has anyone ever experienced trouble with a baby refusing to eat off of a spoon? my son is now 6 mo old, and he has been on prevacid since he was about 2 months old for reflux. he is so fussy still during feedings, and it takes almost 2 hrs + at times for him to just take an 8 oz bottle. i feel like i am failing him as a mother because i don't know what else to do!
Hello!
The first step is to check in with the doctor to make sure the treatment plan is addressing the underlying reason for the feeding problem (reflux, allergies, something else). Have you tried giving him smaller amounts of formula at each feeding? His stomach may not be ready for an 8 ounce bottle? It might be a good idea to put away the baby food for a few weeks and try again. My reflux babies didn't show any interest in food until much later (over a year of age). Most babies don't wait this long to eat baby food but he might need a slow steady approach to eating.
Many parents here at HealthCentral have found that a feeding specialist may be needed for feeding issues that are related to reflux. A speech language pathologist or a occupational therapist with training in pediatric feeding issues can watch your baby eat and offer ideas and strategies.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
www.refluxmom.com
My twins are 5 months old. Both don't eat. They were born at 35w. They ate slow and steady until 4 weeks old when they started to cry and experience pain. They were diagnosed with reflux, got zantac, it didn't help, got prevacid, and ith elps more. However, I have to feed the kids when they're falling asleep, or they scream and cry. they refuse to eat. i feed them expressed b/m. son takes it easier. daughter cryes and fusses non stop its insane. son can get in 4oz, daughter only 100ml, and i manage to get 24 oz into them in a 24 period. that's the most i can force feed. i have to fool them by putting the pacifiyer in their mouth, then pulling it out and replacing it with the bottle, its a mess. I keep thinking it'll get better but its not. theyhy're 5 months old, and every single feeding every 3 hours 24/7 a day is a struggle that leaves us all in tears.
My child is 15 weeks old and beginning at 11 weeks he began to reject nursing. He would nurse in the mroning but would reject the other 3 to 4 feedings. Now, he also is beginning to reject the bottle. We started him on reflux medicine yesterday & it seems to help a little. The doctor is encouraging me to pull him off breastmilk and put him on formula. The whole thing is heartbreaking
Hello,
So sorry your little one is struggling with reflux. Let me welcome you to our support community. It might be a good idea to start a new Sharepost with your story too.
I would go slow and steady with the reflux treatment. Try one new thing at a time. Now that he is medication, give that a chance to work. check in with the doctor frequently to see how things are progressing.
Breastmilk may not be the problem-it might be the reflux that is the problem. I would keep nursing/pumping at least for now. If your son has Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI), you may need to modify your diet to take the allergins out of your diet. Many parents and doctors believe that breastmilk is easily digested and it often the best diet for a baby with reflux. Sometimes formula does not make a difference at all in reducing fussing, crying or discomfort. I have written extensively on the breastfeeding/formula decision on this site and in my book. Let me know if you get to the point of making a decision and we can chat some more.
Be sure to talk with the doctor and read the info on this site about other treatments that have a great deal of success for infant reflux:
thickening feeds
elevating the sleep surface
frequent burping
small, frequent meals
holding upright after a feeding.
Again, let me know if you need more information about how to do this at home.
I know you are worried and frustrated. Getting the reflux treatment plan in place takes time and energy. There may be some changes and problems along the way. The good news is that most parents report that once the treatment plan is in place, the reflux is more manageable and you will actually feel like you are in control.
Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing on your reflux journey. Just remember to take us along too-always best to travel with someone else!
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
www.refluxmom.com
THe medicine has helped tremendously & he is not on Similac Sensitive. He is not having any problems with feeding. He is taking the bottle everytime with no fussing. I took him completely off nursing once he rejected the morning feeding & I continued to pump until 4 months. We started him on solids last week and oatmeal really upset his stomach so we were told to just give him rice for two more weeks that his system wasn't ready. The funny part is Barrett never spit up large amounts but was obviously in pain. Is that silent reflux??
Hello!
So glad the medication is working. Pumping for 4 months is a LOT of hard work. It is great that you were able to keep going that long! Lets hope you and Barrett are settling in on a treatment plan now.
While many babies have the well known symptoms of spit up or vomiting, many babies have silent reflux. The food and acid go up and down the esophagus and cause irritation and pain. Often silent reflux is more painful than a quick spit up or vomiting episode.
Keep in mind that it is still possible to have silent reflux episodes but the medication will reduce or eliminate the acid so there should be little or no pain.
Do keep in touch and let us know how you are both doing!
Jan
I'm very glad I found this website.. I am at my wits end and don't know what to do anymore... I had a baby girl at 34 weeks, emergency c-section, she was born small for gestational age and severely anemic. She spent 2 months in NICU, her anemia slightly improved but we've been having feeding issues that started right after she came home from hospital a little over 3 weeks ago. She develoed NEC when she was 2 weeks old, but after being on the TPN for about 4 weeks and antibiotics for 2, she recovered. But had trouble gaining after that, after they stopped the IVs, she was losing weight, then started gaining and losing, one day up, the other down. They kept her in the hospital until she showed constant increase in her weight, tried the human milk fortifier added to breastmilk (I pumped the whole time she ws in NICU), she started throwing up. Then they switched to adding Neosure to breastmilk, went up to 26 cal (she wouldn't tolerate more), but she still wasn't gaining. They suspected malabsorption but tests didn't show anything like that. Still, she was put on Allimentum and that seemed to work, they made it 26 cal adding some to breastmilk. She started gaining weight and was discharged. Fast forward a few days at home and new problems started. She stopped tolerating her feeds (but still would eat the recommended amount of ounces per day), and started refusing to take her bottle. They advised us to just use the formula instead, just to up the calories and so we did. But it didn't help, she was throwing up and had very runny stools, and a lot of spit up (sometimes not digested milk, sometimes already 'curdled up'). We saw the GI doctor again, they put her on EleCare, which is the most hypoallergenic food that is there and Zantac. All was good for a couple days, she started eating more, 90-100 every 3 hours, but then went downhill again. GI doctor switched her to Prevacid (2x 1 ml daily), and just told us to give it time and wait, that her burned throat prevents her from eating. But now she's been on the drug for almost a week, and was eating progressively less and less in the last few days. She still spits up, sometimes we force 30-40 ml every 3 hours, but she takes a few sips, and cries, arches her back, goes to sleep, refuses to eat altogether. She's tiny, anly 7 lbs now at almost 3 months (was born at 3 lb 6 oz) and I don't know what to do. I'm so annoyed, irritated, frustrated and depressed.. The ped (that we see every couple days for weigh-ins) told us to just wait it out, it'll get better in a coule months. The GI doctor said Prevacid will take about a week and to wait it out too. But I'm at the wits end, it got to the point when I dread the feeding time....because I know she won't eat, I'll get frustrated, she's not growing and thriving.... Is there anything else that can be done...
Hello Bella, I apologize for the late reply. I missed your message when I was on vacation. So what is going on this week? Is your daughter still on Prevacid?
A baby who doesn't want to eat is trying to communicate that something is wrong. I encourage you to keep being her voice and asking the doctor to find out why eating is so uncomfortable and upsetting to her. Meanwhile, it is really important not to force her to eat or get upset with her. Babies are very smart and they can sense our frustration and react to our feelings.
So give us an update and let us know what is happening now.
Hang in there,
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
www.refluxmom.com
Hi everybody, our daughter was also born premature, and developed silent reflux, refusing to eat, she is on Omeprazole and Prepulsid, what help us to feed her is a Large Gymball and a white noise, we would sit on the ball and swing her up and down and play the white noise as loud as needed, she would calm down and eat some she is 5 months old 3 corrected and eats 6 times 100ml. I hate to forcefeed so I don't do it, it is hard to calm them down, but with forcefeeding it probably makes the problem whorse. I am so scared she will refuse food all together, I think there is long road in front of all of us and we just need to be very strong! Please if you have some calming techniques share those.
Hello! You are working way too hard to get her to eat. Please discuss the feeding with your daughter's doctor and find out why she is so fussy during her meals. Medical treatment may not take away all of the fussiness and crying but you should not have to work quite that hard to feed her.
If the treatment isn't helping, she may need a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist or a feeding clinic or speech language pathologist for a feeding evaluation.
Please let us know what you find out.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
I have been struggling like all of these parents to get my infant to eat since the day she was born. She was born to term 7lb 14 oz normal vag delivery discharged 2 days later as healthy. She is now 6 months old 11 lb. She has been 11 pounds for a month now, no height growth, head circumfrence, weight all below 5th percentile. She had a hole in her heart and a narrow pulmonary valve. When she stopped gaining weight at 5 months old, the cardiologist and me and her Dad decided to go ahead with the surgery. Earlier than expected but something needed to be done, she wasn't thriving. Surgery was October 8th 2009. Fast forward, still same eating issues. She strictly nurses if you want to call it that. No bottle, she started refusing that a long time ago all kinds. Tried formula but she threw it up, all kinds. Then she just one day decided no bottle, no more. Every feeding is a struggle. I too spend 12 hours a day trying to get her to eat. One day he was fine with cereal and all of a sudden she doesn't want that anymore. I have a fast let down in my breast milk which also makes her choke and cough. She is on Axid now which keeps her comfortable, but she doesn't care to eat. She cries when hungry, goes at it with gusto then gives up after about a minute. Dr. wants to put her on Reglan. But before that we have to get her tested for Cystic Fibrosis, do a barium swallow and see the GI. She has never officially been diagnosed with anything. Docs are just now starting to even care. I have since switched Ped and he is proactive at least.
