Reflux in Infants

[Blessed]

I originally posted this information over at TLOL, but since the TLOL boards are closing, :( I thought I'd move it over here.

<i>Let me begin this post by stating that I'm not an expert on this subject by any stretch of the imagination. This post is merely a summary of some of the information I have found while searching for relief for my infant son.</i>

If you suspect or have been told that your baby has colic, you may want to consider the possibility that your baby may have reflux. This may not be the answer for all colicky babies, but in my experience and based on my conversations with other mothers, reflux is <b>very</b> common and is very often misdiagnosed as colic.

<b>Symptoms</b>

<i>These are some of the more common symptoms of reflux. Your baby may only have some of them, and may have other symptoms that are not listed.</i>

Spitting up frequently
Vomiting
Unexplained crying
Poor sleep; frequent waking
Fighting during feeding
Arching neck or back during feeding
Frequent hiccups
Congestion
Wheezing
Coughing
Hoarseness
Strange odor on breath
Poor weight gain
Frequent choking episodes

<i><b>Important:</b> There are a couple of common misconceptions about reflux:

First, your baby does not have to be losing weight to have reflux. On the contrary, many reflux babies actually <i>overeat</i> because eating eases the pain.

Second, your baby does not have to be spitting up to have reflux. This is known as "silent reflux" and can actually be harder on your baby because their esophagus is getting burned by the acid on the way up and again when it goes back down. It's also a lot harder to recognize as reflux.</i>

<b>Talking to your pediatrician</b>

If your baby is exhibiting signs of reflux, you should talk to your pediatrician about it. Be forewarned though that many pediatricians only consider reflux to be a problem if the baby isn't gaining weight properly. Beyond that, many seem to think it's merely a laundry problem for an overreacting parent and will tell you that your baby will grow out of it and send you an your way. Yes, your baby will grow out of it, but if your baby is experiencing pain and discomfort from reflux, there's no reason why he should have to suffer while he's growing out of it! You need to make sure that your doctor understands that your baby is in pain and that you're not complaining about the laundry. And if he still doesn't listen, find another doctor. (That's what I and many other mothers have had to do.)

<b>What you can do to relieve symptoms</b>

<b>Formula</b>
Reflux is sometimes due to protein sensitivity, allergy or other intolerance. Your baby may do better on a soy formula, but many babies who don't tolerate milk well are also sensitive to soy proteins as well. Talk to your pediatrician about formula options. There are hypoallergenic formulas such as Alimentum and Nutramigen that may help. They're expensive, but if they help, it's worth every penny. (And I've heard that some insurance companies may cover these specialized formulas if prescribed by a doctor.)

Another option is to thicken formula with rice cereal. Again, talk to your pediatrician about it. Many doctors will tell you that it's okay to add up to 1 tsp. of rice cereal per ounce of formula. Or you can use a pre-thickened formula like Enfamil AR. It's more convenient, and you don't have to deal with clogged nipples. (Note: Rice cereal can cause gassiness and constipation, so you might want to introduce it gradually to see if your baby tolerates it well.)

:idea Tip: If you thicken your own formula, try running the dry cereal through a blender first to make it really fine. Then prepare all the bottles the night before. This gives the cereal a chance to really thicken the formula.

<b>Positioning</b>

Let gravity help your baby whenever possible. Keeping your baby upright during feeding and for 30-45 minutes afterwards will help a lot. Also, many reflux babies have a really hard time laying flat to sleep. My baby was always very restless, noisy, and constantly squirming and grunting. It took me a while to figure out why. :rolleyes Finding a sleeping position that will be comfortable for your baby can be quite a challenge.

Here are a few suggestions:

Let him sleep in a car seat or bouncy seat
Elevate the head end of the crib by placing books under the legs
Elevate the head end of the crib mattress by placing a pillow or quilt underneath
Use a crib wedge (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000056J6Q/qid%3D1039874675/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-2019010-0896121)
Use a Tucker Sling (http://www.tuckerdesigns.com/)


<b>Medications</b>

<i>It's always preferable if you can relieve your baby's symptoms just by making changes in his feeding and positioning, but if you've tried all that and your baby is still suffering, there are a few medications that you might want to ask your pediatrician about. Most are only willing to prescribe Zantac and Reglan. To get a prescription for Prilosec or Prevacid, you will probably have to get a referral to a pediatric GI.</i>

<b>OTC antacids such as Maalox and Mylanta</b> (the adult strength liquid); <i>Mylanta Supreme</i> is cherry flavored. :yummie Ask your doctor or pharmacist what the proper dosage is for your baby's weight.
<b>Zantac</b> (Rx) - neutralizes the acid so that it doesn't "burn" as much; well tolerated by most babies, few side effects
<b>Reglan</b> (Rx) - a motility drug (helps empty stomach faster); miracle drug for some, but many babies don't tolerate it well at all, and there are some pretty scary side effects
<b>Prilosec or Prevacid</b> (Rx) - acid blockers (PPI-Proton Pump Inhibitor); greatly reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach

[Vickie]

Hi Carol,

Mind if make this an article in our article area??

[Blessed]

Not at all! :)

[honeybunny78]

Carol I brought that over awhile ago
I hope you didnt mind.

[Blessed]

Not at all. :)

[candanp]

let me start by saying that i have never been so upset yet relieved to read your posting....i have taken my 3 month old son back and forth to the dr. for 2 months with all the symptoms of reflux and the only thing they told me is that "oh he is fine"!!!!!!!!!!!! UGH i cannot belive that my poor baby has been suffering this entire time! (not to mention my sanity) we have an appointment with a GI on may 1st (wish it was sooner) so hopefully we can get this thing under control....i am so happy i found this website....now i know that im not going crazy and a mother knows when their child is not well...dr's dont!!!!!

[honeybunny78]

I am greatful I found this site too. I thought at first Hope had colic..thats what her ped said at first. But I knew something was wrong.

[Elyse]

Thanks for that information. My baby was diagnosed with colic, but after reading a lot on-line, it seems like he really had reflux. Luckily, he isn't showing any of those symtoms in the past month. This information may help others in my place.

[Elyse]

Thanks for that info. My son was diagnosed with colic, but I think he actually had reflux ( he showed all the symtoms you described ). Too bad I didn't have this info earlier. At least he's better now!:angel2 ( Picture of Nick below in attatchments )

[New MeMaw]

We had the upper GI done on my Grandson and he has reflux and they started him on Zantax and Reglan and changed his formula to Nutragena, we had already been on allementum. He started throwing up, had 12 dirrehea diapers in 1 1/2 days, screamed terribly, went back to dr, said keep him on it a few days, went to ER on weekend, said he probably had a virus, or the switch to new formula. I told my daughter to take him off all medicine, was on colic medicine too, and just use zantac. Also he just had his first feeding of soy formula, 5th formula in 7 weeks since he was born. He spit most of it up after feeding, and he wheezes like he can't clear his throat or catch his breath sometimes. He is now asleep in his car seat, he is spending two nights with me and my daughter, said Mom please find a cure while he is with you. ha I am going to let him sleep in his car seat and listen to him breathe all night. He only sleeps about 3 hours in the nighttime, do we need to add cereal? I am requesting a specialist this week for the reflux, I took him off reglan because it had some scary side effects. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. 11:17PM, Sunday.

[Blessed]

Hi MeMaw,

Alimentum and Nutramigen are both notorious for creating some really messy diapers, but in my ds' case it turned out he was allergic to milk in addition to the reflux, and that's why he was having diarrhea. It was also causing eczema. DS did much better on soy, but that's not always the answer. Some babies who have trouble with milk protein also have trouble with soy protein. You might ask your doctor about Neocate formula. They usually recommend Neocate as a last resort because it's incredibly expensive. I've heard it can run about $15 a day. :eek:

We tried Zantac and Reglan, too. Zantac just wasn't enough, and he reacted terribly to Reglan. Once we got him on Prilosec, he was like a new baby.

The best person to advise you at this point is a pediatric GI. Once you've figured out that it's reflux, it's just a matter of finding the right combination of meds and formula, but that sometimes takes some time.

The only other suggestions I have are for sleep. That was one of the biggest problems we had. Reflux babies sleep better if their heads are elevated, but it can be hard to find the most comfortable position for them. A car seat might work, but it sometimes scrunches them up so that there's pressure on their belly, which makes things worse. We had pretty good luck with a bouncy seat (he slept in it until he was almost 6 months old!) Something else you might look into is the Tucker Sling:

http://www.tuckerdesigns.com

Good luck!

[New MeMaw]

WE are taking my grandson back to the doctor tomorrow, we still want to be referred to a gi specialist. He is on zantac but it seems to be doing no good, he is basically crying most of his awake time. He is now on soy formula, that seems okay. Did the prilosec really make a hugh difference? I tell you, I have kept him for the past 48 hours to give my daughter and her husband a break to go to the beach and he has worn me out! I hope there is an answer. Thanks for your time.

[Blessed]

The Prilosec makes a HUGE difference. Zantac is only an acid reducer, Prilosec is an acid blocker. Most pediatricians won't prescribe it -- you have to see a GI. It takes some time for it to start working (like a week or two), so the sooner you can get in to see the GI the better. How long has he been on Zantac? That takes a while to start working too.

[New MeMaw]

Evan has been on zantac today was a week. He also was on colic medicine and REglan which we took him off both about 3 days ago. He slept 4 hours for me last night which was a record between nighttime feedings. he takes 4 oz of soy every 3-4 hours. He is 7 week old today and weighs 12.5, he weighed 9.4 when he was born. He is just so unhappy most of his waking hours, but the strange thing is, if you walk outside with him, he hushes, come back inside and he starts again. Too bad it isn't fall or spring. ha He has a dr appt tomorrow and we have already requested a gi specialist, but the dr said there were a few more things he wanted to try firslt. We are going to request Prilosec. Thanks

[honeybunny78]

Good luck to you.

[CelestialMomma3]

We go to a family advanced registered nurse practitioner and she "says" there are no medicines for reflux... HUH?! :cry3

She's telling me to keep him up 30 mins after feedings, burp longer, etc... all of which I'm alrady doing. :conf2 It ticks me off because I KNOW he has reflux according to the moms I've talked with and what I've read, it sounds *just* like him. Not only that there IS medications for infants his age (9wks3ds old) what is she trying to do, I don't want my sons esphagous damaged because of her negligence! :mad: GRRRRRRRR!

H_E_L_P

[Vicky]

Hi: I just wanted to add my 2 cents in about zantac. My daughter was on it and it did help the reflux but caused insomnia. My Dr. did not tell me that this is a possible side effect . My poor little girl would scream for hours until the meds wore off. It was through research I found this out and immediately took her off. If you are finding the reflux is being helped but your baby is still crying at nap and/or bed time, this may be the reason. She is now on pepsid and the insomnia and burning save deminished....now we only deal with the spit ups but as long as they dont hurt her thier is always the washing machine.

I hope I helped. Good luck to you all.

Vicky

[CelestialMomma3]

well DS2:angel2 is on meds, zantac and so far it seems to relieve the burning pain because he is a happier babe. I'm definitly going to watch out for that side effect Vicky! Thanks for the FYI!!!

He is solely breastfed, this reflux is more common in formula fed babes but not unheard of bf'd ones. DS2's GI doc has a 5 month old daughter just like DS2... a big bf'd baby with bad reflux.

he had an upper gi done yesterday, but I have not heard anything from the GI doc about the findings yet... might not until early next week I just hope all is well with my lil prince! It just ticks me off that it took another 2 months of my son suffering before he recieved any sort of relief from the burning pain!!!:mad:

[mom2catrell]

Thanks for that info. We will go back to the doctor and mention the "silent reflux". He has already ruled out reflux because he doesn't vomit all the time. So we kind of ruled that out as well. It does seem to be getting worse. He just starts crying and screaming for no reason. As I mentioned before, he arches his back all the time. We are going to try the rice cereal in the formula and see if that works, and give him the mylicon drops. I'll keep you guys updated, and thanks for the advice.

[eeyore4me]

My 8 week old son just started having what my husband and I thought was colic but after reading the symptoms he has all of them except constant spitting up and vomitting. We first noticed the congestion and I thought that could be an allergy to milk formula but it continued with the soy. My husband is going to grocery store right now to buy some Nutramigen. My question is this; is reflux worse at night? My son gets really bad at night, he won't even nurse. During the day he has difficulty sleeping and at night he will only sleep for a four hour stint and then he is up every two hours. The only time he slept for a long time is when he is in the car seat. If you could shed some more light I would really appreciate it. I also am going to call the pediatrician tomorrow.

[Roni]

He may have silent reflux...this is where the act of reflux is happening but it just doesn't come out. Sometimes this can be worse b/c it burns on the way up and again on the way down.

If you are laying him flat to sleep that could explain why night time is worse...refluxers need to be propped up. This would also explain why he sleeps better in the car seat, because he is upright. Is he on any meds for reflux?

[eeyore4me]

The doctor prescribed some zantac but not for reflux, just see if it would help with gas pains. We put him in his car seat last night and he slept for 7 hours! We also have him on Alimentium and he will actually take a bottle now. (I was worried because I have anemia and can't nurse 100%) But his worse time is that 5-9:00 stretch at night, can silent reflux build up and be more painful at certain times of the day?

[Roni]

I don't know why the doctor told you that he put him on Zantac for gas pains b/c it's going to help with gas pains at all. It's an acid blocker that works by neuralizing stomach acid so that the material that is refluxed isn't acidic and doesn't burn.

As far as being worse at that time of night, is it possible that his stomach just gets too full at that time of day...maybe he eats more frequently for a couple hours b/f that or something. I know that Shae Lynne is always worse first thing in the am but I believe it's b/c she has food pumped into her all night long and without moving around and such it doesn't get digested as fast and leaves her extra full at that time of day.

Hope that helps.

[crystallina]

I am very glad I found this board. I thought my 6 week old daughter had colic but after reading this board I think she may have reflux. We have tried every possible colic remedy from changing formulas, changing my breastfeeding diet, gripe water, Mylicon, etc. - nothing seems to work. She is definitely quite gassy and "toots" loudly and often however, I read the symptoms of reflux and she has also has almost all of the symptoms listed except for the vomiting and constant spitting up - although she will spit up or "ooze" out of the mouth sometimes. I will talk to my pediatrician about finding out if she has reflux. My big question is what test(s) is/are done by a GI specialist in order to diagnose reflux? I guess I want to get myself prepared ahead of time in case we get referred to a GI specialist. I have worked in the medical field as a physical therapist assistant and I know some GI tests for certain conditions are done by inserting a tube down the patients throat. I just want to make sure I am mentally prepared for that kind of test if it becomes necessary. Thanks so much for all the wonderful posts - they have given this sleepless and tearful mom some hope!

[Roni]

Chances are in the beginning they won't even do tests, they'll probably listen to your list of symptoms and if they think it's warranted they'll prescribe Zantac. If after giving the zantac and making some lifestyle changes (propping her up, etc) she gets no relief they may start with some tests. The first one is usually an upper GI, although it's not very reliable because the child has to actually reflux at the moment they are doing the test in order for it to come back positive. There are other more invasive tests, you are probably referring to the endoscopy, and there is also a ph probe. Based on your post I don't think it will come to that though, sounds like some zantac or something will help her with pain. The vomiting just might be something to have to put up with until she out grows it (I've been cleaning puke for almost four years) as it's very difficult to stop. Check out Shae's website below for more info and then if you have more questions let me know.

[crystallina]

Thanks for the information. My daughter has been on Nutramigen for about 2 weeks now and the only way she will actually sleep at night is in her carseat. I wondered why the carseat would work but the bassinet would not. I see now it must be because in the bassinet she was laying flat. It makes alot of sense since I, myself have long suffered from severe heartburn (possibly reflux but never went to doctor for it - just lived on zantac several times a day) and some nights when the heartburn got so bad I couldn't sleep - I could actually fall asleep sitting up. Isn't it such a shame that our kids often inherit our bad traits or negative medical issues.

[Roni]

Heartburn is actually not a condition in and of itself, more accurately it is the main symptom of reflux, so if you have that burning feeling referred to as heartburn then what you actually have is reflux. The severity of it depends on how frequently it happens and whether or not meds help the pain. You have to be careful how much you take Zantac and other meds like it for reflux pain, if you are popping a few every single day just to get by it might be an indication of GERD and that needs to be checked by a doctor as it can cause severe complications, again the website in my sig has more info. And yes, reflux is has recently proven to be genetic...you're definitely right, it isa shame that we couldn't just pass on all our good traits!

[nannyx3]

Has anyone had any problems with their babies not liking the taste of Zantac. Ours taste like pepermint and our baby does not like it.

[crystallina]

It's funny you should mention that. We just took our daughter to the doctor because now on top of everything else she is sick. While there I took advantage of it and mentioned that I thought she had GERD. Sure enough, the doctor agreed and prescribed liquid zantac. Our daughter is only 7 weeks but is obviously very decided about what she does and doesn't like - and she does not like the taste of zantac at all. She wrinkles her nose and tries to spit it out. Luckily I can get it all in her but I know she hates it. The zantac we got is peppermint flavored as well. I'm not sure if that is the only "flavor" it comes in or not. It may be worth calling the pharmacy and asking if there is a different flavor of zantac that you can get. I also know that several pharmacies (Giant comes to mind as advertising it) can add a 'flavor' to medicines to help the taste. Good luck!

[Roni]

I've heard that a lot actually. I was lucky with Shae's tube feeding in that regard b/c everything just goes in her tube...no fighting to get medicine in.

I believe that is the only flavor that Zantac makes, but ask the pharmacy about possibly flavoring it...you never know. Good luck.

[momgoincrazy]

Hi there,
My beautiful baby boy is now 12 weeks old and has been congested and miserable since the 3rd week of his life. He is my 2nd child and I am fighting feelings lately that if he had been my first, I would have never had another.
I was referred to a pediatrician from my family doctor after explaining that his congestion was getting worse instead of better after the family doctor advised a cool mist humidifier, saline drops and nasal aspirator and all attempts failed. The pediatircian ran some tests after admitting my son to the hospital for a total of 5 days and could find no explanation for his symptoms. We were sent home with the theory that it may be asthma and he was put on 7 different types of medications. That was 4 weeks ago and still my son is congested and getting more miserable by the day. He now spends the majority of his awake time crying, something I have not really brought up with the doctor as I always figured my son was so miserable because he couldn't breath properly. After reading the posts on this site, and going over the symptoms, I really think that reflux might be the answer (or problem). The biggest clue may be his overeating and fighting me while feeding. Along with these symptoms, he also still wakes 3-4 times per night, eats every 2-3 hours at 12 weeks old, he cries nearly all day long and he definantly arches his back during feeding. He basically displays almost all of the symptoms listed. I plan to call the doctor first thing tomorrow with my findings but am afraid I will be asked why I have not really brought up the extreme crying in the past. As I mentioned, I just figured it was because he was so congested. Is there anything I could try that is sold in Canada over the counter that may help without any harm???? I would appreciate ANY and all suggestions, I am pulling my hair out and am devastated that I'm taking it out on my other kids somedays...feel free to email me:haybag22@hotmail.com....A little more info: I had EXTREME acid reflux while pregnant with him....coincidence or not??

[fussybaby]

I have read all of your postings and I want to suggest the following:
-try to find a chiropractor in your area that specializes in newborns with colic and reflux.
-do not give up on all medicines, ask for Tagamet instead of Zantac, the tagamet just tastes better for the baby, zantac has such a strong taste
-Ask more about the Reglan, my baby took this for months and did not have a reaction at all, are you sure its the medicine? If so, of course stop it by all means.
-Cereals can help but not always, if rice cereal at night in a bowl does not help than try Gerber Oatmeal cereal instead. My baby was more fussy on rice cereal.
-try Alimentum or Soy. Alimentum for food/protein allergies for babies with trouble digesting. Soy for milk allergy. Soy can make some babies more gassy and fussy.
-elevate under their mattress pad on the side their head is when sleeping and try putting your baby on their side to sleep. The left side is best because it helps the stomach, try to feed on the left side as well.
-Massage treatment for infant reflux:
see www.fussybaby.org
there is an amazing massage treatment for reflux

I hope some of this helps......

[Mommy of 4]

I am a mother of 4 children, never experiencing colic or reflux with the first three. My new baby girl is the exception. She had problems hours after birth. I did not know what was going on, blaming it all mainly on her prematurity. Believe it or not, we have a fabulous peds who told me! it was colic,(reflux induced).
I had a very hard time believing her being that I have never experienced this before. We are currently on zantac and reglan, nutramigen formula (having tried soy). I think sha had horrible reactions to the reglan, and I took her off. I am glad to hear others say there baby had reactions too. We are not sleeping still (at 9 weeks of age), still crying for no unknown cause, spitting up some and real irritable during the day. I am exhausted! We are going to the peds tomorrow to check on progress with weight gain (which is poor)< you have gave me many more ?'s to ask. God Bless all of you who are going through this too! I have to remember daily this soon will pass...

Hope for Maggie:) :)

[cary]

Dear Mommy of 4,

I really hope things get better for Maggie soon. It's so hard to function without sleep to take care of yourself, but I can't imagine having 3 other kids to look after also, you must be superwoman.

Hang in there. Elevate the crib on one end so that her head is always higher than her tummy to help when she's sleeping.

Take care,
Cary

[mom of Hailey]

HELP!
I'm not sure if my little girl has "Silent Reflux" or not. When she eats, she does the whole arching of the back thing and fighting of the bottle. She does the crying for no reason too. We don't think it is colic because it happens @ different times of the day and also sometimes not at all on other days! She will sometimes act like something is coming up in the back ofher troutht like spit up she swallos it and makes a weird face while swallowing too. she is gainig weight just fine, and she hardly ever spits up at all! Her father disagrees on giving her meds. because she is only 4 mo old and he feels she has been given enough. The dr gave us some zantac to try, we will see how that goes. Any suggestions will help A LOT!! He also thinks we shoud switch dr's because she said "here try this". Of course his mom agrees with him, so she doesn't help since HER children never had this problem. But something has to explain her crying for 3-4 hrs non stop.
I just want my happy little baby back!!

[cary]

Hailey's mom,

Did the problem just start recently or has it been occurring for a while? Are you formula or breast feeding? What kind of formula?

Try feeding her so she's sitting up a little, so that if it is reflux gravity will help the milk go down and if you keep for sitting up for a few minutes post-feeding it can help also.

Meds didn't work for my daughter, just patience and she eventually grew out of it.

Chiropractic help can sometimes be a godsend. Some people on this website swear by it.

Your mom-in-law sounds like mine! Remember it's your daughter so you know what's best for her. You hang in there and take care of yourself.

