Those Of You Who've Had Infants With Reflux

[Willow]

Might be worth getting a bolster for under the mattress. I would get one (or have mom and dad bring you one) that is intended for matress propping though to reduce your liability.

If doc signs off they could probably even get insurance to pay for it.


You could definitely use the carseat as a substitute but I'd get something in place for long term. Is definitely have mom do medicine every day, every dose, for at least the next couple of months. The waking you describe sounds typical of reflux pain.

I hope the med helps!

[Cradle2crayons]

silent reflux...no spitting. good because I have a crazy spitter-upper w/o pain too...ewww

Just because they don't spit up out of their mouth... Doesn't mean a thing.

Reflux means the formula and or acid is leaving the stomach and going back up into the esophagus. In some it only comes up and inch into the esophagus... In others halfway... In others not quite into the throat. There no way to know how far it goes up without the PH test which they rarely do.

If the valve at the top of their esophagus closest to their throat is tight and closing correctly, the formula doesn't come up to their throat and out. But for most, at valve doesn't work either so it comes out their mouth.

And technically, silent reflux is when they typically don't have burning but they have other symptoms like hoarseness etc. once they have pain, it's not "silent reflux" anymore. Even babies with silent reflux spit up. Silent typically means no burning. So why a medical doctor would call it silent reflux compared to GERD is beyond me. Is a complete oxymoron.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/silent-reflux-epidemic

And

http://www.entnet.org/healthinformation/gerd-and-lpr.cfm

[canadiancare]

My now 16 year old daughter had GERD with projectile vomiting the acid burns horribly(I have a hiatal hernia so I've been on acid reducers for years) as others have said it is a daily med because it controls acid production. Milk temporarily soothes which is why they naturally want to sip milk frequently.

Car seat or stroller sleeping in an upright position helps a lot. Do whatever you need to to get licensing to support you.

[Heidi]

Just because they don't spit up out of their mouth... Doesn't mean a thing.

Reflux means the formula and or acid is leaving the stomach and going back up into the esophagus. In some it only comes up and inch into the esophagus... In others halfway... In others not quite into the throat. There no way to know how far it goes up without the PH test which they rarely do.

If the valve at the top of their esophagus closest to their throat is tight and closing correctly, the formula doesn't come up to their throat and out. But for most, at valve doesn't work either so it comes out their mouth.

And technically, silent reflux is when they typically don't have burning but they have other symptoms like hoarseness etc. once they have pain, it's not "silent reflux" anymore. Even babies with silent reflux spit up. Silent typically means no burning. So why a medical doctor would call it silent reflux compared to GERD is beyond me. Is a complete oxymoron.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/silent-reflux-epidemic

And
http://www.entnet.org/healthinformat...rd-and-lpr.cfm

Sorry...the doc did not use that term. I did, because he's not vomiting. My mistake.

[Heidi]

Well, it's day 3 on the meds, so far, no big changes. If it is working, it may be that he is so used to be carried about now that he is a little spoiled. Can't put the little sack o'potatoes down for a second without a fit.

I call it "exercise time", because sometimes, he just needs to be put down. I'm alternating between a swing (the swing doesn't work, and I hate contraptions, but I do own one and hauled it out of the garage), carseat, and floor back/tummy time. He's got to be on the floor a little bit everyday, whether he likes it or not.

Next week, I will try my exersaucer with lot's of support around him, but I think it's way to early for that at 8 weeks. It does go down really low, so his feet will be on the floor. :confused: Not sure about doing it, but he'd be in essentially the same position as in a front carrier, I guess.

[Heidi]

Has anyone heard of gripe water?

[3amazingkiddos]

My twins both had reflux, one silent and one projectile vomited. I elevated their crib mattresses and switched to the formula that has cereal already added, it helped tremendously. These changes helped immediately.

I've also had 2 dc kiddos on Zantac and both did great and it helped within a few days. Once treated both kiddos turned into the best babies I've ever watched, happy, content, great eaters and sleepers

[canadiancare]

Has anyone heard of gripe water?

Yes it is a home or store bought remedy. It has baking soda in it (similar to alka seltzer)

[Cradle2crayons]

Has anyone heard of gripe water?

Yessssss typically it's used for colic. I'm not sure how it works but it does. Used it for my daughter during her colicky weeks.

[Cradle2crayons]

My twins both had reflux, one silent and one projectile vomited. I elevated their crib mattresses and switched to the formula that has cereal already added, it helped tremendously. These changes helped immediately.

I've also had 2 dc kiddos on Zantac and both did great and it helped within a few days. Once treated both kiddos turned into the best babies I've ever watched, happy, content, great eaters and sleepers

Yes I can't say enough about the formula with added rice starch. We just used regular lactose free cheap formula and added rice cereal. It took a few days to find the right consistency but it worked fabulously. The rice cereal or formula with added rice starch just makes the formula "heavier" so it's not as apt to come up. With some reflux babies e added rice cereal works better than the Zantac.

