7week old baby with reflux - suggestions please!

By Murray's Mom Tuesday, April 28, 2009

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hi everyone - i would appreciate any advice you have concerning my daughter's reflux - thanks in advance!

my daughter has been diagnosed with reflux, she has all the classic symptoms (hiccups, spitting up, gulping/swallowing spit-up long after feeding, fussyness, wanting to be held all the time, crying after feedings/burping, hoarse voice, congested breathing, not napping well, etc.) which started at around 6weeks right after a growth spurt. during the spurt she definitely increased my milk supply which i suspect is a large part of the problem leading to the reflux now.

my doctor has put her on zantac and i'm trying to do all the suggested things to help with the problem - holding upright after feedings, trying to have her inclined during feedings, changing diaper before feedings, carrying in sling/baby wrap.

she's gaining weight really well, about an ounce a day, good diapers too. so in that regard i'm lucky. and for the most part the reflux doesn't seem to be bothering her at night (i think co-sleeping is helping in this regard). when she's not napping or crying, she's a happy baby.

my main concerns are these:

is her throat being damaged by the stomach acid? should i worry that the damage might be permanent?
i seem to have an over-abundant supply of milk, so the let-down is so forceful it's hard for my daughter to take which causes her to take in a lot of air, and to be generally frustrated, making for very agitated feedings causing bad latching, so i've tried expressing milk before which seems to help a little, i've also tried leaning back so the milk is coming out against gravity but this makes it hard for her to nurse comfortably. Any suggestions?
i've also tried more frequent and smaller feedings but my daughter seems upset when i take the breast away from her "early" which causes crying bouts and i'm worried that she won't be getting enough hindmilk this way. also how frequent is more frequent and how small is small enough? additionally, how long should i allow her to nap between feedings? (prior to the reflux she was napping two hours between feedings) and how can i ensure she's getting enough hindmlik?
i'm also really concerned about her congestion & labored breathing. i've tried aspirating but that only helps a little and it's temporary, also it agitates her which is the last thing i want to do. Any suggestions?

These days it seems like all her alert time is spent being uncomfortable and crying, so i'd do anything to make her more comfortable and have more of her alert time be spent contented rather than upset.

Thanks! Murry's Mom

Comments (9) | Add comment

Jan Gambino, Health Guide

4/29/09 6:27am

Hello Murray's Mom,

Welcome to our support community! Thanks for the information you provided. It gives a good "snapshot" of Murray!

First, it is rare to have severe damage or esophagitis in an infant. Isn't that good news? I know parents never believe me when I say that because the crying and discomfort seem to indicate that the acid is terrible damage.

I am not a lactation specialist but I have nursed two refluxers. Both had different styles and eating patterns. I encourage you to locate a lactation specialist with experience with reflux/colic. One thing that is really important to keep in mind is: it takes two to nurse-you and Murray. While you may have enough milk for two or three, it is also possible that Murray is drinking slowly and carefully so she cannot keep up. Make sure she has a good latch on, even if you have to stop and start again. If she is a noisy nurser, she does not have a good latch on. One of my reflux babies only drained one side at a time. This allowed her to get a balance of foremilk and hindmilk. I had to place a pin or clip on my strap to remember which side to use for each feeding. I wonder if this method would give her just enough. I think the wonderful thing about nursing, especially with a baby with reflux is they can chose what amount is just right. When she stops drinking, she has had enough. The only exception is for a comfort eater (had one of those too!). She wanted to nurse 24/7 because it helped to push the acid back down and soothed her. She gained weight like crazy.

The coughing and congestion are worrisome symptoms that need to be discussed with the doctor. The airway of a baby is small and narrow so breathing generally sounds noisy. With reflux, stomach acid and BM are trying to come up the esophagus and may try to get into the lungs. Luckily, the airway is heavily guarded against aspiration. You may be hearing this struggle as the airway protects itself during a reflux event. Try to note how often this is happening. Perhaps it is more often after a meal? At night or in the AM after being somewhat reclined at night?

Let me know if I have answered your questions.
Keep in touch and let us know what is on your mind.

Jan Gambino

The Reflux Mom

www.refluxmom.com

Concerned Mom

4/29/09 3:29pm

Check for allergies. Is there anything that you are eating that is bothering her, ie dairy, eggs, soy, nuts. Try to do a clean, yeast free diet.

