Hungry baby but being sick lots

[1stB4by]

My DS is 15wks and currently taking 7oz per feed, when he drains the bottle he screams for more, as though he's not realised his belly is full.
Following his feed he's then sick several times, bringing up his milk quite a bit. Whilst feeding we wind him, but find it hard getting wind up, we're using Dr Browns bottles and use dentinox as well. Tried infacol but it didn't work at all.
He's only going 3hrs most of the time but will go from 7pm til 5am between night feeds.
We've tried hungry baby milk but he's still just going 3hrs and is just as sick.
Our hv is useless when I asked about feeds she said do a 6oz then 7oz etc and just said some babies are sicky. She said its not recommended to try hungry baby milk. He's putting on weight 1lb in two weeks.

Not sure if its right that he should be so hungry then throw up so much after it.

Can anyone shed any light on what we should do?

 

[ppgirlsteph]

To me that sounds like reflux. Go to your doctor, they can prescribe special milk or baby gaviscon i believe. You might have to be insistant and make a fuss about it before anything is done. Other people will know more than me

 

[xLaura]

He could have reflux which could explain the sick, being sick could explain the need for more food. However the crying which you assume to be wanting more milk could be that's he's in pain from the reflux, and the wnting more could be from comfort sucking.

Does he hava dummy? If so try giving him it straight after the bottle. After I finally worked out what was wrong I do this now and it helps my LO loads. I always thort he was hungry due to being so sick, but It turns out he wanted to comfort suck due to the pain. If you do think it could be reflux go to your docs they can perscribe stuff to help.

The weight gain sounds normal, and 3 hours between feeds sounds good to me aswel. My LO was only going 2 hours at that age so personally I don't think that's a problem.

Oh another thing if the dummy helps after feeds, you could always try lowering his feeds incase he's having too much and see if that helps with the amount he's being sick, becuse he could be over feeding nd not been able to manage the amount.

 

[Lady H]

Sounds like reflux, mine has it. Drinking milk soothes the sore throat the reflux causes then they vomit as they are over full.

Mine has Gaviscon in her milk now and it's loads better.

 

[cocosianelle]

How long did you try infacol for?

Ours was going through this and still does now and again we use gripe water and it settles her stomach almost immediately.

 

[1stB4by]

We tried infacol for around a week, but didn't make any difference.
He's got a dummy, we've been giving him it once he finishes feeding so that he knows it's done and gives him the soothing of suckling. Although he grumps away whilst sucking on the dummy like a chuntering old man!

My DH is with him today (my mum's been watching him up to now) and today he's tried just giving him 6oz, and winding him twice in the feed, then dummy in at the end of the food and touch wood - seems to be helping, and he's only been sick the once and just a little, plus he's been going almost 4hrs. Not sure if this is just a fluke though.

How do you go about deciphering if it is reflux? I've asked the doctor about this some time ago but he ds was quite young when we asked about it, but he felt it was down to him taking so much milk that he was being sick.
Our HV is absolutely useless and just thinks he could be a sicky baby. She doesn't seem open to anything other than he's fine, a sicky baby, his weight gain is normal, no helpful solutions.
Thanks for all your replies, reassuring to know that it's not just us and that there may be a reason for it, other than him just overeating/being sicky.

 

[Best step mum]

My son has reflux, I did sone research and told my gp that I thought that he had it and then he just agreed! We thicken his bottles with carobel and it works a treat.

I was wearing his bottles constantly for a few weeks until I got a doctors appt.

U can buy the carobel over the counter in boots and try it, there is nothing medical in it- it is simply a thickener, it might not hurt to give it a go?

 

[amjon]

Our doctor said one twi likely had reflux at their 2 week checkup so don't agree it's too early. He'll spit up if we don't give him the formula with rice powder.

 

[cocosianelle]

It took about 2 weeks for us to notice the difference with infacol so maybe give it another go if he starts again?

You definitely need to be firm with Dr's otherwise they palm you off and just think you're worrying over nothing. It's ok for them they don't have to clean up the sick all the time!

 

[1stB4by]

Today's been a nightmare again, he's fed at 5am, 7:30am, 11:30am and has just taken another bottle at 1pm. I understand some babies want to feed every 2-3hrs but he was going 4hrs. DH is near demented today, DS feeds, has a bit awake time then nods off for an hour then wakes up screaming, the only thing that's calming him and stopping him from screaming is feeding him again. He's been a bit sick, but not throwing it all back up.
He has however been arching his back and seems really uncomfy and unsettled. He's not really getting wind up either.
Does this sound like colic? Tried to get a doctors appointment for him, but none free and have to ring again tomorrow morning.
That's exactly it cocosianelle the doctors aren't there when LO is screaming and covering you in milk, they seem so ready to palm it off as nothing

 

[1stB4by]

At lunchtime I as in tesco and got baby rice, do you think it would be worth trying?
I also saw c&g comfort milk, I ready that it helps colic and constipation but should be used under medical advice. I'm not even going to ask the advice of our HV because I know she'll just say it's not recommended
Just want my little man to be happy and not in discomfort. I'm stuck at work, hearing him screaming in the background when DH rings me to tell me he's wanting fed again. Tearing me apart

 

[Rachel_C]

How are you winding him? Sometimes it takes quite a bit of work to find out what works for your LO and it can take time to do it properly too, and babies can go through phases of being windier than usual. If he's not bringing up much wind after a feed it's possible that he's just not a windy baby, but I would want to make sure it's not that because it's such a simple thing to fix yet it can be really painful. Have you tried all the usual tricks for winding? Patting back, rubbing back, sitting him on your knee and lifting him just under his arms so his bum just lifts off your knee etc? I would wind him at least once during a 7oz feed too. Sorry if you've tried lots of stuff for winding but thought it was worth mentioning in case you haven't.

 

[cocosianelle]

We changed to C&G comfort after having trouble getting wind out of our LO and she seemed constipated. What milk is your LO on?

I'm not sure I'd go down the baby rice route just yet because it is sounding like reflux so you probably need medication like infant gaviscon. Whereas the rice would just fill your LO up when hunger may not be the issue. Have you tried a dummy? I know it's not for everyone but it comforts our LO as she likes a suckle.

 

[cocosianelle]

Just a thought he isn't going through the 3 month growth spurt? I noticed that he came early so going by his adjusted age it would probably be around now? How long has he been like it?

 

[xLaura]

It could be silent reflux. But it could also be a growth spurt.

 

[Lady H]

You may want to hold off on the baby rice for a few weeks, my understanding is that you shouldn't give babies anything else until 19 weeks old? Is it hot there? My baby has gone to 2.5 hour feeds in the heat and is struggling to drink much each time. If its upsetting you both and baby is upset I'd get a Drs appointment. Trust your instincts.

 

[CherylC3]

Hi I hav a reflux baby and this sounds like the same my little man goes 3-4 hours between feeds do u use a dummy? I'd recommend it to push back his feeds.. We hav stared giving baby rice at the 5 pm feed as he was draining 8oz bottles to see if it helps. Try elevating his mattress and try and hav him upright we use aptamil 1 with gaviscon and colief prescribed by th dr he's still sick but not as much. X

Here they recommend baby rice at 17 wks but years ago ppl gave their babies rusks which are full of sugar in their bottles so a few spoonfuls of baby rice won't do any harm. X