Infant Tummy Problem

My daughter (now 6 yrs old) had similar problems. I finally tried "Enfamil Lactose-Free" formula and it seemed to do the trick.
I am also a type one diabetic, but was religiously following a good diet throughout my pregnancies. My daughter was extremely fussy. I think the combination of the new formula and that she just had to grow a little more finally helped tone down the fussyness....she never wanted to be held horizontally either.
I also found it very helpful to keep her upright for at least 10-15 minutes after every feeding.
I hope this helps a little, kudos to you grandma! Hang in there and love that little baby as much as you can :)

I had the same problem. I DO recommend that she call her doctor. They might be able to answer this over the phone. Also, maybe you could offer to take the baby in. With my baby, it seemed he was colicky so we kept him up at least 30 mins after eating to digest his meal, changed to Gerber colicky nipples (they seemed to help a lot) and I used Myilcon drops for the gas. She definitely sounds like she's in pain and I really think she should at least call the doctor. The Mylicon drops and colicky nipples (they are vented so the baby takes in less air) are great!! The slimy spit up is scary. My son had that once and he began chocking on it. It was hard to get out of his mouth and nose so we used one of those bulbs to suck it out that they give you at the hospital. I recommend she keeps one of those handy, too!

I don't know if it works but have you tried Gentlease formula from Enfamil. It's suppossed to help with fussiness and gas and tummy trouble. Good luck!

When I had my daughter she cried a lot because I didn't produce any milk and didn't realize it. Once we got past that and put her on formula (14 days old) she was still fussy and cried ALL THE TIME. I still look at babies who are just hanging out looking around and can't remember one time my daughter was awake and not crying. She was constantly constipated and when we burped her it was like throw up almost every time, all over me, her, the floor, etc. We ended up putting her on GoodStart which helped a little but not completely. Her pedi said this is normal for some kids and was not alarmed at all by it. My daughter is now 2 and still has a hard time pooping, despite having a very healthy, well balanced diet. Our doctor said some kids just have sensitive stomachs, which your granddaughter might. The best advice I could give is for your daughter to make an appointment with the pedi. She is still young and some babies cry and are uncomfortable, some don't like to lay flat, or not be able to look around while feeding. I would not include juice in her diet without the peids recommendation.
You could also try Mylacoy (sp), it didn't work for me, but I know some babies it works for.
Lastly, is she on a schedule, she may be over tired or over stimulated which could make her cranky.
Best of luck,
C.

I had similar issues with my son and it was so hard as it seemed as though nothing helped. I was nursing and tried to eliminate different foods, but nothing helped. An osteopathic physician (suggested to me by a lactation consultant where I delivered) was extremely helpful. She suggested an infant probiotic supplement. I found it online and it is also available at health food stores. I order it from Natren and it's specifically for infants. It can't do any harm and simply aids in balancing the good bacteria in the stomach which aid in digestion. She suggested 1/8 tsp diluted with water or breastmilk and then placed on the tip of his pacifier. I did this twice a day for two weeks and then once a day. I honestly feel as though this was a tremendous help. I continue to give it to my son and mix it with yogurt now as he is 2.5 years old. While it is so hard to watch and feel helpless, the probiotic and time helped. What a blessed little baby to have you in her life.

My three month old twin boy had similar problems. He was very uncomfortable and constipated. I did two that that helped him tremendously. First, I took him to a qualified chiropractor which adjusted his spine. Also, we added a probiotic to his bottle - just a little. The brands I used were Bio-K and HMF. You can probably find a good probiotic at the health food store or natural food grocery store. You may want to try this before resorting to medication.

3 month old babies are generally fussy due to being hungry, overtired or have gas. How much formula is she drinking. I have 2 kids and one is 4 months old. She was drink about 5 ounces every 3 hours and sleeps from about 8:00-7:00 without eating. I really don't think the junk food is related because I love sweets and ate tons during my pregnancy and while nursing. The alcohol may have some affect on the baby, but not the fussiness. I was confused about the rash and why you started with Soy. Soy can be very constipating which can lead to more gas and tummy pain. My 1st child we switched to Soy for fussiness and also have to give 2 ounces of pear juice a day to help with the constipation. You can also try giving gripe water and Mylicon throughout the day and these should help. I have never heard of giving mint tea before, but my doctor told me that mint can be h*** o* their stomache and not to eat much when I am nursing. Also, make sure the baby is getting plenty of sleep. My daughter is awake for about an hour and a half at the most and then she naps.

Your grand daughter may have reflux! Unless you talk to a pediatrician about it they don't always think about it. We had a identical situation in our family and was put on two mild medications that made all the difference in the world. The baby wanting to only be held vertically is a bid sign, when they have reflux its the only way the feel comfortable because the acid stays down. Could it be colic, maybe! But it could also be reflux, and if it is there is a simple fix that will change your grand daughters life!

