HELP!!!! 51/2 mth old throwing up everywhere!!!!

[zane]

HELP!!
My 51/2 mth old DD is really throwing up everywhere at about every other feeding for almost a week now. Took her to Ped who said no problem, she seems fine just give her another bottle after she throws up . What lousy advise!!! I am sure to switch peds (addtl reasons than this) but immediate help is needed. I know she has caught big sis' bad cold and I got that tummy bug that was going around (but lasted only 1 day) so maybe she has both.
Do I feed her the bottle sitting completely upright? Try to burp her or not? She really is a good burper generally and sometimes bits would dribble out here and there,but not like this.
I tried to give her Infant Tylenol decongestant,and she gagged and brought it all up in seconds.
She is very quiet, not crying at all except when the vomiting occurs, and still very smiley and playful.
Should i force down some pedialite? Go back to doc and insist she get weighed, etc to see if all okay?Dad had taken her there on Wed coz i was too sick to move that day and he didn't force any questions, was really there for big sis, so didn't get much info out of him.
Suggestions, please????!!!!!
Thanks.zane

[egoldber]

OK, one thing you said that concerned me is that she is really quiet. By quiet, do you mean happy and playful and not fussy? Or do you mean still and lethargic? If she is still and quiet, I would be quite concerned. Try to see another pediatrician NOW or an urgent care center or an ER.

But in terms of not eating, my baby (7 months) had a cold 2 weeks ago. She ate a TOTAL of 40 ounces in SEVEN days. I was absolutely spastic. But the pediatrician said as long she was still having wet diapers, not to worry. They said offer water, pedialyte, and formula all the time. But you CAN'T force them to eat and, personally, I wouldn't try. After a week, she was back to her normal eating schedule.

Since this is going on for more then a week, I would DEFINITELY either call your pediatrician and express your displeasure or find a new ped ASAP.

HTH,

[zane]

Thanks for your concern,
My baby is definitely Not being still or weirdly quiet, I just meant she is not cranky miserable or in pain.She is very happy, just sick and i want to make her more comfortable.I guess I am just trying to come up with ways to keep her from vomiting, if possible.
.:) zane

[kgdolan]

I agree with the above post. As long as your baby is happy and playful and making between 6-8 wet diapers a day she is most likely fine. I would continue to offer her the bottle maybe a little more often since she is throwing much of it up. Also if she has had a cold recently make sure to suction out her nose with the bulb syringe before feeding her. Sometimes infants that have a lot of mucus throw up more.

I would not offer a lot of pedialyte unless she has less wet diapers and still isn't holding anything down. Pedialyte can make her have looser stools and she still needs the formula.

As for changing pediatricians. If yours doesn't take the time to discuss your concerns and answer your questions, find a new one! They are supposed to be a resource for your and your baby and work with you to ensure that your baby is well!

Hope this helps,
Gail (mom to Jack 1-16-02)

[suzska]

Besides what everyone else said, give her the bottle with her sitting as upright as possible, and keep her that way for a half hour or so. I'm not sure about the burping--my son would never burp, but I don't think he needed to. Now that he's on to sippy cups, and is a little "piggy" sometimes, he burps and laughs about it. But he did have reflux bad enough (wouldn't burp, but he would "spew," yet didn't complain about it) until he was around 7 months or so (I can't remember now, and I never wrote anything down), then he just grew out of it, thankfully.

--Sue B.
SAHM to Evan Jeffrey 03-11-01

[zane]

Dear all,

Thanks for your help. I guess I was just a little crazy with worry today (too much vomited-on laundry and carpets to clean and trying to relieve big sis' cold complaints too ) and was afraid i was missing the obvious. Baby Lucie is definitely congested now and seems to have a normal cold. She is keeping down the formula if i give her smaller amounts, 2-3 oz, sitting totally upright. Waking alot more at night- 3,4 times .but napping more in the day. I'm sure its all very normal. I tried a little of the oatmeal cereal (ran out of rice) in the formula bottle, it got stuck in the nipple. At 2:30AM!!!! Will try again during day, duh!
It is hard to know how great your ped's advice is if you aren't personally there. DH took both kids on Wed. while i was prone in bed with what i thought was exhaustion from him being gone 3 weeks and babysitter being a flake, but was in reality the stomach flue, which passed in one day. I am a mom, after all , we only get 1 day to be sick. Then it takes a week to clean up the house after "their" mess. Ha ha ha.
Any other helpful hints would be welcome and thanks to all so much.:):):)zane

[suzska]

I found that oatmeal doesn't work as well as rice in the bottle. And we use to put just a small amount in (of course I can't remember how much now--maybe a teaspoon or two to 4oz of formula?).

I'm sorry she's got a cold, but glad to hear things are going a little better for you guys.

--Sue B.
SAHM to Evan Jeffrey 03-11-01

[egoldber]

I am also glad to hear that Baby Lucie does indeed have a cold and nothing more serious. (Although it always seems terrible for Mom!!) I have also found that using saline nose drops just before feeding can help to clear baby's congestion enough to make them more willing to eat. It's worth a try anyway!

If your baby is eating 2-3 ounces several times a day, then that is really plenty, even if it isn't her usual amount.

HTH,

[zane]

Thanks so much for your help and concern.It IS just a cold and she is red-nosed and runny, but happily drinking and only 1 vomit since yesterday afternoon (on daddy, ha ha).
I have been feeding her upright as you said, and keeping her that way for a while afterward. Interestingly enough, although usually a big burper, at least 2 times after each feeding, lately nothing ( some toots out the other end, though:))
I am so pleased that it is not anything serious and grateful for your imput and care.
By the way, she really stays calm with a constant pat pat pat on the behind while fussy and sleepy. A baby nurse taught me this trick, and at first i thought " why is she patting her so hard!!" but it made fussy #1 child calm immediately and fall back to sleep in middle of night without being picked up and works well on #2 also. I'm not saying ignore a crying child, but sometimes when fussy or overwhelmed, it gives them a focus and calms immediately.
Didn't know if everyone else was aware of this, but give it a try. :):):)zane

[zane]

Just a quick update on baby Lucie's condition-
The new ped said she had a raging left ear infection, and that was the reason for the vomiting. Never heard of that being a reason- but so be it- we are on Amoxicillin for 10 days and have got our fingers crossed- by the way, she never ear pulled or indicated in any way that she was in pain, so....good luck to other moms out there!:)
zane
zane