Tummy Troubles - Denton,TX

Could be a combination of Formula and Ear Infection. Try a Soy based Formula and consult her doctor about her ears. Good Luck Hope it gets better.

It could be her ears...my son was doing the same thing and found out he had an ear infection....he is doing better since the antibodics...

Does she have any signs of acid reflux? Spitting up a lot, fussy when she spits up, pulling off the bottle or breast, fussy when eating, etc? My baby has reflux and she did not nap well and had a hard time eating until she was on her medication. Now she is doing much better.
At first I thought it might be gas also, but I think now it was the reflux.
Good luck!

Hey I went through this with my 4-yr-old when she was born and one of my twins.They both ended up having ACID REFLUX....Go get him a upper GI. The doctors sometimes confuse this with colic,But it is a treatable disease.After they realized thats what it was and put them on ZERTEC they were completely different babies.I had many sleepless nights because of this until it was treated. Tell your DR to get him checked for it.It doesn't hurt when they do it.The baby drinks a mixture called barrium it is sweet so they love it.While they are drinking it the people have a sorta sonogram going watching their food going down the throat .My son had it bad it was coming back up after like a swallow. If you have had heartburn ,thats what ACID REFLUX feels like to a baby.It hurts like Hell!!!!! GOOD LUCK and waste no-time cuz it can damage the babies esophagus.It just means that the babies valve in the esophagus isn't fully formed so it can't stop food/liquid from coming up.Also I was told to put a T-spoon of cereal to each oz of formula to make it thicker, that helped tremendously and also helped the twins sleep better.Let me know what ____@____.com

It sounds like reflux to me. You should bring these concerns and behaviors to your pediatrician's attention.
L.
Baby Answers
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Misty,
Are you breast feeding? If not, what kind of formula are you using? You might need to switch to one with a lower amount of iron or lactose...I tried three different kinds before my son settled on one. He is extremely gassy also. I dont think the gas drops work either to be honest. If you are not breast feeding try to get him to drink some water each day (that will help tremendously with the constipation). The formula I use now is Enfamil Gentlease, it has 1/4 the lactose of regular formula and it seems to be working better. I burp my son as often as possible also. It also helps to lay them on their backs and move their legs back and forth slowy like they are riding a bike. I also use gripe water in the formula sometimes when he is really fussy from gas...you can get it at whole foods or health food stores (its all natural). Hope this helps!

Have you tried gripe water? You can ask your doctor about it and also look it up online. That might help her.

R.

My daughter had the same problem. We ended up switching to the Playtex vent aire bottles and that helped some. But then I found Colic Ease Gripe Water and it did WONDERS! They carry it at Rockwall Chiropractic in Rockwall. I would highly HIGHLY suggest it! It was the best $14 I have ever spent! Hope this helps!

I have a way of holding a baby to get lots of gas out, it is amazing. hold the baby in front of you face out, while holding them under their bottom, lift there legs up and gently pat bottom. It should work.

My baby was constipated from the moment that he was born it seems. He also has very severe reflux. The doctor had us switch him to Alimentum formula. It works wonders. It is, however, very expensive. It was well worth the price for us. We had tried the drops for gas but that just seemed to make him spit up more. I would not worry about it being reflux yet but definitly talk to your doctor.

Sorry to hear your daughter is having a rough time. I know how frustrating it can be when your baby is having a problem!
I would talk to your doctor, but it sounds like a formula intolerance, or possibly reflux. Reflux is usually accompanied by a lot of spit-up, but not always. If it's a formula problem, you could try lactose-free (this worked for one friend), Good Start (it's processed differently from other formulas, so it's easier on their tummy - this worked for my daughter and many friends), or soy (my son and a friend's baby both made the switch to soy for dairy allergies). If you're breastfeeding, I'd cut dairy and see what happens. Just remember that any change you make to your diet or the baby's formula will take 3 or 4 days to take effect, so give the change about a week before you try switching to the next thing. You can get formula samples from your pediatrician so you don't have to spend a ton of cash on formula you may not need (another good reason to check with them before making any changes).