Cary

[mom of Hailey]

The problem just started about three wks ago, and we just got the medication yesterday. She HATES the taste of it!! How did your daughter like it? How long did it take to figure out the meds weren't working? And one more ? when did she out grow the reflux? Was it silent?

[mom of Hailey]

oh by the way, Hailey is on Nestle Good Start Supreme. She has been doing really well on the formula.

[mom of Hailey]

Hi Cary I had another question for you or anyone else, did your daughter have dark green stools or trouble passing them?

[cary]

Hi,

We gave the meds 2 full weeks to work. Jillian was on Prilosec though, we never tried Zantac. All the meds did for her was to constipate her so she was much happier without them.

Nestle Good Start is a good formula for a lot of people and if she's been on it since birth, it would be strange to have a reaction to it at 4 months but I guess that anything is possible isn't it.

We did have a problem with green stools but it was related to breastfeeding technique not formula. I'm not sure what causes green stools in formula fed babies. Is she taking any solids also?

She really improved at 6-7 months and became a lot happier, stopped screaming all the time and started to smile much more. Ours was very colicky too.

I really hope you find some relief soon.

Take care,
Cary

[butterfly356]

I'm a new mother of baby girl who is now six weeks old. Let me tell you. When she was a week old she was having terrible problems. She was throwing up every bit of formula she drank, would not sleep, cried for ever. Took her to see Ped GI, man was he great. First thing he discovered was not only did she have reflux she had a bowel problem as well. He perscibed Levisin for the gas pain and lucaose syrup for the bowel problem. That has help her some but not fully. He wants to but her on Acid meds this week, hopefully that will help even more. Trust me ladies if your child has any of the already mention symptons get a referral to a ped GI. You need that referral or the insurance won't cover it. Trust me on that. And if any of you moms have Medicaid for your child they will cover the cost of the ped GI. Another thing that I wanted to add is on infant formula. I put my daughter on Lactose Free Similiac Adavance with Iron and most of the spitting up has went away. Try that before going to the more expensive optiions.

Mother of an angel :angel5 Makayla Elizabeth

See attachment for photo

[newmomang]

:( My poor little 2 month old is showing signs of either colic or acid reflux!!! Dont know which but we took her to the ER and they perscribed mylanta... Does this make her stools a little runny?
I also reas on the message board that some pediatricians say that your baby is just fine but really she might have one of these two problems... can anyone recommend a good pediatrician that I can call( even if it's out of state)!

please HELP!!!

NEWMOM ANGIE!!!

[fussybaby]

I do not know of any one particular pediatrician that excepts calls like that, it would be nice if they did.
I do know that you can read up on the symptoms, make a list of things your baby is doing on a daily basis and request a referral to an upper GI pediatrician. Your ped can not refuse that request. Once you get to the GI ped you will find a world of info and they are usually really sympathetic and helpful.

Just as the basic:

Colic is a baby that is uncomfortable due to digestion and gas. Usually with periods of hours of fussy and hours of not. Treatments range from special formula, gas drops (or mylanta which, yes, can make for runny stools), chiropracitc care, swaddling, etc.

Reflux (whether hidden or not) is a baby that has trouble feeding, arches when feeding, gets frequent hicups that bother them, cough and gag alot and are generally fussy with some periods of ok. (*Not all babies with reflux spit up a lot). Treatment is usually reflux medication. (There are other methods such as massage and chiropractic care as well).

*If your baby has both reflux and colic you will have a fussy baby that seems like almost all the time they are in discomfort.

Hope this helps....

www.fussybaby.org

[cary]

Hi Angie,

A crying baby is the hardest thing in the world. I was a basket case for months, cried as much as my baby did because nothing seemed to work.

Finding a good helpful doctor will make a lot of difference. They will be able to reassure you that you're doing everything you can. It would be nice to know if your baby does have reflux because they're are some medications that can help. Also elevating the crib at one end so that babies head is always higher than the stomach can help. And trying to feed baby in a more upright position.

Is your baby formula or breastfed? Is he/she growing well.

Do you have good family support? Sometimes the best thing you can do is just to go away from baby for even an hour to help clear you head and remove the stress. Maybe someone could watch the baby for you.

Hang in there. It does get better.
Take care,
Cary

[nrobeson]

My son is on Nutramigen formula, Zantac for reflux and Mylicon for gas. He is now 2 months old and doing much better. Only an occassional cry on a "spit up". When we started (and still do) the Zantac we put it in about 1-2 oz of formula, makes sure he drinks it and then gets the rest of his bottle.

We tried to go back to Soy formula but it didn't work. We also elevate one end of his crib. (We do at daycare too.)

You would think with all the technology in the world we could do something for these sweet baby's. I have met SO many people with the same thing.

[newmomang]

In response to the last three moms(?) who have responed so promptly to my HELP email, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!
First off We took her in today for her immunizations and with all the talk that some peds tell you that your overreacting, my doctor referred me to a GI and set up the appointment without hesitation!!! I also know my child is overeating and that this is probably the problem for her crying!!! She was in the 75th percentile!!! She is on a diet now of 2-3 oz every 2-3 hours or 3-4 oz every 3-4 hours. Already she has made a huge difference. To moms out there who might think their babies have reflux or colic, I highly suggest watching what they eat reguardless if it's too much or too little. Also keep them awake if they fall asleep (by blowing gently on there face, TRUST ME, they will wake up) for their feeding. If they cry cause they want more, give them no more than 1oz of water so they think they are getting milk but they aren't filling up their little tummy. Next elevate, elevate, and elevate some more!!! It works so well!!! My little Gracy is still fussy and cries but she does it only about an hour versus 3-5 hours!!!
I am so thankful for this website and no that I always have someone to talk to as well as the capability to help others!!!
If anyone wants to talk please feel free to email me personally!!!

happy newmom Angela
Mother of Gracy

[cary]

Angela,

Glad that you got a referral and some relief from the crying. It sounds like you're on the right track with little Gracie. Keep us posted.

Take care,
Cary

[MOM2AUSTINANDKY]

I am the mother of 27 month old Austin, who was just recently put on Zantac for Acid Reflux. He started having symptoms of forceful vomiting, alternating between constipation and diarrhea, congestion, screaming for hours with no explanation at 1 week old. We had started him out on Enfamil with Iron, then changed to Prosobee. His pediatrician said that he had gastroenteritis, allergies, and colic. He was put on medication for everything, Levsin, Mylicon, Mylanta, Benadryl, and Bactrum (which was supposed to keep his from having ear infections, because every other week he had an ear infection or so we thought and was put on antibiotics, even while being on this). None of this helped. The nurse said we should suggest a referral to a pediatric GI specialist. Since there is only one who accepted the insurance in New Mexico, we were told not to worry about it because it would take too long to get an appointment. We then changed doctors, and was told that what he was doing was perfectly normal. So we changed again, by this time austin is about a month away from being a year old. On the first appointment we got a referral for the specialist, but it was still 4 months away. The specialist suggested reflux and scheduled an Upper GI. The hospital wasn't very experienced with kids, so they said that since he wouldn't cooperate then to just forget about it and come back when he is 3. We moved 3 months ago. at this point Austin just celebrated his second birthday in May. The new pediatrician was concerned that he was not put on anything. Since he has had this since basically birth then he should have been put on something. After being on it he stopped throwing up and his bowels straightened up. We had a second Upper GI which confirmed that he did have acid reflux. On August 17th, we were blessed with a daughter who is experiencing the same symptoms. There is a milk-protein allergy that runs in the family, so we first suspected this. She will be a month old next month and has been on 4 different formulas, including Enfamil with Iron, Prosobee, Nutramigen, and LactoFree with no sucess. We were told last week that she has colic, I am now thinking that she too is "blessed" with reflux.

[cary]

momtoaustinandky,

Sounds like you have your hands full. At least this time with your new baby daughter you'll know what to ask for in terms of diagnostics and medications etc. and won't get the same runaround that you had with your son.

I hope that you find a remedy to help her out soon.

Take care,
Cary

[fussybaby]

MOM2AUSTINANDKY,
You may want to try Good Start or Alimentum formula with your baby girl, one may help.
If she has the reflux as well then hopefully you can get her on the Zantac easier then it was with your son. That must have been a very hard time for you and your family, I can not imagine how frustrating that must have been!

I am glad you at least have the help now....:)

www.fussybaby.org

[MOM2AUSTINANDKY]

We have put her back on the Enfamil with Iron and adding cereal in the bottle. It seems to help her. She slept until 2:30 this morning before waking up and drank another bottle and slept until 7 am. Usually she is up at around 10 pm and crys and screams until somewhere between 1 and 3 am. I am going to call next week and see if we can get her put on something. The pediatrician says that she has colic but I don't think so.

[fussybaby]

If she takes the Enfamil with cereal added and does not seem to have a digestion problem with that then I would agree that it does not sound like colic as much.
I wish you luck with the ped and I hope they will give your baby girl what she needs for reflux.
With all of your experience with your son already I am sure you will know what she needs and your ped will hopefully respect that.
Hang in there!

www.fussybaby.org

[MOM2AUSTINANDKY]

I am going to go next week and get something. Thanks for listening

[cary]

good luck and be sure to keep us posted on how it's going.

Take care,
Cary

[newmomang]

Well, I was right! She has reflux... So the x-ray doctor says. We find out from our own Ped. on Thursday.
Our daughter was under suspistion that she had colic or reflux. Lately she has been a completely different baby in a good way. She still eats when she wants...(when a baby is hungry, a baby is HUNGRY!!!) I think we have narrowed it down to the hiccups and gas that really make her upset. She still has a fussy time everyday, but its not @ the same time and it's been shaved down to 1/2 hour spells every now and then. We give her Mylicon drops and those help her out alot.
She started to get into bad sleeping for a couple nights but now she is back to normal.
I'm so glad she is doing better and like I always say "It's better to be wrong that not know @ all!!!" She still is diagnosed as reflux but I doubt it will affect her growing or eating in the long run!!!:)
To the moms out there who haven't had as much luck...I wish you and your children the best and keep on being the best moms that you are!!!
NEW MOM ANGELA
Mother of Gracy

[cary]

So glad to hear that you got some answers. Now it will be easier for you to try and help her as much as possible.

Great to hear positive news on this website.
Take care,
Cary

[MOM2AUSTINANDKY]

Well we are back from the Dr. I think I am going to find a new one. I told her that we thought that Kylie has Reflux. She said all babies have reflux, thats what spitting up is. Some just have it worse than others. I told her that her brother has it and has been on the Zantac and has done so much better. Well she cut me off and said that just about all of them will outgrow it by the time they are 10 months old. I said well he was just put on it like 3 months ago. She got rude and sarcatically asked how old he was. I told her that he was 2. SHe said well the Zantac doesn't stop the reflux, it justs helps keep it from being acidic. Well I had taken him off of it and he started throwing up and farting a lot more. It all stopped when I put him back on it. Anyway we are going to try Kylie on the Zantac for a few weeks to see if she does any better.

[fussybaby]

Sounds like the first ped I had with my son, she said the same things, I know how frustrating that can be.
She is right about the Zantac in one respect, it will not cure the reflux, BUT, it will greatly help with the comfort of alot of babies and eventually most may grow out of it, but why have them suffer in the meantime.
Well, in any case I hope it goes well for you now and the Zantac helps her just like it helped your son.
If you need to go back for any reason if she still seems in discomfort, ask for a referral to an upper GI pediatric doctor, they sure know what to do for babies with reflux.
Good luck and hang in there!:)

www.fussybaby.org

[cary]

Dear Momtoaustinandky,

Your ped doesn't sound very emphathetic! I assume that she isn't a mom herself! I don't blame you for wanting to switch to another, bed side manner one of the most important characteristics of a doctor especially when you're dealing with infants.

Again as Fussybaby says, Zantac isn't a cure but it helps them deal better with the discomfort until they do grow out of it so you would think that she would want to give it a try to help comfort your baby.

I hope you find some relief soon. We're rooting for you.
Take care,
Cary

[MOM2AUSTINANDKY]

According to her she does have kids. She said that before she became a dr, she had problems with the pediatricians not listening to her concerns.

After I gave Kylie the first dose of Zantac she became very irritable and more gassy than before. Anyone else have this problem?

[fussybaby]

I have heard that some babies do have a reverse reaction, it is just so different for each baby.
More gassy is not an exact side effect noted but it could be from the zantac.
My suggestion is to give it 5-7 days to really tell if the Zantac will help or not (unless it is such a major problem each time then by all means stop the treatment).
It could have just been a bad day for her, you never know until you try at least a couple days if possible.
If she does not do well with the Zantac you can try tagamet instead (it seems to have a better taste anyway).
There are other meds as well such as prilosec, prevacid, etc. but for me I would probably try switching to tagamet if needed first. My son switched from zantac to tagamet and he did fine with the change (but all babies are different).
Hang in there!

www.fussybaby.org

[joshua'smom]

I just want to thank you so much for your input on this subject.
My son Joshua is 8 weeks old and we are finally on the right track to where he should be with his treatment. He is on prevacid and allementum. I do have a question and wondered if you have any suggestions. with the prevacid I can not ge the granuals to go through the bottle and when I use a medicine suringe he sometimes chokes and spits it back out.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks again
Joshua's mom

[cary]

Hi,

I used prevacid as well with my daughter but she was older so I just mixed the granules with applesauce! When you use the medicine syringe, are you mixing the granules with some formula? that way you can maybe you can get it in better?

Another thought, my baby loved the taste of gripe water (not that it ever worked for her) and she would take it off a spoon at a really young age, what if you added the granules to the gripe water??

I'm sure someone will have a better thought than these.

Good luck,
Cary

[fussybaby]

I am glad to hear that you have found the right combination for your son. :)

I think Cary has good advice. I would try mixing it with a little formula with the syringe.
The only other suggestion I would have is designate one bottle to use where you cut the nipple opening larger just to use for the medicine. Mix the prevacid with some formula and see if he will take it thru the bottle without gagging too much from the fast flow.
He is so young still so mixing with applesauce may be hard, maybe when he is closer to 3 months old.

I am glad that you were able to get the right meds for him!
Let us know how it goes...

www.fussybabyhelp.com
www.fussybaby.org

[10monthsapart]

My daughter is 3 1/2 months old and cried uncontrollably for hours at a time. We have switched her formula to lactose free with no change. We are now trying protein sensitive and have even tried it with the rice cereal. No luck. She spits up frequently and has a lot of gas. We are using the bottles that use bags for less air and burp her every ounce. We have elevated her bassinet. Being a preemie at birth, and with lots of complications during pregnancy due to a uteral hemmorage and low amniotic fluid (which wasn't discovered until the emergency c-section), we've been through so much already. She does wheeze all the time but I was told that it was because she was a preemie. I have an appt. with the dr. tomorrow (11-17-14) again. She was placed in the hospital at 3 weeks for "failure to thrive" because she wasn't stong enough to breast feed and wasn't gaining adequite weight. I'm desperate for any suggestions if anyone else has anything we can try. Car rides, bouncing, walking, spending hours on a running dryer, etc... are not working. It's only tiring the family, running us to our sanity limits and draining our income with electric, gas, and the price of formula. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!

[fussybaby]

10monthsapart,
I am so sorry to hear that she is having such a hard time.
Here are some other suggetions, hopefully some will help:

-Have you tried the Dr. Brown's Bottles? I hear good feedback about the bottle system.

- Is she on reflux med's? Reflux can cause a baby to cry alot with discomfort, the meds can really help sooth a baby. Maybe you can ask about it tomorrow at the doctor. Ask for a referral to an upper GI ped if needed.

-Are the spit ups causing discomfort for her, or is it more of the gas and digestion? (reflux verses colic) or is it both? My son had both which can make a baby seem very unhappy alot.

-You may want to consider products like Acidophilus, Mylanta, Maalox, etc. You may want to ask the doctor about these for helping with gas and reflux discomfort.

-I know it is very hard to switch formulas alot, sometimes it will take a few tries until you find the one that works. I know the formulas with the DHA & ARA are highly recommended for premies. I found luck with Similac Alimentum, which one are you on right now?

Sorry for all the questions...hope some will help...

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[cary]

Dear 10monthsapart,

Is your daughter gaining weight now or is she still having trouble? I would definitely ask to see a GI specialist incase there's something else going on.

It must be exhausting for you. We've all been there and it was the most miserable time of my life. Have you tried walking her around in a Snugli carrier?

Let us know what the doctor says.

Take care and hang in there,
Cary

[Cameron's Mommy]

I am sooo glad I found this site!! It's nice to know others are going through what we are going through with DS.

He is 10 weeks old and has been on Pepcid for about a month. Doing MUCH better! Took Reglan, but that made it worse.

We just started DS in his crib last weekend and he's doing pretty well. However, he squirms a lot and grunts - could this be because he is uncomfortable? He does manage to get to sleep though. He'll sleep from 10pm to anywhere between midnight and 1am, want to feed, then he's back down again and will usually stir from 2am-3am and will want to eat again between 4-5am. My question is, do I need to elevate him? I just saw the Tucker Sling for the first time - it looks great! Anyone using and getting good results? does it come with a money back guarantee? I'd like to get more info before I order.

[Minnie]

I have learned so much reading this message board. I actually cried while reading.
My 3 month old son has been on such a roller coaster ride since the day he was born. We just had a wonderful 2 weeks though. It got better and better as time went on. It got so good that he was actually able to sleep after he ate, and even sleep WHILE he ate. He was relaxed while he ate! I just can't get over that! He ate more, he slept more (12 hour nights! and on his back too!), and he played more. We were in heaven. I was actually thinking, "Hey, maybe it's over" (I've thought that many times before, you'd think I'd learn) then it came time to refill his prescript for Zantac. I called the doc and they said they would call it in. I asked if they wanted me to come in for a weight check to see if any adjustment needed to be made (It had only been 2 weeks) "Nope, 1 mil 2x a day is fine." WHAT!? I was giving him 1.3!! Someone told me 1.3, and he was doing so beautifuly. She then said "No, 1 mil according to his weight." OMG I thought I have been giving him too much for so long! They told me to start giving only 1 mil and everything would be fine. Well.... Now we are in reflux hell again... sigh

I've come to the conclusion that they had too many damn people working in that office, and none of them know what the other is doing! URGH!

Now reading here, I find out that the prilosec that we tried not too long ago might have actualy worked very well for him, if anyone at that office would have told me that it took a week or more to work!!!! The pedi said give it a couple of days, and if he's not feeling better call and we will up the dose. I did. He again said call in a couple of days if he isn't feeling better. I did, but only one day later (week end was coming, and they close on week ends), and then he puts him back on Zantac!?!

How weird is that? Does that make any since at all? Not after spending all today researching to find out what to do for my baby.

I do think that my son gets a lot of benifit from the Zantac, his dose is just wrong. He weighed 13lbs at last weigh in, and 1mil 2 times a day just isn't enough.

I wish I would have given the prilosec more time though. Less side effects, tastes better, and only once a day. Not to mention it's a blocker and not just a reducer. I only hear good things about it now that I looked it up. Why didn't my pedi tell me to give it more time?!

I finally find a doc that will at least say "yes, there is a problem" and actually give me good advise on what to do for him (all the tips he gave helped so much), and this wonderful doc was just a fill in, and we will never be able to see him again. sigh... I am going to request a GI spec. when we go in tomorrow, and hopeful it will be a start on the right track again.

I want my happy baby back. I know he's in there. I saw him and got to know him well. Come back happy baby, come back!

[Minnie]

I just re read my post and realized how insane I sounded. I was venting and skipping all over the place. LOL And I wanted to explain.

I cried when I read the posts here, because FINALLY I found some people that understand. You all KNOW how much that means when you are going through this. I honestly don't have anyone that I can talk to about this. My family thinks it's all in my head. They say things like "You worry too much" "there's nothing wrong with him." "It's all psycho somatic" My Husband was the first to say he thought there was something wrong too, but he just wants him well. He doesn't want to talk about how to make him well, just make him well! And I am always the one to blame when he isn't doing well. Yet he's the one that rolls his eyes when I say "he needs to be held upright, don't put him on his back". My neighbors said all their babies had reflux, so I started talking to them about Eric, and it sounds to me like their babies were just spitters. There was no pain, or discomfort with them, just lot's of laundry. And when I told them Eric doesn't spit up they looked at me like I was completely insane, and the conversations stopped. I have a message board that a frequent and there are a few mothers there that understand, but even more mothers who don't, and it's very frustrating. Just thank you for being here, and I hope you all don't get sick of me while I try to get my happy baby back.

[fussybaby]

Hi Minnie,

So much sounds familiar when I read your posts. I had very few people that understood what my baby was going through, many would just say "my stress would bring it on" or "your baby feels your stress" or "your just a first time mom". I was sooooo frustrated, I knew there was something specifically wrong with my baby, you just know in your gut as a mom that they are in pain, not just crying for expression. When this tiny baby would wake up in the middle up a peacful sleep screaming in pain and having a look in his face like he had the worst taste in his mouth. I could tell just from common sense that something was wrong.

But where do you turn? For me it was hard at the time, I knew absolutely nothing and had no idea what to do and my ped had nothing to offer other then "he will just grow out of it, just wait 3 months." 3 months! 2 days was an eternity to watch your precious baby in pain.

The message boards are such a great place to be able to find advice and support.

I hope that you will find success with seeing an upper GI ped. I had great success with that and finally found a doc that knew what my baby was going through.

My son did not spit up either, he swallowed it back down, so he always weighed higher then normal, that is definetely something the doctors need to consider when dosing your baby, weight is the biggest factor usually with the dose (and age of course).

Well, hang in there, it will get better.... !!!

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

First I want to say thank you for your reply fussyBaby. It's so nice to finaly talk to someone who knows the reflux hell we go through.

My son started the Prilosec again 2 days ago, but it wasn't the right dose for he weight. We adjusted the dose yesterday and he will be having his first big dose today. He's misserable.

First how do YOU give it to your baby? I have it in liquid form (the grape flavored stuff) he hates it and he spits so much out and cries through the whole ordeal. At first I thought he hated it because it was cold, but I know that it has to be given with something acidic to work right. I think it burns his very tender throat. I've tasted it and it's very strong. I've tried putting it in a nipple but he refuses to suck on it once he knows what it is. I know he wouldn't do well with the powder stuff that you sprinkle on apple sauce, he's too young and I think we would run into the same problem anyway, cold and acidic.

