First of all Hi, Im new to this site but like everyone else would love some advice of other mums.
My baby is 4 weeks old, he is called Lucas. For the past couple of weeks he has been very irratable, basically he would only calm down with a bottle. Ive discovered he does have reflux and the doctor has put him onto Gaviscon, it worked for first couple days but now he has gone back to screaming directly after a feed. Its heartbreaking for me to listen to especially when I try and calm him and fail!
He is a big baby and now weighs 13lbs, midwife advised me to give him 5oz every feed with one sachet of gaviscon, but for his size im sure he would take more with a second sachet. However I am terrified of overfeeding him and him getting `fat`. Should I up his ounces?
Health visitor scares me when she says he is just boardering on the line for his weight and im sure she thinks im overfeeding him just to keep him quiet, this isnt the case I try to occupy him for at least hour and half or two hours before his next feed but it is very difficult to listen to his screams.
Lucas is on Aptimal Easy Digest.
Thanks x

maybe try an extra oz to see if that works if not he may have a bit of colic and need to suck on something, does he have a dummy ?

hi i was going to ask the same as cara maybe a dummy might help? also have you tried a bit of baby massage? ask your hv about it it can be very calming for some babies, and also you wont over feed him i was told and from my experience you cant over feed a baby they will only take what they need if they take more theyu tend to throw it up, my son was on gaviscon as a baby he was terrible as a baby, have you also tried a little coiled boiled water inbetween feeds i find it helps when Lacey is 'windy'

x

We did try him with a dummy but he wont take to it! Seems only the bottle will work. Lucas does have a little water in between feeds but he wont take much, he loves his milk. I am starting baby massage classes soon, hope they do the trick! Thanks for the advice x

hi just out of interest what sort to dummies are you trying because Lacey wouldnt take to them until... i got her the tommee tippee cherry soothers! xxx

We have tried the newborn tommee tippee dummies ones good for teeth. Someone else has mentioned cherry soothers, I will give them a go. Not sure if Lucas has colic he doesnt lift his legs up he just stretches them out and goes stiff? This hot weather isnt helping! Thanks.

You could maybe try giving him some water if it was no longer than 3hrs since his last feed. Thats what my hv told me to do when Riley wanted feeding after a couple of hours. He now goes at least 3hrs between feeds which is a lot better. It gives the previous feed time to digest as well which is better for their tummy if he does have colic.

I think Riley has reflux and have been giving him gaviscon which seems to be helping. He used to be like Lucas and want feeding after a couple of hours and I think its becuase the milk soothes the throat when the acid comes up. He's now gone the other way and will take a few oz then will stop and not want anymore so has been taking some days less than half than he used to. I'm not too bothered as he's been putting on weight very quickly.

If he's draining his bottles then you could up it an oz as long as he goes longer between feeds.

Sucking on dummys is supposed to be good for refluxy babies and rubbing not patting when winding. Keeping them upright when feeding and after. When the crying starts I either put Riley in his vibrating bouncer and bounce it with my feet, or turn on the hairdryer. One of these usually works.

Hope it gets better for you. xxx

If he's 13lbs then he needs both sachets - 1 wont work oin him so its probably why he's screaming!

Make up an 8oz bottle and put 2 sachets in it, and just let him drink as much as he wants. At first you'll have a bit of left over, but after a few weeks my dd was draining her 8oz, and now has only 4 bottles a day.

Don't let the HV tell you you're overfeeding or he's big - do what works for you and at the end of the day all you want is a happy baby!!

Thanks so much for your advice, I felt so terrible that I was doing something wrong by him, hate to hear him in distress. Lucas now takes a dummy only when he gets really irrate, one with bigger teat. I thought he should be having 2 sachets with his size, thanks marnb. He has been much happier baby today even with heat, he loves sucking on dummy so must be helping with his reflux. Thanks again, feel better already x

glad you both feeling better today, and you arent doing anything wrong hun x

I had to go back to doctors for him to have check up, saw a diff doctor he informed me that for Lucas size he should be on 2 sachets with his feeds which is why he was still in distress! Since yesterday morning we have done this and I cant believe the change in him, he is lasting 3 half hours between feeds and is more content, still helps with dummy! Thanks girls for all help, I now have happy baby x x