Hi and thank you so much for posting all this information. I adopted a baby girl at age 5months in September 2009 and even as a brand new Mom, I knew something wasn't right with her feeding. It has taken me over 3 months to convince the paediatrician that this is serious and she shows almost every sign of GERD. She is now 8.5 months old, weighs 14pounds, isn't even on the North American growth charts (under 1st percentile), hasn't grown in over a month and has struggled to eat ever since I've known her - both formula and solids. I am relieved that we've finally been referred to a GI and she's just started Zantac which seems to give her some relief. She was up every 2hours for a 2ounce feed last night. I'll do this forever if I have to. I feel that everyone has viewed me as a neurotic and incompetant Mom about all my searching for help, and I'm so sick of hearing about all these other babies who eat like pigs. I'm feeling very isolated and really need to connect with others going through this same thing.
Hello! So sorry you have to be here. Judging by the number of other posts, you are not alone. I am so glad you have been referred to a GI doctor. Her poor feeding and weight issues really need to be explored. I hope you don't have to wait too long for the appt.
I just told another mom (above) to read this article:
http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/96/85472/fault
Its not your fault that your baby has reflux.
Hang in there and let us know your questions and concerns.
Jan
I do have a few questions.......
My daughter has been on Ranitidine for a few weeks now. It seems to make eating formula and solids more comfortable for her, but she still isn't taking a lot. She's now 9months old, weighs almost 6.5kgs, and has between 16-20 oz of formula each day. She eats between 1-2 tablespoons of food at each meal (that's 3 meals and one snack each day). She is very clear when she's had enough of formula/food and I do try to respect that. I have read that the Ranitidine stops working after a while. I'm wondering if she needs a higher dose or a different medication to get better results?
I have elevated the head of her mattress and she is sleeping better. Still waking every 3 hours at night (sometimes more frequently), but generally sleeping better. I have read about keeping her upright after feeds. She is crawling and pulling to stand all the time. Do I need to carry her for 30minutes after a daytime feed or does her mobility give her enough gastric motility?
Also, she occasionally gags on food. At first I thought this was a sensory reaction but it isn't consistent. I'm wondering if gagging can be from the reflux or is it more likely to be just a sensory reaction?
My daughter has no diagnosis as yet. From my own research, it looks like silent reflux to me. We are seeing a new paediatrician next week - I feel the first one didn't take my concerns seriously. I'd like to ask the new doctor about further testing. Is it realistic to ask for ph testing? I'm a health professional and have heard that the 24hour probe is the most reliable test, but not sure if this is typically done.
Thanks for any advice.
Hello!
Let me know a bit more about your daughter. What are the top 3 concerns you want to talk to the doctor about? Is it weight, eating and sleep? Medication? Testing? Since you are seeing a new doctor, it will help to have any medical records or reports available. The growth chart from birth will really help the doctor see the rate of growth.
You can collect some "data" too. Try to keep a journal and write down her typical eating and sleeping pattern for a few days. This will give the doctor a snapshot of a typical day or days.
It does take some extra visits to the doctor and changes to the treatment plan as you and your daughter get through the first year of reflux. The goal of treatment is to reduce pain and discomfort, to improve eating and sleep and to address any complicatons such as poor weight gain/weight loss, feeding problems and respiratory/breathing problems.
You had a question about testing too-certainly talk to the doctor about the need for testing. There is a need for testing in some cases but the majority of infants with reflux do not need a test. Your doctor is in the best position to guide you on this.
You are asking many excellent questions and that will go a long way toward finding the best treatment approach for your daughter.
Best wishes,
Jan
hello jan,
my babygirl s 3 mnth old. she was a healthy baby when born with a 9 pound weight. the first 2 months she was a happy baby eating fine around 24-26 oz per day.she used to spit up and sometimes vomit.but her ped used to say she has excess gas in her tummy and put her on gas med. but it did nt improve. since 10 days the condition has worsened. she started to refuse her feedings. she cries a lottt when i put the bottle in her mouth. right now we r on enfamil gentlease. finally we were referred to GI specialist who diagnosed her with reflux and put her on zantac and prevacid yesterday. she s only taking around 16-17 oz right now tht too with great difficulty. i sleep feed her and thts when she takes major part of her days milk. i m really scared after reading all these posts if every baby with feed refusal turns to have food aversion for life.
and i ve been forcing her to drink milk with syringe at times if she does nt take it. is that ok or makes her more resistant?
will she ever come out of this thing?? if she was diagnosed with reflux earlier this would nt have gotten so bad.. and she has been crying in pain yesterday withoutthe bottle..which she never did earlier. is this due to sideeffects from prevacid??
she has a poor weight gain. she lost 5 ounces of her weight in the last 10 days..
plz help me out..
Hello There,
It is scary when a little baby won't eat. She is communicating to you that there is something wrong when she eats-it doesn't feel good, it is painful, it is scary to eat because she feels like she will choke or something else. It is always important to follow up with the doctor. You might find that you are spending more time in the doctors office than you ever expected. This can be frustrating but it is necessary to keep looking at the symptoms and the treatments.
When a baby is crying, especially when it starts suddenly, it is important to rule out a common medical problem like an infection or illness. If everything checks out ok and the doctor is confident that reflux is causing the distress, you can look at the treatment plan again and see if anything needs to adjusted. Positioning, sleeping on a wedge, changing the bottle and nipple, thickening the formula, changing the formula, changing the medication or the dosage or both are some of the many options the doctor will consider.
It is important to let her drink what she can tolerate. She will become resistant to eating if you force her or show anger or displeasure about not eating. Just take a break and offer the bottle more frequently. You can even offer a smaller feeding more frequently during the day. Some parents use a medicine dropper when all else fails. I think it is ok as long as there isn't a struggle over it. If you are needing to use a dropper, it is time to check in with the doctor for further guidance about the treatment plan.
Please let me know how she is doing today.
Take care,
Jan
Hi Jan -
I posted a question with this info, but then saw your article and it describes my situation perfectly. Can you offer any advice? Thx!!
My son has been exhibiting many signs of reflux/GERD. I took him into the dr yesterday and she listened to me describe the symptoms and quickly looked at him. She indicated the he does have it and started him on .5 ml zantac 2x/day. Here are his symptoms:
refuses to eat at times/skips feeds
starts a feed, then pulls off frequently, screaming and often never finishes
arches back
diarrea (has had for 1 week now)
spitting up almost every feed, vomiting 2-3x/day
very fussy
sleeps well at night, although has started to get more challenging at night, does not sleep well during day
eats best when sleepy
seems to be in pain while eating
He is breastfeeding exclusively right now. I should also mention that I am an overproducer, but have been working to get it under control since January. I think my supply is ok now, so while my son has been exhbiting these symptoms from early on, I only recently thought they might be reflux/GERD - originally, I just blammed all symptoms on my oversupply.
I am concerned that he is on medication. Should any tests be run? Should I insist on seeing a pediatric gast. dr.? Should other things be explored first, like removing milk products from my diet (which BTW, I started doing on my own this week - it's been 5 days now and no improvement in him)?
He is thriving, continues to gain weight and has enough wet diapers every day, so no concerns there.
Any advice?? Thank you!!
My baby is 13 weeks old and has never been a great eater. She's around 9 1/2 pounds, just over 2 pounds since birthweight. Around 5 weeks she was dx with GERD and we started putting cereal in with her formula. She ate great for a week, then stopped eating so well. We started on Zantac 1 ml/2x a day about the time she stopped eating well. Over the next few weeks, the spitting up resolved and we took her off Zantac in case that affected her appetite. Last week the doctor suggested starting it again b/c her feeding was so poor and she would scream at us after taking an ounce or so. So we started back on it Monday. Wednesday she started eating really well and that continued through yesterday. Today, she's not eating again.
Any suggestions?
Hello there,
So sorry you and your little one are struggling with feeding. It doesn't matter if you are a first time mom or mother of triplets-feeding a baby with GERD can be very challenging.
Sad to say, this is challenging to the doctors too. You will most likely need to go back and forth to the doctor a few more times until the right combinations of treatments is found. Changing one thing at a time and observing the response is slow, hard work. Changing the medication and changing the formula are common changes. Has the doctor suggested any changes to the formula besides adding the cereal?
Other areas to look at:
Mealtime routine: see is she responds positively to swaddling, rocking, a quiet, dark room.
What would happen if you let her take an ounce and then stopped?
What would happen if you burped her after one ounce and tried again?
Some parents find success with different bottles and nipples.
