Hey guys sorry for the long rant. I just need some advice as I've no clue what I'm doing. I'm a first time mum to a 6 week old.
So to begin with my little one has always dribbled her milk a lot when feeding. Its never really an issue. She also spits up when burping sometimes and it can be really mucousy. It's recently got a lot worst where she cries when being burped sometimes, spits up a lot more on occasions. I'm referring to these as flare ups as it usually happens every other day as some days she's completely fine.
At first she was sleeping in the moses basket completely ok. Then came the velcro phase at 2 weeks old where she would only settle on me. We then upgraded to the next to me crib and figured out she would only sleep on her front. I tried on numerous occasions, but every time we put her on her back flat out she'd wake up within ten minutes in distress as she spit up.
I've recently gone to the doctors to see if there's anything we can do to help her. After a quick check of her breathing they prescribed gaviscon. The doctor really didn't explain anything so I proceeded to try it. On the first day she had one sachet in the morning and one at night with a feed. This caused a lot of distress and she seemed worst, spitting up more and unsettled between feeds. So the next day I did 2 sachets in the morning and 2 at night. Again this massively messed with her and there was just no settling her and another sleepless night. On the third night I decided to give her two sachets with every feed, she only has about six feeds per day and the maximum sachets I could give her was 12. Again she threw up more and was crying so much. I took her to the doctors on day 4 to see if there was any other options.
It was a different doctor this time who recommended I feed her 3oz every three hours. Now as we had previously messed with her feed massively I was very sceptical of this. But I tried it as soon as i got home. The first couple of feeds where ok as she ghost fed so wasn't really aware of what was happening. After the third feed that's where things went massively down hill. She took the feed semi ok and spit up when burping. She slept for about an hour and woke herself up in a wet patch of her sick. Now before all this stuff with the pace feeding and gaviscon she barely threw up on her front now she's doing it with each feed. She refused to sleep so when her next feed came around she was the same, spitting up a lot and refusing to sleep. At this point i think she was overtired.
In summary I've now given up with the three hourly feed and gone back to demand feeding, sitting her up, and half filling the teat as a way to pace feed her. But now she's not doing good as we've messed with her feeding so much. She has these moments where she's struggles to breathe as if she's choking on her saliva and then coughs. She is struggling to settle and keeps waking herself up in her own spit up. I feel like I'm failing her with not persevering but it was really unsettling her. I'm at the point now I don't know what to do and wondered if you had any advice? Or guidance if I'm doing things wrong?
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I'm assuming LO is formula fed - has anyone mentioned an allergy to milk?
Also what teats/bottles are you using? My LO would dribble really bad with tommee tippee bottles so I switched to MAM bottles. He is also 6 weeks and is on size 1 teat.
Have you tried gripe water? Pro-biotic drops to help with the gut? Boots have some options
Sorry to hear of your LO's troubles, it's horrible seeing them in distress. You are doing everything you can.

@Abi Yes she's formula fed. No ones mentioned that no. She was originally on cow and gate but her throw up was really thick and when we changed to sma it got slightly better. I am using mam bottles, shes on size 2 teats as she was getting frustrated with size 1 teats. Thank you it really means a lot to hear as I'm truly struggling.

You're doing all the right things but I wonder about contacting your GP to see if they would consider a milk allergy and if you can try milk-free formula? Always worth a try xx

Would they do an allergy test? Or can I just change the milk without consulting the doctor? If so which milk would it be? Thank you for the advice.

I thought you could only get milk-free formula on prescription / prescribed by the GP. Looks like Boots might do some, aptamil, kendamil from a quick Google online. I would do some research and see what's available local to you

Also double check calcium / vitamin D, other vitamins between the two formulas to make sure LO is still getting the right vitamins etc

I'll go to doctors tomorrow and mention all of this to them. Thank you so much.

You sure she doesn’t have a milk allergy. At first they told me my daughter just had reflux I went back they said she had reflux and colic then I went back again they said reflux colic and maybe lactose they prescribed her lactose free milk she was fine for a few months I went back said she’s gone back to how she was at the start they referred her to a specialist I had to try 8 different formulas till I found one she took too to test her for cmpa she was on aptamil pepti 1 for a good 3 months she was doing good then some symptoms came back and she was suffering again I mentioned it to the specialist and they put her on alfamino sma she’s been on that for a good 5 months and she’s had no issues unless their is any diary in her solids c