reflux?

[yentroc]

Any of your babes seeming reflux-y?

Ds HAS to be held upright after nursing, or he's a screamy, spit up-y, hiccuping mess.

Nighttime feedings are a nightmare, he nurses and then will only settle on my chest, if I try to lay him down he squirms and then screams and usually spits up or has a burp. So I can't side lie nurse and go back to sleep. So between feeding sitting up, changing, and then settling him back to sleep, it's time to feed again! No one is getting any sleep.

I'm starting to feel discouraged b/c dd was a reflux baby and didn't sleep until she was 2!

FWIW, I'm off dairy... Ds is 12 days old.

[Casha'sMommy]

Oldest dd was VERY fluxy.
She spit up all. the. time.
She screamed before eating, after eating, sometimes while eating. I was a miserable mess, didn't know about the benefits of placenta back then

This was 17 years ago, before anyone acknowledged that babies could have reflux so I got no help. fwiw, SIL and a friend had fluxy kiddos who were both treated with meds. This seemed to work well for both children.

[evinmom]

All 3 of my babies had reflux to some degree. DS1 had it so bad he projectile vomited after every single meal. I had to feed him with a large bath towel draped over me. He was on every med that is available and nothing really helped long term. DD had silent reflux. I didn't treat her with meds. We just kept her upright as much as possible. I even nursed her upright. Everett refluxes from time to time. Sometimes he comes out his nose. Right now he sounds congested from all the milk that keeps going up his nose. I try to keep him as upright as possible. He only sleeps on me in a semi-reclined position or in a sling upright. We do go through several hours a day when he spits up and we cycle through just what you described.

[yentroc]

Di Linh - how are you guys getting any sleep? That's my biggest challenge, Griffin has to be upright after eating. I've just been dozing with him on my chest but I'm not really getting enough sleep that way. And he spits up through his nose too! I'd never seen that before and it freaked me out the first time. Dd was a major spitter but NEVER through her nose! He's super congested too, I imagine that's why.

[evinmom]

Everett doesn't stay asleep without me touching him right now. During the day he sleeps on my chest, semi-reclined against my thigh or in a sling. At night I lay against a ramp made of firm pillows and Everett sleeps in the crook of my arm so he's semi-reclined. I haven't decided what to do later on yet. Gavin would allow me to put him down once he was asleep so he spent the first 10 weeks strapped into a bouncy seat to sleep. Even at night because every time I laid him down he'd projectile vomit. Then at 10 weeks his neck muscles were stronger, he was able to turn his head well and push himself up. I then switched him to sleeping on his belly. This worked out well as he didn't reflux as much this way and if he did, he wouldn't choke on his own vomit. Evie didn't sleep her first year and the few minutes when she did sleep she never let me put her down. I just had her upright in a wrap 24/7. We did find out about her allergy issues around 8 months and once I made dietary changes, her reflux eventually went away.

[Truckerdoo]

I don't know if it is reflux or colic or what, but I will say that if my baby is awake, he is crying.

My husband and I - both first-timers - are seriously losing are minds. This is not at all what we were expecting! Some crying, sure, but this is pushing us well beyond our limits.

He isn't spitting up - maybe silent reflux? He is arching like mad and just screams inconsolibly. Sometimes bouncing him can calm him for a few minutes. Too bad I am not electronic.

The pediatrician reco'd stopping the long feedings I was doing (sometimes Avett will eat for more than an hr) sayign that it could be he is getting too much milk that then burns him on the way up. Reco'd doing shorter more frequent feeds - 20-30 minutes every 2/3 hrs - and if nothing improves by Monday to bring him in.

Please god, let it improve. So far it has been 24 hrs of this new feed schedule and no improvement yet.

This is by far the most difficult, trying thing I've ever done. Both my husband and I feel incredibly guilty b/c we are not enjoying parenting at all yet, and fear we will just come to resent this very high-needs baby.

People keep promising it will get easier and it just HAS to!! This is an unmaintainable state of horror for all of us.

:-( :-( :-( :-(

[yentroc]

Originally Posted by Truckerdoo

I don't know if it is reflux or colic or what, but I will say that if my baby is awake, he is crying.

My husband and I - both first-timers - are seriously losing are minds. This is not at all what we were expecting! Some crying, sure, but this is pushing us well beyond our limits.

He isn't spitting up - maybe silent reflux? He is arching like mad and just screams inconsolibly. Sometimes bouncing him can calm him for a few minutes. Too bad I am not electronic.

The pediatrician reco'd stopping the long feedings I was doing (sometimes Avett will eat for more than an hr) sayign that it could be he is getting too much milk that then burns him on the way up. Reco'd doing shorter more frequent feeds - 20-30 minutes every 2/3 hrs - and if nothing improves by Monday to bring him in.