We are doing rice cereal for our new daycare boy. He just turned six weeks, he was a preemie too... And he drinks 5 oz of formula with two of those formula scoops of rice cereal per bottle. We had to change the bottle nipple to level two. But he's completely symptom free, including spit up free and we didn't have to do the Zantac.

[jojosmommy]

So...did the Zantac work quickly or take a while?

There was a little question about frequency. RX says 2x a day "as needed". Pharmacist explained that as when baby gets grouchy, administer up to 2x a day. My understanding, it's 2x a day for a while, every day, not to wait until the crankin' starts. Since he pretty much cranks non-stop, mom would be giving it to him until it started working, and then stop? Then use again when he needs it? That sounds crazy to me. Plus, I won't administer it, and a 2x a day dose is perfect for mom. Once in the am, once in the pm. "As needed" means it has to be schlepped back and forth, documented, etc.

I told mom my thinking, but encouraged her to call the doctor to clarify. I really think he needs to be on it for a few weeks, and then should be weaned off down the road. She agrees with my line of thinking. Again, I encouraged her to check with her doc to be sure.

I would be very careful with these meds. My dd has severe gi issues and zantac is

1. NASTY TASTING so get it flavored or the kid will not take it. Imagine pepermint liquor about 10000 proof.

2. These meds inhibit acid secretions and In my daughters case had to be increased many times over to be "effective".

3. Known to cause "rebound reflux" when you dont give it or pull cold turkey the reflux is worse than before ever giving it.

I thought it worked wonders on my kid until we found out we had been giving an excessively large dose at the encouragement of our primary doctor because it was jo longer effective at normal doses. We also had to wean her over a few months because of rebound reflux and I was never so happy to be done with it.

[Heidi]

I would be very careful with these meds. My dd has severe gi issues and zantac is

1. NASTY TASTING so get it flavored or the kid will not take it. Imagine pepermint liquor about 10000 proof.

2. These meds inhibit acid secretions and In my daughters case had to be increased many times over to be "effective".

3. Known to cause "rebound reflux" when you dont give it or pull cold turkey the reflux is worse than before ever giving it.

I thought it worked wonders on my kid until we found out we had been giving an excessively large dose at the encouragement of our primary doctor because it was jo longer effective at normal doses. We also had to wean her over a few months because of rebound reflux and I was never so happy to be done with it.

Thanks!

I don't know if it's the flavored kind, but he's had no problem taking it in a syringe/dropper. I didn't taste it.

So far, I still haven't noticed a major change, but he is sleeping better in the upright position. At home, she is able to get him to sleep about 6 hours in his crib at night (with one waking between), and then moves him to the swing for the last round.

He cries pretty much all the time, except when he's in the carseat (moving), held (works for a while), sleeping, or being fed. Put him on his back=immediate scream fest. I'm resisting the idea of getting a swing because it feels like I'd be hypnotizing the poor guy just to get some peace. I've even considered (with a lot of reluctance) wearing him, but I suspect he'd be happy for a few minutes, then I'd have to undo him and try the next thing. It's a bit exhausting already, without wearing him!

Hopefully, they'll get things figured out. Eventually, he will get better, I know.

[Cradle2crayons]

Thanks!

I don't know if it's the flavored kind, but he's had no problem taking it in a syringe/dropper. I didn't taste it.

So far, I still haven't noticed a major change, but he is sleeping better in the upright position. At home, she is able to get him to sleep about 6 hours in his crib at night (with one waking between), and then moves him to the swing for the last round.

He cries pretty much all the time, except when he's in the carseat (moving), held (works for a while), sleeping, or being fed. Put him on his back=immediate scream fest. I'm resisting the idea of getting a swing because it feels like I'd be hypnotizing the poor guy just to get some peace. I've even considered (with a lot of reluctance) wearing him, but I suspect he'd be happy for a few minutes, then I'd have to undo him and try the next thing. It's a bit exhausting already, without wearing him!

Hopefully, they'll get things figured out. Eventually, he will get better, I know.

I wish wearing had worked for my reflux kids. All it did was cover me in vomit

[Heidi]

I wish wearing had worked for my reflux kids. All it did was cover me in vomit

yeah...

I know what you mean.

I have an 8 month old who is Mr. Happy, but he still pukes constantly, even though he's largely on baby foods and table foods. It's super-gross. Every bottle, and some solids, comes right back up (well, half of it, anyway). Doesn't faze him a bit.

I teased his dad and said I SHOULD have asked for a carpet deposit when I contracted with them.

[Cradle2crayons]

yeah...

I know what you mean.

I have an 8 month old who is Mr. Happy, but he still pukes constantly, even though he's largely on baby foods and table foods. It's super-gross. Every bottle, and some solids, comes right back up (well, half of it, anyway). Doesn't faze him a bit.

I teased his dad and said I SHOULD have asked for a carpet deposit when I contracted with them.

I know exactly what you mean . We didn't use burp cloths. We used burp TOWELS . And when we put my oldest down for a nap and bed, we covered her with this custom bib thing that was like a blanket thing .