Second How long does it take to work?!!!!!! With Zantac everytime we upped his dose he felt better by his second dose and just continued to improve over time, but this stuff ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
My silly happy little man who slept 12 hours a night and ate like a champ, (when Zantac was working), has become a whimpering, choking, congested, grunting, hiccuping, and comlaining guy who can't sleep well, or eat well (only 6 to 10 oz in a 24hour period for the past 4 days) he's just like before meds were ever introduced!
Am I doing something wrong?
I know it's supposed to be given on an empty stomach, but when he's like this he's never empty, he only drinks an ounce or ounce and a half at a time, and eats more freqently. (At least he's not an over eating piggy anymore, that was awful, let me tell you) The emptiest he would be, would be at 3:00am but he's so tired at that time and I would hate to go through the whole "Take YOUR MEDS!" thing at that time, but if you think it will work better than I'LL DO IT IN A HEART BEAT!!

What kind of luck have you had? Is it worth going through all this? PLEASE give me some hope!

[fussybaby]

Minnie,
I know how frustrating the med process is, my son refused Zantac because the taste was so strong for him, I tasted it myself too and it was a very strong spiriment taste and my son just hated it. (I know there is a new version out there now so I am sure it is better). We had to switch to Tagamet, the taste was so much better and he would take it ok, for a med that is.

I did not personally give my son Prilosec but I do know from reading and other posts that a lot of people give it in a choco base to help the flavor and for it to go down easier. I know you can find this on-line.

However, a note about Prilosec: Prilosec has Lactose and if you use Choco Base it has Soy. If your baby is sensitive to any of these you need to be careful, or if you notice signs of sensitiviity like more fussy, bad diaper rash, allergic reaction, worse bowels, etc. make a note of it and talk to your doc.

You may want to see the doc again or upper GI ped and ask to switch back to Zantac? I am sure you have been thru this already, what did they say?

It is the worst to watch your baby improve and then regress, it is horrible. I remember how it was and it is the hardest. We went thru that until we found the right med, formula, treatments, etc.

Personally, once my son was under control with the right med and would drink a bottle again I started to put the meds in the bottle. I only did this when I knew he would take the whole thing. However, I know this does not help you as much right now because they say not to do that with Prilosec. I am sorry I am not more help with that one. Maybe you can add the liquid in a bottle with just a tiny bit of milk/formula?
Some of the side effects of Prilosec are worth reading about, maybe your son is just not reacting well to it?

I always recommend giving all meds a full week to really determine if they are working. I know that some will have an immediate reaction for the better but I still give everything a week. That goes for formula changes, meds, etc. It's just a good rule to follow. (even though a week can seem like forever when your baby is not reacting well, I know)

Also, you are not doing anything wrong. We all have those thoughts, just remind yourself you are doing everything possible, no one cares more then you do so that makes it impossible for you to be the problem, we as moms are always doing our best to help our baby.

Hang in there, I hope this helps a little....
www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

Thanks sooooo much fussybaby you helped confirm (somewhat, I'll sooon find out :) ) something that I researched today! Baby slept great from 3:00am to 8:00am and gave me some time on the computer. I'm excited and I'm going to try to keep my thoughts clear, but I know I'll be jumping around so bare with me. It's going to be a long one, but I know I have benefited from reading others experiences and hopefuly my story will help someone else.

First I want to say I got him to take his complete dose today without incident. It has been the worst day yet! Worse than worse. It's reminiscent of the new born days. Only not quite as bad as I know whats wrong and how to help now.

I was reading and found out something I NEVER knew. That babies that are sensitive to milk formulas can also be sensitive to soy. We switched to soy after one week of formula feeding. We had a honeymoon period and then things started right back up again. That's when we started suspecting reflux.

I never thought he REALY had a milk alergy, because he never had diarrhea which as you know is the #1 symptom.

Plus I breastfed him for 3 weeks. Alergic or sensitive to mom's milk?!!! I never heard of such a thing! Unitll today. He has had this behavior starting on the second day of his life. The first day was a beautiful bonding experience. Then the second day I ordered Ham and cheese sandwhich with extra cheese, string cheese, 2 things of milk and some juice. I ordered this same meal for breakfast lunch and dinner! It was the worst most lonely night of my entire life!! Then when I got home I had 3 bowls of cereal. I was CRAVin' the moo juice what can I tell ya.

Meanwhile the baby was getting worse and worse. His pooh was green and runny. My first babys pooh was yellow and mustardy and smelled sweet, so I KNEW something was wrong. I told the docs and even showed them (he made a surprize while getting weighed LOL). They said that's normal. Color doesn't mean a thing. I told them about how he was behaving (even the nurses at the hospital noticed), and how he NEVER seemed satisfied even after nursing for an hour straight. I showed them how he ate, because it just wasn't right. They said "Must be a milk production problem" (even though they said his pooh and pee were fine!? UGHHHH) I wasn't engourged so I beleived them and did everything they said to try to "get my supply up".
Meanwhile I'm costipated so I cut out the cheese and dairy hoping that will help. baby is doing better. Alright! I must have gotten my supply up!!! Pooh looks more yellow as well (still not like DDs though). Then my sis makes me some oatmeal cookies to help me pooh. Well you can't have cookies without a crap load of milk!!!! Then BAM baby is all messed up again. "Oh no, all the stress got my supply down" I HAVE to suppliment (doctors were trying to get me to do this since the second day of life)
Bawl bawl sniff sniff. Wow he's doing great. I guess he WAS hungry. Honeymoon period again.... sigh you get the just.
WHY didn't someone suggest a hypo formula!!!? They had me switch to soy! They must have suspected!!! UUUURRRGGGHHHH!!! It should have been one of the first things they ever did!
I'm going to see how tonight goes and if he is still hurting by morning I'm taking him off the new med and buying some of that stuff I can't remember the name of LOL(Hypo formula). Then I'm calling the doc to see if they can prescribe it for me, because I really can't afford it especaily right now.

I don't know wether to scream for joy or kill someone right now!

I'll be back to let you know how things worked out!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

[fussybaby]

Minnie,

I know what you mean, you want to scream, laugh and cry at the same time.
Hang in there, unfortuantely it takes all this sometimes, I remember going through it. It is sooooo confusing.

So, peds seem to always suggest Soy at the first thought if a baby is having signs of trouble. BUT they do not keep current and and do not realize that a lot of babies do just as bad or worse on Soy when they have a sensitivity. Formula makers know this and that is why they now offer lactose free milk-based instead of Soy as an alternative.

Sounds like what you may need for your baby is something like Similac Alimentum? That is the hypo formula that I used for my son. Although it is still milk-based.

I think the hard part is that babies can have a sensitvity to lactose but not have a real "milk" allergy. I, as a baby, had a milk allergy and I swelled up and my throat almost closed, so my parents knew for sure "uh Oh" no milk.
Other babies more often just simply have a sensitivity to proteins in the lactose (even in breastmilk) and even in Soy. So, they have made special formulas these days for each type.

Uuuuggh, it can really be confusing but once you figure it out and get your baby on the right one it makes a WORLD of difference!

Good luck, keep me posted when you have time....

Babies R Us seemed to give the best price on the Alimentum when I was buying it by the case. I also used the ready to use liquid because at that point is was the same price as the powder and it seemd smoother to me. I heard on one post that they were trying to get insurance to cover the cost if the ped would note it was neccessary, I am not sure if it worked but that sure would be great!

Hope this helps....

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

Is this going to hurt him? I mean the fact that he was allergic to his diet this whole time. I know they say they will eventually out grow the sensitivity, but after being exposed to it this long? Is he always going to have a problem with milk?

Also I'm confused.
Is this a lactose intolerence or a milk/soy protein sensitivity?

What should I use?

Are both those formulas the same? Lactose free milk based?

Poor baby!

His reflux is soo bad right now. I keep apologizing to him and crying.

What REALLY sucks hard is I want to go and buy that stuff right now, but I know if I do I won't know who's the culprit. If we have a good night is it from the meds? from the new form? ect
and if we have a bad night I won't know what caused it either. I hate that I have to wait.

Also I don't know if I should coninue the meds (maybe they aren't completely in his system yet and that's why he feels bad) for the reccomended time. Or throw the bottle out the window!!!! I have to rule things out before I can make him well, and it's soooo fustrating.

I didn't even know that a milk sensitivity/allergy could even cause reflux until now. I thought it was it's own thing not a symptom.

Thank God this didn't happen to my first baby! I was even dumber then. LOL

[fussybaby]

Minnie,
Sorry if I made things sound more confusing, it is still even confusing to me after all this time. You have not hurt your child with any long term affects in my opinion, and usually babies grow out of these sensitivities. You are also smart to do just one change at a time. Give the meds a try so you do not ever second guess yourself later. After a few days make the formula change if you feel necessary. Remember, it takes a while for their body to change over to the new formula (I know how hard it is to wait but it is the best in the long run).

Here is what I have for formula types, hope it helps......

Formulas for Milk Allergy or Protein Sensitivity:

Soy based formula, milk-free & lactose free- Similac Isomil
Soy based formula, milk-free & lactose free- Enfamil ProSobee
Lactose Free, milk-based- Similac Lactose Free
Lactose Free, milk-based- Enfamil LactoFree

Formulas for Colic & Protein Sensitivity:

Regular Formula milk-based w/Comfort Proteins-Nestle Good Start
Hypoallergenic for Colic and protein allergy- Similac Alimentum
Hypoallergenic for Colic and protein allergy- Enfamil Nutramigen

Formulas to help Reflux spit ups:

Spit-ups caused by reflux (milk-based thickened with rice starch): Enfamil A.R. LIPIL

This is still confusing a little, but I hope it will help.

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

I've done some more investigating and it is impossable for my little guy to be lactose intol. He may have a milk/soy prot. allergy. whew! glad I figured that one out finally before I tried a formula that wouldn't work. I think or at least I hope that my docs would have gotten this one right.

not only is it a very rare genetic condition, but the baby would have shown serious life threating signs while still in the hospital, and it would have been diagnosed imediately, if he had been lactose intoll.

Here is one of the helpful articles I read that support this.

http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/lactose.html

So I will try the formula that is for prot. allergies. Which is most likely the case. I also found out that constipation can actualy be a symptom of milk/soy allergy. My son has been fighting constipation since the day I brought him home. Even while he was breastfed exclusively he had some very firm poohs. His pooh has always been green as well. Except for those times mentioned while breastfeeding and durring the switch to soy.

Here's one article that talks about constipation and milk allergy

http://www.drgreene.com/21_106.html

Well I'm done for the night, it's my shift with the baby. LOL DH got the raw end of that deal baby is sleeping now! :)

[fussybaby]

Hi Minnie,
I am glad you were able to find out so much info, it is a good feeling once you start figuring it out, I remember that as well. I was much happier when I at least knew what things were and what were the possible options for me and my baby.

My son did well on the Alimentum, however, it smells funny and costs a lot. Maybe your ped will help you out, mine gave me a sample can of the powder version, every little bit helps sometimes.

Let me know if you have further luck with the Prilosec, or if the formula change does the trick, etc.....

I am sure things are going to be much better real soon!!!

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

After calming down and really making myself think. I figured out that my best course of action would be to discontinue the prilosec (it seemed to make it worse), and start him on the new formula. Since he is misserable anyway, why put off a formula change to see if a med that he MAY not have to be on works.
I can't call the pedi until tom. so I went to the store and got what I feel was the best choice. Alemintum RTF. I was reading and posting on yet another message board, and someone there had mentioned that the Alemintum powder form and Nutramigen (both ready to feed and powder) have corn starches and other foodies that may hurt baby's tummy.

I gave him his first bottle about an hour and a half ago. I thought he would hate it and reject it (that stuff sure does smell bad), but he just looked at me a little funny and went about his business. I didn't add rice (I want it to be a pure as possible), and I even bought 2 different size nipples (you should see the collection I have now LOL and I know YOU know what I'm talking about :) ) just in case he didn't get the right flow, but the first one I chose was perfect. Not too fast not too slow. can you beleive that one!!!!

Anyway he refluxed twice while eating and then 3 or 4 times while burping, but then he fell asleep, and he is still sound asleep (SLEEP after eating?!). No grunting no choking, no gasping, and most importantly no "I HURT" crying. It seems funny not to hear those noises, so I've been checking on him quite a bit.

I'm one of the lucky reflux moms and baby does pretty well at night even on a bad night. My marathons are durring the day usually, so this is a very pleasant surprize. I'm not going to get too excited though. I know we aren't through the woods yet. But I'm going to enjoy this moment! :)

[fussybaby]

Minnie,

I am gald to hear there is some relief. I too would have probably made the same choice to switch from the med to the formula. It is hard to know what will work, what will not. Even harder when it works at first but then stops. I sincerely hope this formula will help him. It worked well for my son. I also still had to give him the tagamet though. Maybe once you try out the formula first, then you can judge if he needs anything else...

I too had and still have quite a collection of bottles & nipples LOL. The size and flow was really important for my son as well. Too fast was bad but too slow was bad too. It was a challenge!

I remember also having so many cans of formula (some not even open) that I did not know what to do with. It goes bad after a while and you hate to waste. I was able to donate to a mom shelter in need in my area luckily or so much would have gone to waste.

Let me know how it goes....

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

OMG!
He put himself to sleep at 7:00pm (bed time when things are going well)! and he's breathing through his nose!!! I have never seen him be able to breath through his nose!! With each bottle I could see him get better and better. He actually played and cooed after eating, and no refluxing or choking after only his third bottle! The last time a burped him he giggled! Usualy it hurts him so bad.

I have been crying on and off all day. I think I have gone through every emotion that anyone could ever feel.

PLEASE! reflux don't come back! Let this be it!

It's so hard not to get excited. I know it could come back, but he can breath through his nose!!!!!!!!

I am going to bed. I am soooo tired. I only got 6 hours of sleep in the past 72 hours. Not so much baby keeping me awake, but on the computer trying to figure everything out.

Thank you fussybaby, and thank you to ALL the people who posted here with all there info and links. It got us on the road to wellness and I can't tell you how happy that makes me.

[Minnie]

Well,
As I said before my reflux marathons are usually durring the day. Starting with his first bottle.

This morning he woke up stuffy. I didn't think that much of it because he's always woke up stuffy. "Give it time to get out of his system Minnie."

He was a happy guy as usual, and then I gave him his first bottle. He drank it smoothly without incedent. After his bottle he got the hiccups, but they didn't seem to bother him at all. then he started to do that horrible refluxing sound. He swallowed and swallowed, and swallowed some more, but again it didn't seem to bother him. He took a little snooze once everything calmed down in there, and woke for his next bottle. He had a hell of a time with this one, and all the familiar jerking, gaging, gulping, and whining returned. Afterwards he got the hiccups again and screamed bloody murder. The hiccups lasted a long 20 minutes. Now he's trying to settle down, and he's just grunting and groaning, and swallowing like crazy, with a few whimpers inbetween. Sigh....

How could he go from afternoon yesterday till now without incedent? Without refluxing at all? Can it do that? can it go away like that, and just come back?

I'm still going to finish my experiment with the formula, because I have never seen him that happy without meds, and there HAS to be some kind of connection. Maybe it's just going to take more time like I originally thought.

O.K.
while I was writing my post he made a pooh (normal consistancy yea! his been constipated for soooo loooong) and now he's cooing and smileing.

I have read that pooh back up can aggravate reflux. Maybe that was all that incedent was. The need to pooh out all that old bad stuff.

O.K. Minnie you're over analyzing. Relax. Go with the flow.

AHHHHHHHHHHH! LOL

[fussybaby]

Minnie,
It's hard not to over-analyze, it seems thats what it takes at this stage to figure it out. :)
It sounds like at least the new formula is helping. It may not be the cure but it may at least help a lot. That is what I found with my son at least. It was a huge difference to get him the right formula but he still needed a little something to help him with the burning reflux that would still occur at times.
I did experience some good times and bad times, it is wierd that it would sometimes come and go.
For the most part it was always still there a little though.
Congestion, etc. but the amount of discomfort was amazingly different with the right formula, but also had some a reflux med as well.

Keep up the formula, it very well could have been the digestion issue, that is why I always say give it a week, it takes a while for your baby to pass thru all of the prior stuff and start digesting the new one well.

Hang in there!

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

Can I ask you what your babies pooh was like on Alimentum? I've never formula fed an infant before. And Eric has always a troubles down there, so I really have no clue what a normal (if there is such a thing) formula pooh is supposed to be like.

Thanks

[fussybaby]

I used to laugh at one of the joys of becoming a mom was analyzing pooh, oh the glamer of it all... :)

This is what I remember, hope it helps:

-Breastfed babies usually have the yellow mustardy pooh

-Babies on Soy usually have very green and tary pooh (remember this from my son's trial on soy)

-Alimentum and other milk-based formulas I remember usually somewhat tary but not green & tary like the soy, more regular brownish colored and more watery.

Hope this helps....

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

You described his pooh today exsactly! LMAO

I feel much better thanks

[Minnie]

Well,
That was the only episode he had all day! Yes, it lasted 4 hours, but 4 hours is better than my usual 12 hour hell, and I'll TAKE IT! He's now sleeping soundly. I can't hear baby darthvader. He's been replace by healthy breather again.

He also fell asleep eating his last bottle.

I'm definately going to stick with this formula. It seems to digest faster. He ate more often, and I like that for him. So even if his reflux doesn't go away, I'm useing this stuff.

I'm going to take a break from the computer for a few days. My DH is leaving to help the tsunami victims (NAVY) sometime this week and it's time I concentrate on other people in my family including myself. Thank you so much for your help. I really do beleive this is the answer we have been looking for.
See ya in about a week

[kok1922]

HI

I've read all the posts and now my mind is just swimming. My partner got home so I've got a few minutes...

My 7wo daughter had horrible horrible reflux from week 2- week 4. During that time we gave her Gaviscon and it seemed to work fairly well. Then, it just went away and our cranky, sad, jerky, back-arching baby was relpaced with a happy happy and content baby.

Now, this past week, she sleeps horribly from 4am-7am, is very congested, miserable at feedings etc. Since she has silent reflux, I wasn't clue-ing into the fact that this might be reflux.

Is it possible for it to come and go week by week? Week 5 and 6 were just so wonderful.

Right now I'm breast feeding by pumping since she never got the hang of breast feeding. If she has had episodes of feeling good, is it possible that she's allergic to my milk? Seems doubtful to me.

What do you think we should do? I hate seeing her in pain.

Kelly

[fussybaby]

Minnie,
So glad to hear things are still better....I know exactly what you mean about the family, etc., ....talk to you soon!

Kelly,
My son had times that things were better then worse, it was such a roller coaster sometimes, although symptoms were always there, just sometimes a lot worse then others. My personal opinion is the growth spurts. 5-6 weeks old is a big one too. I think that they are growing so much and changing so much in these first months that it causes some changes in their attitude and response to treatments.

I think some treatments work at first but can not keep up with the growth of the baby and therefor the baby grows out of it too quickly. Its just a thought that I had with some of the products I would try that would seem to only work for a little while.

By what you describe it sure seems like symptoms of reflux. It does not seem to me that there is any signs of severe allergy or allergy to breastmilk, usually those symptoms are more consistent and severe. There could be a sensitivity but from what you desrcibe it just seems like the signs of reflux, the burning pain and discomfort, congestion, coughing, gagging, etc.

Can you ask your ped for a referral to an upper GI ped? They can help with meds if that is something you are considering....otherwise I would not suggest changing from breastmilk yet. There are times when there is an allergy or a protein sensitivity that may require it, it is such a personal thing though. You will know if it is time to change after some trial periods with other treatment, etc....

Hang in there! Hope this helped a little....

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[Minnie]

Kelly,
Have you noticed these if spells are associated with your dairy intake?

No baby cannot be sensitive to YOUR milk, (that is a very rare genetic disorder, and baby would fail to thrive)but she could be sensitive to the milk and other dairy products you eat.

Milk proteins are hard to digest, and only get partially digested by our bodies, then pass on to our babies through are milk. Some baby's have no problem with the partially digested protein at all, but a lot do at least for the few first months of life. Try cutting dairy out completely for a few days or longer, and then put it back in your diet. make note of any changes you notice, and when.

Has your daughter ever had green pooh? Diarrhea, or constipation? Those are all tell tell signs of a milk sensitivity

PLEASE! Don't stop breast feeding. If your daughter has a reflux do to milk sensitivity it is truley the best thing for her to have!!!!!! Even my hypoallergenic formula is made with milk casin. It's partailly digested (like breast milk) to make things easier for him, but it is NOT the best food for him. Dairy free breastmilk would be his best option, but with all the troubles we were having and all the misdiagnoses, I stopped and I regret it so much I cannot tell you. I even tried re-lactating.

Here is the BEST site on the entire internet for breast feeders it will answer any question you have ever had and more. I only wish I would have found it sooner.

http://www.kellymom.com

Mark it in your favorites because I'm sure you will be back again and agan. They have lot's of good advise on pumping as well

[Minnie]

I've got my baby back!!!

Oh so much has happened since my last post.
I tried everything, and basically, to make a long story short. I ended up back doing what I was doing before when he felt so great.

Soy formula, thickened with rice, and Zantac. He is the happiest baby in the world. he's sleeping through the night again. Playing up a storm. He's able to sleep after eating, and stay asleep. He can put himself to sleep again. He's doing so awesome!

This whole down fall was caused by a stupid doctors office mistake. We got things cleared up, and I know how to dose him so he will feel well. I don't think I'm going to lose him in the reflux hole again, now that everything is cleared up. His such a happy busy little guy, and he has his brightness back in his eyes, and it's only been 2 days of his new dose. I look forward to the weeks to come. When he can breath through his nose, and I can't hear him make a sound on the monitor. But even if that doesn't happen again I have hope that I won't be hearing his scared pain cry unless it's shot time.

Thanks for being here for me through my rough time. And I hope I won't need to come back, unless it's to help someone else.

[fussybaby]

Minnie,
I am so glad to hear your baby is doing so well!
Sounds like the Zantac is working much better then the prilosec. It's wierd how much of a difference it can be but the right meds are soooo important. And of course formula, etc.

I am just glad it had worked out for you now....

Take care!

www.fussybabyhelp.com

[mamaw-5]

my 1st son had colic( he is now 5) 2nd son was a great baby ( now 3) my 7 week old son is really a mess He has been on 4 different formula`s and is on some meds for his pain We ae thinking of trying goats milk and see if this helps. right now i am a tired mom. he does not sleep unless he is in bed next to me. We are going to try some of the meds that is listed on here and see if something helps his pain Answer if anyone has any good ideas Stacy

[fussybaby]

mamaw-5,

My parents gave me goats milk as a baby because of my severe milk allergy, my throat swelled, etc. it was a very obvious allergy.

Do you think your son is really this allergic?

