Hello! So sorry you are on the night shift. I was there too for a long time. I thought that it would never end but it did. My experience even inspired me to write a chapter in my book called, Sleep or Lack Thereof!

The reality is sleep and reflux just don't mix. When your sweet baby is reclined for sleeping, the body relaxes and the reclined position make reflux episodes more common. There is no magic answer or instant success but some of the things to talk with the doctor about include:

elevating the sleep surface with a wedge or positioning device

avoid eating before bed and at night-unless the doctor wants you to continue night feeding for weight gain.

well timed medication: sometimes a PPI medication in the am and an H2 blocker such as Zantac or Pepcid at night helps with night time symptoms

check for other causes of night waking such as teething, constipation, food allergies or intolerances, rashes, respiratory illnesses

Meanwhile, see if you can get some assistance from family and friends. During the time when my daughter didn't sleep, I took a nap most days, even if it was for a few minutes.This allowed me to function a bit better and cope with those long, dark nights. Even if you cannot get some rest each day, maybe someone could help on the weekends and you could bank some sleep or have a night off.

I also tried to help my daughter find some ways to soothe herself. It is impossible to "teach" a baby not to wake up if she is in pain. But I did help her to find ways to calm herself by having a blanket and stuffed toy as her security items and waiting a few moments to see if she could get back to sleep before going in to her. I did feed my daughter at night but I was able to gradually decrease the amount that I gave her.

Let me know what you think about these ideas and what you have tried so far.

Maybe another mom or dad has some ideas and strategies to add?

Jan Gambino

The Reflux Mom

www.refluxmom.com