Bottom line-feeding a baby with reflux is hard work. Are there any friends or relatives who can visit you for a few days or weeks so you have extra hands for feeding and caring?
Also, I have written quite a bit on this site and in my book, Reflux 101 about the importance of keeping a journal of symptoms so you can communicate effectively with the doctor. Since your baby's symptoms are changing so much, it is important to keep track of symptoms.
Hang in there and remember you are a wonderful mother!
Best wishes,
Jan
my son too has been diagnosed with g reflux- he is on ranitidine and domperidone and is now 7.5 months. at 4months he was hospitalised and since hen we visit the feeding clinic every 6 weeks.
my son was breast and bottle fed from birth with no real signs of distress or vomiting (some reflux but a tricle here and there but serious wind) but suddenly, just after his 3month jabs, he fell ill and started vomiting after his feeds. his spit ups were constant and he began to seriously refuse milk. i stopped bottle feeding and managed to only breast feed while he slept. at 4 months, we rushed him to hospital as he turned blue after a hysterical crying incident durin a feed. it was there that they put him on medication...
since then, its been up and down. initially, he started feeding better (even whilst awake) and took his solids very well (doc encouraged me to wean him). but then as quickly as that happened, it went back to him screamin during breastfeeding and him regurgitating his solids. at his check up, doc suggested i eliminate dairy from my diet as he may have a milk allergy and also gave me hypoallergenic formula to try. he refuses bottle so couldnt try that and when i tried giving him non dairy solids, he went off eating comepletely.
im wandering whether a baby can develop milk allergy even though they fed without a problem earlier on (he was on cow and gate stage 1)? iv also tried a dairy free diet but his spit ups havnt really reduced.
how is it that he is able to regurgitate all of his solids during or straight after a feed? does that suggest an allergy?
he is tiny for his age (7.5 months) and is only breastfed whilst napping. really struggling with his fussy feeding and screaming after a meal 9other than that he is a very energetic and happy baby)
Hello!
Oh my-you and your son have reallly worked hard on feeding haven't you? Your son is trying to communicate that eating hurts or is uncomfortable. That will lead to fussiness during feeding. It gets complicated because only certain foods cause pain but he might begin to associate all eating with pain. It makes sense to try a dairy free trial to see if he has a dairy allergy or intolerance. Usually a two week trial of a dairy free diet is enough to determine if he is allergic. Other signs may include rashes, eczema, mucous in stool, diarrrhea.
Medication to decrease the acid often makes the pain and discomfort more manageable. The decrease in acid may also lessen the vomiting but not always.
I wonder what the feeding therapist is working on and if she is seeing any oral motor issues or something else.
I wonder if your little guy has been referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist for further evaluation and treatment.
His slow growth and ongoing discomfort are worrisome to me.
Take care,
Jan
thanks for your concern- it really has been so tough and continues to cause me a lot of stress. at the moment he is completely rejecting food and this time it may be also due to teething (constantly wanting to chew on anything and everything)...
the feeding specialist, im sad to say has not been a lot of help. i asked for some allergy tests but she told methat the only real test is the elimination diet... im reluctant to do this because i find it hard to believe that he could become intolerent to dairy when he was mainly formula fed up til 4 months... and some days he hardly vomits on dairy solids while other days he does (on those days he'l spit up on anything). when he was hospitalised, they did a stool test and found nothing. if he was allergic, surely it would ve come up? if he was allergic, what would his vomiting be like?? usually he just spits up here and there (on bad days) and sometimes, when he is very fussy during a feed on solids, hel gag and regurgitate the whole lot out even before the meal has ended.
instead of diahrea, my son hardly opens his bowels- every 3 or 4 days he poops and when he does go, it doesnt seem like hes in any distress. i wander if that is a problem? the doctor said its not
he has dry skin around his cheeks and chin (at times this looks reddish) but the rest of his body is lovely and soft... he has had a couple of boil like spots on his back in the past (may be due to the detergent or too hot???)... he does have a stuffy nose, which can be a sign of allergy?
i give up on the dairy free diet for me and my son each time i attempt it because he really does end up getting even more fussy and i get scared that he will lose even more weight as fruit and veg hardly contain any calories. he is hardly drinking milk so i try my hardest to ensure that his solids are high in calories and calcium.
i would love to be referred to a specialist gastroenterologist but again, the feeding clinic doctor will be reluctant ( as she'l want me to really give the dairy free diet a serious go and also, hes not losing weight but is gaining very slowly.... though that is because i do nothing but try and feed him all day and night long). and he does lose weight but then after a week or so, regains the lost weight... its been up and down like that since he was born
you mention some oral motor test??? what is that??
Jan, thanks for your reply... i feel comforted knowing that there are mums out there going through exactly what im enduring it. the hardest part of this journey has been the lack of understanding from other people, even mothers...
any advice or insight will be greatly appreciated
Hello there,
I hear your concern about trying a dairy free diet again. If he is struggling to nurse and won't take a bottle of dairy free formula, you cannot really nourish him and get the information that the doctor wants. I wonder what the feeding therapist is seeing that indicates a possible food allergy or milk allergy.
I wonder if you could document the symptoms and feeding patterns as a way to show the doctor how much your little guy is struggling to eat. I find that doctors like data. It gives them more clues along with the weight chart and physical exam.
Right now you are the "medicine" because you are nursing and giving him an easy to digest source of nourishment and feeding him 24/7 so that he will continue to gain weight. All the doctor sees is a cheerful, adorable little baby who probably smiles during the entire visit and wouldn't dare vomit until he is miles away from the doctors office! I think friends and family see the same picture. Whenever I would describe a rough night of non stop crying and fussing, friends and family would look skeptical as my daughter would coo and play by day.
There are many reasons why babies struggle to eat and reflux and food allergies are just two reasons. Some babies have other problems including a swallowing disorder or a feeding delay. Sensory problems can make feeding difficult and uncomfortable. Over time, a physical problem can lead to a behavioral feeding aversion. In any case, I encourage you to keep asking questions and describing what you are seeing. With my daughter, I found that I had to be her voice and her advocate. In the end, my persistance led to the doctors and treatments that she needed and she got better. I know your story will have a happy ending too. It is hard work but it is so worth it.
Best wishes,
Jan
Hi Jan,
I just wanted to say thank you for writing this and thanks to everyone for posting their stories.
My son, 5 months yesterday, was born with a heart defect and ended up needing a trach and is ventilator dependent. When they told us he needed a trach, they also said he had reflux. Then a week later, they came in and said that babies with trachs don't usually eat so they were putting in a g-tube and doing a Nissan because it was just usually done with a g-tube. All of this was done before he was ever given the opportunity to try eating.
So at a month and a half old, he was finally allowed to eat and picked it up actually pretty easily. After a couple weeks, he was eating essentially everything by mouth. When we came home from the hospital (at 2 months of age), I decided to try and feed him completely orally. We managed to do this for about 3 weeks (would have been longer but his night nurse kept dumping it down the tube because he was sleeping... ugh). It was slow though. Daycare couldn't manage to get the whole feeding in him so he'd come home and I'd have to spend my whole evening trying to catch him up for the day so that he'd be meeting his minimum requirement. He'd start out strong - drink about 2 oz in just 10 minutes or so and then take 50 to finish the bottle (a feeding was anywhere from 80cc - 120cc - it's expressed breast milk fortified with good start (1 tsp to 3 oz for 24 cal)). However, the nutritionist was never happy and every week she'd increase the amount he needed to eat. So I was already struggling to get him to eat and she kept adding more! But... they told me he wouldn't eat at all so I was thrilled that he was doing it. My husband not so much... he got frustrated that it took so long and I usually ended up doing all the feeding.
Now, a couple weeks ago, (actually right after he got his 4 month shots as in the next feeding), he started showing all of the signs of reflux but I didn't recognize them. He refused to eat, pushed the bottle out of his mouth, arched his back, got sweaty, etc. This has been going on ever since and we are back to using the feeding tube for about half of his food during the day. Very frustrating.
Anyhow, fortunately, I have a lot of tools at my disposal - We've added zantac to the prevacid, I got him an OT and he's going to a feeding clinic. But, I just wanted to say thank you for all for posting your stories because I didn't know what reflux was! From the sounds of it, he's been suffering the entire time with his extraordinarily slow feeding, doing better when he's asleep, only drinking from similac's orthodontic nipple, etc. When he started screaming and crying during feedings too, I knew something was wrong but thought maybe it was a stomach bug or something. When the pediatrician would ask me how he ate, I'd say great because I was told he wouldn't eat but it wasn't really great...
Anyways, I'm really scared that the medication isn't going to work but at least I have a better idea of what's wrong. Maybe I'll try eliminating dairy products from my diet... he's always been very gassy. I did set him up with an appointment with an allergist too.
So, thanks and if anyone has any suggestions on how to encourage him to eat but not cause an oral aversion, I'd be really interested. I've always hesitated to use the g-tube because I want him to eat by mouth and not lose the skill and be more normal but I realize now there's a fine line between encouraging and force feeding.
