Forum home Babies Baby

Grumpy Baby

My DS is 6 weeks old and from newborn was very sicky, he is also as the title says a very grumpy baby, when hes awake he spends most of the time just crying (he still hasn't smiled either)He has also been very constipated since xmas and now has lactulose to help. At the 6 week check on friday I was given Infant Gaviscon for him as what I was describing sound like reflux. I have searched the internet for reasons and not getting anywhere. I have tried Infacol which didn't do anything as thought it could be colic, but he doesn't bring his legs up to his tummy or anything, he actually stretches them out when he cries. I have only noticed a slight difference in his sickyness since starting the Gaviscon but that is it. I'm at my wits end as all my attention is going on him and not my DD, and I feel helpless as I don't know whats wrong!!! Any advice much appreciated!!!

Replies

  • Hiya Hun,



    Everything you have described was my Izzy who is now 23 weeks old. She wouldn't settle on her back but would sleep on me (over my shoulder) for hours and hours. I spent a lot of time on the sofa when she was first born just to get some peace. She constantly had hiccups and would bring back most of her feeds. She spent most of the night grunting and groaning as if she had trapped wind or was constipated and it was frustrating to see/ hear.



    You havent stated how you feed your little man but at first we combined fed izzy with formula and breast. She would cry all the time as if she was in pain. We tried infacol,gripe water and was then prescribed infant gaviscon.All of these were completely useless.The Gaviscon gave her tummy pain and one evening she screamed and screamed so we only gave it her once.

    It got to the point where i knew there was something wrong with Izzy but nobody would listen. One day Izzy screamed all day the doctor referred us to a local hospital where Izzy was monitored for a few hours. It was only then that she was diagnosed with reflux. She was 9 weeks old and it was such a relief for someone to say this.



    We were given Ranitidine to control her reflux but it took a few hours to work but i can honestly say from that day she was a different girl.

    My only advice is to speak to your HV and keep on pushing for them to take you seriously. The good news i can tell you is that izzy has now grown out of it and has done for sometime.



    I hope everything gets better for you soon.



    xxxxxx
  • Thank you for your reply!! I combine feed too. I was under the impression the Gaviscon is for reflux?? They said I should see a quick result but I haven't!! He fits practically every reflux symptom as opposed to the colic symptoms. Did your daughter cry a lot too? What age did she grow out of it? xxx
  • It does sound like it could be reflux. One of the other ladies here recommended the website "Little Refluxers" to me and they've been very nice. Charlie can be such a happy chappy until I try and feed him. From the moment food enters his stomach and for about an hour afterwards he is grumpy and in pain. I actually dread feeding time whereas with Abby I loved it. Have you tried keeping him in a semi-reclined or upright position? Charlie seems slightly happier and is less likely to vomit if he is in his bouncy chair.



    H xx
  • Hiya



    When Isobelle went to hospital the nurse said that she could grow out of it between 12 weeks to 20 weeks. I honestly think by 15 weeks it had gone.



    I agree with blondfriend that keeping him in a semi upright position helped.I put a towel under izzy's moses basket mattress but found that once she started taking Ranitidine she settled much better on her back.



    The infant gaviscon is for colic or mild reflux/heartburn but it isnt for advanced reflux. I would imagine its cheaper to prescribe (we were given loads of it but only ever used one sachet). It just stops the sickness but wont stop the pain of the reflux.



    In answer to your question,yes she did cry all the time until she started on the medication. She was a nightmare to take out anywhere but then she suddenly changed with age and is now very sociable.



    It will get easier but you really need to help your little man with the reflux (if you think that is the problem).



    xxxxx
  • Thanx, I am seeing the HV tomorrow and will probably go to the doctors too to see what they say about the med you are talking about. Did it work the same day that you gave it to her? And the crying stopped quickly? DS still hasn't smiled yet as hes always crying! image I hope I can get to the bottom of it I really do feel so helpless and rubbish for him.xxx
  • I did a massive reply but it ate my reply-STOOOPID THING.



    Well the answer to your question is that i thought the ranitidine worked straight away but every baby is different.

    When i asked the same questions as you, if someone said that it would a couple of weeks i felt very disheartened.I will say to you that every baby is different.It worked straight away with us but some replies i got were that it took a week or so but i dont think so. Ranitidine is given to adults and pregnant women so it would have to work straight away. It is similar to gaviscon and that worked straight away for me during pregnancy when i had heartburn.Infacol is useless and so is gripewater.



    I have also realised that izzy was getting use to the world so found everything very daunting. She got to a certain age and was suddenly enjoying everything. I started baby massage with her and i knew she would cry because she had to be on her back but hated being on her back because of the reflux. It got to the point though where i was house bound with a grumpy baby so i forced us to go and im very glad we did.



    Izzy wouldn't take the dummy either so we found we had to work very hard to pacify her but we got there in the end. She hated being her pram at first because of being on her back but loved being in the car because she was sat up. The local petrol station made a fortune out of us!!We didnt have the car seat attachment to go on the quinny which i regret not buying.



    OOh one thing i must say is ranitidine goes on weight.I think Izzy was around 9lb when she started and she was on 0.3 ml but it went up with izzy's weight. You will know instantly when it needs to be put up because they start bringing back their feeds again. Izzy only went up to 0.9ml and didnt need it anymore.She now weight 14lb (well 3 weeks ago she did).



    If you need anything im normally in born in august 10.



    Hope you HV is helpful!!
  • Thanks again for replying! HV said that this couldn't go on so she spoke to my GP, we are carrying on with the Gaviscon for another week or so and if no improvement he will be referred to the pediatrician! I personally dont want to wait that long so will prob give it till the end of the week! fingers crossed all will be sorted soon! thanks again xxx
  • just to say if you have major issues with a screaming, non feeding baby - just present at A+E, we were advised to do this with my boy when he was screaming/arching during feeds. They have no choice but to send a peadiatrician to see you usually because of babies age. I know it's not nice to 'play the system' but if your are at you wits end - you will do anything



    hth
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions