pediatrician referral UPDATE

[BabyMamma93]

I wrote a few weeks ago that my little boy was finally being referred to a pediatrician.. So we went this morning..
4 weeks ago he weighed 13lb 15oz, now he weighs over 16lb and is 2 ft tall. The doc asked questions about his feeding routine (7oz ish every 2ish hours) and how often he is sick (after every bottle but rarely on his last bedtime bottle or whenever he falls asleep) he saw him being sick but also saw him laughing at the same time, he said he's a very big bang for his age, feeding almost double the amount he should but is happy and he isn't willing to treat him. He basically just said to use normal milk and wait for him to grow out of it..

 

[sequeena]

How do you feel about that?

If things get worse make sure to refer him back x

 

[halullat]

Was it the vomiting you wanted treated? as it does sound like a lot of sick, but I have a very unsicky baby. Height and weight wise my son was a little larger but not by a huge amount but I missed your original post so don't know if that is relevant!

 

[BabyMamma93]

Yes it was the sick I wanted treating, since he was like 3 week old he has been sick after every single bottle (only recently isn't sick on his last bottle of the night or if he falls asleep) this can go on for the whole 2ish hours inbetween feeds. He is putting on weight really well, in 4 weeks he went from 13lb 15oz to just over 16lb. So yeah I understand that he is healthy in that sense but wether hes happy or not it cant be nice to be sick all day. But in respect to the pediatrician saying I'm giving him too much milk.. I have tried to feed him less milk more often but he wants more and I'm not going to not give him it.. I really don't want to change his milk AGAIN hes still constipated from the last change and I don't want to change jt to comfort /hungry milk and it make him worse so that I have to change it again. Or would I suggest trying the comfort milk and of he does get worse ask for a referral again?

 

[M2B83]

weight and height sounds fine... same as my LO ;-)
Charlie is now actually on 8oz bottles.... has 4 of those a day and then maybe 5ishozs for last bottle (he sleeps 6pm-5.30am).
honestly some of these "professionals" make me crack up! a health visitor said I should try and stretch out his feeds so he doesn't eat as much... good luck dealing with my baby! haha. so silly. everything on the formula boxes is just a guideline, every baby is different. they will be crawling in a few months and will be burning off everything. what milk is your LO on? we had the same prob as you but changed him to reflux and regurgitation milk, has worked WONDERS.

 

[M2B83]

oh and the comfort milk will do sod all for him for the sickness, apart from give him turbo bum!! ;-)

 

[BabyMamma93]

atm he has enfamil AR that the doc gave us, but it doesnt work and hes been on it almost 2 months..

 

[AP]

BabyMamma93

Going back on the days we had to deal with this, could it be that your LO is drinking more to try and soothe the pain of reflux, and therefore eating too much and thats why he's being sick. It could be a possibility?

You've probably heard everything by now so I don't want you to feel patronised!

 

[felix555]

Except for the being sick, does he seem otherwise bothered by it?

Is that the only symptom he has?

 

[MrsNorthman]

I know you don't want to change formula but we used the SMA staydown as my little guy had reflux but he was fine apart from the projectile vomiting and I have to say it did almost cut it all apart, we still had he odd spew especially first thing in the morning but it was brilliant.

Also as he is 4 months it should improve a lot with the solids. xx

 

[BabyMamma93]

Atomic... i really have no idea?? i have tried giving him less, like i will make him a 6oz bottle, give him half but he cries for the rest, i give him the rest, he is fine, but then sick, it doesnt bother him when he is sick, a few times he has cried for no reason but i assume due to tummy ache from the constipation no one seems bothered about..
i just feel so helpless that no one can help.. i get given lactulose that has already failed before but im told to carry on using it, then im told just because hes putting weight on and smiles the reflux is not a problem and to just put up with it for another 8 month.. sometimes i just want to shout at these people, but of corse they know better, i mean it really annoyed me, i saw the pediatrician at about 11.30. my LB had a bottle at 10am, and he was sick in front of the pedi.. he didnt seem bothered, just said OK when he saw it.. UGHH i just wish someone would help me!!

 

[BabyMamma93]

I know you don't want to change formula but we used the SMA staydown as my little guy had reflux but he was fine apart from the projectile vomiting and I have to say it did almost cut it all apart, we still had he odd spew especially first thing in the morning but it was brilliant.