Please god, let it improve. So far it has been 24 hrs of this new feed schedule and no improvement yet.

This is by far the most difficult, trying thing I've ever done. Both my husband and I feel incredibly guilty b/c we are not enjoying parenting at all yet, and fear we will just come to resent this very high-needs baby.

People keep promising it will get easier and it just HAS to!! This is an unmaintainable state of horror for all of us.

:-( :-( :-( :-(

Awwww, huge hugs to you...

He sounds a lot like my dd at that age. It seems totally unfair for first time parents to have a colicky baby like that. It's so not enjoyable.

Have you checked out the Happiest Baby on the Block? Some of that stuff saved our lives with dd. (swaddling, shushing, white noise, etc)

It does get better, but it's pure hell when you're in it.

[Vespertina]

I believe this is what we're going through right now. Both DD1 and DD2 had it. DD1 had it worse. She was my projectile baby. She vomited tons. Was on Prilosec and Zantac. DD1 was on Zantac by a week old.

I swear I'm seeing the same characteristics in Henry. I think his is silent. I can hear it coming up, but he swallows it back down and is generally fussy while doing it. He will nurse in side-lying position, but soon after a feed he will begin crying and bringing his legs up and arches his back. If I try to latch him he protests and gets angry. He'll try to feed and then get fussy. I find that he will only sleep if I nurse him and then hold him upright so I'm sleeping upright in bed. I'm so tired. He's insanely fussy and irritable at night. I was so hoping we'd get lucky this time and not have to deal with it, but it looks like that won't be the case.

I'm thinking about getting gripe water. I've heard great things about it.

[ithappened]

yeap, the last few days its been terrible. .. we're not sleeping much if at all.. if its not better by monday, Im calling a Doctor. Truckerdoo right there with you, I am exhausted.

[Truckerdoo]

Yesterday afternoon was better, and now I am more confused than EVER about what could be bothering my baby!

Now I'm not sure it is silent reflux. Unlike some of the descriptions I've read, he is not fussy at the breast. In fact, this kid could nurse for an ETERNITY. It's like all he wants to do, is sit there and suckle.

When he's not nursing he is comforted mainly by bouncing and by sucking my husband's finger.

I am more clueless than ever. At this point I am disregarding the pediatrician's advice to do short frequent feeds alternating breasts - the last few stools have been greenish and non-seedy so it seems as if he's not getting enough hind milk.

My new strategy is going to be nurse on demand but do block feeding - i.e., stick to one breast through several feedings. This way he will get hindmilk, but maybe he won't overeat the way he was when I was doing 1 hr feedings, 30 mins per breast.

SO MUCH TRIAL AND ERROR!! I hope everyone's new year is off to the right start.

[evinmom]

Truckeroo - Big I've had 2 very high needs babies before Everett so I can certainly sympathize. It can be very disorienting when it's your first baby too. Gavin screamed every second of his waking moment. Feeding him was pure horror as he'd scream, arch, and projectile vomit. As soon as I was done with one round he was hungry againd we'd have to start all over.

Evie had silent reflux so she didn't spit up much, but you could hear the reflux coming up. It sounded like a very loud cough or choking. Then you could see her arching her back. Evie didn't seem to fuss too much over the reflux other than to cry out as it was happening. Although her allergy problems lead her to scream non-stop for 8 months. When I say she didn't sleep I mean it. She slept in 10-15 min increments only totalling about 5 hours in a 24 hour period for months. In between she would scream inconsolably. No amount of rocking, nursing, or slinging really help. Her poops smelled horribly, she was always very gassy (which also smelled horribly), and broke out in eczema all over.

The back arching is a classic sign of reflux. Sometimes babies with reflux will act like they are hungry because they want to suckle to try reduce the acid burn in their throat/esophagus. Overfeeding will lead to more reflux. When Everett refluxes, he'll start to root again. If I feed him he'll reflux some more. It's better if I just hold him upright at least 10 minutes and until he burps a few times before offering the boob again if he's still rooting at that point.

[evinmom]

Originally Posted by Truckerdoo

I am more clueless than ever. At this point I am disregarding the pediatrician's advice to do short frequent feeds alternating breasts - the last few stools have been greenish and non-seedy so it seems as if he's not getting enough hind milk.

Greenish poo can be a sign of food sensitivity. What I learned from the last LLL conference is that "Foremilk Imbalance" doesn't really exist. New research has shown that as milk is coming out of the milk ducts, it swirls and mixes so it's not like only foremilk comes out and then only hind milk comes out at the end. The milk at the beginning of a feed is not much different than the milk at the end of a feed.

