Reflux, so switch to formula?

MiaMyPuggle

WWYD? DD spits up constantly, cries all day unless she's sleeping or eating, grunts, refuses to burp most of the time, and looks uncomfortable. I don't know if my breast milk is tearing up her stomach or if she's just a miserable baby. I'm seriously on the verge of tears typing this. I have a perfectly good supply, so I'd feel guilty not continuing to breastfeed. I BF DS for 10 months, so I'd like to go to at least that with DD. We are using gripe water and gas meds. Doesn't seem to be doing anything for her. Pedi isn't concerned bc she's gaining weight. It's killing me that she's not doing well on breast milk and she's never satisfied and relaxed. I don't want to compare, but DS was such a chill baby. Not this one.

sugarland726

Since BFing seems very important to you, I'd consider a dietary change first before formula. Do you eat spicy foods? A lot of dairy? Cut some things out and see if that helps. Then try Baby Zantac. There are options before switching immediately to formula (not that I'd judge if you did go that route right off the bat).

mrspharmd

Baby could just have reflux regardless of what you feed her. I agree with @sugarland726 about looking at your diet/other options first.

If you do feel the need to try formula, maybe mix half formula (ex: similac for supplementation) and half breast milk. Or pump while giving just formula to see if she reacts the same way to formula, that way you are keeping your supply up.

SweetPeaKate

What you described sounds exactly like what is going on over here. I BF DS1 for 14 months so FF will be an absolute last resort for me personally. I'm going to be asking the pedi about Zantac or another med to just help cut down on his pain because I feel like it might be reflux--DS1 had reflux and it was awful. Gas drops and gripe water have done NOTHING for my little guy and if he is awake…he is usually crying/screaming. Burping is horribly difficult. He will sometimes burp himself, but if he doesn't he falls asleep and then I can fully expect a massive explosion of milk to come out of him at some unannounced point. I do laundry mainly for more burp cloths because we are flying through them.

I've been working on cutting out caffeine and cutting down obvious dairy sources like milk and ice cream. I haven't done so well with cheese, but I figure cutting back should maybe do something.

Once we are able to get out of the house (crazy snow storm here), I'm going to look into Colic Calm. Basically from what I've read/know from DS1 any number of things could be bothering him, so between diet and maybe something to help calm him down a little bit, I'm hoping to figure it out. Except I know that it could be a long process.

I'm trying to stay calm amidst the crying, but ugh it's rough. (especially the horrible pain screams in the middle of the night)

jessicat2283

I'm in the same boat. Going to call dr tomorrow. I think I'm about to switch to formula. He doesn't spit up as much & he is gassy w formula but not screaming blooder murder

khunter11

Zantac seems to be helping us, more than anything. Another tip is using a birth ball to burp. Bounce LO lightly after feeding. Our son hates the shoulder burp so we do that, as well as sitting him on our leg and slightly tipping him forward with his knees bent. Gentle is best, otherwise he'll throw his head back, scream and arch.

Good luck! Hope it gets better soon. I've heard 4 months is when the reflux tapers off.

CarolinaGirl2014

Sorry you're dealing with this. Sounds a lot like my daughter. Not sure it helps, but when they tried even the gentlest formulas, she was much more sick than with my breast milk, even projectile vomited with just 1/3 formula. I eliminated gluten, dairy, soy, and eggs from my diet and within days they noticed a difference. A week later, she just has evening colic and even that was progressively better last I heard. It wasn't even as hard to eliminate as I thought. It makes me eat healthier and stop snacking on empty calories. Good luck!

MindyBadger1

I echo amyg's comments. I had/have ovetsupply and my baby was miserable. Finally under control now and he's a new kid.

star1123

Any suggestions on how to control oversupply?

amt0312

I can tell you that changing to formula isn't much easier, if any easier at all...DD was super gassy towards the end of our breastfeeding days and spitting up a lot and grunting and generally looking uncomfortable. We switched to formula because she wasn't gaining and a pre/post weight feed showed she was only getting about 1 oz combined even though my supply was fine (I could pump 4 ounces after every feed).

