Baby won’t swallow medicine

[Dotty08]

Hey mums,
My three month old DD is on a medicine for a heart condition. She takes 0.45 mls three times per day.
Now she is becoming more aware and has decided she doesn’t like it she won’t swallow it properly and it seems to go on her chest? Chest rattles after meds.
If I give it her in between milk she will take it better, I always try to do this but sometimes the timing of the medicine - strictly every 8 hours doesn’t fall in line with her feed times.
Any advice? Also is it serious when it sounds like it’s on her chest?

If feeding her milk at the same time is the only way she'll take her medicine, then id suggest not being so rigid with milk.

What do you mean by she won't swallow it properly? She either swallows or not, she's not got control over where it goes!

@tintodeverano2

What do you mean by she won't swallow it properly? She either swallows or not, she's not got control over where it goes!

Spits it out, I assume

Are you holding her upright during/after?

If not I assume this will help It go down!

Squirt it bit by bit into the side of her cheek, abs after each squirt, stroke under her chin to get her to swallow

If you think there is any chance she is aspirating then please get in touch with the medical team today.

I would make a feed, even a smaller one, part of her medicine routine if it works for her

Hey
Thanks for the replies
Not being rigid with the milk at all she’s fed on demand.
She doesn’t spit it out she swallows it but then it’s making this awful sound on her chest. She never gets this with milk so obviously something is going wrong when swallowing the meds

@Dotty08

Hey Thanks for the replies Not being rigid with the milk at all she’s fed on demand. She doesn’t spit it out she swallows it but then it’s making this awful sound on her chest. She never gets this with milk so obviously something is going wrong when swallowing the meds

Speak to your GP then! A tiny baby can't control how they are swallowing something and so if it's going on her chest you need to speak to your doctor.

@Dotty08

Hey Thanks for the replies Not being rigid with the milk at all she’s fed on demand. She doesn’t spit it out she swallows it but then it’s making this awful sound on her chest. She never gets this with milk so obviously something is going wrong when swallowing the meds

You need to book a gp appointment - she can't be swallowing it wrong.

Thanks for the replies. She has a weekly nurse visit to check sats I told the nurse about it and she just shrugged like not bothered at all. I will book in the GP

@Dotty08

Thanks for the replies. She has a weekly nurse visit to check sats I told the nurse about it and she just shrugged like not bothered at all. I will book in the GP

Probably because there's nothing to worry about - she is swallowing it. I really don't see the issue

Calpol syringe between the gums pointing towards the cheek at the back. Squirt meds. They have to swallow to breathe. Had a toddler who had constant ear infections!

You can either try
syringing it slowly to the side of her cheek
Put it in a very small feed
Place it into an empty clean teat and get her to suck the teat
Try a medicine dummy ( same principle as above)
Once she's older, mix into a small amount of yogurt
If you think she is aspirating, speak to her pead dr don't think the gp will be much use

A calpol syringe would be way too big I assume you have small syringes anyway for the tiny dose. I think because it’s more liquid/runny than milk that’s why it makes a funny noise and if she’s having her sats checked by a paeds nurse weekly and she’s said she’s not worried - she’ll obs also be visually checking your baby’s colour, work of breathing, resp rate too, not just her numbers. If she had aspirated she’d become poorly so if she’s feeding well and fine otherwise (as in her normal) you can ask the gp to listen to her chest or the nurse if she’s able? Ask why she doesn’t think it’s a problem - to her it’s common but you don’t know that so sometimes it helps to explain that to parents. It’s totally fine to ask questions and to seek help if you’re not happy with your child. Hope all is well