Thanks,
Casey
Casey,
First, let me say that you have amazing mommy instincts to figure out how to be the MD/feeding therapist/ dietician/nurse all at the same time! It is wonderful that you have been successful at oral feeding given all of the obstacles. So congratulations to you!
Oral feeding is not impossible but it can be hard work at times. It certainly makes sense to have a team effort-first the doctors to manage the GERD. The bottom line is, the pain and discomfort from reflux/milk intolerance, etc needs to be managed for him to want to eat orally.
The trach can make eating more complicated. Since he has the nissen in place, I imagine there isn't a worry about aspiration from reflux. Has he had testing to rule out dysphagia (swallowing problem). The doctor and the feeding team can assess this. A swallowing problem can make feeding very scary and uncomfortable.
When my daughter had her feeding tube, it was a love/hate thing. I wanted her to eat by mouth so I resented having the tube. But I also found that it was my best insurance policy. Instead of worrying about her intake and nutrition or how to give her yucky medicine, I put it in the tube. It allowed us to focus on other things like play, sleep, etc. It brought down my worry quotient quite a bit. It gave me more time in my day. I know you are so busy already! I talk a lot about this in my book-when you have a baby with reflux, feeding can become the focus of your life 24/7. I always viewed the tube as a transition toward oral feeding. I don't know enough about your son but I imagine that is a goal for him too.
PLease, please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.
Best,
Jan
My daughter is 5 1/2 months old. At 2 months of age, I was told she had acid reflux, she would only eat an ounce or two at a time, push the bottle away, even though she was hungry and arch her back. So we started her on Zantacs. After 2 months, the meds seemed to stop working, so they switched her to the Prevacid Solutabs. We also started her on rice cereal at this time and she LOVED it! Everything was going great, until she started refusing to take her meds 2 weeks ago. We had some long days fighting with the bottle and waking up at night to feed her when we know she would take it. So I finally put the meds in her rice cearal and that seemed to go well. The past few days she's been doing well with her bottles again, even 4 ounces at a time. I think the meds are starting to kick in again. But now she's started to gage, make choking sounds. and spit whenever I give her the rice cereal. Can her acid reflux be getting worse? This has been the only way I can get her meds in her, help!
Hello! So sorry you are dealing with the ups and downs of reflux. Be sure to keep track of her symptoms so you can remember everything. Sometimes it seems like it is something new each day. It might make sense to check in with the doctor to see if the medications or diet need to be adjusted.
it is a little tricky mixing medication into food. If she associates the food with medication, she might start to reject the food, whether it has medication in it or not. You might be able to get the medication flavored at the pharmacy so it is a better flavor. I try to get the medication into the cheek. The pharmacy might also have a special medication syringe that helps to place the medication away from the tongue where there are more taste buds.
Getting the right treatment plan is your biggest challenge. Once you have the treatment plan in place, things will settle down quite a bit.
Give me an update when you get a moment-ok?
I will be thinking about you.
Jan
Thanks for responding so quickly! You don't know how much reading all these posting has helped! You're doing a great thing!
She's had a good couple of days. I called the doctor's office and they suggested mixing the Pevacid with apple juice and taking a break from solids for a couple of weeks. I believe the Prevacid is already flavored, it smells very fruity. The last three days I've tried the apple juice and she gets most of it down. Is she still getting enough if she spits some out? I feel like it's impossible to get all of it down her. The problem I've been having is that her mouth is very small and she gages very easily. She also has been coughing a lot lately and has large, sometimes painfull hiccups. Whenever I address my concerns to the doctor's office, I feel like they aren't listening. They don't seem too concerned because she is growing and a happy baby for the most part. She usually has about 23-26 oz per day spread over about 8 bottles. When she drinks her bottles, she's very fidgety and it's hard to keep the bottle in her mouth. It's not an enjoyable experience for her. How do I know when we should see a specialist?
Hello Janet,
It can be challenging to give medication to a baby with reflux. It makes sense when you think about it. There is often an association between eating and pain. She is probably a very smart baby because she is making this connection. If she gets most of the medication in, that is good for now. The best thing is to make feeding and medication time as now stress and relaxed as possible. She is a bit wary about both right now. Is she taking compounded medication or the solutab? I know FLAVORX is a flavoring system used by many pharmacies in the US to change the flavor of medications-even if it already has a flavor. If you can give her the medication with the least amount of liquids or solids, that is the best.
I like the doctors idea to take a break from the solids. As long as she is gaining weight, you can come back to the solids later.
I know the doctors are not very supportive. They see a baby on the growth chart. They don't see you working hard day and night to get the weight on and struggle with each feeding. That is why we have HealthCentral so we can talk to each other and support each other. It is a big job taking care of a baby with reflux. Feeding is often a struggle and takes a lot of time. Many babies with reflux are poor sleepers so caretaking never stops 24/7. Right now you are the medicine-holding her just so until she settles to eat and offering her small meals and hugs in between. It will get easier. For now, surround yourself with helpers and supporters.
Take care, Jan
Hi Jan,
I thought I would update you on my daughter. Things have changed so much! At Abigail's 6 month appointment her doctor finally understood how bad it was! I asked to switch her to prevacid in the compound form. He had never heard of it, but researched it and agreed! Around the same time she started speech therapy and the therapist suggested we use Simply Thick in her bottles. The combination of the prevacid and Simply Thick has been amazing! She drinks 7 oz at a time now! And no more sleep feedings! It took a while, but she learned to drink enough durring the day. She's also doing better with her solids. She used to gag and choke often, even to the point of throwing up, but now she's eating cheerios, something I couldn't even imagine a month ago. The speech therapist said there's nothing physically wrong with her, she's just very cautious about what she eats, because of her history with the reflux, she's afraid it will hurt. So we very very very slowly had to thicken her foods and try new textures. Odd, because she'll put any toy into her mouth, and even eat paper! I don't try to figure her out :) We are now slowly decreasing the amount of thickener we add to her bottles. Every day seems to be getting a little better! God answers prayers!
Janet
I discovered soemthing with my daughter that I'm hoping might help other moms out there. My daughter is very fidgetly while feeding and pulls away from the bottle often, only drinking a couple ounces at a time. I found that shushing in her ear or playing white noise while feeding her helps. She's able to get a little more down before she totally rejects the bottle. Hope this helps someone out there, I know I was about ready to try anything!
My toddler, takes medicine to GRE since 8 months and since then he is geting better and better. But he stills afraid to eat wich reflects in his weight gain. Besides beeing under the weight gain chart hi is now also under the growth chart. I am so worried how his eating habbits will affect his growth?
My toddler, takes medicine to GRE since 8 months and since then he is geting better and better. But he stills afraid to eat wich reflects in his weight gain. Besides beeing under the weight gain chart hi is now also under the growth chart. I am so worried how his eating habbits will affect his growth?
Hello Sabrina,
It is a big worry when a toddler does not want to eat. With his history of reflux, it is common for a toddler to be careful about trying new foods and textures. Even if he didn't have a history of reflux, it is typical for a toddler to be picky about eating. Your son is having some growth issues so you will need to discuss this with the doctor and decide on the best plan of action. Is the doctor worried about his growth? Is he encouraging you to use a high calorie toddler formula such as Pediasure?
Lets start with what he WILL eat. Does he like any food or does he just want to drink formula/milk/juice?
Jan
Thank you for your reply. His doctor is worried too and he is taking Pediasure since 12 months. He likes fruits, meat, chicken and bread, but every thing needs to be grilled. He does not like any pasta, rice, beans, cheese, tomato sauce and even chocolate. He eats a few bites of the meat or bread and then asks for his fruits. He drinks a half class of milk or juice after meals and Pediasure at bedtime. We thought he could eat better at day care, but since he starts (with 14 months) it has beening the same: Eats fruit and milk for morning snack, do not eat lunch and bread or cookie for afternoon snack.
I am not sure if you still answer responses on here but here it goes anyway... So, our daughter is only 6 days old and she is already displaying many of the symptoms with reflux. Sometimes she gets very fussy when eating from the breast, or taking breastmilk in a bottle. We have even tried giving her a little formula, and she struggles with that too. We have also seen her spit up little amounts of breastmilk or formula that looks somewhat undigested (these are usually really small amounts). She also doesn't seem to cry when she is hungry. We basically just have to wake her up and try. The really weird thing is that this is really inconsistent. She seems to feed fine throughout a good portion of the day, and then all of the sudden, at midnight (or later), she starts throwing fits when we try and feed her. She will still mouth around and look for something to latch onto (like our fingers), but when we but anything with any type of milk on it in her mouth, she freaks out. It is extremely frustrating mainly because she is so inconsistent.
Hello Concerned Dad,
I am on HealthCentral all of the time. If I miss a message here or there, just email me privately.
Moms and dads have told me they knew very early on that the baby had reflux. I guess we just have a sense that something is wrong.