Try probiotics. Since you are breast feeding, you can take them and they will pass onto her via your breast milk. Infant gut flora is no up to par with what she needs to digest milk.

Research Zantac. Check to see if there are any FDA studies on children on 1 year of age and side effects.

God Bless.

Sonja P

5/ 6/09 1:47am

Hi, you case seems very similar to my neighbor's. Her daugher had severe reflux, 100% breats fed and at 80 percentile weight pediatricians did not care much. They put her on Zantac and gave the same advice about holding upright, wedge etc. Well the baby went from 80th percentile to 50 and the peds did not care. Finally the parents went to a real good lac-consultant and to the parents surprise the lactation consultant asked them to try Woodward's gripewater (British company) along with the Zantac. She said if the baby doesn't show improvement in 3 to 4 weeks visit the ped and ask him to give something like Prilosec or Prevacid. Turns out that the Gripe water worked very well and the baby is happy. She is back at 80 th percentile in less than 6 weeks.

Now having said this let me also tell you that every child is different and a lactation consultant and doctor can decide the best course of treatment. You also need to follow your own instinct. I asked my son's doctors to move him rom Zantac to Prilosec when he didn't show much improvement on Zantac. Then we switched from Prilosec to Prevacid. Both medicines (Prilosec and Prevacid) worked better for my Son than Zantac. Gripewater did not work for my son but I have watched my neighbor's daughter very closely and she has done very well with no medications.

Good luck.

Murray's Mom

5/ 6/09 11:51am

hi guys,

thank you so much to those who took time out to give advice.

as by way of an update on our situation. after doing some more research i discovered that many reflux symptoms are also symptoms of an over-abundant milk supply. after looking more closely at the week when my daughter's symptoms began i realize that it coincided with an increase in my supply. after taking steps to moderate the supply and help my daughter handle the faster let-down, etc. most of her reflux symptoms have gone away.

so i never started her on zantac. and although she is still congested and a little clingy, occasionally spits up and has the hiccups, all these seem now to be more developmental than related to any serious reflux condition. no more feeding related crying or fussyness, gulping, hoarse voice, inability to nap well - i am happy to report.

thanks again

Jan Gambino, Health Guide

5/ 6/09 9:21pm

Hooray! I am so happy to hear Murray is feeling better!

Jan

dorothy lewis

6/16/09 1:57pm

here are things that helped mine.

#1 be sure you give her the Zantac at least 1/2 hour before she eats.

i found that by putting some Mylanta on my finger and letting her suck on it

before eating helped more.

#2 expressing your milk before feeding does help, make sure she is setting as

upright as possible while feeding.

#3 as for the congestion, ask your doctor about putting some Benedryl on your finger

and let her suck on it before feeding. some doctors don't like this but it does

help and does not hurt. make sure you eat a lot of green & yellow vegetables.

#4 let her sleep all she wants! her body knows what she needs. same with letting

her eat, just make sure you burp more often even if she cries about it.

#5 if the doctor gave the baby vitamins, i quit them for the first three months

it irritated the stomach more.

hope this helps, you have to be smarter than the doctor sometimes.

