Can I have your thoughts?? (Long)

AuburnBride06

Ok so last night was a rough night. Even DH was starting to get exhausted and a little aggravated (Not at Noah, just the situation and we didnt know what to do). Noah did not sleep all that great starting at about 1:00am when he woke up. DH would feed him, he would eat about an ounce (he usually eats 2oz during the morning/day but during this night thing, he doesn't take as much), lay in his bassinet & whimper, then cry, eat some more, cry and never really fall sleep for a few hours. Does this sound like cluster feeding? He probably went from 1:00-400 without any kind of real sleep. He was dry & fed, we just couldn't figure out why he was fussy.

The last few days, he has seemed like he really has to struggle to go poop, but when he does it's not very hard and not the pellets. Some of his diapers are maybe the thickness/consistency of peanut butter and thinner. He has been going all night without a dirty diaper (just pee).  He strains, wimpers, and strains some more and turns red (it's cute, sad & kind of funny all at the same time). 

Sometimes when I feed him, he will be sucking great, then kind of stop, whimper, cry for just a second, then get very stiff and his legs go straight out briefly. Sounds like gas right? I burp him probably 4-5 times during his 2oz bottle and I have also been giving him gas drops after most feedings, although I know that does not help with intestinal gas, just stomach.  His appetitie seems fine, he seems to be eating more and more.

We now have him on the Up & Up equivalent of Enfamil Gentlease after only being on the regular Up & up for a few days. He has been on the gentle version for maybe 4 days now.  My mom is making me feel like crap, telling me that a baby this new should be on a brand name formula (everything that happens is always my fault). My new mommy self, with the advice of some mommy friends, are thinking I should keep him on this formula for a little while longer and see how things go, rather than just keep switching around. The pedi nurse was really no help (we didn't see the Dr today).  He does eat this formula much better than he did the enfamil, and hardly ever spits up now.

So thoughts on all this? Normal new baby stuff? We bike his legs for the gas and rub his little tummy, I am doing research right now on other exercises we can try. Any tips that worked for your LO? I kind of think he may be going through a growth spurt.  Wdyt?

We just took him for his weight check. Tomorrow he will be two weeks old and he is at 7.1. He was born at 7.2.  

firsttogo

Honestly, he sounds pretty normal, and perfect! It stinks to be without sleep, but your Dh's reaction seems normal too! My DH will get snappy in the wee hours sometimes also. I do not mean to be flip and all "welcome to parent hood" but it sounds like nothing uncommon....

However, you are his mom, and definitely know him best. If you feel like something in not fight, I would look in to it further.

Mylecon, and gripe water have been staples at our house with newborns!

firsttogo

Forgot to add! Brand name or not, all formula has to have the same nutrients in it (isomil and generic soy, Enfamil, up and up enfamil) I would not do much moving around of formula very often without checking with the Dr.

Tell your Mom thankyouverymuch, and ignore!

oct11bride03

We went through a similar situation with K. We just kept pumping her full of Mylicon (buy the Up & Up brand....SO much cheaper), bouncing her to relieve the gas, burping her, cycling her legs - all things you guys are doing. We considered switching her formula but never did and eventually it passed (sorry for the pun). I think babies that young just have some trouble in general. They're used to being fed through the umbilical cord and even with the best bottles or BFing, they can swallow air and get gassy. Plus their bodies are starting to process food differently.

I know it's stressful and your mom is definitely not helping with her comments, but I think you guys are doing what you can. I hope he feels better soon!

Mouseygail

I'd tend to agree with keeping him on one formula for a while and seeing how it all shakes out, especially if he seems to like it!  I think DS went through a growth spurt around that same time!!  Hugs mama!  you are doing great!!  some days/nights just suck! 

LisaMarisa

I'm chalking it up to being a newborn, this is just what some babies do.  They dont sleep for long stretches, they dont know that it is night time, they cry for no reason.  You arent doing anything wrong, it is tough to have a newborn.  That is why you'll hear people say, "I'd love to have more kids if I could skip the newborn phase."  Lack of sleep plus frustration is par for the course.

