...about formula right now.

Little E has hit the 4 month sleep regression and had bad sleep habits to start. Our fault, mostly. We hired a sleep consultant and we're planning to sleep train, move her out of our room, and all that "fun" stuff. We had our consultation and learned a lot... we cannnnnot wait to start sleep training, because while it will suck, I know she could really use the schedule and good sleep.

The consultant suggested though that E might have a milk sensitivity. Her constant gassiness, spit up, arching, fussiness especially while eating, not wanting to be on her belly, and always having her hands/things in her mouth. She suggested we ask our ped about Alimentum formula. She also is waiting 2 weeks to start sleep training to get her used to the new food.

I was already frustrated with one of the peds (we have to book kind of last minute due to DH's work schedule, so last time we got a ped we hadn't had before from their practice.) She rubbed me the wrong way. I brought up her spit up and gas issues and she just basically threw some formula for spit up at us (the added rice starch kind) and that was that. It did help her spit up about 90%, but did nothing for her gas. Seeing her hurt kills me. So I called the ped's office, talked to the other ped I like, and she gave us Alimentum samples to try. She and the sleep consultant both said it could take 2 weeks to see results but that it could help within 24 hours.

She got her first Alimentum bottle at 5:15pm yesterday. She fussed so much she didn't finish her bottle. We had to take a break and then finish it. By around 7:00 or so when getting ready for bed she fussed and took forever on the bottle. I put her down slightly drowsy and she went to sleep. Then woke up screaming. We tried changing her, rocking her, and DH and I couldn't figure out what was bothering her. She then took another bottle shortly - she just seemed really hungry. She took 3 bottles that night including that one. She would just arch and seem so uncomfortable, but would keep eating mostly- she wasn't refusing eating. Just making it harder. The last bottle I just gave her regular Similac because I couldn't handle it anymore, seeing her keep waking up. (Oh yes- between the bottles she would keep waking up and need her paci or to be comforted.) I couldn't stand seeing her like that. It didn't seem as bad with the regular Similac.

Today we had it mixed with some of her old formula because we had a few scoops to use up, and to help cut it. We thought maybe she was fussing because it was brand new, a cold turkey change (even though formula changes haven't bothered her before.) She still is super fussy (although her sleep during the day actually improved?) and just as gassy as usual. Still had a few spit ups. She was up a little earlier and didn't have a late nap like usual, so instead of her usual 7/7:30 bedtime she went down at 6:30- LIKE A ROCK. I was so excited. I thought maybe this is all working!

I WAS WRONG.

Less than an hour later... woke up SCREAMING. I check her diaper- nothing. I check her temp- normal. I gave her another 2 ounces of Alimentum formula and she's back down. Who knows how long this will last.

I just feel like I'm at the end of my rope. I don't know what to do. I am thinking of going to get Similac Total Comfort which is what I was going to ask them about before the sleep consultant recommended Alimentum and suggested a sensitivity. I just don't want to make the wrong choice for her. I hate that it's so much trial and error. I just don't see how Alimentum could make her MORE gassy/upset.!? That's like someone having a bad reaction to sensitive soap after using a fragranced one with minimal issues.

And it doesn't help that there are other factors at play. LO is teething (has been for more than a month... goody.) And we just took her out of the Merlin sleep suit (consultant asked us to because she can roll and she considered that a hazard if she rolls over in it and can't roll back.) She's wearing footie pajamas now. Not too different, just basically like the merlin but thinner. I didn't think it would bother her much to change but who knows- maybe that's bothering her. Ugh.

Too. many. variables. Will take any and all advice and support.