Newborn grunting/straining all night.

[Emmaeloiseee]

Hi,

my son who’s 4 weeks old has for the past three weeks been grunting/squirming/straining at night. He sounds like a lamb or that’s the best I can describe it. It’s worse after a feed but can carry all night until his next feed 3 hours after. He’s FF & eats 4oz every 3/4 hours. He does pass a lot of gas and have tried infacol but it doesn’t seem to work. He also sounds like he’s swallowing milk that’s coming up to his throat in the night but is rarely sick. My first son had reflux and I’m thinking it’s that, however I don’t want them to put him on gaviscon as I’ve heard it can cause constipation. Has anybody ever had this with their newborn and if so, anything to help? I’ve switched to Dr brown bottles anti colic, I’ve ordered colief, I burp him for over 30 minutes and have him on an incline in his cot.

I'd say at his age get him checked out.

Sounds like infant dyschezia. They grow out of it in a few months.

Me with my son (I have 3 kids). Only one of my newborns did this and it was loud and incredibly worrying but I never got to the bottom of it and he grew out of it. He slept well too but was exactly how you’ve described.

Hi

Alot of what you have described is what my DD 4m went through in her first few weeks. We assumed colic/reflux had her on infacol and fought with the drs as something wasn't right.

After our fourth Dr we got a preliminary diagnosis of cows milk protein allergy and was prescribed formula milk. We then had to change the milk because she was still reacting. We completed the milk challenge last week to trial cows milk again and she reacted within 4 hours so is back on prescription milk with another review after she turns 1. In the meantime we have been referred to the dietician.

Make a GP appointment and ask whether they suspect lactose intolerance or cows milk protein allergy.

All the best

I took my son to the doctors on Wednesday afternoon where he kept saying it’s constipation. I don’t think the doctor knew what he was doing because my son is definitely not constipated and poo’s 1/2 times a day. It’s almost like he’s trying to do them poo’s all day though.

I wondered if he was allergic to the milk, however he takes the bottle every time and drinks 4oz and is putting on weight. I will ask to be sure though when I go back next week.

I’ve got a 3 year old too and I’m surviving on near to no sleep.

This sounds pretty normal at this age. My baby was the same, sounded like a farmyard at night time!
I found this article (and the others on the blog) really helpful: mumsandbabies.com.au/news/how-can-i-help-my-babys-gut/?fbclid=IwAR2nD9tHTNkE-MPwyi5iOMttvcuA2uHxAifJuQPvGxL01BHKfrPk7m_W-MU

Sounds similar to my son was told silent reflux and later diagnosed with cmpa.

Sounds like my daughter who had silent reflux. Paediatrician told me that Gaviscon doesn't work and is not sure why GPs give it as first port of call. He prescribed Ranitidine which stopped it almost instantly.

Was he born a bit early? Prem babies are notoriously noisy. I had 3 little grunters! They grew out of it after a couple of months.

Infacol caused awful constipation for my DD

Yep, it's so bloody annoying

He was born at 37 weeks and 6 days, weighed 5 pounds 8. He didn’t grunt for the first week. Can I also note that he’s on cow and gate first milk but all his poo’s have been as if he’s brestfed, very runny and yellow. He poo’s once a day so I’m not concerned he’s got a bug etc.

In wondered about switching to a different brand of milk to see if there’s any difference?

the grunting can be in the day too but not as often as the night; I wonder if he’s getting any sleep too but when he grunts his eyes are always closed

My son did this! He did it in his sleep and it didn’t seem to bother him. I was so concerned I videod it and sent it to a doctor friend 😂 lots of grunting and straining. It disturbed my sleep but didn’t seem to be a problem for him so I didn’t give him anything.

I didn't realise that,I had a 32 weeker and he was shockingly grunty !

This is just a normal thing for a lot of babies. Newborns sounds like little truffle pigs asleep. If he isn't waking and crying he isn't in pain.

I slept with earplugs in to take the edge off. They grew out of it.

yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like! A pig. He’s not at it all night but it can be between 2/3hours in the night. It’s a lot of guessing work but it’s like he’s trying to poo. He poo’s up to twice a day, however, it’s watery like yellow diarrhoea. Sometimes has little “seeds” in but never how the internet describe as “peanut butter consistency”.

I’ve been thinking about swapping formula and seeing if that helps?

Google grunting baby syndrome

We had same problem. Put off gaviscon for same reason you did. Waited it out for 4 months or so. Then decided to give the gaviscon a try. Wow. It was like night and day difference in him! And it didn't cause any constipation whatsoever. Eventually came off it about 11 months with no problems.

My 15 week old did this too. Sounded like trying to poo but all the time! she is breastfed though and poos several times a day so I knew it wasn’t constipation. The health visitor said it sounds like colic and nothing to worry about. I gave her dentinox colic drops which helped. She has now grown out of it. Think it bothered us more than her!

Hi, my baby did this. She was also slightly earlier and 5lbs 5. Literally by 12 weeks she grew out of it and slept so much better! Hang in there. It was my HV in the end who said it was down to digestive system. Sometimes smaller babies have a bit of catch up to to do apparently? Hang in there. It will get better x

Hi everyone,
my little one is 6 weeks and 4 days now and still sounds like a pig looking for truffles at night is all I can say! We’ve changed to kendimil which has improved the gas slightly and has kept him fuller for longer as well! We went to the GP who gave us gaviscon which didn’t stop any noise and I’m not sure it’s reflux as he’s not a sicky baby and feeds and puts weight on very well.

im hoping in about 6 weeks for the noises to stop as I need at least a few hours sleep at night!

I think this is normal - my DD and all my friends kids had the farmyard noises in the night (normally early hours 2-6ish) for the first 8-10 weeks. Then it just went. My daughter was born 39+5 at 6 pounds 6 ounces so not prem

Tiny baby's are noisy buggers in general I think. 4 ounces is a lot for one feed at that age though isn't it? I wouldn't be changing formula going on what you've said though. Brand new digestive system finding its rhythm type of thing I would put it down to

@Emmaeloiseee hi - going through exactly the same thing - did your little one grow out of it?

Yes! He did grow out of this, onetime he became less and less of a noisy sleeper and by 12 weeks the grunting/noises were completely gone. He didn’t end up having colic but he did have wind more at night. Now he sleeps soundly and hardly makes a grunt!