Please help! DD is *projectile* puking every night!

[chewynotcrunchy]

Ok, first time momma and kind of freaking out...

DD is 6 weeks old.  Every night since Christmas she has acted normally all day and then around 8pm she wants to nurse for hours on end.  She usually falls asleep and doesn't actually eat, but wants to stay latched and acts very uncomfortable for a couple hours.  When she finally goes to sleep and I lay her down for bed she projectile vomits everywhere!  Last night I measured and it went 5ft!  And it isn't just a little spit up, it is 5 or 6 ounces coming up all at once.  Once she gets it up she goes right to sleep and is fine again until the next evening.  I am at a loss as to what to do. We will be going to the midwife next week, but in the meantime is there something I can be doing to keep her little tummy happy?  TIA for any imput!!!

[ambivamom]

Is she eating and keeping it down all day?   If so,it doesn't seem like a stomach bug.

So, don't freak out but I will share this, which is an unlikely possibility, but it fits your baby's age and symptoms:

My son had a pyloric stenosis at that age.  It is characterized by projectile vomiting that gets progressively worse.  IIt is a thickening of the walls of the pyloris, which is a sphincter leading to the intestines ffrom the stomach.   It's more common in boys but girls can get it, too.

I would take him in to see a doctor if you are worried.  Definitely, it does not stop, and especially if the baby seems to be getting worse (vomiting more often) and/or dehydrated.  If it is  a pyloric stenosis  then it will get wors as the pyloris gets thicker.  It can be freaky!  But not too terribly hard to fix.  Sometimes diagnosing it is the worst part  PM me if you want more info.

And try not to worry ( I know, it is hard!!)

[chewynotcrunchy]

Thank you very much!  DD had been eating normally and keeping it down throughout the day until this morning.  She just vomited very forcefully while she was still latched  but seems fine now and wants to eat more.  I am *really* hoping it is just reflux but it isn't looking like it at this point.  I really appreciate your response!!!

[chewynotcrunchy]

OK, sorry Ambivamom, but I can't get the PM to you to go through... do you have any suggestions for getting DD diagnosed quickly and correctly?  Thanks so much!!!

[kjbrown92]

Are you eating anything different since Christmas? My DS was a projectile vomiter (I thought it should be an olympic sport at the distances he was getting) from food in my diet. So if you get the pyloric stenosis checked and it's not that, then you could start a food journal and find out if there's any pattern to it.

[ambivamom]

Well, if it is food reaction then hopefully it is something easy to find and eliminate!

chewynotcrunchy, I sent you a pm.  If you don't get it then post here and I will repost what I wrote.

[ambivamom]

In brief, in case you have trouble accessing the pm, and because I will be out for a few hours, I wrote that you should plan to take the baby in to the doc tomorrow.  I wouldn't wait any longer because you start to bring dehydration in as a possibility, if the puking gets worse (or, even if it is not happening yet the doctor will be worried about dehydration). 

**Of course always take a baby to get care immediately if dehydration becomes extreme (no wet diapers for a few hours), or lethargy is extreme (limp/not responding)**

Diagnosis of p.s. is by sonogram, ususally.  They will need a songram that has a pediatric size, and a tech who knows how to look at tiny baby parts.  So if the doc wants you to go and get the sono, ask him/her to make sure that where you go has that.  And bring a partner/relative/friend who is supportive.  It helps a LOT when you have a sick baby esp if you just had the baby!!