reflux?

[megincl]

DD is 3.5mo. I've suspected reflux nearly her whole life, but we've mostly followed the kellymom advice that nursing and breastmilk is the best for reflux in infants under a year and that waiting it out is best. DS had reflux, was on two different meds, and only time seemed to really make a difference.

But....

DD is a VERY reluctant nurser. She hardly nurses, mostly takes a bottle. Recently we've had to add a bit of formula to the bottle as DW's supply wasn't keeping up when DD wasn't nursing (a one week total strike). In the past few days, DD has been crying and coughing every few seconds while drinking the bottle. We've got her on the slowest flow nipple. This didn't happen in the past, but she has always had moments of burping or coughing or whatnot when I swear stuff is coming up. And she spits up a LOT.

Sound like reflux?

If so, will the ped diagnose? Over the phone? How would you "see" reflux unless she does the crazy feeding thing at the doc's office (she won't feed randomly -- only when definitely hungry).

Ugh. Things are feeling hard right now.

Advice?

[Knitting Mama]

How is she taking the bottle? Is she sitting up or at least on a fairly steep incline? Is she also sleeping inclined? The incline was a big help with my daughter's reflux. We never did medication, because the inclines helped enough that meds didn't become necessary.

Kellymom has some wonderful information on nursing strikes, and it's definitely possible for your wife to get her supply back up too, if you can get your daughter nursing full time again.

[Buzzer Beater]

Our ped diagnosed reflux when dd was around 2 months I think. She mostly went off of symptoms described by us, as the only way to tell truly if they have it is to start meds. If they get better it was reflux. Our dd's worst symptoms were at night. No peaceful sleep at all from the head tossing, coughing, grunting, little chokes and urks all. night. long. We elevated her head, even saw an OT to make a form-fitting mold to get her side-lying at night. That's no easy feat as she has a brace. Her nursing was reasonably normal aside from pulling off a ton, spit up was a lot. Anyway, we started her on Zantac and within days she started sleeping 4 hour stretches at night, much less spit up, all around happier baby. Her feedings also went from every hour and a half during the day to about every 3 hours. She's five months now and we're just wondering if she can come off the meds yet.
Our ped would never diagnose over the phone, even tho she completely went by our description of events to determine reflux.
Good luck with your supply... keep at it and it will come back.
How does your babe sleep??

[megincl]

I definitely give DD the bottle in as upright a position as possible, though slightly less so at night, so as to keep her more in the sleep zone.

Intriguingly, her symptoms are much worse during the day. She actually sleeps okay at night.

We talked to the ped today who thinks reflux is a bit too much of a fad of late, but we're bringing DD in to see the PA on Wednesday. I'm actually really wanting to try the meds at this point given how hard feeding is. I worry that if things get any worse, breastfeeding will be shot for good, and any feeding will be traumatic.

We'll see what Wednesday brings. In the meantime....her symptoms seem worse on a very empty stomach (when she "seems" really hungry, at least). Logical? Strange? Who knows?

Thanks!