to take paste. I have now started giving formula and expressed breastmilk more often now. We then decided to try Aptamil comfort milk although I'm not seeing any difference/improvement. Has anyone got any advice? Nothing seems to settle him, ive tried everything, baby sling, having crib at an angle, etc. Nothing. He screams in the car when im taking him for a walk. I know colic reaches its peak at 6 to 8 weeks but i hate hearing him in pain.

Just to note im still using infant gaviscon although worried he will be constipated.

Ranitadine or omeprazole. Sounds refluxy, go back to gp and ensure you rule our causes for the reflux such as cows milk or/and soya allergy. My LO has both and Hipp milk was horrendous, as was aptimil xx

Thanks @SlB09. Ranitidine has been discontinued unfortunately. I did think about an allergy but he doesn't have any skin conditions. Was that common with your one?

I don’t know what reflux meds are still prescribed for babies, but my youngest (now 8) had terrible reflux and was given ranitidine, along with infant gaviscon. I remember also mixing Carobel (the milk thickening powder) in with feeds. She was breastfed, and wouldn’t take a bottle (had to express and cup feed when giving her meds). She couldn’t lay flat, or even stand being in an infant car seat for long. I had to put her upright in a wrap for most of the time. God, I remember it so well! Hard times, but things settled down after we got the meds sorted.
I’d def ask about ranitidine (if it’s something still prescribed!) as it really helped with my daughter x

Bugger, just saw the post above mine!

My son would scream every time you laid him on his back. He had tension in his back and it was causing him pain, a trip to the osteopath did wonders. I'd recommend looking into that, it may help!
(I was also reluctant at first which is why I put it off until nearly 6 weeks old but after he could lie down without screaming!)

@Fernando072020 i have thought about osteopath but theres such mixed reviews. If things don't improve i might do it.

Have you tried different bottles? We used Dr Browns bottles for our LO with Comfort Milk because she had colic. Definitely helped and settled her.

I’m following this and sending you support OP. We’re going through this with our 13wo. I’m reluctant to give gaviscon because of the constipation effects. We were prescribed lactulose because one GP thought he was constipated but we’re reluctant to give that because it can cause stomach cramping which is only going to exacerbate the situation.

It’s totally heartbreaking when they’re screaming out in pain but there’s nothing you can do. We’ve given him calpol to try and help with the discomfort. I’m at a slight loss as to what we do.

Ps. Sorry if this high jacked your thread!

@TicTac80 I think ranitidine is not prescribed anymore and that they recalled it all a year or two ago over fears it could be carcinogenic. I used to take it and promptly switched to omeprazole!

Ranitadine was a supply issue which resolved some months ago but alternative is omeprazole MUPS, dissolve and quite easy to give.

No mine never had any skin issues at all...... Which is why we had your situation for 12months before I just stopped milk myself and was sick of everyone telling me it couldn't be an allergy as his skin was fine!!!

Has he been checked for tongue tie? Does he have many of the symptoms described here www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/feeding/common-concerns/tongue-tie-babies ?

We had this with out now 8 month old. She was given omeprazole and carobel for her milk. We switched from aptamil to a brand called kendamil and she went to a cranial osteopath twice and it sorted itself out.

Your post brings back memories. DD was exactly the same at about 8 weeks. Silent reflux. We quickly ruled out infant Gaviscon and got omeprazole from the Drs. I'd go back and ask for omeprazole. Good luck and I hope you get something that works soon.

Thank you for all your replies and im sorry for the ones that are going through this too. So ive used dr brown bottles with no success.

I did wonder about a tongue tie but have asked midwife/doctor/HV and they said he didn't although the symptoms are there.
I tried to get a doctors appointment today with no success so will try again and ask for omeprazole. Today after much screaming I've booked an appointment for cranial oestopathy this afternoon. Im not really sure what it is and what it will do but im getting desperate now as i just feel trapped in the house. I can't go anywhere as he just screams. I'll give you an update. Thanks again for the help.

