What's the Problem with My Newborn??

Updated on September 26, 2017
S.P. asks from Draper, UT
37 answers

I'm new to the mom thing, this is my first baby she is 4 weeks old. She has had really bad congestion tons of mucos in the back of her throat that started a couple of weeks ago. Nights are miserable with her trying to sleep and breathe from all the mucos. I took her to her doctor, she didn't have any answers other than she has a little cold and is fine? A cold for over 2 weeks now?? We have tried the saline drops, a humidifier, standing in a steamy bathroom, everything! NOTHING is working. She coughs, gags and chokes when she has her formula (enfamil). Lately she has not been pooping as much, what do i do for newborn constipation? Her eating habits vary from 3 1/2 oz to 2 oz, this started a few days ago? She chokes when i lay her down. You can hear her tummy come up and down her throat she gags on something. I have acid reflux and that is what i do. Is it possible for her to have it at such a young age? My doctor says she is fine but its happened since day 1! I know it is not normal. She does not sleep a full 2 to 3 hours unless she is on an incline! She seems to have a lot of gas and is fussy. But i didn't knw this was not normal until ppl would point it out to me. I do also breast feed as well as formula and she is comfortable after breast milk. She falls asleep fast as with formula it takes her so long to go back to sleep even at night... nights are miserable she will be up for an hour after eating? Why?? Help pls! Any advice would be very appreciated! I would take her back in to the doctor but they are starting to think I am crazy. They just keep telling me she is fine, and they don't give newborns anything until after 6 weeks old, as long as she has no fever...I am switching doctors but my insurance won't change until first of May.
Also i have been told to maybe change her formula to soy based. It could be a milk allergy that is common in babies and could be causing these symptoms... How do i change formulas, do i hve to talk to a doctor? Is it safe?

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.P.

answers from Pocatello on

Wow--you have a bazillion responses! So I'll be brief... everything you've mentioned sounds like reflux. Does she choke and gag while breastfeeding? If so, she might be having some swallowing issues, too. It might be beneficial to meet with a speech language pathologist, occupational therapist, or lactation consultant--pick someone who is trained in pediatrics, to observe a feeding. Smaller feeds more often help babies with reflux (rather than larger feeds spaced out). Breastmilk digests faster than formula, too. If you need to use the bottle some, try to get breastmilk in it. The book Balancing Breast and Bottle (amazon) has some good info in it for moms who do both. Good luck--and seek more help ASAP!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from Denver on

Based on what you said concerning how she responds to formula v. breast feeding, it sounds like she might be having a reaction to the formula. If the breast feeding works better, is it possible for you to remove the formula and just breastfeed? Also, if she'd in a crib or bassinet, you can place something small (ie. a book) under the top of the mattress to keep her on an incline.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.M.

answers from Providence on

It sounds like acid reflux my son had it at that young of an age as well. They will give meds if needed my son actually slept in his car seat for a bit that was where he did his best sleeping so the incline does help....as faar as changing formula I did it without asking it was ok dr. was ok with it also...good luck

More Answers

J.L.

answers from Clarksville on

Hi S.,

I've seen it mentioned here and I'm going to say it again. Have your daughter checked for reflux. I've copied and pasted a response I posted to another mom based on my experience with my 4th daughter. I wouldn't have believed it if you told me this but I experienced it first hand.

If your baby is having excess mucus without other symptoms, please explore the possibility that your little one may have acid reflux or a sensitivity to dairy. I suggest these two possibilities based on my experience with my 6 month old. We have had ongoing issues with her since 2 weeks.

At 2 weeks, she was misdiagnosed and finally at 2 months her ped diagnosed her with reflux. Once we treated her reflux, we noticed some improvement but it wasn't until I removed all dairy from my diet that we saw a major improvement.

Just recently she got her first two teeth. I've been using Hyland's Teething Tablets for any discomfort and noticed she experienced excess mucus again. I realized one ingredient in Hyland's is lactose and once I stopped giving her the tablets her mucus cleared up again.