Hi,

Soy is not good for babies, and tea is not good for a 3 month old. You can buy formula that does not have milk in it if you think the baby is allergic to milk, they sell it at Babys-R-us maybe even grocery stores. but a baby that small must be on formula if she is not being breast feed. I am sure you know the best thing is to go to the Dr and see whats going on with the baby, but if that is not possible for you please put that baby on formla till she is at least one year. at 4 months you can start introducing some food, very mild flavored baby food. but babies need special food to grow and be strong. So please get that baby on formula and if possible to a dr.
thanks and good luck
J.

Hi Im T. I have twin daughters i went trough same problem with 1 my girls when she was 6 months old we took her to doc & turns out she had colic.Heres what we did to relive the pain.I hope this helps if u need more advice email me at ____@____.com.

Change formula to Goodstart
hot water bottle on belly
swing with hot water bottle
Fennal tea
made a bed in a laundry basket & put on dryer on
lots car rides
stroller rides too
burped her after 2-3 ounces also

My grandson is 6 mths old now and he was the same way. We have him on enfamil gentlease formula( easier to digest and 1/5 the lactose of normal formula) and we give him mylicon after every feeding. It really helps.

S.

Hi, my cousin had a baby girl not too long ago and she has the same exact simptoms that your grandaughter has they changed her milk about 5 times and nothing seemed to work so they ran some tests and it turns out she has Acid Reflex my cousin aet very badly when she was pregnant so i think it does have something to do with it, so maybe you should take her to the doctor and suggest that they run some tests for acid reflex maybe that will help. take care...

Definitely talk to your pediatrician. If acid reflux/GERD is diagnosed and the doctor recommends Zantac, try to get the Efferdose Tablets instead of the liquid. It's more expensive (it's only partially covered by our insurance so it costs us $45 per month instead of $15 for the liquid) but it is SO WORTH IT. The liquid tastes HORRIBLE, even with flavouring added - we gave it to my daughter the first weekend because the tablets were a special order and they couldn't get them until Monday, and it was very difficult to get it in her after the first day. Since then (three and a half months now), she's been on the Efferdose tablets and she takes the medicine no problem.

Try the Mylicon drops or the generic brand of simethicone gas relief drops. Even though she burps well some babies don't process their gas well. If it doesn't help get back to the doctor and see if they can ultrasound they baby to be sure there isn't something else going on. Make sure you are using bottled water or boiled water to mix her formula. Many moms have said it makes a difference. Best wishes from a Mom of 3 and grandmom of 3.

I would try formula with probiotics or a probiotics supplement for infants. Try burping her every 1-2 ounces and putting her in a bouncy seat, swing, or anything that keeps her upright after eating. I wouldn't give her mint tea. Her digestive system is too immature to handle that. Soy formula is harder to digest and can cause constipation so unless she is allergic to milk, try to avoid. Best bet is probiotics.
Sincerely,
L.

try adding gripe water (sold at longs) to her bottles, did wonders for my baby and spit up.
Good luck.
M.

She should see her pediatririan about the spit up to see if it might be acid reflux and she should tell the pediatririan that she didn't know she was preg and therefore drank because the baby is obviously at risk for fetal alcohol syndrome and who knows what else. As far as her pulling her legs up and crying that is one of the main symptoms of colic. My baby was never happy and screamed a lot. When the dr saw her yank her legs up like that she said "oh she has colic". She then switched her to enfamil nutramigen formula for the problem (its hypoallergenic and pre digested to be easy on their tummy). Its very expensive but I have found I can get it much cheaper on ebay. Good luck. Hope baby feels better soon! :(

My sister breast fed her son and he had similar symptoms. My sister had to get off of all dairy for quite some time before he could start dealing with it in his milk. I would definitely mention it to the doctor.

Hi

I think it really depends on the baby. All babies are different, but these may be associated with her so of she is having a lot of discomfort, it is best to see a doctor.

Gerd, Colic, Gas, she could be allergic to the soy formula. She may have gotten a rash due to the sensitivity of her skin and if the spit up sat there too long, from detergent, soaps, etc...

You can give her Mylicon (Gas) and pump her legs like a bicycle to see if that helps, Colic calm, gripe water, colic tablets from Hylands (All natural). I would stop giving her the tea, babies should only drink breastmilk or formula until about 6 months old and then they can have watered down juice.

Hope this helps and you get some answers, its sad to see a child in pain.

As you are a grandma, you should be aware of the fact that no medication can soothe babies in better way and even if these things do some work they leave side effects. OK? Now let me tell you something natural made of fennel and cumin (you know better than me how good these ingredients could be). In babies magic tea you'll find the soothing affects and this tea will keep your granddaughter away from all tummy bugs.

