I need the experience of the Hive - Cranky baby or something more?

[k2bdeutmeyer]

I have some ideas/thoughts, but so as to not put ideas in your heads (I want unbiased opinions), I'm just going to list some "symptoms" and you tell me what you think might be going on (if anything). Talking about newest DS (5wk) here.....

 

1. Hiccups regularly (usually after a gulping bout - see below)

 

2. Gags frequently (nothing comes up) - often while sleeping, but occasionally when awake or even while nursing

 

3. Frequently gulps and swallows (almost like he's about to choke) when awake - his eyes get red and he briefly panics, followed by frantic swallowing/gulping until he catches his breath again (this is usually followed by the hiccups)

 

4. Never happy for more than 5-10 minutes when awake - even after just waking up from a good nap and eating

 

5. Acts like he's starving during crying bouts, but fights if you try to feed him (pulls away, squirms, cries) - he clearly doesn't want the milk

 

6. Grunts and groans a LOT when sleeping

 

7. Cries every night from 7-8pm until 11pm when he finally eats and falls asleep for the night. (Yes, we've tried just about everything - swaddling, white noise, swing, bouncy seat, bath, bouncing, laying across the lap, holding him on his side away from me, etc....)

 

He does, however, sleep quite well at night.....and even during the day if we're home. He does NOT sleep well in the car seat - unless it's moving, but even a brief stop at a red light will wake him up and then the screaming ensues. I believe he's gaining weight decently (I think he's probably 11ish pounds now - born 9lbs 0.4oz), has plenty of wet/dirty diapers, etc. He doesn't spit up all that often or have much in the way of gas, but has had 2 episodes where he spit up quite a lot (soaking the entire front of his onesie, including a puddle the width of his body in his lap)

 

So....just a cranky 5wk old or something else?

[Murmer]

I would look at GERD. That is what my son had and he had a lot of the same symptoms. Good luck

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Sounds like maybe GERD. The carseat was one of the worst places for ds! When we would click the buckle, you could hear the stuff rise up in his throat!

 

 

That's really interesting, because I couldn't figure out WHY he was fine in the Rock & Play, but not in the car seat. I didn't even think about the buckle!

[zoobie]

http://www.infantreflux.org/

 

My oldest had colic but not reflux. The 6-11 timeframe was crazy-making. My DH would rock her in a dark room, listening to music (she liked the Beatles) to give me a break. I would go to the opposite corner of the house to try not to listen. (She didn't want to nurse, just scream. Not a "scheduled feeding" situation.) I tried eliminating dairy, etc. even though there were no physical issues, but it went away around 3 months I think? I've tried to block that period from my mind...

 

Good luck! Yours sounds like there's another component than colic. I hope you find the magic solution soon!

[Ann]

GERDs- my little guy had it and he was doing much the same thing.

[Shellydon]

GERD.

[Cindy in FL.]

I'll jump on the GERD train here as well.

[BrookValley.]

Are you breastfeeding?

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Are you breastfeeding?

 

Yes

[BrookValley.]

Then you might also want to do some research on forceful letdown and possibly over supply. Some of these issues could also be caused by one and/or the other (though I also agree it could be GERD). I would check out the kellymom.com breastfeeding site (sorry for brief reply/no links, on my phone).

 

Good luck! :)

[k2bdeutmeyer]

I'm quite familiar with Kellymom.com - and I'm already block feeding, etc. I don't think I have a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance issue - DD6 had that, complete with green frothy poo.

[Melinda S in TX]

All of mine (six) were like that. I had to give up all dairy and they slept on a little wedge that elevated their heads slightly. I did extended breastfeeding and at about a year I could add a tiny bit of dairy. One was really sensitive and I never could have dairy while breastfeeding her.

[Chris in VA]

Agree with GERD. Also, you might try limiting sensory input for a few hours in the afternoon. I think some unhappiness is just baby learning to screen out input and getting overwhelmed. Not your baby, exactly, but some babies.

