waking through night due to BM

[moonprayer]

Don't know whether there is any one like my DS. He is 5mo now. Recently he always wakes up at night trying very hard to poop/push gas out of his tummy, and crying. There are two/three nights when he didn't do that, which he actually can sleep through the night. This is really annoying as it's difficult to settle, unless I helped him release some gas, which takes ages. I've tried my best to burp him after every feed.... I don't know what to do. Is it normal for a 5mo?

I don't know the answer, but both of my DCs have been like this.

My DC2 is now almost 2yo and I suspect he has a milk allergy or intolerance of some kind. If he has milk late in the day he wakes and cries repeatedly at night.

I don't know what to suggest other than the old "this too shall pass". It honestly does get better/different once you start weaning, and you don't have long until then.

I hope someone else turns up with more words of wisdom!

Thank youse much PoppyWearer, that's really reassuring to hear that someone have the same experience as me. My DS has always been quite gassy and previously I hoped that it would all pass after the first three months... But here I am... I have thought about lactose intolerance but since he was gaining weight all right, I was not sure about it. But probably he is, a bit. Maybe I should try colief and see whether it could help? Will let you know.

My 6mo is the same. I spoke to the hv about it and she says this sometimes happens as the gut matures and there isn't much to do but ride it out. Allergies are unlikely (but not impossible) if they've been ok until now and don't have any other symptoms. I've found feeding tends to help ds relax and push the wind out and is less distressing than patting etc but don't know if this is leading to more of the same and a reliance on feeding to sleep.

sunshinesue sucking definitely helps with the wind, so they can get to sleep. But then they wake up an hour or so later when the milk hits their gut. Can't win!

I stopped bf'ing my DC2 at 15mo for medical reasons (mine not his) and his symptoms got much worse after switching to the bottle/formula/cow's milk all the time. We stopped his bottles at Easter due to this but reintroduced them last week because he was poorly and not eating, and consequently we had some horrendous nights with him, falling asleep with the bottle but then waking and screaming the place down an hour or so later.

In many ways I hope it is an intolerance rather than a phase, because then I can get it diagnosed and solve it.

Poor PoppyWearer and your DC. Bless you. I totally understand when you said you'd rather it is intolerance. I share the same feeling. I have tried colief for two days. My DS does feel a bit different, less windy, but still has gas. But I am not sure whether it's because of colief, as I just started to give him some baby rice, due to his reflux. So maybe it's just a coincidence. PoppyWearer, have you talked to GP and have a proper test (if there is any) to check whether your DC2 is lactose intolerance? Or you may change the formula to soya or something else (well, I am not expert...)?

Thank you sunshinesue for your suggestion, though it may not be a long term solution. If it is because the LO's gut hasn't matured, then more feeding will probably give more burden to the stomach. In the short run, he may release some wind and feels better, but as PoppyWearer mentioned, he may get worse later on. It is certainly the case for my DS.