Comfort formula- clear liquid

[essynemo]

Good afternoon all, coming for a bit of advice/guidance.

I have a little girl who is 6 weeks old, from birth she was on kendamil formula but we used pre-made for the first few days. At 3 days old we changed her from pre-made to regular powder formula.

I noticed that she was bobbing her head after feeds but was told it was normal baby movements. She has been constipated from day one and never had a sloppy baby poo, if she did poo it was really hard like pebbles and often we would have to help her and then she would go but it would be so so hard!
Midwife said she was fine and her bowel movements were normal- I never thought they were.

Long story short around 3 weeks ago she started bringing her knees to her chest, going bright red in the face, making horrible grunting noises and this went on all day worsening after feeds. I spoke with the HV who advised making some changes such as getting rid of the perfect prep machine and then changing formula.
We did this with no change, we put her on Kendamil comfort which made her sick and bring up loads of clear liquid so we changed back to the normal formula.

We have been to the GP and were prescribed gaviscon which made her constipation even worse! I mentioned a cows milk allergy but the doctor dismissed it and said she showed no signs of the allergy and instead had reflux, colic and constipation! We were doing all the advice of upright after feeds, baby massage etc..

Health visitor was lovely and advised changing milk to another brand but a comfort formula. We are now using aptamil comfort and this has helped her constipation but nothing else.
She is still cramping in her tummy but not as bad as before, she seems to struggle to part with wind, she farts loads but really doesn’t want to burp during she after feeds, are giving her gripe water but she hates it and often brings it up.

My concern is she is now sick, she was never sick on Kendamil but on this she brings up milk when she burps, hiccups and randomly after feeds.
Another new thing is she brings up loads of clear liquid, if she is laid flat she will just throw up clear fluid. I’m waking up to patches on her next to me where she has brought it up through the night, im a worrier and hold her most of the day because she doesn’t seem to to it when she is held, her crib is titled but it has not helped.

She is gaining weight, has plenty of wet nappies each day but this clear liquid is concerning me. She can’t even lay on her baby gym because she brings it up!

I was wondering if anybody had experienced this on comfort formula and what you did? I’m in two minds to use the regular aptamil with gripe water but don’t want her constipation to return, i just know she can’t continue this way!

Thank you all in advance!!

Both my DCs had cow milk protein. Your description doesn’t match my DCs experience.

When you say loads of clear liquid, what do you mean? A few table spoons or 300 mls?

How is her poo now? Comfort milk is thicker so often causes constipation.

@Partytastic thank you for replying to me! she is my first so everything is new and seems super scary.

I say loads because it looks like a lot when it happens; in reality probably 10-20ml each time it happens and that’s on the top side, yesterday it happened more than it has happened today.
I think it looks worse when you see it on the bedding or on her clothes.

Her poo is now sloppy, she is going everyday with ease. It looks like a ‘normal’ baby poo.

Sounds like normal immature digestive system. I would stop the gripe water to see if it makes a difference but it will all probably stop as she gets older.

I definitely wouldn't describe the collection of symptoms you've noted as a "normal immature digestive system", how dismissive.

Constipation isn't normal in newborns, neither is reflux or difficulty in passing stool necessarily; however common these things may be doesn't make them something that is biologically designed to occur.

Reflux has two causes in the vast, vast majority of cases (discounting serious medical issues which yours does not sound as though it is): excessive air intake, usually linked to an oral tie, or an allergy.

Ruling out an oral tie can only be accurately done by someone who has undergone the relevant training, usually a tongue tie practitioner and some IBCLC lactation consultants. It is not something midwives, GPs or HVs are qualified to assess for as part of their scope of practice. Oral ties are common and so I would have this considered as it won't be pushed as a reason by anyone. Otherwise I would see a lactation consultant either way to observe and advise you on feeding methods and positions that might help.

When I initially read the going red, grunting etc during a bowel motion it sounded very much like dyschezia. Potentially natural if it occurred from day one and something that is usually outgrown but also could be related to an allergy. CMPA has a prevalence of 50% in some degree or another so definitely worth considering. You don't necessarily need to see a rash for CMPA to be occurring.

Gavisgon as you say will only make constipation worse.

I would rule out root causes before masking the symptoms with medication.

OP baby is no longer constipated since she changed milk.