Stretching, groaning and jumpy

[MrsGS]

Hi

I'm new to Mumsnet and found most of the topics really helpful. I am also a first time Mum and had a prem baby. My DD was born at 34wks and spent 2wks in the SCBU. She is now 8 weeks actual age. She stretches and groans a lot and was told by the Community Neonatal nurses who visited us for a few weeks that it is normal for prem babies to do that and will outgrow it. Does any of the mums have the same experience with their little ones? Did they really outgrow it? I think it is also causing her to vomit when stretching and groaning too much in her sleep.

She is also very jumpy. Is this normal? She would jump in her sleep, when being cuddled and even being fed. I feel sorry for her because she could not get a proper sleep and the only way she can have a peaceful sleep is if lying on her front.

I will see my GP later and will ask also for his advise. Thanks in advance.

MrsGS, you might want to consider looking into reflux. I'm not saying your DD has it, but it may explain the vomiting. Basically it tends to happen because the valve at the top of the tummy has not quite matured sufficiently in order to keep the milk/food down.

She may also have silent reflux where the vomit does not come up the whole way to her mouth, but it's still darned uncomfortable and may explain her groaning. Wanting to lie on her front is also a classic sign of reflux in many cases.

Word of warning - many GP's and even supposed specialists are not sufficiently aware/sceptical of reflux. In my experience a NICU nurse watched my DS vomit several metres across the floor of the NICU and didn't bat an eyelid. He was discharged and then rushed back into hospital 48 hours later with what looked like fitting. It turned out he had aspirated stomach acid into his lungs because of undiagnosed reflux and the burning sensation made him stop breathing, funnily enough.

Premmies can also startle quite easily in my experience, and if they are becoming over-tired it can be beneficial to swaddle them for a while so they don't have that "falling" feeling, but they mostly need unwrapped time IYKWIM.

In both cases - these things will pass as they grow!

HTH.

Hi MrsG,

My DD was born at 33+3 and also spent 2 weeks in SCBU. It is apparently normal for all babies to do 'newborn straining' and the neonatal sister in our SCBU actually warned me that preemies do tend to make more and unusual noises than full term newborns so it may just be that.

HOWEVER...

MY DD also has reflux which before diagnosed caused her to vomit after every feed, and even hours after, then scream with the pain. Some days we had up to 11 HOURS of screaming. It may be worth looking into this as excessive vomiting can be a sign of as can straining.

The full list of reflux symptons can be found here:

www.reflux.org/reflux/webdoc01.nsf/(vwWebPage)/Symptoms.htm?OpenDocument

Good luck
x

Ds was born at 33 weeks and spent 4 weeks in SCBU. He had gastro-enteritis twice when he came home and then had reflux until he was about 6 months.

He was the most uncuddly baby. Absolutely hated to be held. I remember going to the local post natal weekly group and always being the first mum to put their baby on one of the floor mats. He was also very noisy (still is aged 6!).

35 weeker here.

I don't remember the groaning so much... he used to make funny chittering noises though, and did stretch - especially his neck.

The startling thing - do you mean the moro reflex en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moro_reflex? He had this very strongly. Used to do it all the time.

Hi all

Thanks for all your tips and stories. I've been to my GP he prescribed me with some Gaviscon. I've only started using it, DD still vomiting. I hope Gaviscon will work soon. I also asked the GP if the groaning/stretching and being jumpy is normal, the answer I got was "Maybe, just ask your Health Visitor." I don't know why I bothered lol.

I wouldn't advise using infant Gaviscon unless the baby regularly projectile vomits her entire stomach contents. It is normal for them to posset quite a bit and if the Gavison isn't working it suggests to me that it's simply a weak sphincter muscle between the stomach and gullet rather than Reflux.

Gaviscon can cause constipation which will be uncomfortable for the baby - also if its not working there's no point taking it.

We tried Gaviscon. Didn't work at all. The only thing that made a difference was early weaning at 4 months (when ds was effectively 9 weeks). Even then it took a while. I remember having to use two muslins every feed to collect the vomit. He vomited every feed and projectile vomited about once every other day.

My 2nd baby was born at 30+3 she was in NICU for nearly 6wks, shes jumps, groans, stretches etc... its very normal. She also has reflux & is on infant gaviscon & it helps abit but makes her constipsted so shes also on meds for that too, she has colic aswell so mist evenings shes very unhappy or if she cannot bring up wind!

Reflux can happen in all babys as my 1st born at 38+5 he had it too, never used meds for him tho and he eventually grew out of it

Hi,

My DS born at 35 weeks was the noisiest baby ever. He would make groaning noises, it was like sleeping with a little animal in the room. I remember being embarassed to take him out in public, because he would make this funny noises! He was also very windy... not much vomiting though.
But it was a phase, and after 3 months he was much better. Of course, he's nearly 7 months (corrected age) and he now screams and screeches! Not funny! TTSP, TTSP

This brings back a memory I'd forgotten all about! My ex 28 week twins were really noisy and jumpy too! They grew out of it and I swaddled them to help keep them more settled xx