It may sound far fetched but based on my experience with my daughter, I know it's real. Here are some other suggestions that you may find helpful.

* Make sure your daughter stays hydrated.
* Use a cool mist humidifier.
* Have her sleep slightly elevated to help with draining.
* While holding her upright, pat her back(more to the sides over the lungs) with your hand cupped. This helps to break up the mucus and keep it loose.
* Examine the possibility of a dairy intolerance. Change your diet if breastfeeding or look for formula without dairy, ie. whey, lactose, etc.
* Use a bulb syringe to help suction the mucus.
* If you have questions or concerns, call your peds office. They work for you and should be willing to answer your questions. If not, find a different pediatrician that listens to your concerns and respects you as a parent.
*Follow your instincts

*We used a homeopathic called Colic Calm for the reflux since we were uneasy about giving her the Zantac prescribed by the ped. We were very pleased with the results and it was gentle on her tummy. Best of luck to you.

Peace,
J.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.A.

answers from Seattle on

Why not breastfeed her exclusively? It sounds like the formula you are using is causing all the upsets, breast milk will never constipate your baby. If you are supplementing with formula because your supply is low, stop supplementing and once the baby demands more milk you will make more milk. Just make sure you are eating and drinking enough :)

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.C.

answers from Portland on

Ask about reflux!!! My son had it. He actually turned blue once choking due to reflux and we spent 2 days in the hospital when he was 4-5 weeks old. BF is easier on their tummies, although my son had reflux and was exclusively breastfed. Call the doctor and push for answers.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Get a second opinion ASAP.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.M.

answers from Denver on

Hang in there, and trust your instincts... I don't have the answers, but my daughter was Dx with an ear infection at 7 weeks (no fever) and my son at 5 weeks. My sister heard my daughter struggling to breathe and eat and said, "that seems odd" and I took her in right away. I know you are a "first time" mom, but your instincts are right on... I'd suggest trying a new Dr for a second opinion. In the meantime, keep up the saline, steam... and maybe have her sleep on an incline. My son slept in his bouncy chair for about 4 weeks to help him breathe at night. You are doing all the right things... trust your instincts and be patient if you can.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

V.W.

answers from Salt Lake City on

S.,

Wow you've got a lot going on there! ;) Hang in there. My first-born (now 8 yrs old) had a terrible cold her first winter I think she was 8 wks or so when she got it. The things that helped us the VERY most were her bouncy chair (not the one that hangs from the ceiling, but the chair that kind of rocks and sits). Ours didn't work 100% so the vibration function didn't work, BUT I laid on the floor with her for two nights and just rocked it a bit when she started to fuss. Tiring, so get one with vibration and batteries! ;) Having her sleep in a bouncy chair is fine. She's not rolling and she's not climbing out. The elevated head will help keep any acid reflux down (if in fact she has that problem) and help with the mucous drainage as well.
Also, more than a steamy room. Take her in the shower with you. Hang on to her tight and sit down on the floor. Best to do this with some help nearby as it is hard to get in and out of most showers with an infant.... or for me it is anyway! Saline drops in, and then suck as much back out as you can right after the shower when everything is a little moister. For YOU so you don't catch it, do saline drops in your nose as well. And gargle with a little bit of salt water at least once a day. And nap when she naps. Let the house fall apart, the laundry sit. You'll have the energy to catch up when she's better!! :)
You can do it. She probably does just have a cold. Most children carry them around with them like extra baggage all winter... we have one going around our house from person to person since last month. Annoying.
On the milk allergy... that is a huge possibility. Having never had to switch a baby to soy I'm not sure how to do it, but our pediatrician said it is a difficult switch to do without challenges and not to just go doing it without her. Just a thought.
Good luck with the doctor switch. Now is a good time to check around with your insurance changing.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.M.