I know you said you have tried many formulas already, have you tried the Alimentum, Lacotse Free, or Soy and Lactose Free. You probably have, but I just have to ask.

Your son could have strong sensitivities to the proteins in the lactose, soy, milk, etc.

Also, as you probably read above, the right reflux med & does really makes a difference.

Are you able to see an upper GI ped specialist? That was the best thing I did for my son, they are able to help with exactly what meds, formula, etc. because each child can be so different.

Other things I did was chiropractic & massage. I had some other parents that found specific things regarding their child that way and it really did help.

Also, of course, check for things like ear infection, severe daiper rash, etc...all of which can make for a very unhappy baby.

Hang in there! It gets better!

Sincerely,
www.fussybabyhelp.com

[dogdoc]

HI, we are new parents(older married for 23 years and first child). We are being treated for reflux with our 6 week old boy....the info we got directly from GERBER states " do not mix cereal with formula and leave overnight"; the cereal will sour in about 1 hour and should be discarded".....so either this is correct or they want to sell more product ; we wanted to make all the bottles ahead of time so my wife called there support line and this is what we were told....thnx, Dogdoc:confused: :confused:

[Minnie]

Well, At least that's one thing I did right. I always made every bottle fresh for him.

Eric went down hill since the last time I posted here. He got severely constipated and he was soooo uncomfortable. The meds weren't working, because his whole system had slowed down so much, and it was contributing to the constipation, and he stopped eating. The most I could get him to eat was 8oz in 24 hours. The average was more like 5oz. (This was going on for over 2 weeks!) It was so sad to see him this way again, and I was a complete wreck. He was aspirating, and he was so bloated, even after going 12 hours without eating. He was fighting every bottle. The docs had him come in for weight checks every 3 days to make sure that he wasn't losing. We had to give enema's and suppositories. It was awful! They told me to stop putting rice in his bottles and continue with the karo until he's regular, and if it didn't work they would have to put him on a laxative.

I was so worried about not using the rice because he always got so miserable without it, but I was to the point where it couldn't get any worse than what it was so I did it.

When I went to make the first bottle I mixed as I always did, only I wasn't adding the rice before I shook it. 4oz and 2 scoops. I looked at it when I got done and WTF? It was up to the 5oz mark! So I pored it out and made another. The same thing happened. I did it one more time. I didn't get to the 5oz mark, but it was close. I started to experiment with the powder. (I went through almost a whole can LOL) and came to the conclusion that I had been mixing his formula wrong all this time, and had been majority complicating his reflux. I always wondered why sometimes the bottle would come out thicker than others, but I thought it was the cereal that was inconsistent.

I had never formula fed a baby before, but I sincerely didn't think I was doing it wrong. I would scoop and lightly tap the excess away. (It's not like I tapped like a mad woman) Isn't that what anyone would do? Scoop tap lightly. If not, I guess I'm a complete idiot. Any way I decided to compare scoops. One that I scooped and leveled with a knife and one I did the old tap way. I couldn't believe the difference! The amount was almost doubled!

He has been on properly prepared bottles for 2 days now, and I can't believe the difference! He still hasn't poohed a regular pooh, but I'm sure he will soon. The proof is in the pudding! And I can't wait to see!

Today he feel asleep while drinking his bottle. I burped him when he was done, and he slept through that too. Then Iput him right in his crib without holding him for a half hour. He is sound asleep and has been for over 2 hours. sigh... This has happened only a hand full of times his entire life. I cried and cried. How sweet to be able to put my full sleepy baby to bed without problems.

Long story short. Make sure you are measuring properly, or use the ready to feed or the concentrate.

Now I have to try to get over the fact that I had been making my baby's reflux worse and making him sick for so long. sigh... WHAT A DUMB ASS!

[dogdoc]

We have been told to use 1 scoop per oz of formul and can go as high as 2 scoops per oz. I do not measure exactly but my wife does a better job...the bottle is filling up becausee of the rice displacing the milk, so you have not increased the liquid but just the thickening with the rice; we are all on a trial and error basis...my wife says I am too calm but I listen to barking dogs all day so the crying doesn't bother me; I guess I am lucky, but it does break my heart. dogdoc:(

[mamaw-5]

Well the baby has had RSV for over a week. So no formula just pedialite He has kept it down Sun i tried formula and it did ok for a whiole and then up it came and the same thing this morning. DR today gave him somthing for the puking. He has lost 11 oz the past week since he has been sick. One thing he has not screamed his head off from stomach pain. Poor baby. He is 11 weeks old now. We put him back on soy and he is still taking the mylanta This has worked wonders for his reflux. Thanks to all who have replyed Keep up the messages It does help

[BettyJo]

My son is 4 weeks old today and at 3 weeks we were told he had acid relux and was givien Zantac at .5 twice a day to give to him. Also told to give him rice cereal in his milk. It does not seem as though this is working at all. He seems to have all the symptoms of acid reflux. He arches his back when feeding, does alot of squirming and high pitched cries when he is sleeping. When he eats it seems like he has alot of congestion and does this high pitched like wooping sound. Yet he does very little vomiting, but I was told by a friend that it could be he has silent reflux. He does spit up some and it seems like it is milk and maybe even the acid in his stomach mixed. At times when you hold him and listen to him closely it sounds like I can even hear it coming back up, but not throwing up. Does acid reflux seem to bother some babies more at night then during the day? Sometimes I wonder is this acid reflux or something else. We were given the Zantac on last Wednesday and here we are a week later and things seem to be no better. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any replies.

Betty

[Roni]

I don't think there is anything else going on, it sounds like a very clear case of reflux to me. Refluxers are notoriously poor sleepers, do you keep him propped while he sleeps and after feeding?

InfantRefluxDisease.com (http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com) will give you some great information on treating infant reflux.

[erin25]

Oh I am hoping someone can help me! Collin was put on Zantac about 2 weeks ago for reflux. He would still have a crying episode in late afternoon but mornings weren't too bad. He had a great appetite and I could get away with having to use Mylanta here and there. He was even sleeping about 5 hrs a night for us. A week or so later he had is 2 month shots - a total of 5 immunizations given in one day - and it has all gone downhill from there. I brought him to the Dr two days after that because he had begun going on hunger strikes and was more fussy than before. I thought it could be from the immunizations but the Dr was concerned that he was not eating so he switched his med to Prevacid. He has been on that for 3 days now at 15 mg a day. Today (Monday) I went back to the Dr because he is still not eating like he should and has lost an ounce since Friday. He told me to increase the Prevacid to 22.5 mg a day. How long should it take for Prevacid to kick in? I asked the Dr if we should also continue with the Zantac in between and he said no that Collin didn't need it. Is anyone else out there using both? How much Zantac should you use? I heard the combo works well. My son is 9 weeks and weighs 12 lbs 15 oz. My Dr said that since Collin is not vomiting and is otherwise thriving, we do not need to run tests yet. He is a silent refluxer.

[Minnie]

First,
OH YEAH! immunizations can really mess with reflux. It usualy takes at LEAST 5 days for Eric (my refluxer) to recover. The 4 month shots were the worst (Don't know why, maybe because he was teething also), and he didn't eat well for over a month. The way I understand it is that the immunizations cause the body to react with anibodies and histamines, and stomache acid is a histamine.

We went to the doc after the 2 months shots as well and that's when we tried Prilosec for the first time. Eric didn't do well on it, but that's another story. But when I read this I LOL because of the similarity. We had a good thing going with the zantac and then the shots came. We had our first bout of weightloss then too. (second bout after 4 month shots, and now just getting over the 6 month shots)

The PPI's (Prevacid, prilosec, etc) can take up to 2 weeks to work, but so many people have had lot's of luck with them, and say it's worth the wait. Sometimes a motility drug (helps with Gastric emptying, so the food moves quicker through the digestive tract) with the PPI is the best answer if baby doesn't seem to get any releif from just the PPI.

I was told not to give Zantac with the PPI's but I have heard of people that do with good results. Even the inserts say not to use them together, so I don't know. I do know that a GI specialist will be more likely to prescribe combos and larger doses than a pedi would.

Here's a good link on all the treatments/meds for reflux
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/treatments.htm

There's lot's of other good info on reflux there as well.

[jessie]

Prevacid and Prilosec can take a long time to start working. My ped. had me do both at the same time while she was starting Prevacid (both Zantac and Prevacid). She HATED the Prevacid and it was making her worse and worse to get to sleep so I have stopped using it and am now only using Zantac again. I was giving the Prevacid powder stuff mixed with water and she would just FREAK about it....almost into convulsions she was screaming so much.

Good luck! I am now dreading the 4 month appt.!

[j'smommy]

Jessie-
I wonder why the Prevacid bothered Maxine so much. It makes me feel bad since I am "Gung Ho" Prevacid and reccomended it. Sorry! I wonder if it has anything to do with J's terrible sleeping or is it all even related in his case? Gosh I am getting so frustrated.

Today I felt really depressed, esp. since he would not take a nap unless I held him and even then he wanted to nurse constantly, but was just wiggling everywhere. Just a very exhausting day. I am scared to death to get his 4 month immunuzations next week. He felt HORRIBLE after his last and cried for 2 days. I started swaddling again, but not sure if it helps or hurts b/c sometimes he sucks on his hands which I know can be a good thing for him and I dont want to take his only self soothing technique away.

Does anyone know what diarrhea looks like in a breastfed baby??? He poops every 2-3 days and its very watery/mucusy, usually dark yellow almost green in color. I have to work his legs out to get him to go and his abdomen goes down inches, I swear! His diapers wont even fit before he goes, then they are almost too big in the waist afterwards. Is this normal???

[jessie]

Hi Paula...I have used this site I am pasting below to decipher Maxine's poops when they are different...here is the link:

http://www.drjaygordon.com/pediatricks/poop.htm

According to this page...green mucousy can be the sign of a virus... I bet it could be from congestion too. Take a look at this page and bookmark it. Thanks!

I have also had some bad days with Maxine this week...when will it end? She just screamed and screamed about the Prevacid...it had lots of lumpy stuff and I think she hated swallowing it...it was the powder mixed with water. It did not seem worth continuing since she seems to do ok with Zantac...she still spits up a lot...but it does not bother her 1/2 as much. Her problems at this point are almost all related to sleeping and her breastfeeding behavior is bad at times (bucking).

The sleep thing is REALLY getting to me. I wish she could sleep for an extended period of time without being swaddled and held tightly. It is very stressful to get her to sleep. Swaddling is LITERALLY the only way she will sleep at this point...sleeping with me does not even help anymore. Argh...hope this ends soon and she is a peaceful, sleeping baby. Good luck...hope your day today is better.

Maxine's belly gets distended before she goes to the bathroom sometimes too. Gas I guess.

[j'smommy]

I know what you mean by the sleep thing getting old. Today, I was bound and determined to get him to take a nap by himself-without being held. I basically spent 4 hours trying to get him to take a nap. Falling asleep is pretty easy, he just cant stay asleep. I think the longest he slept was 20 minutes. Once he woke up passing gas, another time I picked him up he burped and puked everywhere. I tried leaving one hand out of the swaddle, but he ended up bopping himself in the face with it, which just wakes him up more. Ohhhhhh-frustrating! Does Maxine take naps? I am assuming her sleep troubles are day and night.

His stomach is in bad shape today-I can hear it gurgling constantly. I wonder if he is teething b/c he drools alot and when he throws up it looks like drool and undigested milk. I dont know when he is hungry now b/c he constantly puts his hands in his mouth and is chewing on everything.

Thanks for the website-it helped alot. I put a sample of his poop in a bag to take to the Ped. next week. It had black specks in it and I wonder if its blood.

Hope little Maxine gives you a few good days soon.

[babygurl041705]

wat is GERD? I AM A NEW MOMMY and i am so worried about everything..but then again i am only 19.....Annastasia is only 18 days old and i think she has reflux...........but it cou;d just be me...............

[jessie]

GERD is reflux. gastroesophageal reflux disease. If you think your daughter has it...talk to the pediatrician and we can give lots of advice too. What are the symptoms?

[babygurl041705]

pretty much all of them! She is such a good baby and it breaks my heart! If my doctor tells me there is nothing he can do i might blow up, her body is so little and she cant handle somthing like that it makes me wanna cry!

[j'smommy]

If your baby has GERD, yes it can be scary at first, then just plain frustrating. There are many of us whose babies have a very hard time with it, BUT there are also lots of babies with GERD who respond very well to meds or simple changes to feeding and sleeping habits. Let us know how it goes.

[Nicole0929]

Hello!!! My name is Nicole. I justed wanted to say hello. I hav been using the site for awhile but just registered. My little guy is 5mo. old. He just got his 2nd upper gi today and his reflux was finally actually diagnosed. It didnt work the first time at 3mo. I have been battling this since he was a week old. He projectile vommitted until 8 weeks and now spits up here and there but mainly swallows it back down. His first ped did nothing. Argued about sending to GI. I figured it out on my own from reading a book on sleep problems. He is now with a great ped. He saw a GI but wasnt good. New ped sent us to new GI, going next Tues. He was doing pretty good until about 1 mo ago. He always slpet good at night anyway but is no longer. He has been on zantac, prevacid, zantac again,and now prevacid (stronger dose) ped wants to start reglan but I dont right now. Too mant scary side effects. I havent done cereal in a bottle yet so Imight try that. I understand about the frustrations!!!!!!!! I feel alone and helpless. I feel like I am going to lose my mind at times. I feel bad for my son CJ because my patience has gone right down the tubes and I get mad and frustated. This is my first baby and I didn't think it wouldbe this hard. No one can really relate to me. I just wanted to say hello and say I feel for every mom dealing with reflux!!!

[Carmen]

Hello everyone! It has been a long time since I posted but I still come here often to check in and gain some sanity! I want to let all of you know that I feel for you and know where you are coming from. I have two girls first one had colic really bad, and the second one was diagnosed with reflux at 7 1/2 months. This was after crying with every dr. I went to that it was not just colic, but reflux. Jaidyn has responded very well to Zantac and we are thankful for that. She is also scheduled to have tubes surgically placed in a few weeks. It has been the worst 8 1/2 months of our families lives. My marriage has suffered, my older daughter has suffered and I have been dealing severe post partum as well. BUT........ there is hope because it will get better and you will form a bond with your child that no one can understand unless they have dealt with reflux or colic.

I cried for hours every day and wondered why I ever had kids to begin with, but now I am thankful for them and love them more every day!

Best Wishes!

[j'smommy]

Good Luck with everything! I am so glad the Zantac is helping your baby. Despite Jackson's reflux, he has not been sick one time and the Ped says his ears are clear. One blessing...thank God!!! My sis says he is teething, so here we go! I hope Jaidyn gets some relief soon-and you too!

[docmich1]

Hi Everyone,
This is my first time on this site. I hope I am doing it right. I was up with my 9 week old (again) and am so glad I am came across this. I feel so alone and overwhelmed right now. They diagnosed my baby with reflux after doing an upper GI and ultrasound and switched her to Nutramigen and rice cereal (after finding out she was also allergic to milk and soy). They too tried diagnosing her with colic at first. She is on Prevacid, Zantac and now the doctor is adding Erthyomycin (sp?) which is an antibiotic that does some of the same things as reglan without the harmful side effects. We have tried taking her off of Zantac and altering doses of each but it gets so much worse. The GI doc says she shouldn't be on both but she is so much sicker when she isn't. She is gaining weight but is miserable and sick most of the time. She cries a lot, doesn't sleep much and it is breaking mine and my husband's heart. She still refluxes a lot and is in so much pain. I don't know what to do. It seems to me that they have her on an awful lot of medicine at 9 weeks old. Someone please help me, I just don't know what to do........

[j'smommy]

How long has she been on the Prevacid? I think it takes a week or so to work. Are you sure all of her pain is from reflux?? It could be gas pain which Zantac and Prevacid cant help. I used to think all my baby's problems were related to his spitting up/reflux, but now I notice he cries more when he needs to pass gas. My baby is on Prevacid...7.5mg a day and I dont THINK his heartburn is too bad anymore. When I tried going without the Prevacid, he started crying again when he burped or spit up...now he will be laughing and the spit up will just be coming out of his mouth. The rice cereal that I gave my baby (Gerber) has soy in it so if you havent already, you may check the ingredients. My baby had started sleeping better then screamed all night the 2 nights I gave him cereal.. Some babies dont tolerate it well no matter if they are allergic or not. Meaning it could be doing more harm than good. Just curious-how did you figure out she was allergic to milk and soy?? Trial and error? Symptoms? Tests?

I can relate to your feelings completely. I felt lonely, depressed, isolated, disappointed, jealous of other moms with "perfect" babies. I thought for sure my baby would never smile or be happy, BUT he is a very happy baby and we are still dealing with issues. Point is-you are doing everything you can do-your baby will get better and when she starts smiling and laughing, you may still have some frustrating days, but it will all be worth it!!! This will only make you stronger and teething and the terrible twos will be a breeze. Everytime you get really frustrated, give your baby a kiss and tell her you love her-that helped me not get "mad" at Jackson. Now when he feels really bad, he burrows his face into me and wants to snuggle...I am glad that he accepts comfort from us. You will make it. Remember you are not alone!!!

[docmich1]

Thank you so much for your reply. It is so nice to know that I am not alone. You hit the nail right on the head with being jealous of mother's who have "perfect" babies. I felt so guilty for that. I am very grateful that this is all she has. She really is a cool little girl.
As far as figuring out her allergy. She was sick the moment we brought her home from the hospital. She had violent projectile vomitting and very loose stools. It was a little better when the doctor switched her to soy but not much. It was only when we tried Nutramigen that it got much better and she started gaining weight. I am so glad you told me about the gerber cereal. I am giving her that right now and had no idea that it had soy in it. I asked my doctor too. Is there a cereal that doesn't have anything in it like that?
She is on 15mg of prevacid/day (2 of the 7.5 a day). She is also on 5ml of Zantac 2x/day and now Erthyromycin 3x/day (5ml each time). That seems like so much for her. I don't know if I am doing the right stuff or not. I am open to any suggestions from anyone. Sometimes I feel like the doctor doesn't care very much because she is gaining weight. I have tried to take her off the Zantac but anytime I change anything, she gets worse. She has been on the prevacid for 3 weeks now. I am checking these often and really appreciate the feedback from you veteran mothers out there!!!!!!

[j'smommy]

Man thats alot of antacids....our pediatric GI told us that 15mg is too much for Jackson, who weighs around 18 pounds. I dont know what to tell you b/c her body should not be producing enough acid (b/c of all the meds) to cause her to have painful reflux all of the time. My only suggestion is to make sure her reflux is the cause of ALL the pain. Does she pull her legs in and act like she has gas or a bellyache? The reflux meds wouldnt help that. SOme people say simethicone helps, some say it doesnt. The reason I keep asking about the gas is b/c when J was little, he didnt pass gas very much and he was constantly grunting and straining ang crying (along with spitting up, arching, burping...) Anyway, now he passes tons of gas so I know he probably had just as much gas when he was little, he just couldnt get it out. I attributed all his pain to reflux. I hope you and your little one get some relief soon! Oh yeah-is there a possibility the erythromycin is causing some of her discomfort? Antibiotics can almost always cause some kind of GI problems, esp. in babies. Good Luck!

[docmich1]

I don't know what to think anymore. I am so confused. If I take her off of any of the antacids, she gets really bad. She does pass a lot of gas, that has never been a problem. When she screams for long periods of time, you can hear her refluxing, it is so sad to watch. I am not high on giving her an anitbiotic either. I just started it today and am thinking about stopping it. I just don't know what to do anymore. Anyone know any cereals that don't have soy or milk in them?

[crying-out]

My son is 9 weeks also and we were giving him Prevacid 15 ml a day as well. We went to see our Gi spec. on Monday and she seemed extremely surprised that our Doc had prescibed that to Sam. Since he has been on the Prevacid we have seen great changes. However, she still wanted us to go to 5ml a day instead. She said that Prevacid is usally given to patients that have proven esphogitus due to reflux and that she didn't want us on it unless it were found. So, we were told to stop the Prevacid all together on Thursday and then in two weeks (long enough for the meds to wear off) she is going to do an endoscaphy (sp?) Put a probe in his throat and take a tissue sample. My husband and I are really nervous about this procedure and are hoping we are making the right decision in letting her do this.
We were on zantac but didn't see any results. I know how you feel about the meds. I would ask for a second opinion, it does seem like a lot of meds for your little one to be on. Maybe you can see a different GI spec.
Our son Sam has reflux but he also has colic. even though the Prevacid was working he still cries a lot from gas pain. a different cry though. Like the other girl said, try and pay attention to the type of cry. With Sam's reflux I noticed his legs would straighten up and back would archand nothing seemed to sooth him. With his gas pain the cry isn't so uncontrollable and his legs would almost pump and curl up. I think a lot of it comes hand and hand. Crying also produces a lot of gas pain from all the air they swallow. it is a crazy cycle.
You are doing a great job though. You are asking a lot of questions. Keep doing that. My Ped's nurse and I have become good friends. I call alot and ask a ton of questions.
It will get better keep visiting this site and you know you are not alone. That to me is great comfort!

[docmich1]

Thank you so much for saying all that. I gave my baby the antibiotic last night and was got so sick from it. So, I am never giving it to her again and am calling to another GI doc to get a second opinion. I am paying close attention to her cries. Unfortunately, she seems to be refluxing and screaming in pain. She does get gas sometimes, but it is like you said, a different cry. If I alter the Zantac or Prevacid amounts, she is so sick. So, I am going to a different doctor. It is so frustrating and scarey. Good luck to you with that test. Please get on here and tell me how it went.

[j'smommy]

How are you giving the Prevacid?? Compound or tablet form?? I could barely get all the compund down J and now I can crush the tablet and give it to him on his tongue and he loves it. Keep doing what you are doing. A second opinion is a good idea. Dont feel bad if you have to be pushy-I am very bad about not being assertive and I just had to be for my baby. Give your baby lots of hugs and kisses-even when she arches away from you-remember its NOT b/c she doesnt like you or want to be held. I swore my baby hated me and now he clings on to me everywhere we go and lights up when he sees me. You will get there!!!!!

[jessie]

My daughter would not take the compund either...I gave up though...she seemed to be doing ok with the Zantac and I thought we could just wait it out. Time, again will also help...I see things improving with the reflux/ gas daily...now if I could just get her to SLEEP!!!