As far as constipation, if you're breastfeeding, the baby isn't constipated. It's normal to go a while without pooping (they go from pooping-all-the-time phase to a once-in-a-while-huge-blowout phase).

If you're just introducing formula to a breastfed infant, it may take a while for her system to get used to it. Again, it takes several days for her body to adjust to a change in diet.

Good luck!

My son had these symptoms, and my pediatrician diagnosed him with acid reflux. He had sensitivities to milk proteins. So, I had to watch my dies (I was breastfeeding) and when I supplemented formula, I needed a non-milk based version. I would ask your pediatrician about this. Usually, for acid reflux, babies spit up a lot. However, my son NEVER spit up! He just had pain and symptoms of indigestion.

You can buy a crib wedge at Babies R Us for about $12, and I highly recommend it. It helps babies sleep at a slant, and helps with digestion.

Regarding formula, there are soy formulas which might help. However, some babies are also sensitive to soy. Two additional ones to try: Similac (I can't remember the name, but it's a hypoallergenic, predigested protein formula) and Enfamil Nutramagin. My son couldn't digest the powder version, so we needed the Similac liquid. Good luck!

Hi Misty,
I don't know if you have heard of Craniosacral therapy. YOu can read about it on www.upledgerinstitute.com It is a very wonderful therapy (not massage) for anyone. My son has autism and we have been doing it for 3 years. It has helped with sstomach and everything. My friends who have newborns have been taking them too because of colic issues. It has helped tremendously. It is expensive but you don't need to go much with a little one. It is like energy work and I promise it works! I had a friend with twins with the same problem you are having and I made her go and that baby got better so fast and starting sleeping thru the night again. I go a guy who whies office is in his home and I go to Integrative Pediactric therapy. You can get on their website and read about it too. Sally and Suzanne are the BEST . Hope it gets better.
L. ____@____.com

hi misty. i had this problem with my son when he was a baby. It possibly could be that your daughter is lactose intolerant and you may want to try switching her to a soy formula. just a suggestion

My daughter had the same problem. And we had to switch her to soy formula as well. It made a huge difference. Within a few days she was eating and sleeping a lot better.

Hi. I was going to suggest to talk to your doctor about switching formula. My son switched until he was about 3 months old. It wasn't because he was lactose intolerant but he had colic. Good Luck!

N. B.
Mom Advice Central-http://www.mymommycentral.com

Tummy problems are the worst. For the constipation try giving her 1/2 of a childs laxitive. You the break the glycerin supository in half and put it in and it will give her relief within a few minutes. My son was a preemie and that's what the hospital recommended.

I found that the gas drops made the problem worse. Try taking a hotwater bottle and wrapping it in a towl place it between the two of you. The warm helps relax the stomach muscles.

Remember what works for one may not work for another. Don't ever hesitate to call your Doctor's office. You can ask for the nurse and they usually have good advice.

M.,
The thing that has always worked best in our family for gas pressure is to get regular ol' olive oil, put some in your hand, rub your hands together (to warm it up) and massage your daughter's belly and back. It works best if you undo her diaper and just gentley massage her. I also do this to my daughter when she's constipated, she usually has a bowel movement within the hour. You can also try giving her the olive oil straight in her mouth, but I've always found that the massage works the best. Oh, just leave it on her, don't rub it off after the massage. I hope this helps. take care.
Y. A.

M.,
It might be from the type of bottles that you are using (if she is bottle fed). If she is getting too many air bubbles in her tummy while she is eating the gas drops wont work too well. I noticed a major difference with the gas problems when I changed to the Dr. Brown bottles from the Advent bottles. I was also told to give my son the mylocon gas drops before he would eat his bottle to try and prevent the gas from forming. Hope she feels better soon! Also you should try plain water in her bottle for the constipation a couple times a day (1/2 of what she eats in her bottle). That seems to help more than the pedialyte for us.
A.

