[AnewMommy]

After reading a few threads on here, I'm beginning to suspect my son has reflux issues.<br><br>
He feeds really well at night (I have great supply at night, too!)<br>
But in the past few weeks, he's gotten more and more fussy during the day. Sometimes, he'll be feeding at the breast for a minute or two, pull away, and then when he acts like he wants to re-latch, he'll shake his head and arch his back and start wailing. But I can tell he's still hungry.<br>
And now it seems like a pattern is developing. He almost avoids eating a full meal during the day.<br><br>
He often is fussy after feeding, like his tummy is bothering him. Will burp a few times in the 10-15 minutes after feeding. Has hiccups often.<br><br>
Oh, and he spits up volumes, like many ounces, probably about 2x a day.<br><br>
He's such a mild, patient, pleasant baby besides these issues. I think it must be something besides "just being fussy" that's causing him to be like this.<br><br>
He's only 3 weeks old...<br><br>
Any help will be really appreciated for this new mommy. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/help.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="help">

 

[RootSnort]

I found the best way to know if it's reflux is to see the pediatrician. I would try Axid (related to Zantac, but no alcohol) for a week and see if things get better. Another trick is watching the position of the baby after beeding - try keepinmg him upright after feeds and see how he does. But I would check with my doc, so point in being concerned!

 

[DQMama]

Hi again,<br><br>
I responded to your other thread about co-sleeping. Lots of babies spit up, but the part about wanting to nurse but not being comfortable enough to sounds like it could be more than just normal spitting. My dd would avoid a full meal. She would nurse just enough to take the edge off her hunger and then stop. She finally went on a nursing strike from 3 months to 4 1/2 months. She would only nurse while sleeping. She would not take a bottle and gained almost no weight during that time. She was on the max dose of Zantac for her age but it obviously wasn't working. We switched to Prevacid and within four days she was nursing normally again.<br><br>
I kept trying to take her off of the Prevacid, on and off from about seven months to 13 1/2 months. I finally put her on a baby probiotic complex and that seems to have cured her. She has been off her meds for two months.<br><br>
Oh, and she had hiccups a lot too. She had them in the womb so much that I suspected something was wrong with her early on. My son had hiccups in the womb too but not as often or as violently as dd did. She would do it several times a day and thrash around during them, finally falling asleep after they were over. After she was born, she would projectile vomit two or three times after each feeding, then get the hiccups. That was how I knew the vomiting was over--when she got the hiccups.<br><br>
Some people on here will recommend a chiropractor. I never tried that but it may be worth a shot. Another thing is to try an elimination diet. I kind of did that but wasn't very systematic about it. I eliminated dairy, then soy, then dairy AND soy, citrus, tomatoes, all the typical triggers. That didn't work, but like I said, I probably didn't do it right!

 

[n2health]

When my brother was a baby (30 years ago) he had projectile vomiting and was very fussy. My mom gave him a spoonful of yogurt at six weeks of age and it helped immensely. I have heard of many children being helped with probiotics with the same complaints as you. I use Natures Sunshine products, and Bifidophulus is a great one for kids. It's a capsule so you would need to open up and sprinkle in the mouth and also on the bottom. You get it in at both ends! Hope that helps. I wouldn't do the drugs for reflux, it's not solving the problem it's only eliminating symptoms. Also, the side effects are awful. Take Care.

 

[erthe_mama]

Hi there! I'm one of those people who will recommend a chiropractor. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"> My chiropractor practices in non-invasive methods. His main focus is on energy. He says that acid reflux is actually caused by a "pinched nerve" in the spine causing weakening in the little flap that closes the stomach. When that flap is open, it lets acid escape thus causing acid reflux. Recent research shows that acid reflus is not caused by excess acid, but <i>too little acid</i>. (Something to think about.) Apple cider vinegar supplements may help with this condition, but I would speak to a friendly chiropractor who is familiar with treating acid reflux first. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[AnewMommy]

Thanks you all! Those are some great ideas. Now I *really* wish we had a naturopathic/homeopathic doctor in our area. I've searched all the naturopath, homeopath websites, and there aren't any registered within 100 miles of us.<br>
The yogurt cultures idea is really interesting, as is the chiropratic treatments! I will have to make some calls to see if I can find a chiropractor who has experience with reflux.<br><br>
Thank you again!