[docmich1]

I give her the quick dissolve tablets. I dissolve them in water and then give it to her with a dropper. She takes it all. I did talk to another doctor today and they both now have said the same thing. She needs the ph probe because most babies do better on Zantac and Prevacid. She is only doing about 50% better but is gaining weight. So, they said that I need to make the choice of...is 50% good enough or not... If it is not, I need to get the ph probe and put her on Reglan. The ph probe will show if it is all reflux or not. If not, we can check into something else. I just hate to do all that and to take her off of meds for 4 days before it and then wait for them to start working again. And, I hate to give her reglan with all of it's side effects. My heart is broken and I have cried so much today. I want to give this little girl the world. I just want to do the right thing. Thanks for letting me vent. It does help to talk about it.

[j'smommy]

Gosh I am soooo sorry!!! Whatever decision you make will be the right one. I dont know what I would do, but I guess if you have the ph probe, you wont question what is wrong with her if it shows it is definitely all reflux related. But I agree, to go without meds could be scary too. You can always try the Regaln, if it doesnt help then quit giving it. Our doc said Regaln helps around 25% of babies and the bad side effects I'm sure are extremely rare. My baby didnt react well to it, but I have a friend who's baby was on it for 6 months and she swears by it. Good Luck...I pray you find some relief for you and your baby!!!!!!

[docmich1]

Well, I started her on the Reglan today and so far, she is fussy and drooling a lot. Is that part of the side effects? I am giving it until Monday and if she isn't better I am taking her off of it and agreeing to get the ph probe. I am praying this helps her but am pretty scared. It is so hard to watch someone you love so much suffer so bad. I am sure everyone on here knows exactly what I mean. Anyone who has had experience with Reglan and it's side effects, please let me know so I know what to look for. Thanks!

[j'smommy]

My baby seemed to drool pretty early as well. He was on Reglan from week 2-8. When he was on Reglan, he just seemed very stiff and irritable all of the time. What I mean by stiffness is like he couldnt relax and his body was very rigid and tight and he never seem engaged in his surroundings. We didnt notice it until we took him off of it and the next day he laid his head on my shoulder and took a nap without needing to be swaddled or anything. he also seemed to respond to us more. He was very colicky so we just attributed his stiffness to that, but he was a different baby once we took him off of it. The stiffness, seizure like movements, and parkinson like symptoms are the side effects I know of and I cant remember all of the rest. That being said, i have to say that many babies do very well on Reglan. I am a labor and delivery nurse and also worked in the nursery and saw many babies do fine on Reglan, including my friend's baby who was on it for 6 months. I hope it helps your baby, but I just want you to be aware. Good Luck!!!

[allyray231]

My son has reflux--although it doesn't make him cry he has a lot of gagging and choking--it freaks me out!! I tried to BF him but I don't have enough of a supply and he has a weak suck. Can you recommend a formula for him. He is on Simalc but it is too hard for him I think-we are thinking of going to Soy. Also I have heard good things about good start.

[austinsmom]

I would try Good Start first. My son started on Enfamil but I switched him to Good Start when he was 5 weeks old. I noticed a huge difference in 24 hours, he wasn't nearly as gassy or fussy!. It's a good formula and seems to be easier on their tummys. I know several people who switched to it and has had better luck with it.

Stacy

[allyray231]

Well I tried the goodstart today and it seemd to make things worse!!! How long should I use it till I know if it will help

I HATE listening tom him gurgle and have crap in his thoart and trying to get it out! I don't know if I should put him on the meds or try the Soy. I don't want to try too many formulas

[austinsmom]

I would give it a few days. It's not going to be an immediate change but if it is going to make a difference you should see a change in a couple of days.

Stacy

[hal0417]

Glad to find this board, as I am at the end of my rope. My daughter has reflux and is 4 1/2 months old. We started her on Zantac, gave her Reglan for the first 6 weeks until she started gaining weight. Now, she is gaining weight just fine, but the vomiting and not sleeping through the night has really taken a toll on me. I am depressed, and not feeling like being a mother. Is this common? Some nights, I feel as if I could just walk out the front door and not come back. Obviously I don't do that - but I want to know if others feel this way? Is this postpartum depression, or just a phase???

My daughter, McKenna, is on Prevacid now, and she is on the Enfamil AR formula. I completely weaned her from nursing about 2 weeks ago (which was emotionally hard on me - she was a great nurser, just couldn't keep down the breastmilk whatsoever).

I took her to the chiropractor today and will continue to see him every other day for the next 2 weeks or so.... anyone had luck with this? Just wondering what else I can do to try to help her through this? She is only sleeping about 5 hours at night before waking up for a feeding. I try to not feed her and pat her back, etc. - but her stomach is growling and I know she is hungry. Do I continue this feeding, even though by this age they say to get out of the 2 am feeding? She only takes 4 oz. of formula at a time,so that makes me think that she would be hungry and need that addtional feeding. I try to let her cry at night, but after 20 minutes, she is still screaming - so I feed her. Any help on this????????

Thanks so much and glad to have found this board!
Hallie

[Willow]

hi, my best advice is to take your grandson to a specialist that treats reflux. my daughter was in NICU after she was born and was immediately put on REGLAN, even though she had not been diagnosed with reflux. She was in NICU for three weeks and took Reglan with Zantac, was prescribed to continue those meds at home...which we did...however, our daughter had a fit of muscle contractions in her body, eyes rolling back into her head, contracting her body over in a ball, then straight...she stopped breathing. I thought she was having a seizure, we called 911 after my husband did cpr. We took her to the local children's hospital where she was examined and the gastrointestinal specialist said she was having a reaction to Reglan, not the reflux... it was like our little girl was in a coma, always sleeping, very lethargic. Then, that night she stopped breathing was horrible. If that had not happened, she would still be on REGLAN and ZANTAC and no telling the damage it would have done. She is now taking Prevacid and our follow up is this Friday with the specialist and I am going to tell him I want her off of everything...she was diagnosed with mild acid reflux. All of the research I am seeing online about REGLAN is terrifying. In the meantime, we also found out that the pharmacy made an error and our child was taking 10 times the dosage of Reglan...which also attributed to her abnormal behavior. An EEG was done and showed no seizers, thank God. She has enough to face with her craniosynestosis, which we are having surgery on 8/18/05 to correct...she certainly didn't need this to happen to her. My heart aches for you. We saw the "feeding team" at the children's hospital (that consisted of an Occupational Therapist and a Nutritionist)...they added rice to her formula and it helped tremendously with the reflux. If your grandson has not seen a specialist of this nature, ask your pediatrician, as well. Our prayers are with you and email me anytime to ask questions. We are researching more and more about Reglan and I don't mind passing on what we learn, or passing on what is working for us. All I know is the biggest lesson we have learned is that we have to be our daughter's no.1 advocate, no one else will. We have to ask every question, research every medicine, because we were never told of the terrible side effects of Reglan. Also, what I have found is shocking, I read somewhere online that Reglan is NOT recommended for anyone under the age of 20 due to the sever side effects.

[j'smommy]

For a long time, I thought my babies' night wakings were uncommon and it frustrated me b/c I didnt understand why my baby woke up to nurse several times a night. Then I started talking to other moms and realized that MOST babies DONT sleep thru the night and that is PERFECTLY NORMAL. My attitude about the night wakings (and napping for that matter) started changing. I try to have a more positive attitude about it and realize that babies are only babies for such a short time. Jackson was very colicky, still has reflux, and for the first 4 months did not sleep unless I was holding him or he was sleeping right next to me. He nursed every 2-4 hours at night too. When I moved him to his bed and tried to let him self soothe, he started sucking his thumb. This is a good thing I guess, but now I know he was waking up at night not only for food, but for comfort. Did you know that a 5 hour stretch at 4.5 months of age is considered "sleeping thre the night." So you are already ahead of the game!:) Jackson has been sleeping 11-12 hours at night for the past week or two, then this weekend he was fighting sleep and waking up to nurse. Instead of letting it stress me out, I just comforted him...and I actually let him sleep with me both nights. Then last night he slept all night again.. If you dont believe in letting your baby "cry it out," then you may just have to accept that your baby will sleep better when she is ready....and until then just enjoy this period where she needs you so much. No Cry Sleep Solution is a great sleep book.

By the way my baby was on Prevacid, but it caused too much gas. We are going back to the GI doc this Friday...not sure what we re gonna try next.

Post often...welcome to the board!

[j'smommy]

Willow-I am so sorry to hear what your little one went thru!!! J was on Reglan for a couple of weeks, but we took him off of it once we learned the side effects. Good Luck with everything!!

Hallie-I forgot to mention that your feelings are normal, esp. for a mommy to a colicky baby. Dont hesitate to go to your doc or OBGYN of you want to try some meds, esp. since you arent breasfeeding anymore. It gets better!~

[jessie]

Willow,
I am sorry to hear about all of the things you went through. How did your DC get diagnosed with craniosynostosis? At birth? At the pediatrician? I have some questions about that because I had concerns about head abnormalities for my daughter as well.

[Jul]

Willow, what websites do you go to when you research meds...i have a lot of questions about prevacid because i was contemplating putting my 11 week old son on it instead of the zantac, but i can't find a good site that tells me enough about it. So sorry to hear about what happened to your experience.

[CalebsMommy]

Well, where do I begain? My son Caleb is 5 weeks old and we have already had him on serval diffrent formulas: regular Enfamil, LactoseFree, Prosobee and now we are on Nutramagen (which he seems to tolerate the most). It all started with the uncontrolable screaming and his sypmtoms got worse from there. At first they said it was gas. (which some of it was). Then it was teh formula's. Well after that he started with the vommitting, arching the back, scream all the time, fussy after feedings, sounding congested and so on. After taking him back to the pd office she ordered a upper Gi and the results where he has severe reflux. We had him on Zantac for a week but that didn't do anything and now he is on previcid. But he has only been on it a few days. My biggest problem is he won't sleep! the only place he will sleep in on your chest or on his tummy. and if i lay him on his tummy i can't sleep because of the big sids thing. They say you shouldn't let them sleep on there tummys. But everytime i put him on his back or side, he sleeps for about 10 mins and then wakes up screaming. I have tried raising the end of the bed, letting him sleep in his bouncer and car carrier. But he just likes to be on him stomach. I spoke with the pedi today and she said to let him sleep on his stomach if he wouldn't sleep anywhere else, But it SCARES me. I am so paranoid. Does anyone else have this problem and have any advice. I am loosing my mind! I get maybe 2-3 hours of sleep a day. ( and thats only because he is asleep on my chest!) please help!

[aj's mom]

My son is 5 months old and has been on prevacid for 2 months. Prevacid
takes about one full week before it is fully working. Make sure you give it
on an empty stomach. We give it 30 minutes before is feeding. If you give
it with food it doesn't work. Hopefully this helps. My son didn't sleep for
4 months. I thought I was going to go crazy. He sleeps pretty well at night and
he takes only short naps but it's better than before.

good luck,
karen

[j'smommy]

Prevacid is a great drug and I hope it helps your little one. My baby stopped screaming with the prevacid, but we weaned him off of it b/c he was one of the rare babies that got very blaoted and gassy with it. Now we are trying a trial run with it again to see if it still causes gas.

Sleep issues are no fun. I just napped with Jackson on my chest during the day and slept with him against me at night. I would only dress him in a light onsie, tightly swaddle him with a thin blanket. That way he wouldnt get too hot with the body heat. We did this for 4 months, then he started tolerating sleeping by himself some. He would sleep in his bouncy seat some or on his wedge in his bed. I didnt start putting him down to sleep until I felt he was out of pain b/c I couldnt imagine him laying there crying and having painful reflux without me trying to comfort him. I remember at 6 weeks he averaged 6 hours of sleep a day. 2 weeks ago, he was sleeping11-12 hours at night and napping great. He is having trouble now but its due to us moving. I am telling you this b/c your child WILL GET BETTER and will start sleeping once the reflux is under control and he starts feeling more comfortable by himself. Until then, you are his only comfort and he will love you so much for all the unconditional love and comfort you give him. Jackson is soooo sweet and friendly and I like to think that we contributed to that b/c of our constant comfort during the painful reflux and colic days. Your baby will get there!

infantreflux.org is a GREAT website for reflux. You will learn so much from this site. Hang in there!!!

[drkchild]

what about breastfed babies???? any solutions for those babies and feeding???? :conf4





I originally posted this information over at TLOL, but since the TLOL boards are closing, :( I thought I'd move it over here.

<i>Let me begin this post by stating that I'm not an expert on this subject by any stretch of the imagination. This post is merely a summary of some of the information I have found while searching for relief for my infant son.</i>

If you suspect or have been told that your baby has colic, you may want to consider the possibility that your baby may have reflux. This may not be the answer for all colicky babies, but in my experience and based on my conversations with other mothers, reflux is <b>very</b> common and is very often misdiagnosed as colic.

<b>Symptoms</b>

<i>These are some of the more common symptoms of reflux. Your baby may only have some of them, and may have other symptoms that are not listed.</i>

Spitting up frequently
Vomiting
Unexplained crying
Poor sleep; frequent waking
Fighting during feeding
Arching neck or back during feeding
Frequent hiccups
Congestion
Wheezing
Coughing
Hoarseness
Strange odor on breath
Poor weight gain
Frequent choking episodes

<i><b>Important:</b> There are a couple of common misconceptions about reflux:

First, your baby does not have to be losing weight to have reflux. On the contrary, many reflux babies actually <i>overeat</i> because eating eases the pain.

Second, your baby does not have to be spitting up to have reflux. This is known as "silent reflu


x" and can actually be harder on your baby because their esophagus is getting burned by the acid on the way up and again when it goes back down. It's also a lot harder to recognize as reflux.</i>

<b>Talking to your pediatrician</b>

If your baby is exhibiting signs of reflux, you should talk to your pediatrician about it. Be forewarned though that many pediatricians only consider reflux to be a problem if the baby isn't gaining weight properly. Beyond that, many seem to think it's merely a laundry problem for an overreacting parent and will tell you that your baby will grow out of it and send you an your way. Yes, your baby will grow out of it, but if your baby is experiencing pain and discomfort from reflux, there's no reason why he should have to suffer while he's growing out of it! You need to make sure that your doctor understands that your baby is in pain and that you're not complaining about the laundry. And if he still doesn't listen, find another doctor. (That's what I and many other mothers have had to do.)

<b>What you can do to relieve symptoms</b>

<b>Formula</b>
Reflux is sometimes due to protein sensitivity, allergy or other intolerance. Your baby may do better on a soy formula, but many babies who don't tolerate milk well are also sensitive to soy proteins as well. Talk to your pediatrician about formula options. There are hypoallergenic formulas such as Alimentum and Nutramigen that may help. They're expensive, but if they help, it's worth every penny. (And I've heard that some insurance companies may cover these specialized formulas if prescribed by a doctor.)

Another option is to thicken formula with rice cereal. Again, talk to your pediatrician about it. Many doctors will tell you that it's okay to add up to 1 tsp. of rice cereal per ounce of formula. Or you can use a pre-thickened formula like Enfamil AR. It's more convenient, and you don't have to deal with clogged nipples. (Note: Rice cereal can cause gassiness and constipation, so you might want to introduce it gradually to see if your baby tolerates it well.)

:idea Tip: If you thicken your own formula, try running the dry cereal through a blender first to make it really fine. Then prepare all the bottles the night before. This gives the cereal a chance to really thicken the formula.

<b>Positioning</b>

Let gravity help your baby whenever possible. Keeping your baby upright during feeding and for 30-45 minutes afterwards will help a lot. Also, many reflux babies have a really hard time laying flat to sleep. My baby was always very restless, noisy, and constantly squirming and grunting. It took me a while to figure out why. :rolleyes Finding a sleeping position that will be comfortable for your baby can be quite a challenge.

Here are a few suggestions:

Let him sleep in a car seat or bouncy seat
Elevate the head end of the crib by placing books under the legs
Elevate the head end of the crib mattress by placing a pillow or quilt underneath
Use a crib wedge (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000056J6Q/qid%3D1039874675/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-2019010-0896121)
Use a Tucker Sling (http://www.tuckerdesigns.com/)


<b>Medications</b>

<i>It's always preferable if you can relieve your baby's symptoms just by making changes in his feeding and positioning, but if you've tried all that and your baby is still suffering, there are a few medications that you might want to ask your pediatrician about. Most are only willing to prescribe Zantac and Reglan. To get a prescription for Prilosec or Prevacid, you will probably have to get a referral to a pediatric GI.</i>

<b>OTC antacids such as Maalox and Mylanta</b> (the adult strength liquid); <i>Mylanta Supreme</i> is cherry flavored. :yummie Ask your doctor or pharmacist what the proper dosage is for your baby's weight.
<b>Zantac</b> (Rx) - neutralizes the acid so that it doesn't "burn" as much; well tolerated by most babies, few side effects
<b>Reglan</b> (Rx) - a motility drug (helps empty stomach faster); miracle drug for some, but many babies don't tolerate it well at all, and there are some pretty scary side effects
<b>Prilosec or Prevacid</b> (Rx) - acid blockers (PPI-Proton Pump Inhibitor); greatly reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach

[j'smommy]

Oh yeah-I taught Jackson to snack during the day instead of taking in huge amts every 4 hours or so. If I think of anything else, I will let you know. I love breastfeeding now.....its tough to stick it out esp. when the baby keeps spitting up! But remember you are providing the ultimate comfort-breastfeeding. You wont regret it.

[sugarpop]

Breastfed babies definitely can have reflux, BUT breastmilk is very soothing to babies' tummies, so keep breastfeeding even if you have a refluxer. Sometimes BF babies will nurse often (mine was every 1.5 - 2 hours) because it makes them feel better. With medication to control the acid though, they usually end up nursing on a more normal schedule. La Leche League has some good info on breastfeeding a refluxer and why breastmilk helps.

Do watch your diet, though - some babies are sensative to what mom eats, especially cow's milk protien.

[LaurensMom]

Blessed My daughter Lauren was dignosed advanced with advanced stage GER. She was changed to formula from breast shes not allergic to milk base that we can tell yet. Shes been on formula now as well as Zantac for four days and we are seeing a world of difference. I was wondering if you might have tips on hoarseness. She has a raspy hoarse voice and clears her throat. Her reflux is going away now but the throat is hurting her VERY much. Also it seems late at night and early in the AM she seems to be straining ALOT in her sleep. she is making loud strain noises and sleeps through them most of the time. IT seems like she is having trouble digesting or passing bowls?? Ever heard of it?

[j'smommy]

The hoarseness should improve as the Zantac heals the esophagus. My baby's hoarseness improved after about a week of being on Prevacid. my baby did the straining stuff all of the time. once he was more active, he semed to be able to work his poops, gas, burps out himself. our ped said that most colicky babies have exaggerated responses to everything, whether its overstimulation or passing gas. glad to heal your little one is feeling better.

[dacotahsgirl]

Is it possible that Zantac can cause my baby to have MORE gas?
My daughter was diagnosed w/ Reflux, and her doc prescribed Zantac. It just seems to me that she is even more fussy and gassy at times. Has anyone else had this problem?

[kathynnp]

CalebsMom: Look into the Angelcare monitor by BebeSounds. It has a plate that sits under the baby's mattress and senses breathing motions. If you baby stops breathing, it will alarm after 20 seconds. This may make you feel more comfortable about your baby sleeping on his stomach - the monitor has excellent reviews by users on amazon.com and I have had no false alarms by it. It is VERY sensitive - you can't even have a ceiling fan on in the room or it picks up the movement.

[whatodo]

I must admit I thought I was going insane! Caleb is my second child (BF until now) and I do believe he has silent reflux. When he was 2 weeks it all started. I called my Ped. and he prescribed zantac and also elimating dairy from my diet. Doing all of this for 2 weeks now has not really changed. ( he is now 4 weeks old) I must admit I got pretty desperate only because I also have a 21 month old son who demands alot of my attention too.
I gave up BF and went on to try Prosobee made from Enfamil just yesterday. It worked great but tonight I am seeing it all again. My question is....I heard from a friend that she had tried liquid calcium carbonate in addition to zantac....and she said it worked for her. Has anyone else out there heard this? I purchased it today, but the pharmacist could not give me a dosage for my almost 9 lb. Caleb. He stated, he had not heard this and to call my doctor. Well, my doc was out today....so I will call tomorrow, but just wondering?

I am doing everything else to help comfort Caleb, but Luke( 21 month old) also wants his Mommy......I guess I could not be the SuperMom and continue to BF.

Please reply

[Minnie]

I wish I could help, but I never heard of liquid calcium carbonate for treating reflux.

Here's a good link on different treatment options though
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/treatments.htm

[jamron32]

My 3 week old son was recently prescribed zantac (0.8 x 3/day). The medication smells and tastes terrible. He screams when he takes it and spits a lot of it out. Is it ok to mix the medication in his formula or is there an easier way to give it to him. Any feedback would help!!!

[Minnie]

It's better not to mix it with food, but in the first few weeks of giving it I had to give it with formula to get him to take it. After he got used to it he would take it with a little water instead, and then eventually he took it straight. (this is the best way to take the liquid zantac , even for adults, but with water is a very close 2nd) . I wouldn't put the med in a full bottle, instead put a little formula in the baby's nipple along with the dosage of zantac and let baby take his/her time, (they get quicker and better at it with time, at least mine did) because if your baby is having trouble eating because of reflux pain it should be given at least 15 minutes before they eat. If however the baby isn't experiencing eating difficulties you will get the best results at least a half hour after eating. when you give the zantac with their meal it tends to slow down digestion (not good for refluxers) and/or mess with the absorption of zantac.

Another thing to keep in mind if you use gas drops you are going to want to keep the 2 meds at least and hour apart from each other. The gas drops can interfere with absorption too, by up to 45%. I learned all this from my pharmacist, and our GI specialist also agreed with it. The Pedi had no clue.
I hope this helped

[Taff]

I had the same problem with my son. Zantac tastes and smells awful, no wonder infants don't like it. I gave my son 1 oz. of formula mixed with the Zantac in a seperate bottle and gave that to him first. Then finished the rest of the feeding in a different bottle. It worked for us until Zantac wasn't working for him. He was changed to Prevacid which we liked better.

Taff

[whatodo]

I mixed Caleb's Zantac with his formula. I also had it flavored grape( still it was bad), but better. Now we recently got switched to Previcid b/c the reflux had not changed in 2 weeks. Previcid is helping some, reflux not quite as bad, but he is still so gassy with grunting for hours. I never tried the liquid calcium carbonate after all.

Last night after 14 hours of Caleb being awake....I put an air purifier in his room for the loud noise....he zonked out for 6 hours straight. Today, during the day...it is not working too good, otherwise he just does not sleep well.....isn't this unhealthy for their development? I just don't know what else to do?????

I want my little one to sleep!!!!