d. from missouri

Irma

7/ 6/09 11:18pm

Oh, my dear friend . . . let me tell you that doctors are just so quick to put people on meds. My daughter (now 26) had so many problems after she was born. She had so much mucus, the doctor had a hard time getting her to take her first breath. She was almost 9 lbs and in an incubator because of her congestion. I tried to nurse, but she would not latch on, so it wasn't a positive experience for either of us. She had cholic, projectile vomiting, could not deal with the heat at all, and literally spit up every time she was bent forward - for hours after she ate. Back in the day, the doctors pushed water in between feedings. She was literally starving - between the spitting up and the fact that she didn't feed more than 2 - 2 1/2 ounces at a time. She had a birth mark at the base of her spine and the doctor thought she might have a rectal tumor. At 2 months, I was taking her to a pediatric surgeon! She started growing in length, but weight wise, she looked like a little plucked chicken!! My only saving grace was that she did sleep. She slept so much, I used to go in and check her continuously, thinking of crib death!! Well, I came across an older and wiser woman who told me that she would stop at 9 months. I could not get it through my head that she would miraculously stop at 9 months! She was a terrible teether and did not cut her first tooth until she was 12 months old! She was on 9 formulas until I brought her to a pediatric allergy specialist. He was a miracle sent by God! She was put on Nutramagen (excuse the incorrect spelling). Back in those days, it did not dissolve and had to be made every 24 hours. It was a nightmare. She finally took to this formula, although the spitting up did not stop. I put a pillow under her mattress and there were no items in her crib. She had no pillows, blankets or stuffed animals of any kind. Everything was washed in fragrance free laundry detergent, bottles were sterilized for the first 5 months, and there was no foods offered for the first 5 months either. She was fed every 2-3 hours and not force-fed. I kept a very quiet and calm environment, no bright lights and a cool sleeping environment. She thrived WITH NO MEDICATIONS, and she started gaining weight. I realized that I was craving dairy products during my pregnancy and I truly believe that she picked up allergies to dairy products through me. You see, cow's milk is known to be acidic, and goat's milk is alkaline; however, we are not permitted to use goat's milk in the US. Our eating in this country is terribly high in acid. Your daughter will outgrow it. You need to make some immediate changes on a temporary basis to aid in your daughter's adjustment. By the time she is 8-10 months, her little system will calm down. You have to be patient. If you are not sure of your doctor's recommendations, check into a homeopathic pediatrician, or a pediatric allergy specialist. You may think it is a long time, but believe me, time goes by so quickly. Don't over tax her little system. Don't push foods on her. As long as she does not have any immediate medical conditions, she will outgrow this problem. Good luck to you! Irma - NY

Tiffany

9/25/09 3:12pm

HI . . .

I have a daughter who has had GERD, or reflux and was hospitalized 2 days after birth. This is what we did to help:

1. feed small amount of breast milk more often, maybe allow 5-10 min. a feeding. No more than 10-15 mins. My daughter had same issue and would vomit it all up.

2. Incline the bed at one end, about 2 inches. My husband made wooden/metal holders for the head of her crib to sleep, same for anyother sleeping. DO NOT have baby sleep with you. You could roll over on her/him, or she might be laying too flat (especially is she is congested, will need head up more)

3. Don't worry about the acid and her throat. It should lessen each month she ages. Keep her on the meds. We had our daughter on Reglan for first 8 weaks and Zantac. She is now 7 months and on a real, minimal dosage of zantac.

4. If you see she is in a lot of pain, constant vomiting (but not lethargic), I recommend colicalm from colicalm. com. It is a natural remedy for colic and GERD. We've used it once and it worked immediately. My friend's son also has similar issues, and he is finally sleeping.

5. You try and relax. As her digestive system matures she will get better.

6. As for your strong let down, try expressing milk for 2 minutes, or pumping until the forceful let down is gone then breastfeed. Also, breastfeed your daughter on one breast per feeding. The heavier hind milk will stay down better and give her the nutrients she needs. And do not let her feed longer than 15 min. per feedings.

7. Eliminate milk, and any acidic foods from your diet: Oj, Tomatoes, garlic. Try to keep whole foods and healthy foods in your diet.

If you have more questions, email me: tluvs2sing@gmail.com

Good luck!

dennis

6/ 6/10 1:52pm

I didn’t know how many people suffer from Acid-reflux, I will try to help as many as I can, I’m 59 years old, 3 years ago I was suffering from Acid-reflux, I tried just about all the drugs in the market but, it didn’t help much, and the side effects were terrible, a friend of mine told me about this natural food supplement that he tried, I ordered and tried myself, it was amazing, no side effects, safe for all ages including babies, I didn’t have to go on a diet, I eat and drink anything any time as much as I want, and I mean anything including coffee, sodas. pizza, chocolate spicy foods (my wife is mexican),. I didn’t have to make any lifestyles changes, I don’t have to elevate my head when I sleep and it lasted for more than a year, I had to order it 2 times since for myself and 1 time for my daughter and my son, my daughter was 18 years old and 32 weeks pregnant, my son was 10, the baby is now 13 months old and my daughter and my son had forgotten about Acid-reflux, until two weeks ago my daughter ask me for the web site address because one of her friends at school have reflux, I have told many of my friends about it, try it and tell your friends too, let me know if it work for you, the web site is betasupplements.com.

7week old baby with reflux - suggestions please!

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