Your baby is very young and there are many reasons she could be struggling to nurse and settle. She is still learning about the world, night and day, hunger/full signals, alert/sleepy...Some of the symptoms you are describing could be related to getting adjusted to the world outside of the womb. It certainly makes sense to discuss your concerns with the doctor. If she is skipping feedings, not wetting her diapers or showing signs of dehydration, take action right away and get her to a doctor or emergency department. If the concern is more about comfort and feeding, a lactation specialist may offer advice on positioning for feeding.
Let me know if I answered your question.
Best wishes,
Jan
Hi, I've been reading this site for a while now and am getting desperate so any advice would be welcome!
Basically (I'm in UK) my boy is nearly 15 weeks - since 5 weeks he was not that interested in milk (formula feed from birth), started fussing on last bottle of day - so of course we treated for colic, no improvement so I changed milk, teats, bottles etc etc. Finally at 8 weeks we were advised to go to A+E as every feed was distressing (for us both), he basically took a few sips to oz, arched his back and cried, by this point although he hadn't lost weight, he had dropped from 50th or 9th centile. We were admitted for 5 days, told most likely silent reflux and possible cows milk protein intolerence, we came home on gaviscon, ranitidine and domperidone and also neocate milk. I tried to cope for another 2 weeks, but it was hell - every feed he would still cry, arch is back - and the only way to feed him was calm him down with his dummy to the point where he was nearly asleep - then swap the dummy for the bottle - but you have to keep tapping the bottle to get him to drink (3oz usually takes 30mins). 2 weeks later, after him only taking 6oz in 24hrs and me at the end of my tether, we were admitted back to the childrens ward for another week - told to stop the neocate and now he has infatrini (nutrionally dense milk) and they stopped the meds and put him on 10mg omeprazole (at my request after reading about it on internet), they also thought he had a feeding aversion - we tried cup/syringe feeding but he went nuts, so we persevered with the bottle and came home as they wouldn't do any other investigations.
however we are really no further forward again I fear - I can still only get him to eat when drowsy - if he does eat when awake he will still start arching/crying after few sucks. Our new pediatrician appointment is not for 3 months!! and I'm reluctant to take him back to the hospital as they don't seem that interested. I'm worried I will never be able to feed him in public, we can't go out for more than a few hours. he only takes about 500mls of feed a day (3-4oz a time max). He does sleep for 7-8 hrs a night without waking. He does vomit a few times a week, has hiccups alot and sometimes after feeding will wake up crying as if in pain. He will happily go hours between feeds and doesn't seem bothered at all if he eats or not. I am worried this is sleep feeding is a bad habit, but it's either that or he will dehydrate. I've been told I now that I have a baby that doesn't like feeding or doesn't like mik - what am I meant to give him then - diet coke? It's breaking my heart to see this keep going on, not to mention the constant stress it causes my partner, myself and family. We are being referred to a neighbouring trust's hospital because I'm not really happy with the care we have had (although I do know they have tried various things, they seem to have given up now). Noone really seems concerned as he is putting several ounces on a week - only because 90% of his intake is given when he's sleepy. If he lost weight they would probably take it more seriously. They also did say they were not even sure if he does have reflux now as will take it asleep - but he does seem in pain when feeding (awake) as soon as the milk hits his tummy.
Has anyone broken this sleep feeding habit, if so - how? I'm thinking of trying to wean him early as can't go on like this - but am scared to incase that goes wrong as well. Any advice would be so gratefully recieved. He's such a happy little boy as long as you are not trying to feed him.
Many thanks.
Hello! I want you to know that you are not alone and there are other parents who are dealing with sleep feeding just like you. It does make sense to keep in touch with the doctor so they know you are still sleep feeding. If the doctor doesn't hear from you, he/she assumes that you are not sleep feeding any more and everything is just fine. In the US, there are feeding clinics and feeding programs in larger cities and suburban communities. I have spoken to several moms of sleep feeders in the UK and there are some services available. Keep in mind that there is limited understanding of sleepfeeding so you may need to search for someone with knowledge and experience.
Sleep feeding is hard work for the family-you are doing all of the right things by exploring treatments and asking questions.
Please also contact me privately on this site or at refluxmom@gmail.com so I can link you directly with other moms. You can also click on the name of anyone who has posted on this site to ask them for more information about their sleep feeding experiences.
Please keep in touch and let us know what you find out.
Jan
Hi, I just wanted to add a little update for anyone who reads this wondering if it is possible to get out of sleep feeding.
I know this won't work for everyone - but to update our story - we saw a new set of peadiatricians who seemed more confident about things - told us to stop all meds as not sure it was reflux that needed meds, more the feeding aversion. Told to avoid this conflict where possible and if we could, to make feeding fun. Well I persevered sleep feeding for another 2 or so months as he wouldn't take it any other way and those months were awful - then after one rare day of me taking him out to go xmas shopping, we get home, he hadn't eaten in over 6 hrs (never cried for bottle) but I thought he must be hungry so I presented him with a bottle in his bouncey chair (of course he was wide awake as slept in the car so sleep feeding wasn't an option), and he took his 3oz feed ok - with a fair amount of distraction from me waking toys/singing etc. This was over 5 weeks ago now and I'm happy to say we seem to be going from strength to strength. Whereas we were struggling to get 3oz a time down him when sleep feeding - he now has 3 x 5-6oz feeds a day with a 7oz bottle split round his bath before bed!!!
We have used less and less distraction to get him to eat - his favourite is watching Micky Mouse clubhouse songs on the iphone videos!!! (well they said make feeding fun, although I got insane from the song!). If I'm at home with him alone I can get him to take a full feed without any aids which I'm really happy with. We stop every 2ozs and get a burp up or often the whole feed comes back. Things aren't totally perfect, he will only eat in his chair - but he's come such a long way, we can feed him at families houses too - just got to work on feeding in public next. I remember how awful the sleep feeding days were, totally dreading having to feed my baby- not to mention the worry about if I could return to work with him like that.
He will never be a guzzler as far as milk is concerned but we're going to begin baby led weaning in a few weeks so I'm hoping he will slowly take to it - I don't expect great things but I now know we will get there eventually. I've got to go as he's rolling around on the floor getting stuck on his tummy! I hope maybe this could give one person a little reassurance that things will get better.
Take care
Suz and Josh 24 weeks
I just came across this site and can relate to what everyone has been saying. Our daughter (now 8 months old) was diagnosed with reflux at roughly 3 months old-finally diagnosed because breastfeeding was a nightmare... She was put on Zantac which worked well for a while but then ceased working. From there we switched to Prilosec suspension, but, as many have found, the suspension would become unstable after about two weeks or so, and also ceased working at that point. We were then switched to Nexium, which initially seemed to work. However, for the past month or so, she has been taking in significantly less formula as well as solids. Feeding her has become absolutely stressful and I dread each next feeding. Sometimes she'll only take 1-2 ozs. from the bottle-thankfully, I can then oftentimes get her to take a couple more ozs. from a cup with a straw. Every so often she will surprise me and drink a full bottle... But her formula intake is roughly about 18 ozs. or so daily with maybe 7 or so ozs. of solids. She is less than interested in eating, very distracted, and has also never, ever fussed because she is hungry. We had her to the pediatrician 3 weeks ago and just went back again; she had not even gained an ounce in three weeks. They told me to stop the Nexium (as they didn't think it seemed to be doing anything) to see if there was an improvement. No improvement. She has wet burps again and has spit up a few times, which she also had not done for a while. I have a call in to the ped. so we can get an expedited appt. for a GI specialist, and I think they will try Prevacid as well, but I'm at the end of my rope. As some of the other posters have said, I don't think anyone can have any idea how stressful it is to try and feed a child with reflux. We want more children but I am very afraid that I will have this experience again, and don't know that I could do this again. Please, any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. :(
Hello!
I am glad you have found our support community here at HealthCentral. It is important to see a pediatric gastroenterologist at this point. It is important to diagnose and treat the symptoms you are observing.
It might be helpful to talk to the pediatrician and the gi doctor about a referral to a feeding specialist. A feeding specialist may be a speech language pathologist or an occupational therapist with training in feeding little ones. You may find a feeding specialist in a private practice or as part of a feeding clinic at a large hospital. I have compiled a list of feeding clinics and programs on my website at www.refluxmom.com. It seems that a medical condition such as reflux can lead to a feeding aversion. A feeding specialist may have ideas and strategies to help you with home feeding.
Please let us know what you find out from the GI doctor and ask any and all questions. That is why we are here!
Best wishes,
Jan
I'm so glad I found this site!! My daughter is almost 6 months old and was diagnosed with reflux at 4 months. She's been on Zantac (1ml three times a day) since she was diagnosed but I'm afraid it's not working much anymore. She currently takes 4 bottles a day and it's a struggle. If we left it up to her, she'd be fine to eat only 20oz a day. At her 4 month appt, our pedi said she should be taking at least 26. Now, 2 months later, I struggle to get her to take 24 - 26oz a day. But the thing is, she is in the 90th %tile for height/weight and has been since birth (she was 9lbs. 2oz at birth)!! So, I don't know if I need to continue to force her to eat those 24 - 26oz OR if I'm instilling in her a bad habit of over-eating when she's not necessarily hungry? One minute I'm concerned she's not getting enough and the next I'm concerned that I'm forcing her to take in more than she needs. I should add that we just added solids (oatmeal and sweet potato so far) and she LOVES both and has no problem eating either. It's just with her bottle that she pushes it away, cries, is distracted and just completely uninterested in eating. We go to our pedi for her 6 month appt in 3 weeks but didn't know if anyone had any advice until then. I called my pedi's office and talked to the nurse and she just told me to put her on a probiotic, so she's on that now too. Anway, thanks for listening!!