[Sheri]

Our little one prefers sleeping on our chest while we hold him. To simulate a similar position in his crib, I put his crib on an incline (pillows under the mattress) and lay him down on his tummy. I just started this 2 days ago and he's been sleeping so much better. Otherwise, I have him sleep in his bouncer seat (but he still grunts alot there). I know the doc's say not to put them on their tummy due to SIDS risk so do this at your own (your infant's own) risk. Our son is 6 weeks old and he is very strong - lifts his head well already so I feel comfortable leaving him on his tummy (but I still check on him every hour or so just to make sure he hasn't turned his face down into the blanket).

[laurieh1]

I am writing to get some advice on whether my little one has colic or reflux. She is 4 weeks old and is exhibiting what appears to be symptoms of both. She gets fussy the same time every day and cries for several hours through the night. She fights me while I am trying to breast feed her - arching her back like she is in terrible pain. I burp her often and have given her mylicon gas drops but this does not seem to help. She also coughs and chokes while I am feeding her, and I am scared that one of these times she is going to stop breathing. I don't know whether the choking is due to my breast releasing too much milk, or she is having reflux problems. Our doctor told us it was just colic, but after reading the information on this message board I am starting to think otherwise. The only reason the doctor did not think it was reflux is because she does not vomit after feeding. Does a baby have to spit up in order to have reflux? All the expert moms out there...please help me! I am a first time mom and I don't know if it is colic or reflux. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thanks,
Laurie

[Minnie]

First let me start out by saying
YES! a baby can have reflux and not spit up. My Eric has only spit up a handful of times his whole life, and has suffered from GERD for over a year now. This is why it's so important that you learn everything you can about reflux, so you can help your little one find a good doctor who can help her.

Some of the doctors I saw said the same thing yours did. "He doesn't have reflux, because he doesn't spit up." IDIOTS! (not that I knew any of this before Eric came along, but GEEZE they're doctors THEY are supposed to know)

Learn about "silent" reflux here
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/silentreflux.htm

Another article you will be interested in
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/lpr.htm

I believe this is what Eric had/has he stopped breathing several times a week. (the docs never helped me with this, or took it seriously) Very scary. I went online and learned baby CPR just in case. I hope your little one doesn't ever stop breathing!!!!! EVER!

Here's some articles about how to handle your doctor and get a diagnoses, if after you read and learn more you still think it's reflux.

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/seriously.htm

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/gettingdiagnosed.htm

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/aid.htm

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/impact.htm

Here are some things you could try to help your baby feel better
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/steps.htm

Go here
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/reflux.html

This site also thinks baby has to spit up to have reflux, but the info you will find there is SO worth the read. Just replace the words "spit up" with "frequent heart burn". Very accurate and up to date info about breast feeding and reflux. READ READ READ Like I said learn as much as you can.

BE SURE TO Read this
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

And this
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/food-sensitivity.html

If you suspect that your baby has tummy troubles keep breast feeding!!!!! I cannot express to you how important it is. Some docs will tell you to supplement and some will even say quit. For stupid reasons like lactose intoll, and milk allergy, etc. It's not necessary in either case.

I listened to the doctors when they gave me such bad advice, and it made my baby even sicker, not to mention just about broke my heart.

Learn about lactose intoll here (there's info on milk allergy/sensitivity in a previous link I gave you)
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/lactose-intolerance.html


OH and THIS ONE READ this ONE first. Just incase reflux isn't even what we are talking about!! GESH! I could have saved a lot of typing. LOL
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussybaby.html

I know I bombarded you with WAY too much info, and I'm sorry. I hope you get what you need from it and it's helpful to you and your baby.

Hope she's feeling better soon.
Keep me posted

[laurieh1]

Thank you for your help. I have printed out all the info you emailed me and will get to reading it right away. I hope this helps when I see the doctor again...which will be very soon, otherwise I will switch to another doctor! If my baby has reflux, I hope I can be as helpful to the next parent in need as you were for me!
Thanks,
Laurie

[shami]

I am writing to get some advice on whether my little one has colic or reflux. She is 4 weeks old and is exhibiting what appears to be symptoms of both. She gets fussy the same time every day and cries for several hours through the night. She fights me while I am trying to breast feed her - arching her back like she is in terrible pain. I burp her often and have given her mylicon gas drops but this does not seem to help. She also coughs and chokes while I am feeding her, and I am scared that one of these times she is going to stop breathing. I don't know whether the choking is due to my breast releasing too much milk, or she is having reflux problems. Our doctor told us it was just colic, but after reading the information on this message board I am starting to think otherwise. The only reason the doctor did not think it was reflux is because she does not vomit after feeding. Does a baby have to spit up in order to have reflux? All the expert moms out there...please help me! I am a first time mom and I don't know if it is colic or reflux. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thanks,
Laurie
Hi Laurie,

What you describe is very similar to what I've experienced with our 11 week old. Although I don't want to say that your baby doesn't have reflux, it sounds like you may be experiencing a very strong/overactive let-down reflex a.k.a. hyperlactation syndrome. If so, your milk release may be too strong at the beginning of the feeding leading to spurts, squirts and the symptoms you describe (choking, coughing, back arching). Have you tried to express some of the early milk so that your milk flow is slowed down? Or, I found that catching the early milk in a towel helped to prevent the 'fire-hose-down-the-throat' sensation for my little guy. Eventually your milk production should meet the demand of your baby and the let down won't be so uncomfortable for her (unless there's a long time between feeding sessions). I refer you to:

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babybreastfeed/8488.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html
http://hometown.aol.com/davisrnclc/myhomepage/oald.htm

Hope this helps....happy feeding!

[laurieh1]

Well, we just spent 4 days in the hospital peds unit. My little Morgan is in fact a refluxer. They put her on the max dose of Zantac and Reglan. Only problem now is that she is completly restless/agitated and won't sleep. Has anyone else seen this? Is this a side effect of one of her meds? Let me know so I can get the doc to change meds.

Hoping to sleep soon.
Laurie

[Minnie]

I don't have time to answer they way I would like to but here's some info

http://www.drugs.com/reglan.html

http://www.gsk.com/products/zantac_us.htm

I hope these 2 links help

[firstlady]

My baby was born November 1. He is 'colicky' for 4-5 hours everynight. He cries unconsolibly. I'm not sure if it could be reflux. He isn't 'colicky' or crying for no reason at anyother time of the day. is that a normal symptom? i was originally thinking that if it was reflux he would fuss or cry most of the day, not just a set time. Is this not true?

just wondering...

[Donnab]

Hi Laurieh1,

my son was on Zantac and Reglan since his birth in July. He had surgery when he was born and the doctors knew he would have reflux. The medicines helped. Then at 3 months, we noticed he was restless, hard to soothe and had trouble sleeping. Our evenings were terrible. I researched the medicines and spoke to his doctor. We took him off the Reglan and he became a different baby. He was calmer and in a few weeks was sleeping 8 hours through the night. You may want to ask your doctors to substitute something else for the Reglan. He's still on the Zantac and doing well at 5 months.

[shell c]

Hi Minnie! I am from the U.K.! I have a 6 month old baby with reflux! I s it true that pooh back up can aggravate reflux, cause my daughter is almost always constipated, and i can't seem to relieve it at all! I give extra fruit and everything and nothing helps! Have u any ideas? Also, i was told not to stop breastfeeding cause its best for babies with reflux! Should i have tried different formulas cause i have loads of trouble giving her a bottle! She just screams!! Please help! u sound like you know what u are talking about!!

[shell c]

My daughter has been diagnosed with reflux and has been fine on medication for the last month! All of a sudden for the past 4 days she has been screaming again for no apparent reason! it is only for short bursts though and not at all like she used to! She seems in a lot of pain but the screaming is over as quickly as it began! Do you think it is just the reflux recurring or something else! She is 6 months old and is taking zantac (although her dose was decreased 3 weeks ago!)

[Minnie]

Shell
I'm so sorry I haven't replied there was a problem with my email settings and I received nothing from this board in over a month so today I go check and here you are needing help. I feel so bad

YES,
Get that constipation worked out. First you need to find the cause. Sometimes it can be allergy or sensitivity induced. Most likely milk and or soy proteins. If that's not the case. Meaning you have tried cutting those things out of your diet then it could be something else.
Like the zantac. This was the case with my Eric's constipation. He was constipated for 5 months before I got the doctors to help with it. His GI gave him Lactulose and it was a life savor!!!!
And continue to breast feed. The hypo formulas or predigested proteins and this is why some babies do wonderfully on them, but your breast milk is also pre digested proteins, and you will have better luck cutting dairy out of your diet if you suspect an intolerance/allergy.
Here's a link you will find helpful
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/reflux.html

As far as the sudden screaming, I would say yes, I think it's her reflux. The fact that you say her meds were decreased recently makes me think that that's what's going on.
You have to remember too that as they grow their copping skills will change too. Eric became much more hard to read, and his symptoms much more subtle.

I encourage you to go here
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/

There's loot's of good reflux info and there's a message board that is a lot busier than this one. Your questions will get answered much faster than this board, and there's lot's of great people that got me through some tough times.

[bumbosarecool]

Cameron is now 1 week til 5 months old and I have just diagnosed her with silent reflux....I had previously diagnosed her with colic but since typing in her syptoms, desperate for answers, I had no idea. My doctor is like all the rest. If she's gaining weight and not bleeding, she's ok. Anyways! Her symptoms and our rocky road traveled, go something like this. I breastfed her and had overactive let down and she would choke and squirm and cry...i thought it was something i ate so i modified my diet....no results. She got a fever at 4 weeks and we were admitted into childrens hospital in san diego for 48 hours. Not easy, They had to poke her 5 times to get the IV in. She would scream about every other feeding. I had no idea that this was not normal because this was my first child. Not until my mom and some nurses there were shoked at her screeching screams and asked, "What's wrong with her?".. I looked at them blankly and said, "what? she always cries like this"...i took her off of my brestmilk at 6 weeks because I thought that she hated my milk and I was starving to death due to my don't eat anything because everything makes her cry diet. Went through the Enfamil family to no avail...I told my pediatrician that she was crying at every other feeding, not spitting up, and was constipated...was also very hard to get to sleep and stay asleep, she would whine and whale until I picked her up and she let out a huge belch or a teeny tiny bubble pop...first question out of his pompous mouth was, "Are you a first time mom?" I felt like slapping him. So, I basicaly, searched the interenet, as you all rightfuly do, for colic remedies...used gripe water, milicon (which made no significant different for her) And after many phone calls to the doc and many suggestions to switch her formula, I found that she has reflux by typing all of her sypmtoms into google. I called the after hours pediatrician and he was hessitant at first to call in the prescription of zantac syrup but I persited...I had to call back after the first "NO", I just thought to myself...who the F#%$^ %^*@#$ do they think they are? Not rocket scientists anyway. It worked very well at first and then I would give her only one dose every other day but the past 2 or 3 days have been bad so I'm going to stick to .65 2x daily as prescribed. This post is awesome to read. I finally feel ... not alone? my bestfriends mom is an expert at alternative aproaches for reflux and i have a date to call her in 10 minutes!! I'll post what I find out shortly.

Cammy's Mom

[azmom]

Evan has been on zantac today was a week. He also was on colic medicine and REglan which we took him off both about 3 days ago. He slept 4 hours for me last night which was a record between nighttime feedings. he takes 4 oz of soy every 3-4 hours. He is 7 week old today and weighs 12.5, he weighed 9.4 when he was born. He is just so unhappy most of his waking hours, but the strange thing is, if you walk outside with him, he hushes, come back inside and he starts again. Too bad it isn't fall or spring. ha He has a dr appt tomorrow and we have already requested a gi specialist, but the dr said there were a few more things he wanted to try firslt. We are going to request Prilosec. Thanks

I thought I was the only one, but I'm amazed that there is another - every time I take my son, screaming bloody murder, outside, he immediately hushes. When we come back inside, he instantly starts screaming again. He was diagnosed with reflux (finally) last week, but has been suffering all the symptoms since birth. He's now 7.5 weeks old. He's been on zantac less than a week. the first 2 - 3 days were like being a mom of a completely different child. Then, he started getting smarter about spitting the drops out. Now, I can barely get him to swallow any at all - he screams and refuses to swallow. So, here we are, back at square one with the all day scream fests. I'm going back to the pediatrician next week for his 2 month appointment, so we'll discuss other options then, but I'm just not sure why the zantac would come peppermint flavored - that seems very stupid to me. if so many infants refuse to swallow it, shouldn't the drug company change the flavoring??? and it's so expensive! ($99 per bottle from our pharmacy here - $30 out of our pocket with our co-pay).

The one thing that does appear to work consistently for us to stop the screaming is to hold him like we're going to nurse him, put a pacifier in his mouth, and bounce him vigorously on an excercise ball. He usually stops screaming, and often falls asleep (not for long if we stop bouncing though).

it's been a really challenging 24 hours... i just hope things improve soon - I don't know what we'll do if they don't. we're both about to lose it here. :(

[Emily's Mom]

Thank you SO much for posting that! We have a Dr. appt today and after going down your checklist - my daughter has most all the problems! She is 1 month old today, but the first 4 weeks have been horrible. She has horrible fussing spells for hours on end....then has hard times eating about 50% of the time. The last 2 nights were better, but it seems to come about every other day of constant crying and problems eating. I sure hope our Dr. gives us some medication. I had mentioned acid reflux at our last visit and low and behold...she said "We usually don't prescribe anything unless they are not gaining weight...." I am going to tell her we have to try something! Thank you so much again for posting this. We assumed it was "Colic" the entire time, but I honestly think it is acid reflux. We had to change formulas at the very beginning because she was vomiting it up. Now we are on Good Start and she is not vomiting, but you can still tell she is very uncomfortable. She is burping well - so we just can't figure it out.
Will keep you posted on what happens! Wish us luck! :cry1

[Jonnikka]

Try giving the Zantac at the same time as a bottle or when you nurse. You need to put the dropper or syringe next to the nipple in either case and just put a little in the babies mouth and it should work. They may stop sucking for a sec because of the taste but ask your pharmacy if they can add grape flavoring. It still tastes bad but it is a little better. I tried it!! Hope this helps!

[analisa_roche]

Here's my newest solution: wait it out! After two months on the stuff, Ben takes it w/o a fight!

[bmergrl]

Many pharmacies will add flavors like Cherry, Grape and Orange to any liquid prescriptions for only a few dollars extra! It's worth a shot!

[Somebodysangel]

I desperatly need some advice. I have a six week old son. I had to take him to the er at five days beacuse he was throwing up 75 % of his feedings. The doctors told me that he probally has acid reflux (which i know of due to my cousin's daughter having it). We switched him from enfamil to simalac. When he was about four weeks old he wouldn't stop crying for five days straight. He would fight all of his feedings, arch is back, make swallowing sounds, only sleep for 20 minutes at a time. I orgianlly tought it was due to the bottles letting too much air in. I've gone from regular bottles, to the curved avance bottles. Then i switched to the playtex to the dr. brown bottles. I took him to the doctor who precibed zantac and told me to switch him to soy because he may be lactose intolerant or have a allergy to it. We had to switch him off of the soy because his urine was burning his skin. ( he actually had welts on his sack and would cry if there was any rubbing of the diaper or if anything touched him). I just switched him to good start. Which seemed to work for the first day and a half but hes getting really fussy again and his breating is worse then ever. Could all of this be because he has the milk allergy? (good start says its not for the treatment of cow's milk protein allergy). But it was my only choice as I was in the mountains at the time. I am getting to the end of my rope. He has all the previous symptoms back from before we started the meds and the formula changes. Boy do i wish i did one at a time. Is there a better formula i could try? Can bottles be the cause of this? He's been on the zantac for almost a week. And things have gotten better until today. The only way i have been able to get him to sleep is on his stomach. He won't even sleep in his car seat or swing. I just don't know what to do anymore. Anyone know if Good start makes a non-soy based formula for milk allergy babies? What should i do if he gets worse tonite? should i put him back on soy even though it obviously gave him a reaction? Please any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance

Kaydens Mom

[Minnie]

If I were you I would talk to the doc about trying a hypoallergenic formula like nutramigin or alimentum.
Keep in mind that babies that are allergic/sensitive to milk protein can also be allergic/sensitive to soy (something like 40% but don't quote me on that) babies that have a hard time with soy can also have a hard time with other large proteins like corn.
Alimentum RTF(ready to feed) is the only hypo formula you can buy without an RX that doesn't contain any corn products.

Also having good results from zantac and then having it not work as effectively in a short amount of time is pretty common. It's really weight sensitive and the dose needs to be adjusted as your baby grows. Just one pound can make a huge difference.
Slow down and from this point on try one thing at a time. Try keeping a symptom and food journal for the doc and for yourself to see if there's some kind of pattern.
This may be helpful
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/journal.php

Here are some other things that may help that you can do at home
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/help_infant_reflux.php

Here are some forms to fill out for your doctor so he/she can better understand and possible treat your child's reflux better
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/diagnosing_aid.php

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/impact_survey.php

Other links you may find helpful

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/seriously.php

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/gettingdiagnosed.php


If you see no improvement in your child's discomfort after adjusting the zantac dosage and trying a hypo formula (give it at least 2 weeks) you may want to try a different med.

Good Luck!
I hope your baby feels better soon

[rootzy]

Hey everyone.
Seems like just yesterday this site was my life link. My oldest daughter had reflux and we were on here all the time. Though she also was misdiagnosed as colic for three months of misery for all of us.
Now, I think my second daughter has reflux also. She is three weeks old. How early can the drs begin treatments??
Thanks much
Mindy

[tracysrobertson]

I would go ahead and start talking to your pediatrician about a pediatric GI referral, especially after what you went through with your first child. My son will be six weeks old on Thursday and he saw a specialist this past Friday. He is getting rice cereal in every bottle, is on Prevacid, and is taking Malox before each bottle. There are some other things that may be causing reflux type issues that deal with the overproduction of bacteria in the stomach and possible antibiotics your child received if you had a c-section. Let me know if you want more details.

He was on Zantac for a few weeks but we didn't see much change. I have had several people recommend Prevacid as it is an acid blocker, not an acid reducer like Zantac. Some insurance companies won't cover it unless it is prescribed by a GI doctor but the pediatrician went ahead since we were having so many problems.

I am hoping someone can help us. Until we get the stomach issues worked out, my son has trouble sleeping unless someone is holding him or occasionally if he is in his car seat.

Any ideas? Thanks

[santinosmom]

Hi! I'm new to this board. My son was diagnosed with acid reflux at 7 weeks. He's been on Zantac for 1 week and I'm not sure if I'm noticing a difference or it's wishful thinking! I have read a lot of the messages and have seen to give it one month which I intend on doing.

I do have a few suggestions that have worked for me, that I'd like to share with you. My son NEVER naps during the day, however he does sleep through the night which I owe to 3 things:

1. An extremely tight swaddle
2. the Dex Secure Sleeper Ultra 3-in-1 sleep positioner from Target. It is on an incline so everything that goes down, stays down.
3. the bathroom fan or a white noise sleep machine

I hope some of this is helpful. I feel very thankful that I found this site....it gives me hope that there is an end to this!

[tracysrobertson]

Thanks for the information. I will check out the positioner at Target. We do the tight swaddle which helps tremendously. We have been using the exhaust fan in the kitchen which does help. I am now thinking a white noise machine may be the ticket.

Hope you see results on the Zantac. Keep us posted!

[sao95]

hi all, I just found this site and our 2 week old was just prescribed Zantac today, I was actually trying to find if there are any possible side effects?

Also I wanted to post, we had been trying to calm him before the doc's diagnosis/prescription and we started using Dr. Browns bottles, they are a bit pricey, we found them at Wal-mart, but they did seem to help a little, especially if the formula/breastmilk was poured well before hand so it settled a little.

[Minnie]

This is the site I look up all Eric's meds on.

http://www.drugs.com/zantac.html

The only side effect I noticed with Eric was constipation.
UGH! I battled constipation like mad, and the only way I won
was to take him off the zantac for a week or so. It was hell. LOL

Evidently this isn't too common though.

I hope you have good luck with it.

It really helped my LO be more comfy and once the GI gave
him a stool softener we had a very good thing going.

Take care

[sao95]

Thanks for the link Minnie, as well as the heads up on the constipation issue. Out of curiousity did they prescribe something along the lines of Glycolax?

[Minnie]

No, it wasn't a laxative it was a stool softener.
It's called lactulose and it changed our lives! UGH! I would
hate to think of what we would have gone through without it.
It was hard enough getting through 5 months without it.

Good luck! I hope constipation isn't in your near future, and
if it is push for some help with it. Push as hard as you have to.
Nothing will make a refluxers lips seal shut faster and longer than constipation
will.

[WVMom]

I want to thank everyone who has posted to this thread. The stories posted here are heartbreaking, and I hope that cause of each baby's discomfort is discovered. If it weren't for you, I may have accepted that my son has colic. I hope that my story will bring hope to another family.


Noah came into the world and from the very beginning it was clear that something was amiss. Crying while feeding and spitting up volumes. It wasn't until we left the hospital that the real nightmare began. Every waking moment for Noah was filled with screaming and arching his back. People were amazed at the amount of head and neck control he had, but the awful truth was that he was in so much pain! Family members said "There's nothing wrong, it's just colic. You were fussy like that too!".

After his third week and our third all-nighter, I refused to accept that it was colic. I went to a lactation specialist who told me that I have to stop eating dairy and soy because it gets into breast milk and that Noah must be allergic to it. Cutting out all dairy and soy didn't seem to do anything to help.

That's when I saw this website and I learned all about Reflux and GERD. I went to a new doctor. In the examining room, Noah was really fussing. His back arched, head tilted back, screaming in that way only someone in true pain can do...the doctor gave him a 1/4 tsp Maalox...just to see what would happen.

A miracle?

The baby that had (almost) screamed and cried since birth, stopped. For the rest of the visit he was very calm. He looked around in wonder at the world around him.

The doctor prescribed 15 mg Prevacid. He said that it would take a few days to show the effects so in the meantime use Maalox...but he warned to use it sparingly.

Noah was 3.5 weeks old when he started Prevacid. By his fourth week, you would never have known that this baby was anything but an angel. I have a new baby.

Noah is now 4 months old. He still spits up a lot, but since he started treatment for the reflux, he has *never* screamed like that again. The doctor said that we'll try weaning him off the prevacid when he is 6 months old and begins eating solid food.

I hope that someone out there finds this helpful.

[WVMom]

I want to thank everyone who has posted to this thread. The stories posted here are heartbreaking, and I hope that cause of each baby's discomfort is discovered. If it weren't for you, I may have accepted that my son has colic. I hope that my story will bring hope to another family.