 

[Attached Mamma]

You almost have to go to a pediatrician for them to diagnose him. With my son they had to do a barium swallow to detect it as he had "silent reflux" where there wasn't any spitting up, the breastmilk or food would come all the way to the top of his esophogus but not out?<br><br>
My son was diagnosed with reflux at about 10 months of age. He did do the pepcid/reglan thing for awhile, but I read how bad being on those drugs long term was, and started looking for alternative solutions. We saw a naturopath when he was 2 and she slowly weaned him off the medications and onto a few natural things. The things she prescribed for him were 1-bifidus culture (1 tsp. a day) 2-DGL (an extract of licorce root) comes in capsules, 1/2 a capsule a day, to heal the stomach & 3-a liquid calcium magnesium (1 tsp. a day). These worked sooo much better than the medications he was on, I was very impressed, as I was very skeptical going in. Reflux runs in my family (my sister has it, and my dad died from esophogus cancer from years & years of reflux), so I just figured that medication was the only way to go.<br><br>
My son is currently 5 and is still taking these remedies, we are currently thinking perhaps he might finally be growing out of it, as he hasn't had any sort of symptoms for months now.<br><br>
Good Luck!<br><br>
Julie

 

[Valian]

If your Dc is on the way to avoiding nursing or limiting nursing sessions I highly reccomend you seek help immediately! As in call your MD, ND, DO, whomever you see and set an appt. Things like chiro and CST will certainly fix the problem if alignment or adjustment is the cause. If not, they won't. Its great if you can find ways to take care of the reflux without meds (sometimes its really dietary allergies not actual GERD problem) but it really is important to catch things quick.<br><br>
The breastfeeding challenges board has a Moms of GERDlings tribe with lots of info and some checklists.

 

[erthe_mama]

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<div style="font-style:italic;">The things she prescribed for him were 1-bifidus culture (1 tsp. a day) 2-DGL (an extract of licorce root) comes in capsules, 1/2 a capsule a day, to heal the stomach & 3-a liquid calcium magnesium (1 tsp. a day).</div>
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You're right! Licorice root would help in aiding the stomach in its healing process. It's terrific for boosting the immune system. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> I drink licorice root tea during every season change, and it's really reduced the amount of colds/flus I get. I wouldn't recommend it on a daily basis after the healing has taken place however, otherwise the body won't produce as much immunity since it is being supplemented constantly. HTH

 

[kerikadi]

DD#1 probably had reflux - lots of painful crying and she woud SCREAM if placed on her back We were unwilling to test or medicate and had her adjusted by a chiropractor at 3 weeks and that made a HUGE difference. She became very fussy/high needs around 4-5 months so we took her regularly to our chiro for a month or two <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
Keri

 

[pumpkinhead]

How does he act after a feeding? Does he arch his back a lot? Does he get fussy and agitated just before and after a burp? Does his make chewing motions with his gums? Does he seem really stuffy nose wise? Does he cough? Does he want to eat frequently? Does he seem to need to comfort suck a lot?<br><br>
My ds had reflux and he spit up very little, he was just in pain after a feeding.<br><br>
Have you tried eliminating dairy from your diet at all?

 

[rredhead]

We took a video of our son while eating, which is a recommendation I found in The Baby Book, by Dr. Sears, I believe. Or his web site. Anyway, I brought it to our ped, first explaining what Jack was doing: Arching his back, spitting amazing amounts of fluid, acting hungry all the time, screaming, etc. Initially, she said, "Well, we'll let it go a couple more weeks and if it's still happening, we'll put him on Zantac." I told her about the video, which she then watched (just on the camera). She said, "Let's get this baby some Zantac." Within 2 days, Jack was a much happier baby.<br>
My point isn't about what med you use, just to take a video of your little one eating. That will help the practitioner of your choice make a better diagnosis.<br><br>
Hope this helps!

 

[USAmma]

Hi,<br><br>
You can see video clips on Nitara's website at <a href="http://www.reflux.darshani.com" target="_blank">www.reflux.darshani.com</a><br><br>
If it's reflux you really need to treat the pain before it turns into a bad feeding aversion. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"> Don't wait on this! And don't accept the first med if it doesn't work right away, ask for something stronger.

 

[Sheal]

I'm no expert or doc but it sounds like your angel is displaying some signs of Sandifer's syndrome (part of acid reflux disease or GERD). That's where the baby archs the back, pulls back their head to try to relieve the pain of the reflux. Does your little one also smack his lips and make that "gulp" sound while not feeding (usually happens after a feed - sometimes and hour or two after) and makes like he's swallowing but having difficulty doing it?<br><br>
Definitely take the sweetheart to the ped doc.<br><br>
I have a prem in nicu with GERD who is on domperidon\renidadine combo and seems to be working.<br><br>
Sheal