Could It Be Acid Reflux?

"Gripe Water"

TRUST ME! It is made by Baby Bliss and by Little Tummies. It is a homeopathic remedy for any stomach ailement, including colic, acid reflux or the hiccups! It is similar in concept to the gas drops where you just use as needed. The docs don't believe in it but don't condemn it either. However, any mom that has used it will tell you what a difference it makes. My daughter was the same way and even worse b/c she'd just wail! And it was heartbreaking b/c we could tell it just wasn't her personality to want to do so. We began using the gas drops at every feeding, then learned of the Gripe Water and we never leave home without it. Everything got under control and she's as happy a baby as one can imagine.

You can get it at CVS sometimes and at Target (depends where you live?). But if you have a homeopathic pharmacy around you, they carry it of course. Good luck! -N

At my son's 2-month check-up, the pediatrician said she thought he had acid reflux. This was based on her observation that he was somewhat "frantic" while nursing plus my reports that it would take me 1-2 hours to get him back to sleep after feeding at night, that he cried a lot when I tried to burp him, would burp like nothing I've heard come out of a teeny baby, and would spit up a lot (sometimes so much that it would go down my back and I'd have to change my pajama top in the middle of the night!). I also felt like he was constantly hungry, like you describe. In spite of all of that, I actually thought that he was just more fussy and spit up more than my first child. I was very reluctant to put him on the medicine she prescribed and asked about changing my diet, his position after nursing, etc. She said to try the medicine (Zantac) for a few weeks, and, after realizing how stressed and sleep-deprived I was, I agreed to give it a try. Within a week or so, the spitting up definitely improved and within a couple of weeks he became a much happier baby. (But we still had him sleeping in the swing most of the time, because that was the habit we had gotten into in the early weeks/months.) At his 4-month visit I told the doctor I thought the Zantac had helped but still wanted to see if we could wean him off it. So she didn't raise the dose (to account for his weight gain), but within a week or so he was back to being fussy and spitting up more. I called the doctor and she upped the dose, which I now administer religiously 3x/day. He doesn't spit up nearly as much now (at 5 1/2 months) and is truly delightful, laughing and smiling, all the time. As much as I didn't want to believe that the Zantac was helping him, I have to believe that it is. And even though the long-term effects of the drug may not be fully known, what I do know is that he and I are both happier with him on the medication - and that has to count for something.

On another note, I agree with another poster who said that you should be able to get in to see the ped sooner than 3 days... in our practice, if our regular doctor is not available that day, we are able to see another doctor or the P.A. Three days is a long time to wait with a newborn when you think something is wrong -- you might want to check around and see what's typical at the other ped practices in your area. Good luck -- it does get better and easier!

A.

Hello R. --

It may well be acid reflux, but one thing you could try in the mean time is an elimination diet to see if it's something you are eating that is upsetting your little boy. Here is a link to one example:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T041200.asp

Other mothers I know have had problems with dairy, tomatoes and soy products. The arching of the back and crying during a feeding was a dead giveaway for them. It sucks to give up things you like to eat, but it can make a world of difference. It would be worth a try. Babies usually grow out of these things and in a few months you can start reintroducing foods one at a time to see what your little boy can tolerate.

I have read articles poo-pooing the idea that what mom eats affects baby, but I know that it has made a difference for people I know.

Good luck!

Sounds like reflux to me! Keep him upright as much as possible. Position him in a sling so his head is as high as it can be. Let him nap in a baby swing (or the sling, if your back can take it). Bouncy chairs work too, but my own experience was that, when my daughter was in so much pain, both of us felt better with her in my arms (or the sling). The constant nursing is very typical, and very exhausting. If you think he's not actually hungry, you can try a pacifier or let him suck on your clean finger. Sometimes he just may need the comfort of sucking, and sometimes the saliva production may sooth his throat. But be careful not to do this too much - at one month, you want to make sure he's getting enough food too! Check the Dr. Sears website (www.AskDrSears.com) - it has wonderful information on reflux, and check out www.infantreflux.org too. I wish you luck, and patience, and good friends who will help you get some rest!

-K.

Hi R.,

It could be -- my son had it, and he had a lot of those symptoms, plus incessant nursing and spitting up. Rather than adding drops, though, I recommend taking something OUT of your diet. Here are the most common foods in a mom's diet that produce a reaction in breastfed babies:

Dairy
Wheat
Eggs
Nuts
Soy

I know it sounds hard, especially with a breastfeeding-level appetite, but if you try eliminating all those items from your diet and reintroducing one at a time (start from the bottom of the list) you should be able to pinpoint the culprit. I did that, and a side benefit was that I just about lost the baby weight overnight.