Hello,
My sister had her first baby in February. Your granddaughter's symptoms sound similar to my nephew’s situation when he was a newborn. My sister took him the doctor's and the Doctor suggested it may be colic and / or possibly acid reflux. During this time my sister stayed with me at my home so I could help her and the baby. The doctor also recommended some medications for gas and something else. I'm sorry but the names escape me.
My sister and I spent many nights up with the baby because of the colic and / or gas pain. Because he cry whenever he was lying down. He did much better in the upright position. We felt so bad for him.
I recommend that your daughter or you take your granddaughter to the doctor's to get this checked out. It could be serious. Plus you'll to make sure your granddaughter is getting her nurioushment and growing.
There are some over the counter medications that can help a little bit.
If it helps any, my nephew out grew these systems a few months later.
Good luck.

My youngest had similar problams...it sound slike it could be acid reflux. You can try gripe water, like others recommended, but I would definately see the doc about it. Mine ended up on reflux meds for a while and then outgrew it.
Hoping you find something to help her!
J.

I would ask the doctor if its acid reflux. My daughter had it until she was a year and it started at about 3 weeks old. do you notice if she is fussier when she lays flat on her back? You can buy a wedge for her to sleep on so she's raised slightly and that will help a ton with the acid reflux. Also, try feeding her sitting up as much as possible. If she has acid reflux she really should be on medicine. 60% of infants have acid reflux according to our doctor. It's very common and most out grow it within the first year. Good luck!

As a pediatric nurse, it sounds like reflux. Stop the soy formula, it's not a complete protien and no longer recomended as a staple infant formula as it was 20 years ago. Try one of the predigested formulas, like with "comfort protiens", and call the pediatrician. Get an RX for a reflux medication. Keep her upright after each feeding for atleast 30 minutes, and feed only 1/2 ounce then stop, and another 1/2 ounce...slowly. The diabetes, alcohol and junk food probably have notheing to do with this condition. Best wishes. A.

It sounds like she has colic. My son was the same way, but I breastfed him, so I'm not sure if your granddaughter's problem could be the same. ?? He used to draw up his legs and just seemed miserable and in pain all of the time, especially after feeding him. It sounds like your granddaughter's formula isn't making it down to her tummy if she's spitting up and it's not curdled. Maybe she needs to be fed just a little bit less and then burped more often, in between each time you put the bottle in her mouth. I think my daughter used over the counter drops for her children when their tummy's hurt. I could ask her the name of them; I used them when I babysat my grandkids, but I can't remember the name. It's a common medication in the baby aisle of your grocery or drug store. You could ask the pharmacist the name. BUT, your daughter should call her doctor, I think, anytime her baby seems to be having a problem that lasts or if she is really uncomfortable. The one thing about my son's colic, is that his pediatrician said it usually goes away when babies turn 4 mos. and it did! Hard to understand something like that, but I was just so happy my poor little son was free from pain, I didn't question it! I know how upset my husband and I felt because he just seemed to be hurting & he cried all of the time. We were a bundle of nerves, too! I know how tormenting it can be to see our grandchildren hurting and not knowing what to do. I understand how hard it is, too, the times we feel that sometimes our kids are not doing their best in their lives and we can't feel comfortable about trying to suggest something to help. I wish you luck with your little granddaughter. I'll try to get the name of the medication my daughter used and get back to you! NOTE: I didn't read any of the advice comments you received before I wrote this (didn't see them-ha) and it looks like you have been given very good advice by younger mothers than I, and have more current helpful suggestions, such as acid reflux meds or probiotics. And, yes, the med that my daughter used was Mylicon drops. But, I think the advice to see her pediatrician is always the first step. I would take the baby myself, IF your daughter won't, but will let you. Whatever it takes!

A little about me....I am a grandmother of 2 and my daughter is having her 3rd baby in late October. The son I am speaking of here is now 28 yrs. old and my daughter is 32. I am a very involved grandmother too and love it.

My concern would be if the baby is not growing.

My boss's son didn't grow and puked up all the time, nearly every meal. He ended up having a hiatyl hernia and once it was diagnosed and fixed, he stopped puking and grew.

Seems like a dr. visit is in order!

I like the suggestion of you taking the baby for your daughter.
s

It really sounds like acid reflux. My daughter had the same symptoms.Baby acid reflux medicine worked wonders.

Hi, I too a grandma... and a Nutritional Consultant..I work with children ,and I would encourage you to watch www.sharethecause.com/live.

There is a huge issue of toxic body burden with newborns and the Environmental Working Group did a study over 3 years ago.. indicating over 280+ toxins running through the umbilical cords of newborn babies. My passion is to educate mother's to be the importance of removing the toxins before pregnancy and keeping them abay during pregnancy. Baby's today are having a lot of stomach challenges which later can lead to other challenges.