answers from Fort Collins on

agree that you should stick to breastfeeding for as long as you can for immunity and it's easier to digest. Also comforting.
trust your instincts - if you feel there is a problem then keep going back to the doctors and try a different doctor.
We are conditioned into being 'polite, not being pushy, to not create a problem' forget that just keep going to the doctors regardless of what they may think of you. Your daughter's health is more important than strangers opion of you.
elevate the bed with a few books at one end
try placing your daughter in her car seat to skeep after she has eaten. My friends daughter slept in her car seat for the first 6mths of her life. I know it's not recommended but nor is watching your child scream in pain and not getting the nutrients and energy she needs because of reflux.
Your heading for the six week growth spurt so anything you can do to help resolve the problem now will make that spurt alot easier for all of you.
Your only human - ask for help from friends and family so you can catch up on sleep, take a break out of the house. You must be exhausted mentally and physically.
If she has the same reaction with formula then it's unlikely to be anything your eating affecting your breast milk but I don't know how long it takes for milk to leave their system. Can you try pumping and dumping for a day and feed her only formula for 24hrs and see if that makes a difference ?
Good luck - I feel for you.

J.B.

answers from Houston on

oh wow, I am so amazed they are not checking her for reflux. First of all you really may need to get a new pediatrician. I know that is overwhelming but it sounds like classic relux to me, but even if it isn't they should be giving you help in how to manage all the mucous. My first had reflux and my dr put him on prevacid at a month old and he did so good after that, so yes they can have it from day one. What I suggest as far as how to handle the mucous is have her sleep on an incline always. I put towels under the head of my son's bassinet mattress, then I swaddled him and propped him on his side with a rolled blanket behind his back and one in front of his tummy. I also rolled a blanket up and put it at his feet in a cresent shape and then put a blanket over that tucking it under the mattress. This will prevent baby from slipping down while sleeping on an incline. My second son did not have reflux but was quite mucousy for a bit as well, I did all that was mentioned above, but also held him in my arms upright for about 20 min after each feeding, even at night per my dr. instructions. That really helps. It does take time for digestion to get to working right a lot of times, but I think with all this excessive mucous they should really do a test for reflux. They did that with my first at one month and saw that his food was coming right back up, this hurts and will make it hard for baby to get sleep, and you too!! If they don't want to test her, I really would find someone else for her dr. Like I said, my first had it and my second doesn't but both times my pedi was very helpful. Making sure her airway is always clear is so important and they should be taking it more serious in my opinion.
oh p.s. My newborn is 3 months and he was sent home from the hospital with medication for reflux bc they thought he might have it, so I think you can find someone who will test and give meds if you need that. Good luck!!! If you have any questions, pls email me, I have much experience with refluxy and mucousy babies!!!! She will be ok, just keep her on that incline:)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.O.

answers from Detroit on

why not just breast feed her? formula is hard for babies to digest.. yes you can switch formulas.. all formulas are perfectly healthy and have the same nutrients.. if there is a formula that she likes better and does better for her tummy go ahead and use it..

it is normal for babies to not sleep at night.. they dont know day or night and some babies stay awake a lot at night..

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.R.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Hi honey,
What kind of formula are you using..Enfamil what?? She may have an intolerance to it if she is fine after breast milk. That would cause congestion, fussiness and gas. My daughter also had reflux from the beginning so there is a possibility that it may be that as well. As for constipation, when my lil one got it around a few weeks old our ped nurse told us to use a small baby suppository and only use just the tip. Worked for us great, tho it does get messy so be sure to put something down to catch the mess.
Good luck and hope she gets feeling better soon!! :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.F.

answers from Detroit on

I have 4 kids and my baby is also 1 month. From day one he was gaging. None of my other kids did that so I was freaked out. The doctor said he is fine. He also has really bad congestion but not like a cold. Its called Infant congestion some newborns have it more then others. My son is only nursing no formula but he spits up a lot and will do this horrible gaging thing. The Dr told me that he could have acid reflux. you can get it at any age, he said it is much worse with formula. I would stop the formula and only nurse and pump, breast milk is so much easier for them to digest. Keep her at an incline it helps with the reflux. I have no idea when they will grow out of it, but I know that it is common.
sorry if my thoughts are a little scattered, I am not up on my sleep.
I hope this helps!