Also as he is 4 months it should improve a lot with the solids. xx

we have tried SMA stay down, it worked for 2 weeks, made him consitpated and its still not eased for the poor guy!!

 

[felix555]

I know you've tried a lot of things (been reading your threads) but have you tried thickening the milk with carobel?

 

[BabyMamma93]

whats carobel?

 

[felix555]

whats carobel?

It thickens the milk but won't make him constipated. My LO uses this, it's very good. I really think this might help.

You can either get a prescription for it if your GP will do it (mine does) or you can buy it over the counter at boots or the pharmacy, it's about £3 and lasts us about 3 weeks. Boots usually has to order it in, they don't always have if on the shelves.

 

[jd83]

It's not always reflux just because they spit up after every bottle. Both of my boys did this, and it was the only symptom they had. No fussiness otherwise that would make me think reflux, just the constant spitting up after a feed. And it would be a LOT of spit up. I had both assessed by the pediatrician to be sure, and both were said to be fine, just big spit uppers. There wasn't anything I could do either, treatment wise, to make it stop. Just had to wait it out until they outgrew it.

It improved quite a bit after starting weaning, and went away completely within a few months of weaning onto solids.

I do think Atomic has a point about the amount of milk, though. If your lo is fussing for more milk, and then you give several more ounces, that may just be more than his tummy can hold, and perhaps that's why he's spitting up the excess? Just given that the doctor said the amount is too much for his age, that's what made me think that could be maybe what's happening. Could you try only offering an ounce more at a time, after the initial bit, and then see if you can soothe him, burp him, distract him, etc? I know with my boys, when I went back to work and they were getting expressed milk in a bottle, they'd always cry and fuss wanting more when it was finished. It wasn't that they "needed" more. They just weren't done comfort sucking, and got irritated that he bottle ran out before they were done. After a few minutes of burping, rocking, etc, they were completely fine.

 

[BabyMamma93]

It's not always reflux just because they spit up after every bottle. Both of my boys did this, and it was the only symptom they had. No fussiness otherwise that would make me think reflux, just the constant spitting up after a feed. And it would be a LOT of spit up. I had both assessed by the pediatrician to be sure, and both were said to be fine, just big spit uppers. There wasn't anything I could do either, treatment wise, to make it stop. Just had to wait it out until they outgrew it.

It improved quite a bit after starting weaning, and went away completely within a few months of weaning onto solids.

I do think Atomic has a point about the amount of milk, though. If your lo is fussing for more milk, and then you give several more ounces, that may just be more than his tummy can hold, and perhaps that's why he's spitting up the excess? Just given that the doctor said the amount is too much for his age, that's what made me think that could be maybe what's happening. Could you try only offering an ounce more at a time, after the initial bit, and then see if you can soothe him, burp him, distract him, etc? I know with my boys, when I went back to work and they were getting expressed milk in a bottle, they'd always cry and fuss wanting more when it was finished. It wasn't that they "needed" more. They just weren't done comfort sucking, and got irritated that he bottle ran out before they were done. After a few minutes of burping, rocking, etc, they were completely fine.

i do see what your saying, and it does make sense, but i would just feel so guilty for distracting him from a bottle if he really is hungry for it.. i guess all i can do is try it tonight, see how he is, ill offer him 5oz then burp him, see how he is after that, if he still wants more ill do what you say.. offer a oz at a time and see if he settles with that. but i just don't think it is that hes having too much, he started with being sick at 2 weeks old when he was still only on 2-3oz, the MW said this is not enough milk for his age but obv give him what he wants, he literally would point blank refuse the bottle after 2 or 3 oz. he did used to have a dummy, but totally stopped taking it, now i have offered it again and he took it yesterday but he keeps spitting it out maybe bcos its the TT 0-3m and hes 4 month so may need a bigger teat. he doesn't actually cry for a dummy, but maybe like you say hes comfort sucking and if i give him a dummy it may help. he does suck his fingers and thumb alot, and that's why i stopped offering him his dummy.. only 2 month and i can start weaning him so hope it stops a bit then..

also i will add he has 6-7oz and about 4 bottles in 24 hours. it can sometimes be anything in between 4-6 bottles depending if he has a long nap during the day

 

[jd83]

It's not always reflux just because they spit up after every bottle. Both of my boys did this, and it was the only symptom they had. No fussiness otherwise that would make me think reflux, just the constant spitting up after a feed. And it would be a LOT of spit up. I had both assessed by the pediatrician to be sure, and both were said to be fine, just big spit uppers. There wasn't anything I could do either, treatment wise, to make it stop. Just had to wait it out until they outgrew it.