 Let me tell you, switching to formula has been a lot of work and bottle feeding her is really difficult. I'd rather deal with a gassy/uncomfortable baby while breastfeeding than deal with it AND having to mix formula, clean bottles, and try every bottle under the sun because she seems to gulp air when feeding. Oh...and she's constipated so having to feed her prune juice, which also causes tummy problems. It's an uphill battle. 

MiaMyPuggle

Thank you all...I took her to the pedi this morning and now have to give her gerber soy formula and pump and freeze my BM. I loathe pumping, so this isn't too thrilling. Gave her the soy formula and she didn't spit up at all. I burped after every ounce. She threw up this morn with the BM and similac discomfort formula. I'm hoping to go dairy free and continue nursing. Not excited about making bottles in the MOTN.

ababymaybe

Hmm. Watch the soy. Very often babies that have a milk problem also have a problem with soy (similar proteins). The usual protocol is to go to a hypoallergenic formula and not soy. They also don't recommend soy in babies under six months here in canada though I am not sure why.

MiaMyPuggle

@AmyG - I'll give you my address....live with me until DD is a year, please. Guide me thru this....please! DS had a milk protein allergy. I nursed for 10 mo with him. He spit up a lot as well, but not as much as DD. My cousin went dairy free and saw a change, albeit not a huge one. He was tested for allergies and reflux....had nothing going on. Just an immature esophageal valve. I want to look up a good diet to go on to help us out here. Thank you, BFIng god, @AmyG! Are you an LC or just extremely knowledgable??

MiaMyPuggle

@AmyG - I told the pedi I will pump and give her formula and call Monday with results. I never thought I'd care about BFing as much as I do. I feel like crying bc I want DD to feel better, but am also "all in" for BFing. I'd like to try limiting dairy for a week and still nurse.

sarahmarie2

Just want to add, I'm in the same boat. DS was miserable, so we followed pedi advice (started reflux meds) and LC advice (overactive let down--pumping before feeding). I thought we were having some improvement, but the past two days have been terrible again--DS isn't sleeping for longer than 2 hours (if we're lucky), he's crying all the time, he screams and writhes when I try to burp him. Gripe water helps for about 20 minutes after he takes it, and then we're back where we started. I started dairy free yesterday and I'm hoping it makes a difference.

To make matters worse, DS is on his second day without pooping. He's not passing gas as much, either. We went 4 days poop free last week, but he wasn't miserable. Right now I think it's part of the problem--if I even try to touch his stomach to massage, he has a meltdown. Does anyone have any suggestions or been through this? @amyg* maybe?

MiaMyPuggle

AmyG* said:

MiaMyPuggle said:

@AmyG - I told the pedi I will pump and give her formula and call Monday with results. I never thought I'd care about BFing as much as I do. I feel like crying bc I want DD to feel better, but am also "all in" for BFing. I'd like to try limiting dairy for a week and still nurse.

Then do what your gut tells you to do.  just cause you told dr you'd give formula and not nurse doesn't mean you can't change your mind.  in such a short time on formula you might see improvement, because like I said formula at least temporarily tends to slow down digestion which may reduce reflux.  also formula weighs more than breastmilk, so it might come up a bit less.

Yes, I want to already change my mind. This is such a struggle for me and I never thought I'd care as much. I cried so much today and I'm not a crier. I'm so uncomfortable with this. I really need to change my diet so I can make BF work. But, I don't want to tear up her stomach if my BM is doing that to her. I don't know what to do....again...tears.

sarahmarie2

Thanks, @phxmom2be. We were supposed to go to the pedi last week for a weight check to see if his medicine needed adjustment, but we got snowed in. The soonest they could reschedule us was this Friday, but I'm going to call right away tomorrow and see about getting him in sooner. It's breaking my heart to see him like this and it just keeps getting worse. And, we are now on day 4 again. Hoping it's the magic number and he can get a little relief!