My daughter did the same thing, & she was allergic to her formula. It also started at about 1 month. We switched her to soy formula & she was just fine afterwards.

My daughter did the same thing. Are you breast feeding or using formula? I used both for a while and then we changed her formula to Good Start and it was tons better. Also after we decided to stop breast feeding she really did great. We really liked the Good Start formula. If she's constipated we did the good start low iron formula.

I would contact your pediatrician...you might need a different formula, as others have suggested, or there might be something else going on and while all of us other moms can give advice and relay our experiences, a doctor can do more on the medical front. I hope you find a solution...I know it's very hard to see her not feeling well.

H

Hi M.,
We had a similar problem with our 2 month old that turned into a problem with her being able to have bowel movement's too. (the texture was hard like clay)I have been adding 1/2 an ounce of Gerber Apple Prune Juice to her bottle and we haven't had any problems since. They carry it at Target and Kroger, in the baby section. (It turns the formula a funny color, but it has worked for us. She doesnt seem to notice a difference in the taste.)
Good luck, I hope this helps.
T.

Before you switch to soy, it may be worth your while to be aware of the dangers and long term effects associated with soy formula. There's alot of studies done on Soy formula and they are available on the Web.

ditto a lot of advice you've already been given. If you're BF'ing, it could be something in your diet that is upsetting her tummy. If you're using formula, she could have an allergy to lactose, etc. Check with your doctor.

This sounds like it could very well be reflux. Even small infants can be put on reflux medication that can help a great deal. Definitely ask your pediatrician about it!

Hi. I suggest you do some internet research on lactose intolerance (alergy to milk products). Sounds exactly what my daughter and I both suffered from during infancy. The constipation and gas sounds like her body is having problems digesting or absorbing lactose, a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products. My mother had to totally take milk products out of my diet and switched me to goat milk. Now there are formulas on the market that cater to that problem. I fed my daughter Nutramigen Lipil formula by Infamil that is specifically designed for cow milk alergies. I noticed a 100% turn around. Her spitting up and gas completely stopped. Hope this helps.

Hmmm. It could be reflux or constipation causing her pain. The constipation needs to be addressed first before assuming it is reflux. I would call your Pediatrician and ask what to do for her constipation. Once her bowels are normal again, if she is still crying during feedings, it is probably reflux. I really hope it isn't. That is a tough road. Best of luck.

Hi M.,
I am a Pedi RN- but you need to check with your Pedi before taking this advice (Unless you go to North Dallas Pediatrics, then this is the advice you will get!)

I would recommend trying Similac LactoFree formula. It is a stepping stone between regular formula and Soy. It is still milk based, just the lactose (which is the usual culprit behind formula intolerance)has been removed. Any formula shift will take at least 72 hours before you notice a real difference.
Inbetween feeding you can offer that baby a combo of Flat Sprite (put 1 oz in a bottle, shake until flat) and water - it is a 1:1 ratio. That will help with the constipation.
Please feel free to e-mail w/ any questions.

D.
____@____.com

Hi M.

I have 3 kids, and two of them had some tummy problems when they were babies. One was just constipation, which was solved by giving her some VERY diluted apple juice. But my youngest had lots of crying and spitting up, and it seemed like when he cried, he was in pain. The doctor told me to switch his formula, first to soy, and then to Nutramegin (spelling?). He said some babies have a difficult time digesting the proteins in regular formula, which is made from cow's milk. The soy is easier, but for some, like mine, they need a little more help. The third kind of formula actually has the proteins broken down in the factory when it is made, so the baby's digestive system has to do very little work.

It worked for him. The only negative was the cost - that formula is much more expensive than the regular kind. By the way, there are several brands of it - you could ask your pediatrician or maybe a pharmacist which they would recommend based on what you're feeding her now. We only had to buy it for about three months, then we were able to gradually switch back by the time he was about 6 months.

Hope this helps, good luck!