E.F.

answers from Casper on

Sheli,
You have got some great advice, the only thing I wanted to add is that if she does better on breast milk but you feel you do not have enough, here are somethings that will help.
Fenugreek- and herb that increases milk production- works really well. you can get it at any pharmacy in the vitamin- herb section.
Pumping in the morning an hour or two before you nurse will get you the most milk the easiest and fastest. it will increase your milk supply but also allow you to build up a reserve of milk. So that you could use it instead of formula, if you so choose.
Make sure you are drinking at least 8 cups of water a day that is pretty much one right before or after you nurse (you should be feeding her 8 times in 24 hrs )or pump.
if you combine all these you definitely will have enough breast milk
good luck,
E.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.W.

answers from Denver on

The first thing I would say is to go exclusively breast fed if you can. The breast milk helps them with their immune system and will help her get over the cold she has. It is possible she has reflux and indeed this is a miserable thing to deal with - so hold on, it is a tough worrisome ride! She will be fussy, not sleep well, arch her back, etc. Breast fed helps with this too. When you do nurse though, just remember that what you eat will affect how the baby feels, so keep the dairy to a minimum, no acidy foods, and no spicy foods. Just for the record, formula is made for babies and is supposed to be gentle but it really does seem to be hard on their little systems until they are a bit older. I found that around 4 months or so it was easier to introduce.

As far as your doctor, your baby does sound like she will be fine, babies are SO much harder and stressful than anyone can prepare you for. Everything the baby does is alarming! Be sure you never worry about calling the doc all the time and bringing the baby in. It is their job to make sure your baby is ok and healthy and although you are in the "new mommy alarmist stage" (we have all been there) you still have what I call a mommy-radar and know when something just doesn't feel right. It sounds like your doc's office is making you feel a bit uneasy so a new one is totally in order. Interview as many as you can so you can find the perfect match and May is only a couple weeks away. If you really want, you can ask your doc for a referring office so your insurance will cover it or even consider paying out of pocket to get a second opinion. I always try to remember that my kids are my priority, who cares what the doctor's office thinks.

Good luck!

M.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

well my daughter was and is the same....she drank ENFAMIL the regular one, her stool was too watery, then i gave her PRO-SOBEE and it made her constipated and had a bit of blood in her stool!!! take her or him to the hospital and tell them she or he is fuzzy and hasnt poo in the last day or so that way they'll see u!!!! i had too cuz i knew sumthing was wrong with my girl and she was about to turn 3 weeks!!! so at the hospital they told me she had cows milk protein allergy and so they gave NUTRAMIGEN!! and IT DID help her alot!!!! so tell a lil white lie, ur baby's health is important and comes first!!! if its no that cuz u give her or him booby milk then it might be something more serious!!! WISH U THE BEST OF LUCK!!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.G.

answers from Davenport on

My son had it and had similar symptoms, he had acid reflux. They doctor put him on Zantac. A friend recommended soy formula and that helped. We were able to take him off the Zantac, once I switched formula.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.B.

answers from New York on

Sounds a lot like reflux to me too! We had similar problems and one piece of advice that I can give you is to make sure that she is never flat on her back as this aggravates the symptoms (as i'm sure you know as an adult with reflux- i have it too). Make sure you invest in some kind of sleep positioner that will keep her angled, this is a very natural position for babies and may relieve a lot of her other symptoms as well. We love the Nap Nanny. It is a fabulous sleep positioner and our baby went from not sleeping at all to sleeping through the night when we purchased the Nap Nanny. It is absolutely fabulous and a lot better than all of the other sleep positioners that we tried! Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.C.

