My son was diagnosed with GER at 4 days old (he's now 9 weeks); he has been taking Zantac since then, and is still having a lot of sleep issues, which the doctors keep saying is colic. We've changed formulas 3 times and now he's on thickened Alimentum. It seems to be helping with the "silent reflux" but he's a very restless sleeper, waking up 3 or more times in a four-hour period. Most of the sleep he gets is at night, as he sleeps a total of 1-2 hours during the day. I am hoping this will pass sooner than later, but it's been a rough 9 weeks and my family is exhausted. I was hoping you might know where I can find some reliable sources/tips/tricks for treating babies with GER, as I've tried just about everything I see online and nothing seems to help.
Q: GER Help - Restless Sleeper
Hello!
The sleep deprivation is awful isn't it? There is nothing worse than being so tired that you can't think. Unfortunately sleep issues are very common with reflux-whether you are a tiny baby or an adult.
Adults with reflux tell us that reflux makes it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. During sleep, acid comes up the esophagus and burns causing sudden waking, gasping and choking. This pattern leads to chronic fatigue even after a full nights sleep.
Unfortunately, babies are not very specific about the cause of their night waking and we must guess what the problem is. Certainly Zantac and Alimentum are standard treatments for reflux and seem to be working to a degree. I am always concerned when a parent tells me that a young infant only sleeps a bit during the day and still wakes up at night. Most babies are sleeping far more over the course of the day. I know there is a great deal of variability as to when a baby starts sleeping through the night. If you feel that your baby is waking suddenly, seems upset or inconsolable or can't easily be comforted, he might be in pain. I wonder if you have kept careful records of your sons sleep pattern over the course of a 24 hour day. It might help the doctor to see the extent of the problem. You might want to talk with the doctor about whether a wedge to elevate the sleep surface would be recommended.
I imagine you have tried many other home care techniques to help your son: checking the bottle and nipple for air and a good seal to decrease ingesting air, careful burping, small, frequent feeds and keeping him upright after a feeding.
I know you are extremely frustrated and tired. It does take a bit of trial and error to find the right combination of treatments. I hope you will be your son's voice and keep the doctor informed of your questions and concerns.
Take care,
Jan Gambino
The Reflux Mom
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