AM hoping someone may have some extra tips for me - my little man was born at 38 wks, so not to early, but acted like a prem - couldn;t suck OR swallow properly - and he still doesn't have a strong suck.

We tube fed (and BF) for 1.5 weeks, then had a good wk, but at about 2.5 wks he turned into the monster from hell - he screamed continuously, and at an ear piercing, distressingly high pitch, and stopped sleeping, and from about 1/2 hr after a feed he starts gulping and frothing at the mouth. And combined with that, he wanted to feed almost continuously.

We suspected reflux so have his mattress at an angle, but this didn't help.

As he was only 3wks old, we went to a GP (you cant buy reflux meds over the counter for bubs under 6 wks) - he prescribed Gaviscon infant - this didn't seem to help, and just made him a bit constipated (he went from pooing every feed to once a day, and would get himself even more worked up until he had managed to get it out)

About 4 days later. he was even more hysterical, so we ended up back at the docs and they put us back into hospital - here they said that he was over feeding, didn't have reflux at all, and made me let him cry to sleep.

Got out of hospital and he was still feral, but at the next paed appt, the doc looked at me like I was nuts for believing he didn't have reflux. Prescribed Zantac at this point.

Tried the Zantac for a week with absolutely no relief - he still screamed hysterically, and it also seemed to burn him or something when I gave him the meds. The paed also told me to try him on Guarcol at the same time (he is BF) so that there would be some thickener in his stomach - made up into a gel and fed before during and after a feed.

Next step, the paed prescribed Zoton - same as Losec - I got this made into a suspension so there are no lumpy bits/beads - it is expensive ($40/100ml - last 20 days), but it seems to work at nuetralising the acid - even if I do get him to sleep without holding him, he stills wakes himself up after half an hour gulping, which then gives him wind.

I have now given up the Guarcol - the screaming it caused trying to feed a 6wk old a gel (basically a solid) wasn't worth it and it didn't seem to help, but am still using the Zoton, but I can not get him to sleep without holding him. He literlaly sleeps maybe 4 - 6 hours in a 24 hr period - if I hold him, and for much of the remaining time, he screams.

I am desperate - does anyone out there have any more tips or suggestions on things I can try?