Advice about unhappy newborn

Hi Everyone,

I am more of a lurker these days but really need some advice regarding my newborn,

Niamh is 17 days old now and since she was 3 days old she has been generally unsettled. She rarely sleeps for more then 15 mins (unless she is in the sling, laying on me or in the car) As soon as she wakes she screams as if she is in pain and nothing will calm her down except feeding her (BF). I seem to be feeding her most of the day and night  but she doesnt seem to ever get full (although she is putting on weight). She will often bring up some milk straight after a feed and then want to be fed again straight away, She also seems to have a lot of trapped wind. Also, when I lay her down in her cot after a feed she makes some really strange noises ( a bit like a cat with a fur ball stuck in their throat) She makes this noise for quite a few minutes and then eventually gets sick. Once she is sick she looks to be fed again. The other thing (sorry tmi) is that her poo is really really watery,  Every nappy will be dirty but it will only be a small amount and it is like a dirty water rather then the yellow with seeds type of poo that I seem to remember T having

She just doesnt seem to be very happy, The only time she doesn't cry is when she is asleep (not very often) or when she is feeding. She looks so tired and I am sure she would love to get a good nap. I spoke to the HV and MW and they both said to try infacol. I have been using this for the last few days but it is not having any effect.

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong or what I could do to help her? I hate to see her in pain and I feel so helpless. Any advice or suggestions would be welcomeD

TIA

Does she bring up lots of sicky milk?  C was very unhappy as a newborn because he had reflux and was in a lot of pain with it.  He would feed every hour day and night because he couldn't drink much in one go and would bring a lot of it back up.

Thanks for replying Orchids, 

She doesn't bring back loads but it is often curdled. Can I ask how you did you find out it was reflux and is there anything I can do to ease it if it is reflux?

this was exactly how S was (and still is to some extend I'm sorry to say) he has bad reflux - is sick - lots. he HATES lying flat it makes the reflux worse.

after feeding, sit her up for about 20 mins (if thats possible) to help it all go down, and raise the end of the cot up so she isnt lying completely flat.

if the infacol isnt working (if its reflux, then it wont be), go see the doc. there are meeds out there that can help reflux. S also has a cows milk allergy - you could try cutting dairy out of your diet for a couple of weeks, see if that makes a differnce.

reflux is horrible. I hope she gets some relief

Axx

I found out after about 4/5 months, I was really struggling with his unhappiness so I took him to the doctors who said that it sounded like reflux.  He gave him Infant Gaviscon to try at first and then other things.  I found that propping his crib up at one end with yellow pages helped, slinging which kept him in an upright position, massaging, baths and making sure that I didn't lie him down until 20mins after a feed. HTHs xxxx

Edited to say that we tried Infacol first as suggested by our HV but it didn't do anything either .  I found that circling his legs always gave him some relief when he was crying and usually helped with wind too! x

Thanks planetanna,

I just googled reflux and she does seem to have most of the symptoms. Think I will take her to the GP (once the snow clears long enough for me to get her birth registered and then register her with the GP)

Thanks orchid,

I am definitely going to prop up the cot and think I will keep her in the sling tomorrow to see if that helps.

Its so hard to watch them suffering and feeling so helpless

I know exactly how you are feeling, I used to cry when he did because I couldn't console him and didn't know what was wrong.  Definately go and see your GP, she will probably be prescribed Infant Gaviscon which does work for some.  I found that it didn't for C so had to push for other medication and a referal, we got there in the end though and he was so much happier x

My LO was like this - she had reflux but neither Gaviscon nor infacol made any different.  She hated being laid down, even in the pram.  I found bouncy chairs a Godsend and had one in every room!  The only way I could get her to sleep well was on her tummy,  On her back she was sick, wakeful, screamed alot - the moment I put her on her tummy she would zonk for hours.  Thus I ignored SIDS guidelines and she has slept on her tummy ever since (now 19 months old).  I also found putting her to bed awake, rather than asleep straight after a feed, helped.  It does get easier in time, especially when they can sit upright, but it's very hard work at the time.

Have you tried swaddling? It was a godsend for E as her Moro reflux was (and still is!) very strong so she would startle herself awake constantly. Also good for reflux as they can't move about quite so much and 'disturb' all the milk, so to speak

Thanks for the replies Everyone,

We have been swaddling for the last few nights and lt does seem to calm her a little, but not enough for her to sleep. We have a bouncey chair but she doesn't seem to like it and starts to scream after a few minutes. I think she would be much happier on her tummy but I am petrified about SID and don't think I would be able to sleep.

Just to agree with the others on the reflux. B had it but wasn't diagnosed until 6 months by which he was on solids and it made such a difference to his life. I really wish I had pushed it more then when LO was still the same age as yours. He used to cry so much and I would be told babies cry. I also know the thing about feeling so sad for them and crying for them. B just wanted  be upright all the time - he wasn't impressed with the bouncy chair unless someone was moving him in it. He also had quite a strong startle reflex so swaddling made a big difference to him.

Actually on reflection I do wonder whether it was because I was a first time mum that I wasn't taken seriously over how much he cried and vomited back his milk. If he had been my second I think I probably would have been taken more seriously but anyway thats me waffling off subject.