One suggestion is that he might just want to suck but isnt necessarily hungry so you could consider introducing a binkie.  When DS was a newborn, he could only poop when he was sucking.  I have memories of walking him around the living room in the middle of the night while he was furiously sucking on his binkie.  I know people get nervous about dependencies on binkies but DS never developed one, a binkie was not a comfort thing for him, just a tool to help him fart or poop.

 

DavezWife

Generic stuff rocks. Your mom does not. ;-P

Sounds like he was gassy last nite - couldn't get comfy, needed to burp more. (I had to practically pound on Ava to get them out. I would "sit" her in my lap, and put my palm on her tummy, with my fingers upwards supporting her head. Lean her forward onto your hand, so in theory, you have your whole hand putting pressure on her tummy. Then we'd so almost a "pat and wipe up" kinda motion with her back and that seemed to burp her better.

Your mom was a new mom once too, as millions of others are. Be kind to yourself, this soon shall pass.  ;-)

Have you tried swaddling at night? That seemed to comfort Ava more.

 

 

GuitaristsGirl

Aw, poor little guy   And poor mom and dad! 

sommerrayne

My only suggestion is Gripe Water. Its all natural and will help his tummy - help him poop - and help pass gas which may be the source of his discomfort.

I swear by the Wellements Brand (avail at Walgreens). Remember to re-fridge it after opening!

wille2b

we used gripe water! it helped a lot!! but just sounds like new baby stuff.. sorry, the first few weeks are rough! but i will say again-gripe water!!

leslie&brian

I echo the other posters who suggested gripe water. Matt had so many belly issues when he was a newborn, and we used the Up & Up Gentlease, and gripe water and the combo worked like a charm. Good luck!

Magoy

Swaddle, Swing, Shhhh (white noise or just a loud "shooshing" sound), Suck, Side (baby laying on side)

Those are the five S's that are talked about in Happiest Baby on the Block ... and I swear by them!  If you haven't yet read this book, you can get a synopsis online.  In the book it says to do them all at once.  We swaddled DD from the very beginning and it worked like magic whenever she was fussy (she didn't take a paci.)  And, the tighter the better.  

Peanut butter consistency poop does seem a little thick to me... but, DD was BF and that may be normal for FF babies, no idea.  Her poop was mustard seed yellow and fairly thin for months until she started on solids.

Otherise, this all sounds like normal newborn type of stuff.  I do recall reading about a 3 week growth spurt... so it may be just that!  Hang in there Mommy!

 

CandT

When you are putting him down for sleep where are you putting him? DD will not sleep flat on her back, she gets fussy fast. She slept in my arms for 8 weeks then the RNP or swing. Pedi thinks she has mild reflux, seems like gas but gas drops weren't helping. I tried a few formulas and similac gentle was the best for DD. Also, a little weight loss is normal below 10% is a concern, DD dropped 14% but is back on track now.

I agree with PP about not switching brands too fast. Maybe try keeping him more uprught after eating. And lastly, give it time the first month or two is rough for you learning about your LO and your LO learning to live outside the womb.

Sounds like your doing a great job mommy!!

skoorbnibor

I think pp have covered most of what I would say, and I totally agree with gripe water. I still use gripe water for tummy issues! I prefer colic calm, but the other brands are good, too! Get the one without bicarb for a newborn. 

 The only other thing I would suggest is to mix the formula in a blender. Our pedi Gi doctor told us that many of the specialty formulas (like gentlease, etc) that come in powder are harder to blend than the basics, which can make digestion for some babies more difficult. We started making a days worth at a time, in a blender and a lot of Ethan's gas issues went away, The blender seems like it would make it worse, but I made the next days formula the night before and by the time E drank it, all the bubbles introduced by the blender were gone, and it did make a difference. Ethan also had severe reflux as well as MSPI, so it didn't fix him, but it helped a lot!