The same thing happened to my 3 mo. old. After trying multiple formulas a family friend suggested I try lactose free formula. My son now eats 2 times the amount he used to. I am also lactose intollerant, so I guess I have passed on the trait to him. Just something to think about. Both Similac and Enfamil make lactose free milk based formulas.

My son had the exact same thing. I was breastfeeding and thought it was my milk so I switched to formula. It still happened and it was very frustrating. I finally took him to the doctor and they told me to try Enfamil Gentlease formula for gassy/ constipated babies. It took about a day and a half and he was fine. He still has some gas but he eats well and is doing great.

I would suggest talking with your pediatrician regarding this problem. Have you considered reflux? My son had reflux and took meds for it. He never had the full blown reflux with vomiting. For him it was while he nursed. He would cry during feeding (sometimes with gas), but most importantly he would pull back and cry with a painful type of cry. Our doctor explained that eventhough he wasn't vomiting from the reflux, he could still be experiencing the burning sensation while eating. It might not be that but your doctor is the best person to find out for sure.

It sounds like reflux, my daughter is notw 6 1/2 months old and she has had it since she was 2 weeks old. We give her Prevacid twice a day and she does wonderful now. I would definately take your little girl to the doctor. Also if she is constipated that could be her issue. Have you tried adding Karo to her bottle to make her bowels flow a little better. We have to do this occasionally and it works wonders.

M.,
A lot of dittos to other posts:
*talk to your dr before switching anything (although make SURE you have a good ped)...BTW-you aren't BF are you? If so, eliminate dairy first, then eggs, soy, wheat, etc. to see if those are culprits. That too is a hard road-I did it and am here for support!
*if your child needs alimentum/nurtamigen/neocate/elecare, start it ASAP before he/she develops taste preferences. My son would never take these once I quit BF much later and he had milk allergy.
*sounds just like my son-he had/has (at 15 mo) severe reflux

I am here to help if NOTHING seems to help like it didn't for us...formula changes, weird positions to get gas out, mylicon, NOTHING helped! It might be allergy or intolerance to milk proteins. The one thing that helped us to know it was reflux is does he/she eat *very* often and very little and throw up a lot? The weird thing about reflux is that there is a condition called silent reflux where the throw up doesn't actually come out, it just comes up, burns and goes back down. This is the hardest kind to diagnose and treat. Meds may/may not help your son/daughter. It is tricky to find the right meds. For us it was reglan and prevacid, but for others, there are many others which work better like bethanecol, prilosec, zantac, pepcid, etc.

Talk to your ped about sleep positions, our GI did allow tummy sleeping (I know people will tell how bad it is for SIDS, but his comfort was important too) and using a wedge in our bed/crib (elevation). The elevation may help the gas too.

Hope this info helps!!!
R.

My 2 friends complained of the same thing. One said switching to Dr. Brown's (Mr. Brown's?) bottles was the cure. The other said nothing worked until she adjusted her son, she is a chiropractor. She said since then he has slept great and had no eating or digestive problems. E-mail me if you want her clinic's number, ____@____.com

I am not sure but it almost sounds like acid reflux. I have 2 boys and they both were diagnosed when they were just a few weeks old. They had the same symptoms. I would ask the doctor just to see what they say. Both of my kids took a liquid form of previcid untill they were able to sit up on their own and it seemed to just go away. It is so hard when your baby doesn't feel good and can't tell you why!!

My son was born with tummy problems and had the same issues you have described. If your daughter is not having regular bowl movements, then you may want to consult a gastrointologist via the pedietrician. My son was compacted and if left untreated it can cause major intestinal problems. My son had to take medicine to help with the bowl movements and is today a healthy 6 year old who has no more tummy problems.

Good Luck and trust your instincts!

Are you feeding her breastmilk or formula? I breastfeed my daughter, however, when we went on vacation I had to supplement A LOT with formula. I discovered that it was the iron that was making her constipated. I bought enfamil low iron, and it seemed to help a ton. Before that she would get constipated too. You should probably talk to your doctor. She may have an allergy to the milk or formula.