Struggling with baby

[RedRuby26]

My baby is 10 and half weeks old. He has reflux and on omperzole and gaviscon. For the past 10 weeks I've had maybe 1 or 2hrs sleep a day. He refuses to sleep in his next to me bed (even with my hands on him and it inclined, tried it all warming it first putting my clothes in it etc, has a ewan and a zedd which vibrates as he likes movement) or his moses basket. He won't co sleep either he will cry after 10 mins even on his side. He will only sleep on my chest and he has a habit of trying to bury his face into me. So I can't sleep as massive risk of sids. Won't settle at all for my DH.

He also cries a lot and fights sleep constantly. Today he has cried and been awake from 4pm till now 2am. He is teething as biting his hand constantly. Given him calpol and cold teething rings, dummy etc nothing helped. Cant give much else till 3 months.

He is formula fed and normally good at taken a bottle and pretty greedy tbh but is horrendous when trying to wind, he screams crying as he wants his bottle and just fights against you. This week has been the worse he is in inconsolable after winding and refuses his bottle unless you feed him stood up and walking. I don't know what is going on.

My hv just is at a loss on how to help and just keeps saying she feels sorry for me. My drs say he will get better with age and its colic. He is healthy as gaining weight and plenty of wet nappies.

I feel like I can't take anymore. Tonight I sobbed and pleaded to god to please help me as am so exhausted, my back is broken and my heart seeing my little one like this. I keep thinking we out the woods as colic peaks at 6-8 weeks but its just gotten worse.

I just came on my first period as well and in agony to make it all 10x worse. Been on massive long walk with him in carrier which normally helps but he wouldn't even sleep then.

I feel like he just a highly strung narky baby

@converseandjeans

Can you try to put him to sleep on his front as long as one of you is watching? It was recommended I think back in the 70s/80s and they changed it to front later on. So whilst it's not currently recommended it must have been considered OK back in the day.

Also you could try putting his to sleep slightly upright? We used to put rolled up towels under the mattress to elevate one end of the mattress.

It sounds really stressful.

We did this and it helped immensely. Even now, he's a tummy sleeper. We only did it once he had very good head control but it was a huge help.

Hi OP,
You've already had lots of good advice on here but I didn't want to read and run as my DD was exactly the same. She is now 4.5 months and we still have some problems with reflux etc but she is a lot better than she was and she now sleeps SO much better. These are some of the things we did that helped us (from advice from our HV, researching, speaking to other parents etc- sorry if any is repeated or what you've already tried):

• Dr Brown's bottles (which I know you've said you're using) but feeding on the side, almost like a breast feeding type of position. We found when we then sat her up her wind came up so much more easily
• pausing to wind during the feed (she would scream but once we got a burp out she felt loads better)

-holding her in 'tiger in the tree' position (Google might have pictures)

• rolled up blankets under head of mattress of moses basket so her head was slightly elevated as being flat made her so uncomfortable
• tummy massage between feeds using baby oil (not too soon after a feed for obvious reasons)
• cooled down boiled water between each feed (about an ounce or 2, too much made her worse)
• a warm bath every night
• encouraging movement on play mat between feeds e.g. cycling her legs, moving arms

-changing to hungry baby milk, slightly thicker formula. Less milk each feed but more regular feeds as easier on tummy and better for digestion

I really hope it gets better for you soon OP, it is so difficult and exhausting. Best of luck

Gripe water can make reflux worse. Same with infacol etc.
Get the variflow teats so baby can pace how much he wants to feed.
Hold him upright 30mins after feeding to help the milk stay down.
Ask about increasing the dosage of omeprazole. My son went up to having 7.5ml after trial and error.

I defo going to push about cmpa. It does sound like it is hard to get diagnosed unless it's severe and obvious. As Great as nhs is I do find it takes ages for things to be diagnosed or taken seriously.
Our next time to me bedside crib tilts so that's fine for reflux and we put books under his moses basket legs to tilt that. We put him on his play mat a lot as we have wedgdhog for it. He kicks his legs a lot and arms he loves to kick and punch things it seems.
We do massage on his tummy every nappy change (as that's before his feed). I know tiger in the tree pose but I didn't think it be good with reflux.

We keep him upright for at least 30 mins after feeds. Tbh he is rarely ever laid flat on his back as he will bring up little bit of milk and also hiccup.
We have tommee tippee anti colic bottles and vari flow but he literally drains the bottle in 10 mins as he so greedy and sucks that hard he splutters on the milk. We find he has less wind and drinks slower with Dr brown.
We have mam as well but he drinks to fast from that as well and no1 teats he gets frustrated and cries and gives himself sucking blisters on his lips.

We burp every 1oz which is a nightmare with a greedy baby who carries on woeful for the bottle. I really try slow down his drinking as well but he gets to worked up and ends up hysterical and then refuses to drink but is still hungry so won't settle. Honestly the sooner he can be weaned the better.
Kendamil is thicker and also more filling for him so he takes his time more. We saw improvement since switching but he still isn't right. Its either cmpa or colic and reflux.

I will try lay him on his tummy to sleep on his own whilst we watch him to get use to it. I have been terrified as your warned totally against it. He is very clingy he prefers the carrier than a pram or car seat so he is close to you.
We give him small amounts of water to help hiccups as well.

I have constantly asked about increasing his dose of omperzole but been told he is on the right amount for his weight. I really want to have the liquid version as would use a 1ml syringe which is smaller and the 5ml you have to use for the tablet is pretty big for his mouth.
Am hoping he can come off it soon enough as he hates having it and its awkward to give as has to be at least 30 mins before a feed. Soon as he wakes up he wants feeding that instant. Even if he just been asleep for an hour.

I am so sorry. :( I am another one chiming in to say it sounds like CMPA and to recommend you just buy the formula and try it. My baby was very similar at that age and me cutting out milk and switching formula (we combo feed) has made a huge difference. Our pediatrician was also dismissive but like you I’d exhausted everything else and needed to try something. My baby also will still not sleep independently at 4.5 months, BUT here’s what’s worked: wearing her in a baby carrier or holding her for naps (we have the Ergobaby Omni 360) and the SNOO at night. Have you tried the SNOO? You can rent it and see if it might work for you. My baby absolutely will not be put down in a crib and we were going insane, and it took a week of continuously trying to get her used to it, but she now sleeps 9 hours a night in the Snoo. Worth a try.

I'd still have him properly checked for Tongue Tie as well, if you haven't already.

Also saying cmpa. Nhs didn't consider it for my baby. Private consultant diagnosed in one video call without even seeing her

Hope GP is helpful

I know it's easier said than done but your DH really needs to take over every evening so you can sleep 3-4 hours a day. It doesn't matter if the baby is awake and crying during this time, just getting 4 hours of sleep a day will help you get through this. I don't know how you survive on just one hour..... Plus that your baby needs to learn how to bond with dad as well.

You have to get more sleep or you won't be well enough to care for him. I think you should get two sets of noise canceling headphones, give him to dh in the evening and both wear a pair while you get 4 hours of sleep. Your baby will quickly get used to do, but until he does the headphones can help you both tune out a little bit.

My baby was the same. I noticed it was cmpa straight away when baby was about a week old after doing my research. I went to the doctors they said no it was reflux and gave gaviscon. I switched from Kendamil to comfort Milk and saw a huge improvement f for a few days then back to normal. Went back to doctors about week 4 and he said actually yes it does look like cmpa but I don't know enough about it to recommend a milk and referred us to a dietian but he's only just had his app (he's 13 weeks now). So I went go the chemist and bought him some aptamil pepti and he was a different baby within a few days. I contacted drs and told them and he has it prescribed now. Bite the bullet and go and buy some to try! You should notice a difference after a few days but it can take up to 6 weeks for the cows milk to leave their system and repair the damage xx

So we saw a locum today at the drs before his jabs who prescribed liquid omperzole (has to be ordered in so collecting tomorrow) and also adaptmil pepti 1. He said it is a 6 week trial. He doesn't think he has cmpa but said would prescribe it.
Am a bit worried as he said that by given him this milk we will be causing him to become intolerant to cows milk if he doesn't have cmpa.
I thought from guidelines I have read its normally a 2-4 week trial and you then reintroduce cows milk to see if allergy comes back and then it is confirmed cmpa if so. I am seeing my hv on Friday so will chase up about dietician referral.
I am also going to ring allergy UK helpline tomorrow to ask advice.
He has his needles today and was shocking, nurse had to give him a cuddle she felt so bad as he cried so much. He also been on and off inconsolable this evening. He only really calms down when rocked standing up and my back is broken. My husband has a bad back so can't do It for long. My back isn't great from pelvic gridle pain and obviously still recovering from c section.
I agree I need more sleep the exhaustion is hitting me badly.
I tried to put him down in his own bed when fast asleep yesterday on his tummy and he woke up and screamed crying and took 3 hrs to settle.