Noah came into the world and from the very beginning it was clear that something was amiss. Crying while feeding and spitting up volumes. It wasn't until we left the hospital that the real nightmare began. Every waking moment for Noah was filled with screaming and arching his back. People were amazed at the amount of head and neck control he had, but the awful truth was that he was in so much pain! Family members said "There's nothing wrong, it's just colic. You were fussy like that too!".

After his third week and our third all-nighter, I refused to accept that it was colic. I went to a lactation specialist who told me that I have to stop eating dairy and soy because it gets into breast milk and that Noah must be allergic to it. Cutting out all dairy and soy didn't seem to do anything to help.

That's when I saw this website and I learned all about Reflux and GERD. I went to a new doctor. In the examining room, Noah was really fussing. His back arched, head tilted back, screaming in that way only someone in true pain can do...the doctor gave him a 1/4 tsp Maalox...just to see what would happen.

A miracle?

The baby that had (almost) screamed and cried since birth, stopped. For the rest of the visit he was very calm. He looked around in wonder at the world around him.

The doctor prescribed 15 mg Prevacid. He said that it would take a few days to show the effects so in the meantime use Maalox...but he warned to use it sparingly.

Noah was 3.5 weeks old when he started Prevacid. By his fourth week, you would never have known that this baby was anything but an angel. I have a new baby.

Noah is now 4 months old. He still spits up a lot, but since he started treatment for the reflux, he has *never* screamed like that again. The doctor said that we'll try weaning him off the prevacid when he is 6 months old and begins eating solid food.

I hope that someone out there finds this helpful.

[Minnie]

People were amazed at the amount of head and neck control he had, but the awful truth was that he was in so much pain! Family members said "There's nothing wrong, it's just colic. You were fussy like that too!".


I just had to say something about this, because it's so Eric. He could lift his head and keep it up amazingly early. He had too. :( Poor thing.
And there's always another "Normal" reason for the fussiness. Even I came up with a lot of them myself all the time (I still do. LOL).

I'm so glad that that you posted. I think it's important to post what works what doesn't. Finding familiarity in others posts is what helped us get through the first terrifically hard 6 months.

Sounds like you have a wonderful doctor. That's so great. I hope Noah continues to do well, and the wean goes smoothly.

Thanks again for posting. It's so important to make people aware of infant reflux, and I'm sure it will help someone in the future looking for answers. JUst as reading all the other posts helped you.

[Minnie]

Just wanted to add that if you have any problems with solids or the wean doesn't go well, if you just have some questions, or if you just want to share you story with more people to give them hope. Go to the place in my siggy. There's lot's of good info there and there's a message board for people who need support for the child's reflux. It's very active, lot's and lot's of members. It's a wonderful website with current up to date info on infant reflux. The best infant reflux site on the web! It's been a life savor for me.

[missy1462]

This may have already been said somewhere in the forum, but I missed it if it did. My granddaughter has reflux and we tried several times to convince her ped. that something else was wrong besides colic. He just nicely kept putting us off until my daughter told him that Maddie was making these really horrible faces and was acting like it was choking her. He finally paid attention but told us that he wouldn't have believed it was reflux if my daughter had not mentioned that Maddie was screwing up her face like it tasted horrible and/or was burning her on the way up. ... Just a suggestion.
We've gone thru Axid, then Prilosec and now we're using Prevacid but we're going back to the Prilosec because Maddie hasn't slept in several days now and we've decided that it's the Prevacid. Sometimes you wonder if it'll ever get better. She's 8 months old now.

[mommyofemg_kiwg]

My son Kalib is three months old and is on zantac. He has been on zantac since he was two weeks old.(then he was taking .5 ml twice daily) Well recently his dr. has increased his zantac to 1 ml twice daily. He is scheduled to see a specialist in about a month. The zantac is not working very well. I have done some research about prilosec and I would like for anyone to give me thier opinion on my topic. please.

[Minnie]

The pedi GI specialist will most likely put your son on a PPI (AKA Prilosec, prevacid, zegerid) If the zantac isn't working well enough. He/She may have some other suggestions too. A change in formula or an elimination diet if you are breast feeding..etc. Depending on your son's symptoms he/she may order some testing to rule in or out reflux or another diagnoses.

All the reflux medications have possible unwanted side effects and their good and bad sides. Some meds don't work for some children while others work very well. It may take some experimenting before you find the right one for your LO.

We didn't have much luck with Prilosec but I lot's of people that it helped their LO tremendously.

Good Luck with whatever you decide to do next,a nd I hope your LO is feeling better soon

[alanasmama]

The doctor prescribed 15 mg Prevacid. He said that it would take a few days to show the effects so in the meantime use Maalox...but he warned to use it sparingly.



Hi, did he say why Maalox should be used sparingly?

[alanasmama]

Hello,

This is a great board. I'm new to it but hope someone can help. My baby Alana (8 weeks) was just diagnosed with silent reflux. Preemie born 3.5 weeks early at just over 5 lbs. She is a comfort feeder who has been gaining lots of weight and eating 12 times/day. But she is having some obvious probs now. She screamed during the last 2 feedings and only took an ounce each time. There is now no doubt in my mind that she is in pain from the reflux -- arches, chokes, tho doesn't spitup much. I wish I figured this out sooner. She is a terrible sleeper, only 1-1.5 hours at a time. One thing that does help is laying her in our papasan cradle swing. My husband's idea several weeks ago. She won't sleep anywhere else.

I pumped for 6.5 weeks but Alana never took to the breast. We've been feeding Similac RTF since birth as well which seemed OK. For the last 2 days we have been on Enfamil AR per the ped's instructions. Also holding her upright to feed and keeping her upright for 20-30 mins after. She seems to be deteriorating and we are ready to add some type of med. Or should we try changing formulas first/simultaneously? It sounds like Alimentum RTF is a good hypo formula.

Anyone have thoughts on the tucker sling or the Amby hammock? Is anyone else dealing with silent reflux? Anything that's worked for you?

I guess we should have figured out something was wrong before now but drs/nurses were very dismissive plus we're new parents and just assumed a baby was supposed to wake up screaming after an hour or two. Now I'm thinking that's not normal??!

Any advice from those who've been down this long, painful road ahead of us would be great. Thank you!
Jen

[mommyof3]

Hi alanasmama,
I am new to this site, but I have a 12 week old baby girl with a mild reflux and my other daughter had it too. We are still trying to figure out the meds with my 12 week old, but what worked for us is eleveting her crib on one side. She doesn't take very good naps, but we take what we can get. My middle girl didn't take good naps with reflux utnil she was about 5 months old. Also, try to feed her every 3 to 4 hrs appart. sometimes too much and too often aggravates the reflux. Thiken formula with rice cereal. 1 tbl to 2 oz. We are on Nutramigen right now. but i don't think it makes a big difference. My older girl was on regular formula and she spits up just as much as my baby now. Sometimes you just have to wait for them to grow out of it I know they do. But it is hard for me right now to keep reminding me of that. She is not gaining as much as they want her to, but she is in 75 percentile for her hight and weight.
I think you should definately put her on some meds, but may be a specialist should see her.

[alanasmama]

Hi mommyof3,

Thanks for the advice. We will try raising the head of the crib with a couple of books. We have not tried nutrimigen. Alana is drinking Similac Advance mixed 50% w/Enfamil AR. We tried using 100% AR but she was soooo constipated (the poops just rolled out of her diaper!) So we mix it with her regular formula, seems to help with the choking and she is a little less constipated. We are trying to push her feedings further apart - 3 hours. It seems to be working somewhat.

We just had our 9 wk visit. The ped put her on Zantac .5ml/2x day, but since she also had her 2 month shots we don't know if her downturn is related to that or to the new meds. Since last night, she has been awake and fussing, not sleeping much. I'm hoping it's the shots and the meds will actually work though it seems Zantac can cause insomnia in some patients...We are going to give it at least a week.

FYI, there is a good site marci-kids.com that talks about PPI dosing. The info was developed by Univ of MO researchers. Very helpful if it comes to that.

I know what you mean about the naps. We take what we can get too. Hopefully things will only get better for all of us and our babies in the new year. Have a wonderful holiday!

[mommyof3]

Hi alanasmama,
I have heard that Zantac can cause it too. Both of my daughters were on Zantac with no sideffects though. I think shots contribute a lot.
I also want to tell you that if she doesn't have milk allergy, then try Carnation Good Start. It is very mild formula and easy on the belly. I had mine on it, but then the doctor told me to try Nutramigen. I see no difference in the baby, just in my wallet:)) I am going to ask GI if we could go back to Good Start.
Did you give your baby Tylenol? It worked for all my kids for the shots.
Also, try some Gripe Water for the diagestive problems. I know it works for gas, but some of my friends told me it worked for constipation as well.
Have a blessed New Year!

[alanasmama]

Hi mommyof3-
I'm pleased to say our new year has started well. The Zantac is working and baby feels much better, though still congested all the time. She is even sleeping a bit longer at night. Woohoo! I have previously heard good things about the Good Start. We'll try that next. Right now, we've been trying a little juice mixed with water to see if we can get things moving. The ped is not happy about it but we have to do something. I have heard of Gripe water and wondered whether I should try it for gas. We've been using mylicon for gas but perhaps we can just switch to gripe water. It would be great if it helped with constipation. That is our biggest problem now. (Thank goodness) Thanks for the good advice. Alana and I appreciate it! :angel5

[mommyof3]

HI ALANASMAMA,
I am glad to hear that she is doing better on Zantac. If you have to give her apple juice to help, then do it. doctors do not always know what is best. They do not live with the baby on daily basis. Our parents used to start us on solids when we turned 1 month and we all survived.:cool:
My daughter saw a specialist today. She put her on Zantac and Prevacid. She think it will work for her. I hope so too. I am taking her to see a chiropractor on Thursday. I hope that helps. I have heard good things about it.
Just remember, they do outgrow it.
My daughter is on Nutramigen and it seems to help her with going number2. So if nothing works, try that formula. It is some what expansive. I think that the doctor should be able to give her something for her constipation. Also, if you go to Health Food store, they usually have something natural for babies too.
I will be praying for you and your little girl. It is so easy to tell someone else it will be over before you know it... I wish I could just tell myself the same thing.

[alanasmama]

I will be praying for you and your little girl. It is so easy to tell someone else it will be over before you know it... I wish I could just tell myself the same thing.
Hi Mommyof3,

It will be over before we know it. It can't last forever. We'll make it! I will pray for you and your little one too. I really hope the meds work for you.

It's funny. You're right about our surviving so much when we were kids. My husband's mom switched all her kids to cows milk beginning at 4 months. Not one of them has an allergy. My mom smoked like a chimney and let me cry it out a lot because the dr said it would be good for the lungs. We all went to sleep on our bellies too and you know there was much less of a problem with reflux back then. My ped ACTUALLY said that the Back to Sleep program has probably led to the huge increase in reflux in babies she sees.

Anyway, I've heard very good things about prevacid. It's also very safe. Check out this site: http://www.marci-kids.com/ which is hosted by researchers from the Univ of MO. It's very informative about dosing in PPIs (Prev is a PPI). I showed it to my ped and she was impressed. She also noted that the dosages on the site were higher than what her guidelines say. This is because these researchers have actually tested PPIs in children and measured their half-life and know what the best dosage is based on actual blood measurements in kids, not just guesses based on studies in adults. In their assessments, not giving enough was a much bigger worry than giving too much. They also have a section on compounded PPIs and their loss of efficacy. Just something for you and your dr to be aware of.

[mommyof3]

alanasmama,
Thanks for the website. i will definately check it out today. I just hate putting all these meds in a little body.
Hope you are having a good day today with your baby!!!

[alanasmama]

alanasmama,
Thanks for the website. i will definately check it out today. I just hate putting all these meds in a little body.
Hope you are having a good day today with your baby!!!

Let me know how your little one is doing. My baby is doing well. A little fussy today but I don't think it's the reflux. I think she's just being a baby

[mommyof3]

Let me know how your little one is doing. My baby is doing well. A little fussy today but I don't think it's the reflux. I think she's just being a baby
I am glad to hear that she is doing good. I think mine is at its peak right now. The GI told us to keep track of how much she spits up and i am running out of paper. I remember my daughter went thru 1 to 2 weeks of many spitups. I thought it would never get better and then it did. So I am hoping the light at the end of the tunnel is coming very soon. I feel so bad for her. She still smiles a lot thru it all.
We went to chiropractor today. He adjusted her. It was kind of interesting. She had a few places out of allignment. The weird part...the same places that I usually have. He said that we should know if it is helping in about two weeks. I really hope it works.
We are having a very busy weekend ahead of us. My sister in law is getting married and we are all in the wedding. On top of that, my other daughter is turning 4. So we are just so busy and when my little one gets off her schedule she tends to spit up more....:conf2 I cannot wait till Monday.:eek:
I hope you will have a great weekend and Alana does well for you and you will get a good night sleep.

[alanasmama]

It sounds like you will be *very* busy this weekend. I don't know how you do it with 3 children, 2 of whom are/were refluxers. As a first-time mom who is often overwhelmed with my one baby, I am in awe of you!

I hope the spit-ups decrease soon for you. I've heard it can take 2 weeks for Prevacid to work so try to hang in there. The Zantac seems to work faster but it is much less effective. Hopefully you will see some improvement by 1/12-14!!! I am praying for you and your little one.

[mommyof3]

Hi alanasmama,
How are you? How is Alana? I hope she is doing good for you.
I wanted to tell you about this web site that I found during my daily internet reflux searches:emb2 www.coliccalm.com
It is for colic and gas, but some moms said it is great for reflux. I just got my bottle yesterday and tried it. My little one was crying like her acid was coming up during one of her naps. In 2 min she settled back down, and then I had to wake her up to feed her before her bedtime. Check it out. You never know, it might work.
Have a great weekend.:smile

[mommyof3]

alanasmama,
Don't click on the web page. I don't know why it did this. Just google Colic Calm. I saw that after it postet. Sorry about that.

[alanasmama]

Hi Mommyof3, That's great! I was wondering how you were doing. I'm glad you found something that helps. I found the website for colic calm and it looks interesting. I'm going to order some and see if it works for my little girl. Thanks. Do you give it to your baby by dropper?

[mommyof3]

Yes, I give it by the dropper. I had to stop because something was bothering her and I didn't know what it was, because I gave her some other things too. So I will start it in a few days again. One thing...makes her poopy dark color.
I have been taking her to a chiropractor and I really think it is working.:smile How is your little one?

[alanasmama]

My baby girl is doing pretty well. Thanks for asking. The Zantac really has helped her reflux but I dont think it's completely gone. And its a bummer that it contains alcohol. We still give her the Enfamil AR even tho I don't know if it helps and it causes constipation. I'm glad the chiro is working for you. I'm too scared to try it. Plus my hubby would not go for it.

[mommyof3]

My baby girl is doing pretty well. Thanks for asking. The Zantac really has helped her reflux but I dont think it's completely gone. And its a bummer that it contains alcohol. We still give her the Enfamil AR even tho I don't know if it helps and it causes constipation. I'm glad the chiro is working for you. I'm too scared to try it. Plus my hubby would not go for it.


My little one doesn't want to take naps. If I hold her she will sleep. Ahh! I can't be with each of my child at the same time. I hope when we start solids it will start getting better. Three more weeks to go. I think my older one it started to go away around 5 months.
I hope you had a good day.

[alanasmama]

How do you do it with 3? That has got to be so hard to divide your attention esp with an ailing infant :( I guess you've probably tried most of these but here are things that work for my girl just in case...She naps for about an hour in the swing and amby bed and up to 2 hours (or at least remains calm) in the sling and snugli.

The Papasan Cradle Swing - this swing is awesome. I bought it because of the parent recommendations and it really saved us. She slept and napped in it since 4 weeks. Now she's more willing to nap in the bouncey chair but before forget it! From the start, we could put in our infant in it with no risk of falling while it allowed her to be cuddled, rocked and held at 30-40 degrees upright by the swing. Once she gains a few more pounds, we plan to adjust it and add this leg hole piece that will allow her to sit up more. The motor on the mirror mobile (which she LOVED) seems to have died but Alana doesn't need it as much to sleep. If you do a search, I think you can get it for $119.

Amby Bed - Ridiculously expensive and at first she hated it! But after trying it a few times over a few weeks, she will now nap for a whole hr in it. What's good is the baby's own movements can rock him/her back to sleep AND you can angle it for the refluxer. Also it's easy enough when baby starts waking to start swinging and bouncing the bed (which is more like a hammock) and get her to fall back to sleep. If you're desperate and can afford it, buy it. Tho I think it might be hard to get an older baby to accept it.

Sling or snugli - These are the best when you are desperate to get things done and need your hands free. They may cry at first in the sling but usu pass out pretty quickly. It can be a little hard on the back. Alana loves the snugli. It also can be tough on the back but less so (to me) than the sling.

[mommyof3]

alanasmama,
thanks for all the suggestions. I have read about them before. But after having to use all the sleep props with my first I decided not to do it again. So with my second one..I let her cry and she was fine. With her reflux naps weren't great at all until she was between 4 to 5 months old, then I trained her to stay in her crib and actually fall asleep. And she learned, and that's when her reflux started to get better. So I am trying to do the same thing with Klaudia now. Her bed is elivated so high. I have bought some things, but I don't want to break a habbit later. The thing is that we have days when she take thre 2 hr naps. Sometimes she wakes up after 45 min and then cries for a few min and then goes back to sleep for another 1.5 hr. For my husband she sleeps very well...maybe he should stay at home:))
With my first one I never let him cry and he napped in my arms for every nap. Sometimes he would sleep in the swing. But when more come along you have to do different things.
So I will just hope that in a few weeks she will start to get better. My first one wasn't a refluxer and he took horrible naps. So you just never know. i am tired but I have faith it will get better very soon.
But if it works for you then you should keep doing it. There is no right or wrong way with refluxer. It is survive the first few months. It gets better! They do grow out of it.

[alanasmama]

Hmmm. I've debated letting her cry (it's so hard -- must be a first-time mom thing) to see if she would fall asleep on her own. I read BabyWise and Sears' Baby Book (Sears recommends the Amby Bed). I didn't much like either book -- they seemed too extreme -- but I have used the ideas from BabyWise about creating a routine/schedule and it has helped her sleep better at night. Ezzo mentions not relying on props and of course I do that!

I wonder though if I should let her cry a bit. Her reflux is mostly under control (tho she is ALWAYS congested and has her bad moments!) It makes sense that babies need to learn to self-soothe. But how to help them learn that?! How long do you let them cry? And yes hubby should stay home and take care of baby too :) Too bad we need the money, eh?!

[mommyof3]

alanasmama,
I read Babywise and thats what I followed with my second and third. I know they talk about GERD babies in that book, but I think it is for really bad cases. you the mommy would know how bad reflux is. As far is how long to let her cry ...she is older now, so it will take a little bit longer. Give it a week. At naps I would let her go as long as 45 min. My little one still cries 5 to 15 min before each nap...she has to get her energy out. My middle one was very complient, but my third one is more challanging. If your husband can hanndle her cry, then go in the shower or go outside. Thats what I had to do. I will tell you from experience with my first one...sleep props are so hard to break. Just remember that crying doesn't hurt her, just your ears. As I write to you my little one is going down for a nap and she is fighting it as much as possible:))) you just need to decide that this is what you want to do and just stick with it. It is wonderful at the end. I would say the first 4 to 5 months are challanging and then it gets better. Although, i don't know when it will get easier with three.
Dr Sears is nice, but a little too nice for me. Our first son is still hard to put to sleep sometimes and he is almost 8 years old.
But remember that Babywise is just a guideline, not the Bible. I have a friend who did the book word for word and her kids slep thru the night at 5 weeks of age. Her second had colic and reflux and she would let him cry all nap if she had too. So you just need to decide what you want to do. I know that when mine turns 4 months I will probably need to let her stay in her crib for her naps to teach her that it is nap time. Right now I am just letting her guide me some and then I follow or make her follow my schedule. Right now we are working on cutting down to just 4 bottles like in Babywise schedule. I hope it won't take too long, but all I can do is try and try again untill we will reach a goal.
Good luck and let me know what you are going to do!

[wannabeloved]

Hello everyone i was just wondering if my 7 week old baby's G.I test came back normal could he still have acid reflux?

[mommyof3]

how much does the baby spit up? is she/he gaining wait?

[wannabeloved]

yes he is gaing weight he is 7 weeks old and weighs 14lbs and 15 oz's he spits up at more then most of his feedings and has all the symptoms of acid reflux his docotor even said he has acid reflux and is on 1/2 cc zantac 3 times a day. i was just wondering since the G.I. test came back normal if he still has acid reflux?

[mommyof3]

WOW he is a big boy! My son was that big, but he didn't have acid reflux but two of my girls did/do have one. I read somewhere that the test are not always accurate. To me he sounds like a happy spitter. My son was a happy spitter. I think sometimes kids can be misdiagnosed. You should seek a second opinion or maybe see GI specialist. Do you smell any sour smell coming out of his mouth? On some bad days I can smell sour coming out of my daughter's mouth. That would be an indicator that he does have acid reflux. All babies spit up and he sounds like he is doing great. Sometimes acid reflux peaks between 3 and 4 months of age. What caused the doctor to say he has acid reflux?

[alanasmama]

Hi Mommy of 3,

Sorry it's been awhile since I had a chance to check the board.

Thanks for your thoughts on sleep props/crying/napping. I really appreciate them. I do use Babywise's feed/wake/sleep approach to ensure that the feed to sleep issue is eliminated. It helped her nighttime sleep but her naps were only lasting about an hour. Now I've been letting her cry a little before her naps (she doesn't always cry :) and have worked on reducing the sleep props. I use the Amby bed for her long afternoon nap -- she sleeps for 2+ hours straight lately. I usu have to wake her up. I did apply the Baby Book for its list of reasons for nighttime wakings incl reflux, but I do find it a little sentimental/unrealistic.

I hope you and your little ones are doing well! How is your baby's reflux? Alana had some trouble recently so the ped upped the dose a mil. It seems to have mostly helped. I can't wait till she outgrows this. (She's 3 months tomorrow! 2 months and counting??!)

[mommyof3]

Hi Mommy of 3,

Sorry it's been awhile since I had a chance to check the board.

Thanks for your thoughts on sleep props/crying/napping. I really appreciate them. I do use Babywise's feed/wake/sleep approach to ensure that the feed to sleep issue is eliminated. It helped her nighttime sleep but her naps were only lasting about an hour. Now I've been letting her cry a little before her naps (she doesn't always cry :) and have worked on reducing the sleep props. I use the Amby bed for her long afternoon nap -- she sleeps for 2+ hours straight lately. I usu have to wake her up. I did apply the Baby Book for its list of reasons for nighttime wakings incl reflux, but I do find it a little sentimental/unrealistic.

