My baby just turned 4 months old and has always been fussy but not horribly so (my first baby was more fussy in general so in comparison, this LO isn't that bad). We are somewhat concerned that his fussiness and sleep seems to be getting worse lately instead of better which is unusual at this age when babies are usually getting less fussy and sleeping better.
We think he has stomach problems as he is quite gassy and often seems happier after pooping. His stools are yellow and seedy like they should be but there is sometimes mucous in them (looks like strings of snot). He has always been EBF, and has never had anything other than breast milk to eat.
He often fusses and cries at the breast when I am putting him for a nap. It's like he wants to nurse but he also doesn't if that makes sense. I often need to rock or walk him and pat his bottom or jiggle him while feeding him. This has been an off and on issue since he was born but it seems to be getting worse the past few weeks.
He is part time co-sleeping and lately he often won't latch on while laying next to me. He goes to latch on but then fusses and arches his back. I end up having to get up and sit with him in the rocking chair, rocking him and patting his bottom to get him to latch on. Also, if he does actually end up latching on in the bed, he will finish feeding and then fuss and I have to put him to sleep in the swing next to my bed. He has been sleeping in the swing part time since birth, as well as in his crib and co-sleeping with us.
He was starting to sleep well at about 2 months old and then we went on vacation and his sleep got bad. It hasn't improved since we got home. He now wakes up every 1-2 hours all night long and it's very tiring for me.
He's also had issues with congestion since birth. We think he's had a couple of colds as he's had periods of quite severe congestion, mostly at night, which is why we started putting him to sleep in the swing (his congestion wasn't as bad in the swing).
He has recently (in the last few weeks) developed some excema on his face, at the bottom of his cheeks (he has large cheeks) and on his legs.
We do have a family history of allergies. My fiance and I are allergic to medications (myself sulfa and as a child penicillin and my fiance ceclor). My fiance also has issues with constant congestion which might allergy related, he hasn't been tested. I get some seasonal allergies (though fairly mild) and I occasionally get hives. My two older children (they have a different father) don't have allergies with the exception of my older son who has a mild penicillin allergy. My sister has quite severe allergies, to dairy, eggs and peanuts. Her reaction is so severe she has been in anaphylactic shock several times and carries an epi-pen. As a child her throat would swell and she'd vomit for 24 hours after even a minuscule exposure to an allergen. My fiance's sister had a MSG allergy which she since outgrew.
He is a healthy, happy baby and is on the 85th percentile for both height and weight.
I'm at the point where I've decided to trial a dairy free diet for at least 2-3 weeks to see if it helps any. I'm just looking for opinions on whether others think this is the issue or if I'm barking up the wrong tree. Any other recommendations? I've heard good things about BioGaia drops, and I'm wondering if I should try giving those to him?
Thanks!
Edited by mamaki - 9/1/11 at 7:08am
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