They are ordering in the milk for me to collect tomorrow.

Sending love OP xxxx

Regarding tongue tie the dr also said really doesn't think it is either. However hv has referred us as well to that. I will ask roughly how long wait is to be seen. There is private place that is £200. Cant really afford it but if wait is long will have no choice. I see how the milk goes first though he doesn't have sign of tongue tie. He was jaundice when born so could be why he struggled to breastfeed as he struggled to take bottle as well he would fall asleep at it. Then when that past he been super greedy. He just under 13lbs now and is 11 weeks.

Me and my husband both suffer from reflux . I was on omperzole whilst pregnant as had such bad reflux do you think that could make a difference. I didn't have it as a baby though nor did my husband. My mum also has had acid reflux and on omperzole for years. None of us have cmpa though. Its more acidic food and drinks or rich food, fizzy drinks. I suffer from hiccups when having fizzy drink or hungry. I hiccuped constantly in pregnancy and so did baby in womb. Not sure if any of this makes him more likely to have reflux issues.

I hope the milk makes a difference for you OP.

My DD (now almost 4) was diagnosed with CMPA at around 4-5 months after constant diarrhea, bloody nappies, rashes and being very unsettled. She did sleep at night though (she’d conk out after hours of screaming) so we survived.

My DS (15 weeks) also looks to be the same. He’s had awful skin, which cleared up when I came off dairy (I’m breastfeeding). Gavison made him very unsettled and unhappy, and we had to stop it immediately. Do you definitely need to keep giving it if on omeprazole? We’re in the same boat sleepwise so you have my sympathies.

Try infacol to help with any wind and look into CMPA. My dc 2 cried fit the first 10 weeks of life, turns out it was CMPA. When he got prescription formula it was like a switch went off. The crying never came back. Good luck, lack of sleep is horrendous

My baby had hiccups 5-8 times a day in the womb. And apparently that is a sign of an allergy with the baby in the womb x

Yup, CMPA. My son had it and I was absolutely desperate for ages. Even cutting out dairy and soy hadn't quite fixed it - specialist said his gut was just really inflamed at that point and I needed special formula. At 4 months, I managed to get him to take a bottle of Neocate and it changed everything. We even stopped the omeprazole by winding it down. Pepti may not be enough as it is hydrolysed but not totally dairy free. Try it and see, but you may need the next level up. And you may need a thickener if the thinness of the milk is irritating (recommend magic mix over carobel, but have to order it from web).

And he had hiccups in the womb a lot and all the time whilst bf

If the milk doesn't work it does have a reduced amount of dairy in it so not not totally df I breast fed so cut dairy out myself but as a back up we had neocate which is totally dairy free. My son is 6 and can now tolerate some dairy put still doesn't have butter/milk/cheese/ice cream. We were advised to cut it till one then try a milk ladder which we have several times. It's only in the past year it's started to work.

Tried him on aptamil pepti and he refused to drink it. He been refusing most of his drinks today he normally has at least 25oz a day but only had 15. I don't know what to do. He has a couple ozs then starts screaming and won't have anymore.

What teat size are you using.

Tried them all size 1 and 2 of dr brown and mam bottles and vari flow for tommee tippee makes no difference

@RedRuby26 my LO is now 10 months and still on Omeprazole but in the early weeks before he was diagnosed with silent reflux it was tough because he was in pain (as well as lactose intolerance which we didn't know about)
But the silent reflux causes pain so your LO is in pain especially when laid down. And I read that sometimes when they have stomach pain they don't understand so they guzzle the milk in order to try and relieve it but of course it makes it worse.
However I can assure you it DOES get better. Make sure as he gains weight you pick up with GP as to whether you should increase dosage as I've had this in past where he has gone backwards and symptoms reappear and it turns out his dosage needed increasing. Once you're on top of it and know what to look out for it will get easier.
Sending you lots of hugs I know it's tough xx

He probably doesn't like the taste if he's been on normal formula for so long. I think keep trying him with it, because you need to give it a few weeks before you see the effect. It won't be making him any worse; that's what I had to think when I tried my baby on it, because it's much easier to digest than normal
Formula! But it's very thin and does not taste as nice as normal milk!

Forgot to say I also use carobel thickner which helps