OP just a small update from me. We were prescribed gaviscon yesterday but I was reluctant to give it to him. The doctor prescribed up to 6 doses a day. We took him for his second jabs today and the nurse said it did sound like reflux and her baby has gone through exactly the same thing. She said give one sachet a day and with a small dose we should notice a difference but it shouldn’t cause constipation. We’re going to give it a go and hope that it helps!

I don’t want to worry you but we also went to a cranial osteopath and our baby screamed a lot afterwards- apparently the first session is the worst and then they get better. We decided it wasn’t for us (it was also before his tongue tie snip). I’m not trying to worry you but just to make you aware as I wasn’t expecting the reaction we got…

Hope it gets better x

Just a quick update. I went to the cranial osteopath. The man was very knowledgeable but it did look like he was just giving my baby a massage. Said i might not notice something straight away and recommend another session. The next day i wouldn't say he was chilled but he seemed to sleep a little bit longer. I have another appointment at the end of the week. We have also been prescribed omeprazole. Again I've noticed a slight improvement but nothing amazing. I have decided that i am going to stop breastfeeding. I know its bad that ive only done 8 weeks but the screaming during feeds is awful and i dont want to the only one doing feeding. I really hope things improve in the next few weeks. His screaming got so much, i cried myself. We were told to still use gaviscon.

OP it's bot bad that you did 8 weeks of breast feeding! You've done a great job. Don't beat yourself up like that. I really hope things get better for you. It's awful having a baby who never stops crying.

I onlyamaged a couple of weeks BF because of similar problems, felt like the world was ending giving up but it was the best decision for all of us, don't give it a second thought, at least you can try some extensively hydrolysed formula incase it's allergies x

Thank you for the replies. Just an update if anyone can help or care...so the omeprazole has done nothing. His screaming is still day through to the night. My HV suggested it could be a CMPA. She advised to try some soya formula and then if this worked, there are special prescription formulas we could use. So have been using soya formula. It started well but he has screamed more today. I tried to get in touch with my gp today and was totally fobbed off saying the gp didnt have to prescribe these formulas and the pharmacist could just give them. Thats not correct apparently and now i will have to wait until Monday before i can speak to any gp or hv, if they will help. Is there any cmpa formula that anyone can recommend if they have experience of it? Im reluctant to continue with the soya formula for long as I've read its not great for baby boys.

Im really quite desperate now, im also tempted to book an appointment with a private paediatrician. Its just constant screaming and i dont know what to do anymore.

Omeprazole does take a while to kick in. You might also need a higher dose as they'll be aiming to give the lowest amount needed. Back to GP for higher dose of omeprazole. When it works, it's magic. Feel for you OP, this is rough (oh and stop the gaviscon if you can, it causes constipation and gives them tummy ache)

Omerprazol.
Towel under mattress to the give a gentle incline. Nhs advises this on 111. They incline baby mattresses in hospital.

Hi op,
I went through this for 3 and a half months last yeat. PM me if you need to.
Osteopath is a must in my opinion, that helped us loads - I avoided this for weeks and when I went his crying decreased dramatically. But the crying would continue, and we realised my little boy was also CMPA, although it wasn't severe. He had tummy issues from the dairy which was causing him pain. I gave up all dairy (breastfed), it takes 3 weeks to leave your system, then 3 weeks to leave his, so you will see a change within 3 weeks, and it should be MUCH better after 6 weeks (our screaming decreased after 10 days and stopped completely after 3 weeks then his nappies went back to normal at 6 weeks).

Soya milk is often not an appropriate substitute though as it contains similar proteins to cow's milk. If you want to continue with it, you'll need to try for a few weeks at least.

Like I said, feel free to PM me if you need to with any questions. CMPA support have a great group on facebook too which was so helpful to me at the time

Sorry op, I only read your latest update. I've seen your others. I'm sorry the osteopath didn't help much, it took our little boy 3 sessions and we went to a normal osteopath, not a cranial one (although I don't really know the difference to be honest).