A few helpful hints ... try an organic baby formula. Soy has been shown to cause thyroid problems in young children and not a good idea. It is also hard to digest.. unless it is Organic.. it is Genetically modified and a problem! Also, the hormones and antibiotics used in cows today cause a lot of challenges for children. The Antibiotics strip the digestive tract of probiotics. Also there is a product called "Gripe Water" which is a natural product that assists with digestion for babies. You can put it directly in the bottle. Feel free to contact me if I can be of help. L. Medina ###-###-####

Hi M. A, I recently read info on Soy based formula, and that could be causing the problems. Soy beans have to undergo chemical treatments to rid them of poisonous resins in order for them to be used for food or soy based milks. Also there is medical research on brain development of soy formula fed children that is alarming. With the burping and spitting up, she could also be suffering from Acid Reflux. My grandson had this as a baby, even being breastfed. Hope this info is helpful. CJ

What a wonderful caring grandmother you are. Your daughter and granddaughter are fortunate. I think all the suggestions here are good, but I do want to urge you to get more info about the soy formula. I think she is very young to be on soy, and my reading about soy would make me question its wholesomeness for any child (and if soy is not organic, it is truly problematic due to the presence of GMO's in soy. Even organic soy is a problem for children. There is a lot of info available online, including an article called "The trouble with soy." Best wishes to you.

It sounds like acid reflux to me, but I'd see her pediatrician as soon as possible! Or even start by calling the nurse help line at their office. Good luck.

My son had similar issues -- uncomfortable, wanted to vertical, spit-up/threw up after eating. First we tried Gentlease (by Enfamil). He appeared more comfortable -- slept better, but still spit-up/threw up a lot. We then switched to Enfamil A.R., which has added rice starch. My doctor explained that it turns to a gel in the belly and they are able to keep it down better. If you get this stuff, read the directions. You need to wait after preparing for it to thicken. You will need to buy special nipples or modify existing nipples to make the holes larger because the formula is thicker -- kind of like a milk shake. My son was MUCH better. Certainly not 100% -- so don't expect a miracle. But instead of spitting/throwing up 9 out of 10 times, it was more like 4 or 5 out of 10. As he got older things improved. He's 5 months now and rarely spits up. Good luck.

N.

It sounds like your granddaughter might have acid reflux, or GERD. Definitely take her to the pediatrician, and ask for a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist! She might also be allergic to soy -- babies who are allergic to milk formula can also be allergic to soy. Try Alimentum or one of the other formulas for allergenic babies. I assume your daughter is not breastfeeding? If she is, she might need to change her diet -- I had to give up milk, soy and wheat products while I was breastfeeding (though I could eat goat cheese). The plus was I lost 30 pounds! But if her diet is based on junk food it's probably best that she not breastfeed.

Would your daughter mind if you asked to take the baby to the doctor yourself? If she has the idea that it is NOT any kind of criticism of her as a mom, but just to indulge a adoring and worried Grandma, that could be a way to get your concerns addressed.

I went through the same thing with my daughter. The key is that she only likes being held vertically - which means that she probably has acid reflux. Her pediatrician can prescribe acid reflux medication to see if that helps. If it doesn't, go and see a pediatric GI specialist - they can help ensure that there are no other issues, allergies etc. Good luck!

Hi M.,

It sounds most likely like colic or gurd, but my youngest went through similar symptoms. After trying different formulas, bottles, feeding routines, etc. and many, many dr's appts, we found out my son had Pyloric Stenosis. It's not very typical in girls (or 2nd sons in our case), but I would still discuss this with the pediatrician. My son had to have surgery at 6 weeks, and once this was done, he was 'normal'. Also, you might ask your daughter if she'd like you to take the baby into the doctor for her, if she's too tired. This way she could get the rest she needs and your granddaughter can get the help she need.

Good luck and God bless.

N.

A phone call to the dr./nurse with the details you listed about your daughter's health is a good idea but otherwise it sounds like colic. My son had colic and the symtoms sound similar. It was really hard to watch the little guy look so uncomfortable so I sympathize.

I would for sure confirm the milk allergy with the dr because the baby should only have soy if she is indeed allergic. Soy, moreso that dairy, contributes to gas that makes them so uncomfortable. The gas drops definitely helped. As did trying lots of different rocking positions and distractions. Here's a link to a VERY useful page on info about colic and how to help comfort the baby: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/t051300.asp

Oh and we used the playtex drop in bottles which seems to prevent baby from getting any air while feeding.

Also, the great thing about colic is knowing that it only lasts for a few months -- that helped us survive it for sure. Comforting the baby as much as possible is the best you can do. Let us know what you find out.