Hello Carolinamom,
I am glad you have an appointment coming up in a few weeks. Your baby is communicating that something is bothering her about the feedings. She may be getting too full or her stomach may be hurting. Milk may be coming up the esophagus and burning. Since she is gaining weight well, you can let her take the lead and decide when she is full. See if she finds a good stopping point that allows her to get enough calories and fluids to grow and stay hydrated. Many babies do this very well. A few babies forget to eat and need a great deal of encouragement to even stay hydrated. However, it sounds like your baby is fine at least for the first part of the meal.
Feeding enough but not too much is a dilemma for many parents. It is important to meet those guidelines for nutrition set by the doctor or a dietician. Yet it can be very uncomfortable and even painful to feel too full. This could lead to a decreased interest in food and feeding, even a feeding aversion in some babies.
Maybe you could let her take the lead with the feedings and then check in with the doctor. You can make sure she is still gaining weight ok with a few less calories per feeding and figure out a plan for moving forward.
Be sure to give us an update on how she is doing too!
Jan
I don't think there is anything more scary/awful/horrible than not being able to feed my baby. There is so much stress and fear and just feeling like a failure.
I did find this website http://childrenandbabiesnoteating.com/index.html that had a lot of good info on why kids don't eating and what can be done about it. It's well worth a look!
Hi, my almost 5 month old just recently has started having problems.
Before this he would eat 6 to 7 ounces of milk, then some of my kids had a stomach virus, others the flu, my baby seemed to be catching everything, one thing he didn't catch was strep throat,THANK GOD. He also had a bad case of seborrheic dermatitis behind his ear, which after his RSV and stomach virus went away, my doctor attributed to being the cause of him not eating normally anymore. Two long weeks later, he got "better" but one thing that didn't get better was the fact that when I would feed him, he would show a real interest in eating, and 1-3 ounces down he would start crying, pushing the bottle away, and rubbing his feet against each other frustratingly, which I noticed is a sign of serious frustration, and he would refuse to eat. I'm not sure how you can diagnose acid reflux in a baby, but I have a feeling this may be my baby's problem, it can't be anything with his throat, because he'll sit and suck the pacifier all day long even right after refusing his bottle. Unfortunately I have a doctor that either doesn't care to apply herself much or doesn't want to do it cause she may not get as high a pay as with insurance babies since mine is on medicaid. Regardless, what my doctor's lack of "enthusiasm" is to find out what's wrong with the baby, I have a high suspicion that it is acid reflux.
THE CURE???????
I accidentally came across this piece of information and it has kept me off acid reflux meds while I was pregnant with my son, because the pregnancy I had before this one I was constantly popping TUMS. IF you eat Almonds, the oil in almonds neutralizes the acid in your stomach. Guess what, I was eating ALMONDS just as much as I had popped the Tums in my mouth with the pregnancy before this last one, but the Almonds were working, within one or two minutes the acid reflux would go away. Now how does this connect to my baby. I will try this, as I am about to head to the store to buy some ALMOND OIL. I will put almond oil in my baby's milk and see if that takes care of the acid before it even becomes a problem. I will keep you posted on the results.
Well...first I'd like to apologize for going off on a tangent about my baby's doctor, as that doesn't have anything to do with the solution to acid reflux and babies, but just so everyone knows, my view on that is based on a lot of bad experiences with your "average family doctor." A few years back when I went to have the flu shot for my kids, the doctor literally slipped up and said that the flu shots for medicaid patients hadn't arrived yet, while there were a bunch of other kids getting the flu shot that were on insurance. There are also a lot of other worse experiences I've had, and I should've been a little "softer" on the doctor considering that my baby had issues with the flu and a stomach virus and a really bad case of seborrhetic dermatitis behind his ear, which all could be viewed as a reason for decreased appetite, but I think from day one I sensed just from my babies actions that none of these were the reasons to his eating problems.
DID THE ALMOND OIL WORK???
The closest thing I could get to almond oil was Organic Raw Almond Butter from Kroger last night, but it had oil at the top that had gotten separated from the "butter" so I slipped some of that into his milk last night, and he ate 4 ounces without showing any sign of him hurting in fact, he actually stopped at one point, from sucking on the bottle, to look up at me and smile. This Morning, he ate almost 5 ounces without problem. It is a big step up from the 1 ounce he ate last night before I put him to bed before he started crying in pain, but my problem still exists because I don't have anymore almond oil, so this last feeding I barely got 1 oz in him before he started crying. I can't afford to pay $10 for a jar of organic almond butter that has just enough oil for two feedings, so since it isn't so late like last night, I'm heading out to some of the health stores around to see if I can find Almond oil. I think it is a little too early to say, "yes, almond oil is a good natural answer to acid reflux for babies" just yet cause I haven't been using it long enough, I feel like I can make a decision on that maybe in a week. But I just wanted to let everyone know what has been happening so far. I hope this does work out because, it would be an answer that doesn't come with bad side effects attached and it's all natural.
Hello Oliver's Mother,
I am so sorry your little one is having so many health issues. It is hard when there are older brothers and sisters in the house and the germs go around and around. It can take some time for a baby's appetite to return to normal after an illness such as RSV or the stomach bug. Having both can be a big setback. It can take some time to get the good stomach bacteria to come back. Sometimes the doctor will recommend probiotics after a stomach bug or round of antibiotics.
I must say that I have never heard of almond oil as a treatment for infant reflux. I hope you will let us know how little Oliver is doing.
Jan
I could have written your post MariaMac, my son is 4 month old and we started out with reflux suspicion at 2 weeks old, started on zantac and then axid at 5 weeks old, now for last month we are on nexium with no improvement, has mucus in stools which are runny and 4-5 times per day, feeding aversion for last month and whenever I try feeding him awake he will take couple sips and gag really bad and stop.He also would not take bottle or paci and is exclusively nursed since birth except all the trials with different bottles and nipples where he will take 10ml to 1 oz every now and then with bottle.Its been very hard and getting worse and am really worried.
Just wanted to update the mothers on this forum on how my son is doing at 10 months. I remember being frustrated 6 months ago when all I could find was mothers stating the same problem I had, but couldn't find many who had 'gotten to the light at the end of the tunnel' - likely bc once your child is better, you have better things to do than research on forums - like play with them and be stress free. :)
We struggled and got by with feeding Graham asleep for 8 months - fortifying formula to 28cals per ounce and barely getting 15oz in him a day (21lb baby somehow). I then went to a different pediatrician who was the first to firmly propose something to take action on verses 'keep on doing what you're doing - he looks great'. Mind you the endoscopy came out clear and he was on Prevacid... so with no physiological symptoms to go off of she came to the conclusion that it was a psychological problem at this point and the only way to get him to eat like a normal baby would be to tough love it and he would get to a point where he would be so hungry, he would overcome his aversion.
That was the last reco I wanted to hear bc I honestly didn't believe he would cave since he was hospitalized twice at 4 and 5 months for not eating, but with my husband's help (and me sleeping in the car at night bc I could bear his crying at night likely due to unconscious hunger) we were able to stop the sleep feeds cold turkey. He was allowed to have as much solids and water as he wanted (usually strawberry yogurt bc it tastes like the strawberry Prevacid and cinnamon applesauce), but really ended up only taking 8oz of milk awake per day (scary) and a couple oz of solids. We had doc check ups every other day to monitor for dehydration. On the 5th day of this (watching him shrink each day), he just started drinking his bottle - no fuss, eyes open - just like it was no big deal. It was the most terrible 5 days of my life, but it really did help us.
We weren't totally out the woods, during the next month he backslid a few times - especially when he was sick or constipated - but now at 10 months he eats like a normal picky baby and will always take at least 2 bottles a day, eyes open. We stopped feeds after midnight, but at least his eyes are open during a night feed so he's willingly taking it vs being unconscious. An important thing to note - is that if it's in the day time - he has to flick the nipple around and play with the bottle first for a few minutes bf he starts drinking the bottle - it's almost like a nervous ritual he has with the bottle, his former foe. We also stopped Prevacid when we did the 5 day 'cold turkey' and only occasionally give it to him if we hear any reflux bouncing around his throat, which is very very rare now. He still sleeps with a wedge in his crib as well.
I hope sharing this experience helps. Please don't follow this approach soley on this post, but if your doc recommends this tough love tactic - have heart that it sometimes really does work and can take a week or so.
All the best...
