Should I change the bottle or the formula??

[BrollyDolly]

hi all,

So my 5 week old has been really really REALLY miserable over the past week or so. She grunts almost all of the time, hates being laid down and prefers to be upright, she seems to constantly want a feed (is currently taking 5oz every 2 hours and very very rarely throwing any of it back up). She seems to get worse on an evening, from about 6.30pm to around 10.30pm, just constantly cries, stiffens up and it doesn't matter if we are holding her or she is in her basket/swinging chair/vibrating chair, she is just so upset about everything. She does get some wind up some of the time but not much and definitely not all of the time, sometimes when she does get it up its as though its come from her chest/throat because its been stuck there for a while and I can tell its really painful for her.

I have tried gripe water, dentinox, infacol and none of them work. She is having Cow & Gate hungry baby milk (but still having loads of the stuff). I am using Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles.

So...here is my question:

Should I try changing her bottles? I have read reviews on Dr Browns working for colic/trapped wind

Should I change her formula? I know Aptamil and I think C&G do one for colic/wind

Should I try and use Colief? This would be a self diagnosis as I haven't seen a doctor about it.

Her constant crying/screaming/not sleeping is really taking its toll, I am up most of the night with her and I find myself joining her with the crying

Help....please!!!!

xx

 

[kristy87]

I'd try changing the bottles first. I changed from tommee tippee to Dr browns with DD and was the best thing I'd done. Also, have you heard of colysinth granules? I think that's how you spell it. I started my daughter on these with the Dr browns bottles and she was a completely different baby. Try the bottles first, you don't want to upset her tummy more by changing milk if you don't have to. X

 

[hopeb11]

I highly recommend the munchkin latch bottles, she sounds just like my LO with his reflux. he would fuss so much during feedings and pull so far back from his bottles in pain, so we actually switched him to nutramigen formula which is less acidic and because we believe he has a milk protein allergy. but i swear by these munchkin latch bottles, he hasn't had any touches of colic either! our pediatrician also suggested thickening the formula with rice cereal, before considering any kinds of medication, it's supposed to help with the reflux. but just make sure she is fed as upright as possible and burped after 1-2 ounces, and also keep her upright for at least 30 minutes after each feeding. i hope this helps! it definitely helped my LO!

 

[mod19]

I would try both, but see a dr before changing the formula sit could be a milk allergy. I actually know quite a few babies that had to be on prescription formula from whey and breast milk allergies

 

[MrsVenn]

Sounds like DD, we turned to Colief which sorted her out. I didn't change bottles or formula though on advice that this could in turn cause issues. We did the Colief first and it worked but if it hadn't, we would have changed formula.

I'd also recommend Mothercare's Innosense range of bottles for windy babies.

 

[MindUtopia]

I would see a doctor. Certainly, you could also try changing bottles and try changing formula. I would be warned that hungry baby milk is designed to be hard to digest and is rougher on tummies (it's made to be hard to digest so it keeps them feeling fuller longer without providing extra calories or nutrients). If she's having what you think is tummy issues, I would immediately go back to just normal first milk or possibly try the colic/wind kind while you wait to see a doctor. But some of them just do better with different bottles or a different brand.

What you describe also sounds sort of normal for all babies, including those going through a growth spurt and who are high needs. I could pretty much never put my daughter down and sometimes even when being held or worn in a wrap, she was hard to settle. The evenings can be particularly rough. It's called the 'witching hour'. They need a lot of attention and can cluster feed (even FF babies cluster feed, eating lots in very quick succession and wanting more and more). That's all totally normal. So I wouldn't be quick to assume it's something to do with feeding, especially as you've tried lots of different things already. The wrap helped a lot (also kept her upright, which I think helped too, and it applies pressure to the tummy which helps with wind), as did things like going outside, talking a walk in the evening, etc. Just whatever worked to calm her. I wouldn't rule out seeing your doctor too in case it is something like a dairy allergy or reflux which could be treated. But also at the same time, what you're describing sounds pretty normal for many babies and it does get better on its own.

 

[kealz]

Had the same problem, I tried changing the formula first but that was a mistake as that made his tummy ache worse so switched to Dr Brown's bottles and original formula. The bottles are very good. I wouldn't say it was a miracle cure but it did relieve his symptoms enough to make a difference until he grew out of it, around 4 months old - if it's a bit of colic then it shouldn't last too long!