Reflux - any advice?
ayersfam20
member
We took DS to the doc yesterday b/c we were pretty sure he has started to have reflux. The doctor thinks he does as well and wanted to do an upper GI test, something about a barium swallow? Anyone ever had this done? When DD had reflux her doc just gave me meds for her to "see if it helped." His doc does not like to put them on the meds unless he's absolotely sure it's reflux and then only as a last resort.
It seems to only happen at night, even if we hold him upright for an hour after feeding. During the day he seems to be fine. This getting 3 hours of sleep a night is starting to get to us! Any advice for soothing him or other remedies for helping with reflux? I am breastfeeding, any foods to avoid that will help? Will pumping and giving him a bottle instead help? I'm desperate here and he's only 2 weeks old, lol.
Collin Thayne 10.11.2010
Re: Reflux - any advice?
I am so sorry you are going through this. I know how horrible this is for your entire family. DS has reflux, but it has gotten so much better. When he was a week old we knew something was wrong because he would spit up what looked like an entire feeding at every feeding and would scream in pain and looked sooooo miserable.
This is a great web site to learn about infant reflux. A nestie also recommended the book Colic Solved to me when we were diagnosing Evan and it was very helpful. The doctor who wrote it also practices in Houston.
I also suggest getting the Fisher Price Rock n' Play sleeper. It is a good angle for reflux babies and it was sometimes the only place I could put him down. I basically held him for 2 months while we waited it out and adjusted his meds.
I know several people with babies with reflux and the upper GI test was never done first; it was reserved for babies who had no luck on the meds or weren't gaining weight.
As for breastfeeding and your diet, you can cut out all dairy to see if it is a dairy allergy and you can also cut out caffeine. Some people will also try gluten or wheat free diets if nothing else works.
For Evan we did notice an improvement when we fed him in a more upright position, for I pumped and provided bottles from 2 1/2 months on.
At 7 months old he is still on meds, but rarely spits up and has no silent reflux. We are going to start weaning him off his meds this coming month.
I hope you and your DS get some relief soon!
Dx: PCOS and short luteal phase
18 cycles (3 with our RE) - Metformin + Clomid + HCG booster did the trick!
BFP #1 6/22/09 EDD: 3/2/10 DS born: 3/8/10
TTC #2 since Dec 2011
BFP #2 7/8/12 EDD: 3/18/12 M/C @ 9w1d: 8/16/12
I LOVE the rock and play. Seriously Olivia went from screaming her head off from 3-5 am every single night to sleeping 4-5 hour stretches (with her meds). She loves her rock and play and I have no idea how we are going to move her to her crib but right now I'm just happy to have sleep again.
Olivia has silent reflux (every now and then she will lose her bottle) but we would catch her spitting up and eating her spit up. (Gross!) She would constantly cry after feedings and if laid down flat. You could tell she was miserable. You just couldnt put her down.
I cut out all caffeine and dairy in my diet which was VERY hard especially when you are getting maybe 3 hours of sleep a day but it was worth it.
Now after being on the meds she totally is a different baby. Now all we are dealing with is gas (fun stuff) and her having trouble passing it without groaning and waking me up but she sleeps through it so whatever.
Before we started meds we were asked for a week to hold her upright after feedings for 20 minutes, feed her every 2 hours, let her sleep in her swing and see if that helped. While it did at night she was still miserable.
Good luck. I totally know how rough it is. It sucked for us but there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Collin Thayne 10.11.2010
One more suggestion. Get a baby carrier that lets you keep him upright. We got a Baby Bjorn off ebay and wish we would have got it sooner. I was able to keep him upright and actaully get off the sofa. He also would fall asleep there when he wouldn't sleep anywhere else. It was at least good for naps.
I hope you get more sleep soon!
Dx: PCOS and short luteal phase
18 cycles (3 with our RE) - Metformin + Clomid + HCG booster did the trick!
BFP #1 6/22/09 EDD: 3/2/10 DS born: 3/8/10
TTC #2 since Dec 2011
BFP #2 7/8/12 EDD: 3/18/12 M/C @ 9w1d: 8/16/12