Someone please tell me if this is normal? :( (long)

Pelusa214

I've been posting lately because we've been having a lot of problems with DD.  First, she would have screaming (in pain) episodes.  Took her to the pedi, tried 3 different doses of zantac, then took her to the gi dr. & went on Prevacid.  I also cut out dairy as was suggested, esp. since DD#1 had a milk protein intolerance until age 3.  Prevacid seemed to help, and GI dr. told me I could try milk & see what happens.  Meanwhile DD had been having frothy poop, but not green.  She reacted to the milk (extra miserable, a few episodes of crying in pain while passing gas/pooping), and 4 days later her poop was green & we found a few spots of blood.  GI dr. said not to worry unless it keeps happening.  Poop stayed green, and we found blood 3 more times.  Not a lot, just some specks in the poop.  It was suggested by a LC and on BFing board that I may have an oversupply causing foremilk/hindmilk balance.  I tried 2 different remedies for that, and apparently that wasn't the problem because after a week A)Her poop was still green and B)My supply had dropped to the point that she wasn't being satisfied & after an hour of nursing followed by an hour of screaming, I gave her a bottle & she chugged 4 oz.  After that, I realized that she must be having a reaction to something else I'm eating.  I was frustrated & tired of seeing my baby cry, so the next morning I called the GI dr, told him about the blood & that I was going to stop BFing.

SO....he put her straight on Neocate, wanted to try it for a week to see if it improved her disposition.  Suggested I pump if I'd like during that week in case I want to start BFing again.  I told him no, but the next day I changed my mind & I've been trying to get back my supply ever since.

Meanwhile.....DD is not taking well to the Neocate OR the bottle.  We've tried all kinds of bottles, and with all of them she chokes her way through, or she doesn't suck the milk out but just uses her tongue as if she was BFing, she swallows a TON of air.  We've been struggling to get 18 oz a day into her.  She's only having a few wet diapers a day and is crying even worse than before, probably because she's hungry, but she continues to refuse the formula.  She'll only take 1-2 oz at a time, and it takes almost an hour to get her to drink that much.  We called the dr. after 3 days because I was concerned she wasn't getting enough, and he said to keep giving it to her until it's been a week.  I'm supposed to call him Friday.  He said if it doesn't help after a week, we'll have to talk about figuring out what else it could be.

So, I don't know if I'm making a bigger deal out of DD's disposition than it really is, or just being a nervous mother, or what.  I feel like I've started a snowball rolling down the hill by telling the GI that she was miserable.  He said obviously she's having a milk allergic reaction to something else I'm eating, but if she was happy, he wouldn't worry about it.  This is all because I told him she's miserable.  So, I feel like most other peoples' babies are a lot happier than mine, but I don't know.  Sleep deprivation & stress is taking it's toll & I can't think straight.

Tell me, please, if this is normal 2-month old behavior:  She does have happy times where she smiles, coos, and tries to talk to us.  They last usually 5 minutes max before she starts fussing.  Sometimes changing her scenery, giving her a nap or changing her diaper will stop the fussing, but sometimes nothing stops it & it turns into full-blown crying.  Sleep is awful.  The only way she'll stay asleep or FALL asleep is in the swing, and even then she won't always go to sleep or stay asleep.  It usually takes 4, 5, even 6 hours to get her to stay asleep at night.  LOTS of crying.  She usually gets hysterical at bedtime & she'll calm down for a few minutes, then get hysterical again.  Rocking, swaddling (we keep her arms out), paci, singing, sound machine, pacing the floor....none of it keeps her asleep.  I got her to stay asleep at 8:30 tonight and for the past 1 1/2 hours she's been crying & whimpering half-asleep in her bassinet.  I'll go in there, she'll quiet down for a bit, then start up again.  During the night, she'll usually have a few short stretches or peaceful sleep, but most of the night she's whimpering or groaning.  When she wakes to eat, a lot of times she's up for 1-2 hours.

Sleep is the worst part.  I just don't know what to do.  Is it possible I just have a cranky baby?  With blood in her poop, even a little bit, there's GOT to be something making her uncomfortable, right?  But on the Neocate, she should be getting better if what she's eating is making her miserable.  Could it be that the reflux still isn't under control?  Or do ALL 2-month-olds act like this?  My DD#1 had reflux and a milk allergy, so she cried a lot, too, and was a horrible sleeper.  So that's all I have to compare it to.  I feel like I'm the only one who's child is this miserable