answers from Denver on

I would try a new formula. Nutramigen worked well for us but it is very expensive so it's cheaper to try a soy first. Also it sounds like you already have her sleeping at an incline but that also worked for us. Our son was diagnosed with Acid reflux but I would caution you to insist on the test that they have them drink the fluid and watch it on the Xray because it seems like acid reflux is over diagnosed these days. The prevacid and pills did not seem to work for us so he just eventually grew out of it. But his was not as severe as yours. I could not hear him gurggling he was just very fussy. Good luck and remember trust your mommy instinct sometimes you know better then the docs. It's all a guessing game up to three months and a scientific experiment to get it right with your bonding and find out what your little munchkin wants... but you will get ther have no fear and if you don't just remember they will get over this little hump as well.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Congrats on the new little O.! Hang in there...do what helps and do it consistently--clear her nose with the little syringe bulb, let her sleep on an incline by putting phonebooks under the hear of the bassinet/crib, where she sleeps.
Run a cool mist humidifier across the room from her bed--close the door to keep the moisture in.
O. thing I wanted to mention is NEVER feel uncomfortable calling your pediatrician's office and talking to the nurse! That's what they're there for to talk about any and all questions you might have--the only stupid questions are unasked ones! Best of luck. You'll get through this. Hang tough.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

i suggest using the bulb asperator to suction her mouth and nose out before eating and sleeping. my daughter did this and come to find out when she was 10 months she is asthmatic and has allergies (environmental). i wouldnt jump to a formula allergy just yet. when my child got sick at 8 months i took her to her pedi every week for 2 months! before they realized that it was asthma. keep up with the humidafier and prop her up at night and after feedings (in a swing or boppy). pooping wise try little tummys laxative drops in her morning bottle and if she hasnt gone by mid afternoon then try a little more in another bottle it could take a couple days to work. or you can get some pediatric suppositories. what you do with those is cut them into 1/4s (a whole one is much too strong) and instert 1/4 into her rectom and hold it there for 5-10 mins (yes you have to hold it). then let nature take its course i would gently push my daughters legs to her tummy when she tried to push. everything i have listed here i have done with my own daughter with her pediatricians say so. good luck and also if you want to get an allergy test done they can do it by blood. if you think its an allergy push for the test.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.M.

answers from Boston on

Just want to reiterate that if breastmilk is better than formula, go with it exclusively if you can. And if your supply has been dropping (which it may well have with the supplementing) get an electric pump and try to goose your supply, it should work well if you jump on it.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.T.

answers from Pocatello on

when my son was born he had acid reflux. course it took two weeks in NICU to find that out, with tests up to the wazoo, but then they finally figured it out and gave him so Prevacid and Reglan. Yes they can treat when they are that young! Don't let your doctor tell you otherwise. The Prevacid was a pain to give to him, it was a slow release one that had little white balls. And he had to take 3 TABLESPOONS before every feeding. I couldn't put it in a bottle, the balls were too big. And took about 30 - 45 minutes to finally get it all gone each dose. But it did help, and he grew out of it rather quickly. I think we stopped the medicine after about 2-3 months. Anyway, I hope this information helps. Tell your doctor about my experience, and ask him if you could get some of this stuff for your baby. You might ask for something different than Reglan, because it can cause developmental problems. My son has a lot of developmental problems, so ask for something other than Reglan. But the Prevacid as far as I know is fine.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.H.

answers from Provo on

Hi, I didn't have time to read all of the posts, so sorry if this is a repeat.

It sounds a lot like acid reflux to me. Both of my children had acid reflux and my pediatrician put both of them on prevacid at 2 weeks old. It didn't hurt them one bit. It didn't take it away since they had it really bad, but it did help some.