I hope you and your little ones are doing well! How is your baby's reflux? Alana had some trouble recently so the ped upped the dose a mil. It seems to have mostly helped. I can't wait till she outgrows this. (She's 3 months tomorrow! 2 months and counting??!)
As she grows they will keep upping her dose.
We took mine off of Prevacid, because she started to spit up pink/purple for about an hour after we would give it to her. We are seeing the GI today so we will see what she has to say. We tried cereal yesterday...didn't go over too well. We will try again today. Once we can get solids in her and she can sit up on her own, we should start seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.
I hope Alana will start taking good naps for you in her bed very soon. We are still working on ours. Cannot wait till she is only on 4 feedings.

[alanasmama]

Oh that's a little scary. Pink spitup cannot be good! I hope you get good news/some help from the GI doc. Until then, just keep hanging in there. Like you told me, it CANNOT last forever. We just have to take it one day at a time. At least our babies don't have a really serious illness. My girlfriend's son was born with heart defects and had 4 operations in his first year. It was horrible. When we start getting down about our troubles, my husband and I always think about others who have it so much worse than we do and really try to be grateful for our "small" problems. It will get better!!!

[normaf]

I'm new to this support group. My name is Norma and my 14 week old daughter is Amanda. She's had acid reflux since just before she was one month old. She was put on soy formula and Zantac right away. When she finished the Zantac we left at that to see how she would react, no changes. Just recently her doc changed her to Alimentum but that only hurt her more. She would cry and scream every time she spit up the formula. She even has milk come out of her nose sometimes, that one really bothers her. She's back on the soy and just started Zantac again. She's always spit up her milk, she's always had a lot of gas but for the past three weeks she's been extremely fussy and only wants to be carried. She used to be just fine in her swing or on her floor mat but she just screams and has horrible cries when we try to place her anywhere.
She loves to be outside all the time and the only way she'll take day time naps is in someone's arms, the car or while in her car seat riding in a shopping cart. I don't know what to do for her. I'm one of the lucky ones though, she sleeps at night. She'll toss a lot , grunt and sometimes cry but she's asleep.
She has her first appointment with a GI later this month. For those who have already seen one, what should I expect? I'm so scared for her but I'm also so tired and frustrated. I'm a stay home mom and I'm with her 24/7.....it's HARD. By the way, she's my first baby. :conf2
I'd appreciate any advice or words of reassurance.

Thanks
Norma & Amanda

[alanasmama]

Hi Norma,

First, welcome! Sorry you have to join this particular club, but hopefully it won't be for too long. I have not seen a GI so I can't tell you what to expect.

Second, hang in there. My baby girl, also my first, was diagnosed with silent reflux at 9 weeks. It was a rocky road with Zantac, Enfamil AR, gas and constipation. But she is now more than 19 weeks old and things are much improved. Very little fussing while eating, no choking, etc. My point being, it does get better. It's impossible to believe when you're in the thick of it -- reflux is HARD on top of no sleep etc -- but you will both pull through. The good thing is you are being proactive and that really helps.

One last comment, if she likes being out, do go out. I was so afraid/overwhelmed in the beginning to take Alana places. I would have my mom sit with her so I could run my errands. But in the last 5-6 wks, I have been taking her everywhere. She fusses and cries sometimes (does NOT like getting in the car seat) but most of the time she enjoys it, it is very stimulating and helps her nap better. Recently I found myself standing in a LONG line at Marshalls waiting to check out. Alana was in the snugli, started fussing for food, so I whipped the bottle from my backpack and fed her right there. I never thought I would be that comfortable, but there it is. I am!

From one new mom to another, if baby likes to go out, strap her in and take her everywhere. Both of you will get used to it, even enjoy it, and the days will pass quickly. Soon enough, her unhappy reflux days will be but a memory.

Good luck with your GI visit. I am sending you good wishes right now!

[normaf]

Thanks alanasmama......

Amanda just got switched back to her soy formula and she's still spitting up but much better with her "mood swings". I think the Zantac is helping her a little. I just want the GI visit to come around already so we can get started and find out what's going on.

Thanks so much for your words of comfort. Since I am a stay at home mom we try and make some shopping trips as much as we can. She's happier and naps more and the only time she gets fussy is when she's hungry or bored in the back seat alone.

Thanks again your words really help. I don't have a lot of new mommy friends and everyone I know is at work or in school so it's nice to "chat" with someone who knows what I'm going through. Thank You So Much!

:angel4
NORMA AND AMANDA

[alanasmama]

I'm glad I could comfort you in some small way :) I can't help with the reflux but at least now you know you are not alone and this too shall pass.

[scott]

Hi, I am new to this website but I was online just looking for some kind of help for my son. He is two months of age today and he every time we go to the doctor they just change his formula. He first went in because we were in church and he started gagging and then that night he did it three more times throughout the night. So the doctor changed his formula thinking that it was either allergy or reflux. Then he started getting constipated and they changed him again. And now he is on Allementum but his symptoms are worse. He started the Allementum on Wednesday, one week and two days ago, and Wednesday he started acting as if he was very uncomfortable and grunting and squirming alot. Then he has now progressed to spitting up and screaming in pain. Can anyone offer any help. We took him to the emergency room today and they gave us Zantac to use until Monday when we can see the Ped. But the Ped now said if this didn't work they were going to try NeoCate but he keeps getting worse with the changes in formula? I am so confused. I was also wondering if the Allementum could hurt them I mean could it take a week for it to get in his system to where it is affecting him this way? Anyone please help?:conf1

[normaf]

i know exactly what you're going through. my almost 4 month old started on regular similac but when the spitting started they changed her to soy formula, similac isomil. she wasn't improving so her ped. tried allimentum. she HATED it. she would cry horribly when she spit it up, she never reacted like that before. it was the milk, it "burned" as it was coming up just like w/adults. she was only on it for 5 days. she's been put back on soy WITH the zantac.....she's a lot better but still spitting. she's going to a GI in two weeks. her ped. didn't want to bother w/another formula.

your son should go to a GI b/c it could have something to do w/milk, period. i know a friend who's son kept having his milk changed and at 2 months he was hospitalized (per mom's request, not trying to scare you) and they found out it was the milk. he was allergic to all the formulas, he couldn't keep them down. he did much better with regular fresh cow's milk. everyone is different but the more tests the better. good luck, i hope and i know things will get better.

i'll let everyone know what the GI tells us....

[alanasmama]

Hi, I am new to this website but I was online just looking for some kind of help for my son. He is two months of age today and he every time we go to the doctor they just change his formula.

Hi Scott-

Each baby responds to formulas differently. If you search this site, you'll find at least one person who said a particular formula worked for them. So it is important to try different ones, but typically you need to give a 2 week period to "wash" out the old stuff. Also your baby could have reflux AND a milk allergy (tho it's rare).

My baby girl is close to 20 wks but she was diagnosed at about 9 wks with silent reflux. She was having lots of trouble, hysterically crying and needing to eat every 1.5-2 hrs. We thought we were going crazy. Every baby is different but here's what worked for us. Alana is on .5mls Zantac 2xday (she's a petite baby). 2 days after she started the Zantac, she improved measurably. But typically you should try to give the Zantac up to 2 wks to work. Per our ped, we switched from Similac to Enfamil AR (for spit up), but it constipated her terribly. Without asking the ped, we started using a 50-50 mix of AR and Good Start (recommended by other moms). Nowadays, we use a 2-1 mix of AR and Enfamil Lipil and Alana is doing amazingly well. Her poos changed from green to yellow and are less firm.

As for the Zantac, the intention is to let her grow out of her dose. By six mos, we'll know if she still needs it. I have also heard that starting solid foods helps so we plan to introduce them at 6 mos as well.

We never saw a ped GI, but Norma is right. If it's bad, you should see a specialist. They are more up to date on appropriate treatments. They may try prevacid or prilosec also called PPIs, which are safer and more effective than Zantac. This site gives more details: http://www.marci-kids.com/

Good luck and please know that it will get better! Most babies grow out of it between 6-12 mos.

[alanasmama]

Oh and have you tried elevating the head of crib or letting him sleep in a swing? Some elevation of the head is helpful for refluxers. Also, IF you feel comfortable, you can try letting your baby sleep on his tummy. Of course, this is scary and I never did it (my baby was a preemie, which is a risk factor for SIDS) but I do know of refluxer moms who have without a problem. I slept on my tummy as a baby as did everyone I know. You probably were a tummy sleeper too :) My ped said that she saw a huge rise in reflux as a result of the Back to Sleep movement. Belly sleeping apparently closes off the opening of the tummy and thus material is less able to reflux up the esophagus.

[MaggieR]

My son is now 11 weeks and has really bad acid reflux. Thanks to this website and your posting I knew that it was not just colic and did not accept "that babies just cry" as many have told me.
We tried so many things and whenever it seems like something is working and he's happy and not in pain, it starts up again. At first breastfeeding did not work out so we started on Similac Advance, he cried, arched his back, coughed and hiccupped constantly. He would not sleep well, would wheeze and cry and fidget with each feeding. After calling the pediatrician we were told that all babies cry and he had colic. He would never sleep during the day and maybe 2-3 hour chunks at night. My husband and I were beside ourselves, each night we had to swaddle our son and stroll him around our kitchen for about an hour each night in order for him to fall asleep and we had him sleep elevated in the stroller. The first 8 weeks I spent sleeping on the couch next to the stroller. He was just extremely uncomfortable and gassy, and would cry all the time. another call to the pediatrician and we switched to soy but it did not seem to work. I looked for relief online and found Colic Ease Gripe water, but felt a little uneasy giving it to the baby so I called the dr and they said they don't recommend it. Two days after switching to the soy formula Dominic would drink an ounce of it and scream in pain, if he did get more than 3 ounces he would throw up all of it.
We tried to calm him down but nothing worked so after 3.5 hours I made a frantic call the peds night line and I was not taking the "babies cry/are collicy" answer. He told us to get Alimentum, thicken it with rice cereal, give him Maalox and he would call in a prescription of Zantac. This worked and for 3 weeks we had a happy baby, who would nap twice during the day and would sleep for a 5 hr stretch at night in his crib on the Incline to Sleep. Three days ago it all started up again and we are now on prilosec. I hope this works because I want my happy, healthy baby back.

[MaggieR]

Hi Minnie, I went through all of the same stuff as you had and I too have a collection of nipples, bottles and formulas. We are on Allimentum ready-to-feed since he hates the powder form, I have tried 3 times. And I mixed it really well and gave it a chance to settle. Anyways, my son is 11 weeks old and all of this started almost from the day we brought him home. Like I said we are using Allimentum, and we add a teaspoon of rice cereal (beech nut) per ounce. We were adding 1/2 teaspoon of karo syrup for constipation but once we switched form gerber to beech nut we stopped using it (karo). We also used zantac for the reflux but it stopped working a few days ago. We are now on omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate and I hope this is the answer. we went through many periods of something working and then stopping. I know what my Dominic can be like when he is happy and I have cried so many times out of joy and frustration. the doc says between 4-6 months when they can hold their heads up it gets a lot better. I am waiting....

[MaggieR]

Can prilosec be flavored? my son spits it up. thanks

[MaggieR]

Hi Minnie, I went through all of the same stuff as you had and I too have a collection of nipples, bottles and formulas. We are on Allimentum ready-to-feed since he hates the powder form, I have tried 3 times. And I mixed it really well and gave it a chance to settle. Anyways, my son is 11 weeks old and all of this started almost from the day we brought him home. Like I said we are using Allimentum, and we add a teaspoon of rice cereal (beech nut) per ounce. We were adding 1/2 teaspoon of karo syrup for constipation but once we switched form gerber to beech nut we stopped using it (karo). We also used zantac for the reflux but it stopped working a few days ago. We are now on omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate and I hope this is the answer. we went through many periods of something working and then stopping. I know what my Dominic can be like when he is happy and I have cried so many times out of joy and frustration. I hate to see him in so much pain the doc says between 4-6 months when they can hold their heads up it gets a lot better. I am waiting....if it doesn't work we will be going to a GI.

[Shawna]

Hello, Im Shawna with Olivia, my 2 mo. old colcky and in pain baby. I stumbled across this forum in search of ideas or relief for her. As I read what so many have gone thru and your tips, I realized I was on the right track and that was reassuring >>>>and to hear Im not alone with these poor painful episodes our sweet babies have. I am actually a nursing mom so I had a feeling it was more than just baby fussiness//mild colic because I figured out that as soon as shes finished nursing, she wants to sit up or she spits up. that was the first signal to me that she had sensitive belly so I had started supplementing with Infamil AR to help coat and settle her belly a bit and just yesterday afternoon started maalox multi symptom in 1-2 cc doses (max of 8cc per dose for her weight) and it has helped immensly. I joined this forum because I wanted to share my thanks to all who post here and maybe give some a bit of relief as i felt after so many frazzled feedings ..................

[MaggieR]

Hi Shawna, I am so glad that the Maalox worked. My son has been on the Prilosec for 7 days now and what a difference. We did have to flavor it and he does hate taking it (2x/day) but who likes medicine. As long as he is happy and not in pain I can deal with a few tears at medicine time. Thanks to the medicine he has been sleeping through the night for the past 6 nights. I hope you don't have to go to prescription. Good luck to you and Olivia.
Maggie

[syd]

My five month old son is having a very difficult time sleeping in his crib. He was on zantac for reflux when he was 1-3 months and then was doing better. He was sleeping in his crib (swaddled) from about midnight until 6:30 am. Then he got sick with bronchiolitis and double ear infections twice. He was on antibiotics both times. I feel that the medicine may have made the reflux return. He does not really spit up much, but he arches his back and screams until he is picked up. I thought he was just at the age of wanted to be with us, but then he began crying more and looking like he was in pain similar to when he was younger. He also has a sour breath at night and has a lot of gas. Our doctor felt this was behavioral but I still feel it may be more. He did put him on prevacid now instead of the zantac.
The last two nights on prevacid he is finally sleeping for about and 1 1/2 in his crib but when put down already asleep. He wasn't even sleeping more than 5 minutes before the med change. The catch is...when we put him on our softer mattress and/or propped on a pillow he can sleep all night.
He is a happy, laughing and smiling baby during the day but seems to have a lot of trouble after the days formula builds up.
Is it safe to put some type of pillow under his sheet to help give him some comfort and lift? Does anyone have any suggestions?? Thank you!

[Shawna]

hello Maggie, So far Ive only had to give her the Maalox a few times in very small doses (keepin fingers crossed :)) And lol maybe a few more hours rest for me soon too. With luck the prilosec will help your baby long term and you will be able to reduce as he gets older....It is supposed to help heal and prevent damage to stomache and esophagus tissue :)
And ya know, if i would have known about this 13 1/2 years ago with my first!!!
Sleep well for me Maggie !!:)

[Shawna]

Hi syd! I have propped my baby for weeks, partially because of her cues that she wanted to sit up and the other part from the sour smelling stomach you are talking about..... the doc's are pro's, true and thank gosh for em but you know your baby and although at 5 or 6 mo. of age they do get "behavioral" lol I recognize the backward arch you are talking about and that is pain. A few weeks ago I rushed my daughter to the ER cause it freaked me out!!! trust me sister you are on the right track.. Ill bet Maggie has seen that too..........not fun at all but I am sure propping helps. I even kindof tuck my baby in with blankets to makesure she doesnt fall or roll. maybe that will help ........good luck

[simplydeelytz]

Hi. I came across this thread for finding a solution and support system while experiencing this nightmare. I have a 8 week-old son who started really crying, spits saliva, spits milk, screams, gassy and has hiccups when he was about 4 weeks old. He would always wake up easily when asleep and will cry and scream for about 2-3 hours everyday. He spends his waking days/nights just crying and his rest is when he drinks milk or sleeps. I want my baby to be happy and cooing at this stage, it's so depressing. I always talked to his doctor and he tells me that there might be something wrong in how we are taking care of him OR he has colic and just needed to be burped after feeding (which we always do but to no avail) OR that this is just a stage but he seems to be in so much pain and today we are visiting his doctor and I will open up this reflux thing. It may sound so weird to him that I got this idea over a website on the internet but sometimes doctors even as experts and professional as they are, nothing beats a mother's instinct. I know something is wrong, I just hope our nice pediatrician will consider reflux. We'll see what happens today. BTW, Husband and I tried swaddling our baby last night after crying from 10pm-1am, while asleep we swaddled him and right now he's still asleep and it's already 8.30am.

[sao95]

Hey all, I posted here back when my son had reflux and you folks gave me some advice, I just recently wrote an article for an online dad's publication about the miracle blanket. It helps with colic and reflux, check it out, also a few stay at home dads took it for a test drive so a product review is comin out soon as well, it's interesting, too bad I learned about it too late for our reflux issues..

http://www.dadcenter.com/news/Mike_Gatten_Inventor_Entrepreneur_and_most_important_a_dad.html

[Tuxedo]

I was wondering if it is okay for my son to take Axid and Prevacid at the same time. We just started prevacid 15mg x2 daily, but I know it can take a while to work so we want to keep him on his axid until the prevacid reaches full effect. Does the prevacid counteract the axid? Thanks!

Jen

[AmyKaye]

My son Luke is 5 1/2 mo's old--He has reflux-I discovered it as of 3-4 months of age. He was on zantac and it worked for 3 days and then stopped--we took him off right away and the doc put him on prilosec. He weighs almost 13 lbs and is taking almost 4 ml a da. We are stationed in Japan and there are noooooo specialists for me to go to--or at least understand. Please help--only serious knowledgable suggestions please--I would appreciate it. You name it- we have tried it. His first two months were great-he slept though the night-8 hours -for the past 2 months we are up all hours of the night trying to sooth him--trying to feed him as much as we can-- We do short feedings about 1 1/2-2 ounces every 2 -2 1/2 hrs. He is breastfed and sometimes we mix it with the AR infamil which seems to stay down more than others- When does this get better anyone know--he is almost 6 months now.

[zuck888]

Hi, I'm Stacey and I have a son, Collin, who is almost 4 months old. Collin was diagnosed with reflux at 6 weeks and from then until now we are searching for that "magic" relief. We have tried zantac, prevacid and now he is on prilosec 2.0mL 2xday.
Collin's worst reflux tends to be 2 - 2and a half hours after feedings. We've been told that is b/c his stomach is empty by then and he is just refluxing straight stomach acid. He wakes up from whatever sleep he is in - crying, arching his back, etc. I guess he's the "silent" refluxer as he does not spit up a whole lot... just has the acid burning pain.
Poor little guy has had an upper GI, upper GI with small bowel follow through, abdominal ultrasound, and the ph probe. All tests showed anatomically he is fine, phew! The ph probe was a very interesting study. He had that done 2 weeks ago and the GI specialist then upped his dosage of prilosec (to the current 2.0 mL)
Unfortunately, we see no relief.
We head back to the specialist this Thursday for a follow up and I want to be prepared. I was reading all your stories.

Does anyone have any relief stories with higher doses of prilosec or a different medication? Collin is about 13lbs - we don't know how much medication he is allowed to take.

Thank you so much!

[momma2a]

thanks for this post.

my 3 1/2 mo old infant recently started showing symptoms of reflux. which is a late presentation accdg to the pedi.
for the last two weeks, i have difficulty feeding him at the start. he screams or cries and arches his back after a few sucks. i thought it was just a phase. the last couple of days is worse and so i did some research and found this thread...
so, i called the doctor yesterday and he was started on zantac. its still a struggle. the ped said it takes a week for it to work. and his growth might be affected because he's only been taking 16-20 oz the last couple of days. and thats what im most worried about.

also, i have a question.. i give the zantac with apple juice and he has no problem taking it... why is that so?

thanks again!

[PurpleJoy]

I posted this in another section but have not gotten any responses so I thought I'd also post it here since this thread has so much traffic. Forgive me for the double post.

My daughter Joy is 5 1/2 months old. For the first 4 1/2 she cried non-stop. My husband and I kept taking her to her pediatrician and he was no help. We recently switched to a new doctor and she has been more helpful, but Joy is still extremely fussy. The new doctor sent her for a barium floroscope and it showed she had Reflux. She put her on Prevacid and told us to try Alimentum. The Prevacid seems to help a bit (not a lot but a bit) but the Alimentum seemed to make her much worse plus she hated the taste of it and would hardly drink it. Before that she was on Enfamil Lipil and liked it so we tried Enfamil Gentlease Lipil (for fussy and gassy babies). That seemed to help a little too. We had about a week of moderate improvement and thought our troubles were over. She was much less fussy, cried less, smiled more, slept better at night. It was heavenly.

Then she seemed to revert and is fussing and crying all over again. It's like she's in pain or at the very least extremely uncomfortable. She frequently grunts and groans and wiggles around, arching her back. We have an appointment with a Pediatric Gastroenterologist in April. We're hoping and praying that he can help. Why won't doctors prescribe pain medication to babies who are hurting? I don't understand it. We wouldn't let an adult suffer needlessly so why do we let infants?

Everyone we talk to about it says, "It'll get better" and I just want to sock them. When?! When will it get better? She's 5 1/2 months old and it's still going strong. What can we do? Something has GOT to give because my husband and I are going insane. It makes us feel guilty because we don't even want to be around her. We want some peace and quiet. We want her to be happy and enjoy life.

We've tried Gripewater, all different types of formula, Levsin, gas drops, Axid, swaddling, a swing, a vibrating bouncy seat. I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of now. Now she's on Prevacid and the gentle Enfamil formula.

Isn't there medication to help her? Isn't there something we can do? I know this is probably just like every other "please help" post out there. But please do help. If you have any suggestions I'm listening. We truly are feeling at the end of our rope. Thanks.

Heather

[GaSapphire]

My adult son was born with reflux, after an upper GI at 8 months I was told "he'd grow out of it by the time he is 2, just keep a towel handy" to which I responded, "That's great doc, you take him out to dinner with the family. Everyone around him leaves when he spits his formula 20 feet across the room."

The ONLY thing that gave me sanity was chiropractic. Our family chiropractor began seeing my son on a daily basis, we were soon able to go ever 2 days, then every 3 days and worked it down to once a month. As long as he saw the chiropractor, most of his food stayed down. Let me suggest http://www.icpa4kids.org/locator/index.php to locate a chiropractor in your area. Give it a shot; it worked for us.

BTW - my son now has a son and you guessed it .... he has reflux too.