[Lisa in SC]

I'm jumping on the GERD train too. It was the first thought I had as I read the symptoms you listed. I've had more than one child who had it, but only one whose symptoms were severe. She presented much as you have described.

[Shahrazad]

I was going to say the same as others. I'd recommend keeping his head elevated and trying elimination diets (dairy was key for eliminating for us....all traces whatsoever to the point of reading ingredients). If it is really severe and making it hard, most pediatricians will prescribe zantac and that can help too. My first was a reflux baby with severe colic...elimination diets didn't make enough of an improvement so I had to give him zantac and just wait it out. He's always been a more high-needs child ;). My second wasn't really colicky but has severe reflux due to intestinal surgery at 3 weeks old and dairy allergies so I have made diet changes and that has been very effective.

[RebeccaS]

My oldest ds had GERD as he was also aspirating while eating. He had the same symptoms. We used Zantac for the burning and ended up having to bottle feed thickened formula for the aspirating. I hope you get relief soon. :)

[Ellie]

I always suspect dairy in the mother's diet. Maybe because it's an easy "fix"--Mom quits eating/drinking dairy for a month or so--but really, dairy is the most allergy-causing food there is (closely followed by wheat and corn).

[HS Mom in NC]

A chiropractor who treats babies for neck misalignment helped us when our middle child was 6 weeks old. Colicky, hard to nurse, spitting up, 6 hours daily of screaming (like clockwork) etc. It was due to her being breech and being a c-section. It was infant migraines. Forceps, vacuum extraction, being confined to a half of a double uterus, etc. are very common in colicky babies- all those things can cause neck alignment problems but sometimes babies that don't have those medical histories have similar problems. It took about 3 weeks of 3 visits per week until she went to being a perfectly calm baby that never spit up again. . Usually babies that go untreated do better when they can control moving their heads and keep things in a more comfortable position.

 

She started having 6 hour migraines (like clockwork) vomiting 6-10 times per hour again at age 9. At 11 she went to a ped. neuo. at PHX Children's Hospital. The scan of her neck and brain showed her neck curved the wrong way. The ped. neuro. gave us rescue meds and recommended we go back to the chiro. and an acupuncturist. It solved the problem.

[Shahrazad]

A chiropractor who treats babies for neck misalignment helped us when our middle child was 6 weeks old. Colicky, hard to nurse, spitting up, 6 hours daily of screaming (like clockwork) etc. It was due to her being breech and being a c-section. It was infant migraines. Forceps, vacuum extraction, being confined to a half of a double uterus, etc. are very common in colicky babies- all those things can cause neck alignment problems but sometimes babies that don't have those medical histories have similar problems. It took about 3 weeks of 3 visits per week until she went to being a perfectly calm baby that never spit up again. . Usually babies that go untreated do better when they can control moving their heads and keep things in a more comfortable position.

 

She started having 6 hour migraines (like clockwork) vomiting 6-10 times per hour again at age 9. At 11 she went to a ped. neuo. at PHX Children's Hospital. The scan of her neck and brain showed her neck curved the wrong way. The ped. neuro. gave us rescue meds and recommended we go back to the chiro. and an acupuncturist. It solved the problem.

 

Oh I wish I had known this at the time! DS1 was exactly as you described AND he was a breech c/s baby whose whole body was tightly wrapped up in his cord. I bet this was probably the issue!

[Harriet Vane]

When my baby had colic (spent all his time screaming or comfort nursing) it was due to lactose intolerance. When I eliminated all milk (butter, cheese, etc.) from my diet, the baby got better. There was a dramatic difference after a week, and an even more dramatic difference after a month. You might try eliminated milk and wheat for several weeks (at least a month) to see if there is any effect.

[sbgrace]

It sounds like my GERD baby. I'm in favor of trying things like elevating the head of the bed, eliminating dairy, etc. but if the pain isn't relieved...well, I think my son bears effects today from it taking too long to get his pain adequately controlled. We needed a PPI.