My daughter slept in her car seat tightly swaddled and that helped a lot. My son didn't sleep much, but when he did, it was in his swing. Propping them up helped both a lot.

Also, my pediatrician said that breast milk was way better for reflux than any of the formulas out there. It was difficult at times, but I breastfed my son exclusively because he refused a bottle. If you can do that, it will probably help, but that is not an option for everyone.

It was still a hard road, (up at night for 1.5 - 2 hours each time) but it does get better. I found that putting pressure on the stomach helps. With my son, he liked to be held face down with my hand on his stomach and then bounced up and down, or close with our tummies touching with pressure on his back to create pressure on his tummy. These were the only ways I could get him to stop crying.

If you try any of these things and they help, it would probably be good to get a pediatrician who has dealt with reflux before so they will help you rather than continue to tell you nothing is wrong.

Good luck! I promise it is all worth it, even on those nights when you only get 2 hours of sleep. :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.S.

answers from Houston on

My son had reflux at a very young age...I think he was only a few months old when he was put on medication. I would also consider taking her to a pedi ENT for a second opinion.

R.D.

answers from San Francisco on

This is something new. Most infants at this age don't normally get something like this. You can go to the drugstore and pick up SoyaBased Formula and try it. You don't need the doctors' approval. If she is having problems with bowel movements get baby suppositories. I wouldn't even use the whole thing (maybe half) it does sound alot like gas. Insert a small piece into her rectum (hold cheeks together) then wait until she starts pushing. You may wear it but hey at least she's going. Most times you know its coming though. I know my son who is now grown ended up with gasteritis at a young age. He got cramped up, I stayed up with him night after night. I picked up some Pedialight which helped and yes he to had to go on Soya based formula. You can try this, Try her on a bottle of Pedialight, all drugstores carry it and see if this helps with the gas. If all of this fails, I would be taking her to emerg. since you are waiting on a new Dr.
I don't think this one knows what hes' talking about. Good luck, Pedialight and Soya Formula along with suppositories. Use about half of the suppository.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.M.

answers from Denver on

have you heard of giving baby goats milk. no matter what formula companies tell you, goats milk is the closest to human milk. my daughter drank goats milk from the time she was 2 weeks old because i could not produce milk myself. she had soft yellow stools just like a breast fed baby. no mucous. cow milk causes excess mucous in people. have you looked at the ingredients of formula? it is disgusting. what they do is take the fat out of the milk and add vegetable oil. babies need cholesterol. it is healthy for them. a formula fed baby is at more risk for cholesterol problems as an adult because the body doesn't learn to process cholesterol without consuming it as an infant. goats milk just like human milk has cholesterol.
it is a bit tricky to feed a baby goats milk because you must water it down and add lactose. it is a lot of work to make the formula every day, but it is sooo worth the health of your baby. the best thing would be to talk to your pediatrician if they are supportive. if not, find a naturopath to help you learn how to make goats milk formula.
good luck, and i hope your baby is doing well.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

V.G.

answers from Portland on

First, formula- even thought it's come a long way in recent years- is not breastmilk. PLEASE, if she's handling your breastmilk so much better, please please please just breastfeed ONLY.
Its easier for babies to digest, its MADE from your body FOR her. Its perfect.

Letting her sleep on a slight incline really is good for little ones, just make sure she doesn't roll around.

As for the breathing hard and sounding congested, if it's happening mostly at night or its much worse at night, it sounds like she has croup. Croup is a virus that anyone can get, but because babies windpipes are so much smaller than ours they sound much worse when breathing.
What I would do is wait until it acts up again and then take her to the ER. Most likely they will listen to her lungs (which SHOULD be clear because croup affects the vocal cord area not the lungs). The key is to take her in at her worst so that they can decide what is wrong.
Something sounds like it is definitely wrong. Take her in when its bad and they'll be able to help.
Good luck momma! :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.P.

answers from Boise on

If she is good on breastmilk, can you just do that? She may just not agree with the formula, maybe even an allergy to it.