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My son was the same way. You may want to check with your doctor on his current dose of tagament. As my son gained weight we constantly had to up his dose of Prevacid. He also eventually became immune to the prevacid and we had to switch to prilosec.
This may be the reason behind not eating.
My son was the same way. You may want to check with your doctor on his current dose of tagament. As my son gained weight we constantly had to up his dose of Prevacid. He also eventually became immune to the prevacid and we had to switch to prilosec.
This may be the reason behind not eating.
I gave birth my son with c-section. Next day I have internal bleeding and had another operation. I'd spent 13 days in hospital with no brest milk for my baby. So he took bottle milk at the hospital. But as soon as he comes home he doesn't take milk at all. At 2 wks old he only take 20mls or 30mls per 5 hrs. I was so upset and cry. I gave him Zantac. Now he 5 mths old and still has the same problem. He's only take 60mls per 4 hrs or if he sleeps longer or play longer, he just take 90 mls per 12 hrs. I was really stress out. Except that my baby is a really happy baby. Always smile and very cute.
Is he growing? Is your doctor concerned? My son does not want to eat either and I am concerned about him getting enough nutrients to grow and thrive.
Hello,
Tell us more about your little guy. It is worrisome when a baby doesn't want to eat.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
My son is a little over 10 weeks old and has reflux. It started when he was 4-5 weeks old. He was just fussy during feedings and I just thougtht he was tired. Then at 6 weeks he started screaming, arching his back during feedings. He was put on Zantac which helped very little. I struggled to feed him. The pedi switched him to prevacid after a week and things got worse. That is when he went on his hunger strike. He stopped waking up for feedings in the middle of the night. He refused most of his bottles during the day. We would have to entertain him or distract him to eat. I would feed him when he was half asleep. It is still a struggle to feed him. He does not cry out for food. He gets very fussy and cries when we try to feed him. I just don't think the meds are dosed high enough to ease his pain. I am waiting to get in to see a pedi gi. He sometimes only takes in 1 or 2 ounces with in a 7 hour period. He spits up a lot and has vomitted maybe 3 to 4 times. He will spit up formula that was fed to him 3 hours previously- the formula looks undigested. Please help. I am trying to get in to see Dr. Vartabedian but he does not have an opening till June. I don't have that long to wait.
Hello!
Thank you for your message about your little boy. I know it can be a long wait to see a Pediatric GI doctor. Have you gone back to the pediatrician? Often the pediatrician can offer the same treatments that the GI doctor can. If the Prevacid is making things worse, make sure the doctor knows. What kind of diet is he on? Some babies are allergic or intolerant to formula or the foods a nursing mother is eating. This may make a huge difference in his comfort. Ask the doctor to watch you feed him so the doctor knows exactly what you are talking about.
You might need to go to the doctors office more often anyway to make sure he is gaining enough weight.
Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
My pedi is not much help right now. We have tried different formulas- he is currently on Alimentum. I don't know what to do. No one seeems to be concerned because he has not lost significant weight.
Hello,
So sorry the doctor isn't able to help you with the worrisome symptoms. Does the doctor just want to wait at this point until you see the GI doctor? Can the pediatrician contact the GI doctor and find out what other treatments to try?
June is such a long wait when the baby won't stop crying.
Ouch.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
Hello Mona,
So sorry you and your son are struggling with eating. I am glad you are working with a speech language pathologist. It is interesting that he cannot tolerate medications and he gets constipated easily. What does the doctor think of this? What other symptoms are you seeing?
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
www.refluxmom.com
Hello Mona, I wonder if the speech language pathologist would be able to share her observations with the doctors. She might have some insights that would be beneficial to adjusting his treatment plan.
I know you are working so hard. Keep in touch.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
www.refluxmom.com
You are a great mom, no doubt about it. Your son is so lucky to have you as his mom. Your love for him shows in your determination to keep him growing. No one truly understands the heartache that we go through daily. It's so tough and there have been many days where all I want to is cry, but our sons need us so we have to stay strong for them. It will get better, it has to. I really do not think there is anything neurologically wrong with your child. He has spent majority of his life eating with pain so now he just does not want to feel the pain. He is probably eating just enough to get by. I hope he out grows his relux soon. This is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with. It's just not fair that our little ones have to suffer and there is no simple solution. Meds do not help my son either so basicly we have to deal with it the best way we can. I would like to share ideas...
Hello Mona,
To send a private message, click on the name of the message sender (Anonymous) and it will open up to her public profile. Under her name, there is a place to click: Send Message. If that doesn't work, let me know.
Jan
Mona, I see what you mean! I hope she contacts you! Jan
I am so glad to have found this site. I have been dealing with what you all have with my 10 month old son. I felt like I was the only person who ever had this problem with thier child. My son was born 3 month premature and wouldnt eat enough to come home. After four months in the NICU the only thing keeping him from coming home was his feeding. We opted to have him get a G-tube inserted. It was a very hard decision, overwhelming. He has been home for six months and is doing great developmentaly, just still will not eat at all. It is like he doesnt even get hungry. We try solids and he turns his head. The meds don't seem to help. We are hoping he will some day grow out of this and eat normally. Is there a disorder where you don't feel hunger?
Hello Shannon!
Welcome to HealthCentral! You mentioned that your son was born prematurely. Was he diagnosed with reflux too? Reflux is very common in babies born prematurely.
I wonder if your son has been evaluated by the local early intervention program or a speech language pathologist. Preemies often have delays in feeding. It is important to find out why eating is so unpleasant for your son. While the tube is helping him to grow and receive nourishment, there should be a great deal of effort toward helping him to learn to eat by mouth.
Let me know what you have tried so far.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
www.refluxmom.com
We have been seeing a speech pathologist and try solids and pleasant oral stimulation several times a day with no improvement. He has been diagnosed with GERD but the medications he has been prescribed do not help. He has no problem sucking on thumb and any thing else in his mouth, just not food.
Hello Shannon,
Other than turning away from the food, what other symptoms of GERD do you see? Does he vomit? cry? wake up at night? Have respiratory problems?
What medication is he on right now? What does he get in his tube feedings? Sorry for all of the questions! It helps me understand what is going on with your little guy.
Jan
He did vomit after every feeding, but when they put in his g-tube they also did the nissen procedure. That was done on Nov. 5, 2008. After the surgery he would still gag and rench but nothing could come up. Within the last month he has started to spit up occasionally. He was taking Prevacid solutabs, but it did not help and the doctors seem to not want him on anything. I have also suggested being referred to a GI doc, but that was also dismissed. He is a very happy baby, even after spitting up or gagging he smiles and laughs once it passes. He was also diagnosed with bronchopulminary dysplasia while still in the NICU, he was on oxygen the first three months of life. The pulminary doctor has dismissed him saying he no longer has the bpd symptoms. In his feeding tube we give Similac Neosure 27 cal., which is what he has been on for the last 7 months. We just switched from gravity feedings to a feeding pump on friday. He was getting 135ml every 4 hours with the gravity feeds. The pump we have been using through the night to give him his formula while sleeping, but the last couple mornings he has awaken from needing to spit up. The pump is very conveinent that we dont have to do the gravity feeds all day, but do you know of other parents routines in using a pump? He is getting 75ml per hour for 9 hours. I just feel like a prisoner to his feeding routine, it is too difficult to take all his feeding supplies with us everywhere. Thank you so much for your time.
Hello!
Thanks for the additional information. I would definitely see about getting a referral to a Pediatric Gastroenterologist. It is important to have follow up for the fundoplication, g tube and reflux. A pediatric gastroenterologist may be able to help with his diet and feedings.
My daughter had a feeding tube after her fundoplication surgery too. I found that the pump was very helpful. She just could not tolerate a bolus feed at all. She needed slow and steady. I would start at a very slow rate and then increase slowly. when I got to the point of retching, I knew the rate was too fast and backed up a bit. Once you get used to the pump, you will find a rate that is not too fast and not too slow.
Taking a child out with the pump, etc is a lot of work. We took our pump everywhere-on camping trips, to the park and even Disney World. Give yourself some time to get used to it.
Back to your original question about feeding-see what the Gi doctor says about feeding and tell him that you are working with a therapist to help with his feeding.
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
www.refluxmom.com
Thank you so much for your insight.
When did your son become immune to the meds?
Hello!
With the acid reducers such as Zantac, it is possible for the body to adjust to the medication and then it stops working. With the PPI's, it seems that some babies and children need a higher dose for their weight than an adult. There is evidence that babies especially metabolize PPI's rapidly. That is why some babies need a split dose (two smaller doses, twice a day) rather than one dose, once a day. Each baby is different. It is important to keep track of the symptoms and check in with the doctor to adjust the treatment plan as needed. This can be very frustrating to everyone: parents and doctors!
