I guess we know now!

While we'll never know for sure, our doctor thinks Avery's latest troubles are linked to the Similac recall. Our last 2 Similac containers were involved in the recent recall, which just makes my stomach turn. Because of Avery's weight, we've kept her on formula, along with table food and whole milk, to make sure she is getting all of the nutrients and calories she needs each day. When she doesn't eat much, we try to catch her up in the evenings with formula. Of course, she will always take a bottle. While we've wanted to lose the bottle completely, she will no longer take a pacifier, and has since had her bottle replace it. We only give her the bottle when she feels bad or is very tired and fussy to calm her, but hope to be completely off soon. Any way, now that I have given excuses, lol, let me continue my story. Since she got her last shots and began having the loose stools, etc. per my last post, we began giving her more formula and bottles because that is all she would eat. Apparently, this made things worse, due to the issues with the formula causing "gastro-intestinal discomfort" as their website says. We had almost completely finished the 2nd container by the time this recall was publicized. While I feel the 1st container, which we purchased at Kroger, was not contaminated, I believe the 2nd container from Sam's was contaminated. Her problems began around the time we started that container. As we gave her less formula, she got better, and as she started feeling bad again, and we gave her more formula, her symptoms got worse. I couldn't find anything other that the gastro discomfort for things that can happen. Our nurse told us the problems should discontinue now that we're off the formula. While Avery has been better during the day, and her BMs are no longer loose and causing rash/burn on her bottom, she is still having problems sleeping at night.
I guess it has to be the night terrors again. She wakes up between 12:30 and 1:00 A.M. each night, screaming, non-stop, as if she is in pain or terrified of something. We are unable to wake her and unable to soothe her. It just makes me feel so helpless and when it continues on through the wee hours of the morning, it makes me feel like I am going crazy. When she did it early on as an infant, I read that while doctors do not believe children have them that young, there were other parents out there reporting the same symptoms with their babies who were the same age. Avery hasn't had them for some time now, but the last week, it has happened every night. The formula could have made her stomach hurt through the night and added to it, but I don't think that it is the sole reason for the way she is waking up and crying. It just stinks when you can't do anything to help her. I'm going to do some more research this weekend, and see what I can find out! We have decided to no longer give her formula, but to start her on PediaSure and Boost for extra calories. A friend also sent me some other things to try, while our speech therapist also gave us ways to increase calories in her meals. Next step- to finally separate her from the Ba-Ba for good!