Can you incline her bed by putting a 2X4 under one end? As far as the extended cold. My family had "something" for 2 weeks and we are still coughing 4 weeks later. I know quite a few people that had it, but no idea what it is/was.

Also, you can always get a second opinion from another ped, or if you feel she needs to go in, take her. That is what they are there for, and they should provide more help as to how to treat/help her than to just say it is normal and that they can't give her anything.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.R.

answers from Columbus on

Hi S.,
It is frustrating when the pediatrician does not listen to you or they act like you are crazy! You do need to listen to your mommy voice. If you think something is wrong, and you have really checked out all the possiblities for more common things, then go back and ask again, or find a pediatrician who listens to you.

From a seasoned Mom, she may have a cold that is unrealted to the problem you think of as possible reflux. Colds in newborns are often mild and last longer than in older children and adults and they may eat less. As long as she is not dehydrated and she continues to gain weight, they will probably wait out a cold.

A gassy newborn is not going to gain much attention from the doctor because this is so common. Try symethicone drops (these are safe, inert-which means that they are not absorbed by the body) and are effective at releiving gas which could be totally unrelated to anything else.

Constipation is a problem only if the stool is hard, or if the stool is hard and they are not going at all and strain to do so with out result, not if they are just not pooping as much as they used to. A babies gastric system is immature at birth and is going through many changes, and this could just be part of the maturation process; her stools will change dramatically over the next year (trust me) and every change is not cause for concern. One Tbs corn syrup in one cup of boild water (cooled) will ease mild new born consitpation if you really think she is in distress about it, I don't recomend it if you are in distress about it though, so don't give her this unless she has hard stools and is un comfortable. Glysserin suppositories (sold over the counter at your pharmacy for new borns are also an alternative and they work!)

If you can exculsiviely breast feed, I would try if that is how she seems most comfortable, and you might consider that the formula is not right for her too, maybe she would tolerate something else better, if enfamil was reccommended by her pediatrician, speak to them before you try something new or ask what they suggest for her issues. If she is gaining well, then you know you are doing something right, and this will probably always be the doctors first question.

I have never had a child with reflux, but I think that they spit up a great deal, so maybe her issue is something, but you are not describing what they usully see as "reflux" and they are writing you off, especially since you have many common complaints that they hear from many Mom's of newborns. I would gess that if you are adding them all together when you tell them about her issues, they are not hearing the one thing that you see that is long term and might need more attention, which is the whole thing you think is reflux-try not using a lable, and nix all the other symptoms in relation to this, and see if you get an answer you feel better about.

She may also may be entering a colic phase. What you describe is happening with a specfic pattern, night time discomfort, it can start every day at 5 or 10 or even in the morning. Some babies are uncomforatble through the third month and beyond. One of mine was like this, and like magic, as she turned three months and it was over. You never know.

The pediatrician is going to be looking for weight gain and specific things that tell him that it is NOT one of the more common baby discomforts. I hope some of these things work out to help you ease the common stuff so that you can single out anything that needs the pediatricians attention.

Good luck honey! You are doing fine, as long as she is gaining weight, she is probably going to be fine. Even if it turns out that something is wrong, you will make it through and you are doing a good job. Relax, sleep as much as you can, and know that happier baby days are ahead!

M.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.S.

answers from Boise on

First of all congratulations and know that you are doing a really good job!