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
www.refluxmom.com
I have a very similar situation. I have a seven month old daughter who is five months corrected. She was diagnosed with severre reflux, a food allergy to cow milk protein, adn a heital hernia. We have had her on elecare formula since she was 3 and a half months. She also was put on prevacid and zantac. Up until that point she was always a good eater, but would scream in pain for hours on end after each feeding. Once we started the elecare andthe meds, the screaming was greatly reduced. however, she seems to NEVER want to eat. I spend between six and seven hours a day just trying to get 18 - 20 ounces of formula in her. She never cries for her bottle. The only way I can get her to swallow is by distracting her. I am so exasperated and worried. The GI says he's not worried because she hasn't lost any weight. She hasn't lost any weight because I devote my entire day to feeding or struggling to feed her. Since you are further along with your baby I was wondering if you ever reached a turning point. Any advice or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.
sis'mama,
My daughter just turned 4 months and she has reflux. She was diagnosed around the time she was 2 months old. she is on zantac every 8 hours which seemed to help a little. on average she eats about 23 oz of milk a day but I have to thicken her formula with rice cereal. I get so frusted when people make comments about how small she is, but she is advzncing everyday and her smiles makes me feel better.
by the way i can only get her to drink in her sleep, soom after she falls asleep or mid nap.
My daughter is 3 months old and has reflux as well. It's interesting that you say your daughter eats best when sleeping. I have found that is true with my daughter too. She takes her best bottle at 10:30 pm when I do a "dream feed" and 4:00 in the morning when she is still very sleepy. Also, she typically does not vomit/spit up during these feedings, but often does during the day time feedings. During the day she will only take 2 ounces here and there. She's still gaining weight, but it concerns me that she eats so sporadically. She is taking a compounded version of Prilosec. We tried Prevacid and it did nothing for her. It's exhausting having a child with reflux due to the small eatings. I'm not sure she will ever sleep through the night if she can't start eating more during the day.
Hello! I am glad you and your daughter are hanging in there and finding ways to cope with the reflux. She will feel better in time. Meanwhile, you have extra work as a reflux mom. Take care and let us know how you are doing. Be sure to share your best ideas for coping too!
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
Mitzi,
I feel your pain (or should I say fatigue)? I thought that my daughter would never learn to sleep through the night but she did. It is an awful part of the reflux journey. I tried everything to make it better. Finally, her new pediatric gi put her on a dose of medication that allowed her to sleep at night. It was a miracle!
Good luck,
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
Hi
I see your post from March, I am very much going through the exact same thing now. Baby had reflux symptoms at just 3 weeks old, dr put her on zantac at 1 month but didn't do much. At 6 weeks she started skipping feedings and at 8 weeks she would go on 10 hour feeding strikes. She is 4 months now and every day time feeding continues to be challenging. We would have to distract her to feed or wait til she falls asleep as well. Her best feedings are during the night when she is completely passed out. But in the day a 3oz feed could take up to 2 hours, with alot of fighting. I am mentally and physically exhausted as I am sure my baby girl is too since we try to feed her around the clock it seems. Do they ever grow out of it? if so when and when will she want to eat again? Do things get better once they are on solids?
Hello! So sorry you and your daughter are struggling with feeding. It sounds like you have tried some treatments such as medication and feeding her when she is sleepy. I believe when a baby is struggling with eating, she is trying to tell us something. Feeding is uncomfortable, painful or doesn't feel right (sensory, fear of aspiration) or there is an underlying illness. I would encourage you to discuss your baby's feeding pattern with her doctor and come up with a plan of action. I have written quite a bit about sleep feeding and there is a network of parents who you might want to contact.
Let me know if you have additional questions or concerns.
Best wishes,
Jan
One more thing-you might want to read my article, It's not your Fault too.
Link:http://www.healthcentral.com/acid-reflux/c/96/85472/fault
Jan
Hello Jan
Thank you for responding, I would love to be connected to parents who are going through similar experience for support and resource, please let me know how. I have been working with GIs, and my baby was admitted to the hospital for testing in Dec to formulate a plan of action. We've done allergy testing, Upper GI, blood panels, so far nothing looks peculiar other than it "should be" reflux. We have been working with an OT to make sure she is not lagging in motor skills, but my kid seems to be meeting or ahead of her milestones. I feel her fear of eating is more a behavioral one since prevacid has to be keeping her reflux under some control, so I am looking into an infant psychologist if there is such thing. Baby just freaks out when she sees the bottle (she rejected the boobs at 2.5 months while on zantac, and now we express BM into bottle for better control on volume) and eventually all the fighing makes her tired and she will pass out while we are able to finish the feeding...the pumping/feeding/vomit cleanup literally consumes all day and night. The drs seem to offer no additional info / help at this stage, maybe we've exhausted all options. I am really afraid her feeding aversion will develop into a permanent situation and end her up in the feeding clinic. I don't know how much more of this I can endure. My pediatrician suggested cleft pallet bottles and feeding tube to my horror, luckily the ped GI did not concur. The twice a day prevacid dosing is not pleasant either, she often pukes up the medicine soon after we administer it (after she cries so hard). We are also seeing purple tinge in her spit up, we thought it could be blood but my GI doesn't think it is, and after googling they think it could be the prevacid interaction with acid. Has any reflux parent experienced purple spit up while taking prevacid compound (which is clear)?
Thank you for your encouragement, it's hard not to feel bad about parenthood and myself when people say things like maybe baby doesn't like my milk, or has allergy to it (I am currently trying the dairy elimination on GI order too). My mother in law keeps asking me to switch to formula but I know that will not resolve anything...she has aversion to the bottle doens't matter what's in it. We've tried nutramegan and she won't take it just the same so i know it's not my BM. This experience has made me resent even my husband at times, when he jokes about my milk being rancid. He now understands how tough life has been when he takes over feedings on his days off, but that's just a temporary relief from the continual feeding challenge on a daily basis that I dread, as does the baby.
Also where can I find your writing on dream/night feeding? are dream/night feeding detrimental to sleep training in the future?
Hello again,
If you search "sleep feeding" on this website you will find a rich conversation with many parents on this topic. AmyD and Sonja are some of the voices in that conversation. You can email any of them privately by clicking on their names and sending them a confidential, secure message.
Sleep feeding is not well understood and I am presently working with a researcher to study this topic. Sleep feeding is not harmful and it may be a short term solution to feeding aversion while you are looking for other resources. I wrote a full article about sleep feeding on my website. Link: http://refluxmom.com/?p=123
After reading your post below, I would caution you to offer the bottle but not force her to drink. Right now we don't know exactly why she doesn't want to eat (pain, fear of pain, past pain, discomfort, other). But something is not working for her and she is communicating as best she can that she had a problem. Making her eat will just make her more resistant and may set up more of a feeding aversion.
I would keep working with the doctor to determine a medical cause of the feeding problems. At the same time, it is important to find a feeding therapist or feeding clinic to add to the diagnosis and treatment. It will be important to find someone with experience treating a baby. If you live close to a large city or children's hospital, there is probably a full service feeding clinic or program. Many communities large and small have private speech language therapist or occupational therapists who do feeding therapy. Let me know where you live (email me privately if you want to use my list on my website). A feeding therapist can help you and your baby approach feeding and work with you medical team.
See below for more info.
Hang in there...Jan
Hello there...
So I addressed the questions about feeding clinics in the above message. Let me know if you have other questions and concerns about this.
Prevacid can cause purple spit up. It is scary but apparently it is not harmful.
Let me know how you are giving her the Prevacid. Do you use the solutab, beads or compound the capsule? Do you use a syringe in her cheek?
I wonder if the doctor has recommended thickening the BM? I know it is difficult to thicken BM but if a thickener is added just before a feeding, it will stay thick. Sometimes thickening is recommending as a treatment to reduce vomiting. It does not reduce the acid.
You are working awfully hard if you are pumping, refeeding and feeding 24/7. I don't know how you found the time to get on the HealthCentral site but I am so glad you did. There are many voices here. I hear about the fatigue and the frustration as well as the family stress. I also hear so many happy endings to these stories. Sleep feeders who drink and eat, crying babies who smile and laugh...
With my reflux babies, I found that it was helpful to take things one moment at a time. One day at a time was way to overwhelming.
I will be thinking about you and so come back and let us know how you are doing.
Jan
I sent you a personal message, but not sure if it went through. I would appreciate any local resources in terms of full service clinic that can help my 4 month old baby get through the feeding aversions and wean off sleep feeding. We have been working with several feeding/speech OTs, most of them not very helpful. We are lucky enough to find one OT that has helped us evaluate her motor skills, she's been great, but still no plan of action or progress as far as her feeding goes.
In case my message didn't get through, my daughter started with liquid compound prevacid administered with syringe into cheek once a day, and zantac once a day. Then we went to prevacid twice a day, but the volume was so much that baby cried so much during the dosing that sometimes she'd throw it back up. We also read on the internet that some parents noticed prevacid compound losing it's efficacy after few weeks as the liquid compound is less stable? So this week we started doing the solutabs twice a day to see if the feeding becomes easier. I am glad you have heard of purple spit up on Prevacid as my GI/Ped have not.
Hello!
I did get your message! I love it when technology works! I did give you some info on feeding programs/clinics in your area. You happen to live in a place with excellent resources.
I guess the purple spit up isn't too common but I have heard it discussed by other parents.
Take care and keep in touch.
Jan