[ithappened]

what have experienced moms found work for extreme gas?

DS gets really really bad gas/farts sometime lasting a few hours some nights...

[evinmom]

Originally Posted by ithappened

what have experienced moms found work for extreme gas?

DS gets really really bad gas/farts sometime lasting a few hours some nights...

Baby massage, bicycling legs, some people use Mylicon or gripe water. In my DD's case, food elimination was the only thing that really helped.

[Truckerdoo]

Originally Posted by evinmom

Greenish poo can be a sign of food sensitivity. What I learned from the last LLL conference is that "Foremilk Imbalance" doesn't really exist. New research has shown that as milk is coming out of the milk ducts, it swirls and mixes so it's not like only foremilk comes out and then only hind milk comes out at the end. The milk at the beginning of a feed is not much different than the milk at the end of a feed.

Hmmm...like food sensitivity as in dairy, soy , that I keep reading about? Or some other kind?

[Truckerdoo]

Originally Posted by evinmom

Truckeroo - Big I've had 2 very high needs babies before Everett so I can certainly sympathize. It can be very disorienting when it's your first baby too. Gavin screamed every second of his waking moment. Feeding him was pure horror as he'd scream, arch, and projectile vomit. As soon as I was done with one round he was hungry againd we'd have to start all over.

Evie had silent reflux so she didn't spit up much, but you could hear the reflux coming up. It sounded like a very loud cough or choking. Then you could see her arching her back. Evie didn't seem to fuss too much over the reflux other than to cry out as it was happening. Although her allergy problems lead her to scream non-stop for 8 months. When I say she didn't sleep I mean it. She slept in 10-15 min increments only totalling about 5 hours in a 24 hour period for months. In between she would scream inconsolably. No amount of rocking, nursing, or slinging really help. Her poops smelled horribly, she was always very gassy (which also smelled horribly), and broke out in eczema all over.

The back arching is a classic sign of reflux. Sometimes babies with reflux will act like they are hungry because they want to suckle to try reduce the acid burn in their throat/esophagus. Overfeeding will lead to more reflux. When Everett refluxes, he'll start to root again. If I feed him he'll reflux some more. It's better if I just hold him upright at least 10 minutes and until he burps a few times before offering the boob again if he's still rooting at that point.

OK well now I feel like a huge baby b/c Avett totally isn't this bad. He will sleep for 2-3 hour stretches several times a day, and at least 2 2-hr stretches overnight. He can be consoled if I bounce on the birth ball - it actually has been putting him to sleep w/in 15 or 20 mins, or at least calms him enough to put him in the sling and tote him around.

I am SO confused!!! Does this freaking kid have reflux or is he just fussy?! Is he high needs, or am I just new as a parent and have very unrealistic expectations for what caring for a baby is like?! I am so frustrated - mostly with myself!

[evinmom]

Truckerdoo, do you have a mother's group near you that you can go to? Or a friend or neighbor who has a baby? I found it helps to be around other moms in person to discuss these kinds of things. They will be able to see what Avett is like and it will help to share experiences. Talking to your ped might help too. I remember I had no idea what was wrong with Gavin when he started having reflux. The ped helped me confirm that there was indeed a true issue and not just inexperience on my part.

[Truckerdoo]

Originally Posted by evinmom

Truckerdoo, do you have a mother's group near you that you can go to? Or a friend or neighbor who has a baby?

Yes, and thank god! My dear friend with 5 kids lives around the corner, and I am constantly harranging her for advice, help, and loaners. She's been invaluable. Too bad I can't go live with her! :-)

[ithappened]

Does this freaking kid have reflux or is he just fussy?! Is he high needs, or am I just new as a parent and have very unrealistic expectations for what caring for a baby is like?! I am so frustrated - mostly with myself!

AH! I feel the same way the last few days! Where exactly is the "I am a totally newbie"/n00b mom groups in Austria?

[evinmom]

Originally Posted by Truckerdoo

Hmmm...like food sensitivity as in dairy, soy , that I keep reading about? Or some other kind?

Yes. The most common culprits are dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, wheat and corn. My former ped didn't listen to me when I was insisting something wasn't quite right with DD. I finally managed to get her tested for allergies when she was 8 months and it was found she was allergic to all of the above except for corn. At that point she was only getting bf so she wasn't even eating these foods herself. We didn't start solids until she was 10 months old and that is when all of her other allergies came to light. She was a severe case though (i.e. hives, blisters, eczema, swelling, wheezing). Some babies just have a sensitivity and not a true allergy but their gut may not digest certain foods well.