You need to switch doctors for your baby. For now keep her on an incline. My son had reflux and we kept him on an incline and it was really good. Incline her bed and don't lay her down directly after she eats. There is a medicine they give babies for reflux, but my son threw up his entire meal if I had given it to him, so I quit giving it to him and just made sure I didn't bounce him or lay him flat. Try gentle ease formula before you switch to soy. It could be that she just cannot handle all that is in formula. If she handles your breast milk fine then most likely it is the stuff in the formula that is binding her up and causing her problems. Usually when you switch from breast milk to formula it gives babies a tummy ache and gas and constipation, it is not as easy to digest, but they get used to it. So I would try the other forms of formula before switching to soy, and no you do not have to ask your doctor and you can just switch over.
Sometimes we had to put our babies (I had twins) in a swing to get them to sleep at night before moving them to the crib.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.D.

answers from Denver on

I'd call and set up an appointment with your new doctor for as soon as you can with insurance. It sounds like your baby does have reflux. Our daughter could only take Nutramigen formula. She was on reflux medicine from about 36 hours old.

For the cold, get some Baby Air, or similar, and lay her down and put a drop or two in each nostril. Let it sit for a minute and then suction out with the syringe. She won't like it, but do it until her nose is all cleaned out. It will help the cold, as well as the reflux. Reflux can lead to congestion in little babies since they spend so much time laying down. If she's refluxing into the back of the nasal passages, the body will respond to protect the passages by coating them with mucus.

If you can't wait, or baby is too miserable, you could check into getting her Prevacid OTC, and giving her 7.5mg (half a tab). It won't be as easy to give as the solutabs would be, but you also don't need a script. 7.5 mg in the morning before food was what my daughter took. We did the solutabs, but for my son (who was on food) we sprinkled it over applesauce. The capsules pull apart and empty really easily. You could mix it in a syringe and put it in her mouth by drops. I would try changing formula's first, though. Carnation is supposed to help, as well, but I've never tried it.

Congratulations! It will get better! GL!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.K.

answers from Springfield on

For constipation, reflux and other tummy related issues in newborns and infants, Babies magic tea is like a miracle. I have used it for my poor little one that had the similar issues and got great comfort.

Updated

For constipation, reflux and other tummy related issues in newborns and infants, Babies magic tea is like a miracle. I have used it for my poor little one that had the similar issues and got great comfort.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.P.

answers from Denver on

HI--
I know you have a lot here. A few things.
It sounds like a food allergy to me (as both my boys had them). Most reflex in babies is either physical---it's called a hiatal hernia and just means the stomach is slipping underneath the diaphragm. It's very normal and easy to treat---see a chiropractor. Or it is a food allergy---sounds like milk to me (which also means you should not have any milk or milk products yourself as it does get into the breast milk). To increase you milk supply you can see the posts below if you want to take her off the formula. The mucous sounds like an allergic reaction. You can try homeopathic medicine with her as well. My pediatrician was useless to me in this situation as well, but, like you, I knew something was really wrong and I trusted my gut. And thank goodness, because we didn't figure it all out until he was five months old and by that time his digestion was so swollen he couldn't poop at all---we had to use a suppository every day for 14 months of his life!!! We went the natural route versus the western medicine route with fantastic results. I have counseled many people through this since I went through it and would be happy to help you as well. Feel free to contact me personally.
J.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.K.

answers from Provo on

It sounds like your little one has acid reflux to me for sure. You should definitely switch doctors. I would also look into the dairy allergy. We discovered that my little girl had a dairy allergy right around 6 weeks. i went off all dairy and there was a dramatic change - happy baby!!! it did take a while for it to get all out of her system but stopped having so much gas and it also helped her acid reflux although we did keep her on prevacid until four months. I would be careful about oy formula for two reasons, one my daughter was sensitive to the soy as well (which is not uncommon for a dairy intolerance or allergy), and i have read some things about the estrogen in the soy not being very healthy.
it is expensive but try similacs alimentum. it is a hypoallergenic formula. my daughter does great on it. nutrmigen is another hypoallergenic formula but my daughter can't tolerate that one for some reason.
also, i know they say not to but i slept my daughter on her tummy. because of her acid reflux she always seemed to choke and gag on her back but not so on her stomach. we also propped her crib up so she could sleep on an incline.
good luck.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions