Feeding Difficulties - Need Recommendation for Paediatrician

S

StareBear

Registered User
I am looking for a recommendation for a paediatrician who is good with dealing with feeding problems. My 3 month old is an extremely fussy feeder and after battling her for so many weeks I really need some help. It used to just be the occasional feed or the evening feed but now it seems that every feed is almost impossible. This morning she fed for only 3 minutes before coming off and refusing to go back on. This was 51/2 hours after her last feed so I can't believe she wasn't hungry for more. I would love to believe she is that efficient but her weight gain (average 120-130gms per week) suggests not. It is now starting to affect her sleep as I can't get her to sleep for long periods without her being more satisfied. The only way I eventually get her to feed is in her room with lights off and white noise turned up loud on the stereo.

I have seen lactaction consultants etc and my current paed puts it down to some babies just being fussy but surely it shouldn't be this hard to feed her???
 
Dr Tana Thondup at Veritas Medical Centre was very good with my first - we had exactly the same problem at 4 months and it turned out to be a form of late developing silent reflux that was the problem. she only fed well when sleepy in a dark room right before naps and sleep and in the end, only when actually asleep!
 
At the LLL conference last February there were there local paediatricians who spoke. One is retired but the other two are in private practice:

Dr. Barbara Lam
Suite 1318, Central Building
1 Pedder Street
Central
Hong Kong
2156-3888
Dr. Barbara Lam

Dr. Sophie Leung
Shop G32
Ground Floor
Metro City
Phase 3
8 Mau Yip Road
Tseung Kwan O
NT
3194-6804
Dr. Sophie S F Leung
(Dr. Lueng is a speciality in growth)

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
Hi, I am currently experiencing the same problem and I'd love to know if there is any way out if not to wait until baby can quit milk totally at 1 year of age.

I have heard of Sophie Leung. Anyone who has seen her got improvement in feeding?
 
Hi,
Are you breast or bottle feeding or both?

I can't help with Sophie Leung but I did end up seeing Dr Thondup. We are now taking Takepron daily for silent reflux. It has definitely helped with the crying during feeds but my daughter is still a very reluctant feeder, and takes only very small volumes when bottle fed (90mls if I am lucky). Her breastfeeding has improved but again she still breaks off and cries. I just let her do it now and she comes back on by herself when she is ready. After a few times on and off she usually settles in for a good five - 10 mins. Before I used to either give up or try to force her back on which distressed us both. Due to her small volumes, we are also adding a calorie powder to her milk to help maximise the calories in what she does drink. This was on advice from the dietitian at the Adventist. This has helped me to stress less about getting milk into her.

The biggest thing I learnt was to try one thing for a couple of weeks to see if it makes a difference. I really suffered from advice overload and trying multiple possible solutions at the same time just makes it harder to work out what is helping and what isn't. It still isn't great for us but I think you just get used to it. Plus I have now started rice cereal which is a bit earlier than I planned but also helps take the pressure off.
 
Thanks.

I am actually bottle feeding formula.

I ended up went to see Dr Henry Hui in Central today. Though he agrees that my boy has some reflux (as I do see him spitting out some sour milk/water 2 hours after feeding), Dr Hui is reluctant to give him medicine as he thinks the costs outweigh the benefits.

Is Dr Thondup good? His practice in Repulse Bay? Did he agree to add a calorie power to your baby's milk and do you see significant improvement in his/her weight gain? Where can I get these powder/ tablet?

Thanks very much for your help.

A desperate mom
 
chanchinsang,
sorry for slow reply and hopefully you have made some progress since April. What did Dr Hui perceive to be the costs of giving medicine? My personal view is although I would have preferred not to medicate, noone can really understand the stress of trying to feed a baby that doesn't want to be fed and that anything that helps to reduce that trauma is worthwhile.
Dr Thondup is in Repulse Bay and in Bank of America Building. He referred us to the dietitian at Adventist who we see every couple of weeks to monitor the baby's weight and who provides the advice on the use of the calorie powder (and also sells the powder). It has made some difference but I wouldn't say the results have been amazing. She has moved just above the 9th percentile curve which she was tracking consistently. Mind you, she is now on three solid meals a day, plus is drinking much bigger volumes (average around 130mls but we get the occasional 160-180mls) and she still isn't packing on the weight so I have concluded she is just meant to be skinny!
The good news is that she takes all her breast and bottle feeds without fuss now so definitely hang in there. It does get better!
 
My son had silent reflux as well from birth - @ 8 months. We first gave baby gaviscon (didn't work) then stepped it up to giving him a small dosage of Zantac in his milk. He was also on hypoallergenic formula. When we moved from London to HK, we switched to Pepti Junior (Cow & Gate) since our hypoallergenic formula was not readily available here and our son was fine with it. Both the zantac and formula really helped our son and by 8/9 months, it was no longer an issue. We weaned off zantac, but continued with his formula. Our doctor in HK was Dr. Thondup who said to continue with our regimen and saw no problems with it. Once they are on solids there reflux should become less and less too since it's less liquid too.
 
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