It improved quite a bit after starting weaning, and went away completely within a few months of weaning onto solids.

I do think Atomic has a point about the amount of milk, though. If your lo is fussing for more milk, and then you give several more ounces, that may just be more than his tummy can hold, and perhaps that's why he's spitting up the excess? Just given that the doctor said the amount is too much for his age, that's what made me think that could be maybe what's happening. Could you try only offering an ounce more at a time, after the initial bit, and then see if you can soothe him, burp him, distract him, etc? I know with my boys, when I went back to work and they were getting expressed milk in a bottle, they'd always cry and fuss wanting more when it was finished. It wasn't that they "needed" more. They just weren't done comfort sucking, and got irritated that he bottle ran out before they were done. After a few minutes of burping, rocking, etc, they were completely fine.

i do see what your saying, and it does make sense, but i would just feel so guilty for distracting him from a bottle if he really is hungry for it.. i guess all i can do is try it tonight, see how he is, ill offer him 5oz then burp him, see how he is after that, if he still wants more ill do what you say.. offer a oz at a time and see if he settles with that. but i just don't think it is that hes having too much, he started with being sick at 2 weeks old when he was still only on 2-3oz, the MW said this is not enough milk for his age but obv give him what he wants, he literally would point blank refuse the bottle after 2 or 3 oz. he did used to have a dummy, but totally stopped taking it, now i have offered it again and he took it yesterday but he keeps spitting it out maybe bcos its the TT 0-3m and hes 4 month so may need a bigger teat. he doesn't actually cry for a dummy, but maybe like you say hes comfort sucking and if i give him a dummy it may help. he does suck his fingers and thumb alot, and that's why i stopped offering him his dummy.. only 2 month and i can start weaning him so hope it stops a bit then..

also i will add he has 6-7oz and about 4 bottles in 24 hours. it can sometimes be anything in between 4-6 bottles depending if he has a long nap during the day

What about trying more frequent, smaller feedings, to try and help alleviate the spitting up? I'm guessing your lo must be going around 4 hours or so, and STTN to be on only 4 bottles, correct? could you try doing every 3 hours, in smaller amounts, like maybe an ounce or two less? I don't know if it 'll help or not, but I do think its worth a try to see if the smaller amount settles better. 6-7oz does seem like a lot per bottle to me for a 4 month old.

ETA: also wanted to say, distracting by rocking, burping etc won't work if he truly is still hungry. he'll keep wanting more milk if that really is the case. My babysitter always gave another ounce of milk if needed, if he didn't settle after a few minutes of burping, rocking, cuddling. Most times, he did stop fussing though and was completely fine until the next feed when he was hungry again. He was a comfort sucker with breastfeeding, so I think it was just annoying for him during the day to be done with a bottle and not get to keep sucking.

 

[BabyMamma93]

He doesnt really have a set routine, its a min of 4 bottles a max of like 6.. if its 6 bottles, he will go 2-3 hours in between depending on his naps, he doesnt have set times for naps either he usually naps on a morning, mid afternoon then evening (strangely at about 7 then bed at 9)
like i say if he has say 4 bottles with about 2-3 hours in between, its only 4 bottles cos he may have missed a few feeds due to napping. & yes he does STTN on most nights..
i do try to keep a record of his feeds but im not home during the day/week as i work and OH always forgets to jot it down then on a weekend is different anyway bcos we do things so that changes his sleeping/feeding pattern LOL.

i think i will try get him a bigger teat dummy, see if this helps settle him..

 

[jd83]

Well, anyways, after all that advice, I did want to offer a hug too I completely get how frustrating it is...It seemed never ending with all the constant clothing changes, always needing a bib on to try and catch the spit up, complete laundry loads of nothing but spit up burp cloths....Nothing I did/tried stopped the spitting up. THey just had to outgrow it. Luckily, with both of my boys, it never bothered them in the slightest aside from being completely annoying to me. LOL.

ETA: And although it didn't work for me, still wanted to offer the advice for you, as you never know which babies it will work for and which it wont