Mommas with reflux babes

Klavanga74 · December 2014

Do we really not have anyone talking about reflux on this board? I searched and came up with threads from other boards, but not ours. I know we have reflux babies on here...

So, DD has had reflux from teh start. We hear it, but she rarely spits and she's generally happy so we haven't given her medicine yet. She has her two-month check-up Friday and hasn't been seen since two weeks. Well, yesterday I could hear the reflxu more and could smell the sour smell on her breath. About 2:30 she got really fussy. Took a nap on the sitter until she woke really suddenly crying out like someone had poked her with a pin and was inconsolable the rest of the afternoon/evening unless she was asleep in someone's arms. She sounded congested, but I think that it is actually the reflux making her congested. I gave her gripe water finally (forgot I had it) when she was in the middle of freaking out and had violent hiccups. Some of it came out of her nose.

She finally settled down around 8:30 and slept great in her RNP (boo for the step backward...we so want her in her crib and will get her mattress elevated and try tonight) until 4:30. Poor thing was so exhausted. I called the Dr. office and they said to wait until Friday - they said the office is like a petri dish and to keep her out unless she's got a fever or gets worse.

Anyway, anyone had this happen where all of a sudden symptoms seemed to worsen so much? She's formula fed and no change in her formula, bottles, etc., so I can't figure it out. I'm wondering if it's time to switch to a hypoallergenic formula. I'd rather try that before trying zantac. What are you all's experiences?

swise22 · December 2014

Everything you're describing is exactly what DS was doing starting at 6 weeks old. He was started on Zantac and has been doing wonderful. We never increased his dose at his 2 month visit since he was doing so well on it, however, now that he's gained more weight he started having symptoms again and we had to increase it last week. He's doing great again now. His symptoms were similar to your LOs. He never really spit up but you could hear it coming up, always sounded congested, and would cry out as if in horrible pain all of a sudden for no reason. All of that stopped about 2 weeks after starting Zantac.

Klavanga74 · December 2014

What do you all do for sleeping? Do you have your LOs in a crib, do you elevate the mattress? So torn on whether or not to try switching formula before Zantac (I know my Dr. is going to prescribe it because she did at the 2-week appt we just never filled it and I know the dose will be different now). The problem is I need to give the new formula at least a week to make a difference and if that doesn't work, then it's another couple of weeks for the zantac to take effect. I read yesterday that milk protein allergy is the culprit in 50% of reflux cases and my DD1 had a severe milk protein allergy as an infant, so chances are really high that DD2 has it, too. Decisions...decisions!

swise22 · December 2014

DS was sleeping in the rock n play to keep him elevated for a while but we switched him to the pack n play once his symptoms were under control and he's done great. I'm not sure about formula since DS is breastfed but my pedi told me that his symptoms were related to reflux and not an allergy in my milk. She said that most babies with an allergy and reflux will be spitting up constantly which DS wasn't doing. He has more of the silent reflux. I was nervous at first to medicate him but after seeing how wonderful he's done on the Zantac I'm so happy I did. Just remember if you do start the Zantac it takes 2 weeks before it really kicks in. Gripe water seemed to help DS temporarily so I gave him that still until the Zantac really kicked in.

ETA: words

Wino411 · December 2014

My lo has reflux and even had a sandifer syndrome episode (looks like a seizure, only affects 1% of babies with reflux) he looks like he's in pain minutes and hours after a feeding and it usually interrupts our sleep because he writhes in pain/discomfort between feedings. He's constantly congested, hiccups several times a day and sometimes swallows it which is even worse. He hasn't been put on medicine bc i think the dr thinks I'm exaggerating or they think it won't really do much but sounds like your lo's are doing well with meds. He has his 2 mo appt after Christmas so i will ask again esp since his appt is with another provider. I think it will be worth it to see if it improves things because right now seeing his face when he randomly cries out in pain is torture for the both of us.

Aurora1181 · December 2014

Our boy has terrible reflux- screaming, crying, back arching, spitting up- after every bottle. We've got him on 1ml of Zantac 2x a day and it got better for a little bit and is now back to terrible. We switched his formula (we supplement) to Enfamil AR and that helped a little too, but still didn't solve it. We hold him upright for at least 20 minutes after each bottle and use the Rock and Play for sleep if we know he might spit up. If he's been up for awhile, he does fine in the crib though.

leela02 · December 2014

Klavanga74 said:

What do you all do for sleeping? Do you have your LOs in a crib, do you elevate the mattress? So torn on whether or not to try switching formula before Zantac (I know my Dr. is going to prescribe it because she did at the 2-week appt we just never filled it and I know the dose will be different now). The problem is I need to give the new formula at least a week to make a difference and if that doesn't work, then it's another couple of weeks for the zantac to take effect. I read yesterday that milk protein allergy is the culprit in 50% of reflux cases and my DD1 had a severe milk protein allergy as an infant, so chances are really high that DD2 has it, too. Decisions...decisions!

My 10-week-old DD sleeps in a RnP most of the time. We used to elevate her crib but she just ends up sliding down it. Her pedi said there's no benefit to elevating the crib if she is sliding. Her reflux is not very bad so she doesn't mind getting put down on a flat mattress, but she wakes up and fusses if she spits up and gets spit-up on her face. So I only put her in the crib for naps so she doesn't wake up in the motn and after holding her upright for 20mins. If I can't hold her long enough I put her in the RnP. I've tried stretching the time between her feeding and sleeping, but right now she'll only go to sleep soon after her bottle.

I haven't tried hypoallergenic formula. I thought of switching to Enfamil AR (from Enfamil Gentlease) but DD doesn't spit up that much as long as she is not flat a lot.

persephonerose · December 2014

I suspected DD had reflux a few weeks ago. She was making that face, you know the one adults make when they have a mouth full of bile. And she had just been so unhappy, crying and screaming almost all day, and fighting with the bottles since we brought her home. Just with the formula switch alone DD is a completely different baby. Now she has happy awake periods! I can tell she still has some reflux but its not near as bad.

I switched her to the similac sensitive formula and we noticed a difference within two days. I was not really surprised DH has a lactose issue and DS1 had reflux as well. When we saw the pedi Tuesday he prescribed zantac for us to have on hand if we need it since she still has reflux.

She also sleeps in her swing. We tried the elevated crib mattress but the problem we have is with the incline it causes her and brother (who has less severe reflux) to roll/slide around more and they wake up a lot more often because they are no longer inclined.

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