Best of luck,

Mira

That stiffening up could definitely be reflux. And those gas drops- my doc told me they were pretty worthless! I'm assuming he's not spitting up much, or it would be clear, right? Unfortunately, the most painful kind of reflux can be the kind you don't see. :( Go to your doc, and describe the symptoms very specifically. Until then, keep him upright after you feed him. A bouncy seat (without the bouncing) or a carseat, or a baby bjorn. That worked great for us!

And in terms of your feeding him every 1.5-2 hours- that sounds really good to me! I think it's so important to nurse on demand at this stage. And if he has reflux, it's better for him to have smaller, more frequent feedings anyways.

Good luck! My son finally outgrew his GERD just last month. And he's doing wonderfully!

Sure sounds like acid reflux to me, unfortunately for you. I made sure my son had smaller feedings, I burped him after every ounce or ounce and a half, held him upright for as long as I could and ended up feeding him nutramigen formula. He was also on Prilosec. Hope this helps. Good luck. One more thing I did was try different bottles, I ended up using the Dr. Brown bottles. I also got a crib wedge for him to sleep on.

My little one had acid reflux -- the way we found out is that she would burp like an old man all the time. We thought it was funny - such a small little girl and such a big burp and then she always would smell (he breath) like whatever she ate. The food comes up with acid reflux. It doesn;t sound like that with your baby. Maybe it is gas or allergy to something you are eating (since you are nursing) Write down all that you eat - so the dr. can see ... Also look at getting another Dr. for your baby ( they should never make you wait even a day) My doctor that I have now - and the once I had before-- always would make an appt. on the same day.. unless I called really late in the day.. they would see me the next morning. This is important with such a little one. The dr. has to make time for you. I go to New Prov. Peds - Dr. Moskowitz.. they are excellent.. and they are open 7 days a week. All the dr. are great.. and they will never say see you in 2 or more days... They see you when the baby needs to be seen. Good luck..

My preemie daughter had reflux bad. Try and keep him upright for 30 minutes after feeding. Hold him over your shoulder, put him in the car seat, let your husband hold him, etc. It helps settle the milk. You can have him sleep on an incline if possible (couple of blankets under the mattress by his head). They eventually grow out of it. if you think his belly is cramping, try kangaroo care which is him naked (or in diaper) laying on your bare belly or chest. The warmth of your body helps sooth his.
Good luck R..

My guy was diagnosed with reflux - one thing to note is that reflux is a VERY common diagnosis. Most babies do have reflux, most don't have it worth treating with drugs.

That said, my doc put my guy on something (can't remember the name). That made him way worse so we stopped.

It's mostly something babies need to grow out of.

I second the keep them upright. And if you raise one end of the crib/basinett/whatever a little bit to keep them from laying perfectly flat, that helps a bit too.

Good luck!

I have a 3 month old so take my novice experience into account. My baby was very fussy at that time and tough w/ naps too (still working on that). Are you positive your milk supply is adequate? I pump all his breast milk so I know how much my babe is getting. I was going through the every 2 hour he needs to eat phase and it turns out I wasn't letting him eat enough. My ped said he needs to dictate when he's done so I fill his bottle with a lot more milk than he'll actually drink. He drinks a different amount each time - anywhere from 3-6 oz. Once I started that the feedings went back to every 3 hrs. Plus make sure he's hungry when you feed him. I went through a stage where I figured he was just hungry and would feed him when he really wasn't hungry yet but would eat anyway and it through the feeding schedule off. I thought mine had acid reflux too - similar story to yours but he didn't. 6 weeks is the height of fussiness/crying - yet I didn't know this until week 8 or so - LOL. I use Mylicon still b/c I know he's gassy. I also started using that belly water stuff (you find it next to the Mylicon) and it seems to work well for him. Your guy might have acid reflux and it's good you are checking it out but you could just be going through the fun I was going through at that time!!! I noticed my guy really changed at about the 10/11 week mark. All of a sudden I was getting a ton more smiles, he was easier to entertain - really into mobiles, etc., he would just chill in my arms, etc. Hang in there. I'm a first time mom too and it's learn as you go!!! You'll find it gets a tiny bit easier each day!!! ; )

My advise is to burp the baby a lot while nursing. Especially if you have a strong flow he can be taking in the milk too quickly (there are bottles with different nipple sizes to control the flow, but that isn't the case with the breast!). I think they are prescribing way too much acid reflux meds for these babies. These meds wreak long term havoc with adult systems, so I can't even imagine how they may affect a babies system.

Hi, R..

My daughter came home from the hospital with it. My nephew had this when he was an infant so I had I had some prior experience with dealing. It does not make it any easier as a first time parent. You are always exausted. It took a long time and several different doctors within the practice that I am in to diagnose it. My parents literally wore the floor out helping me walk her. The pediatrician had suggested giving Mylicon about a half hour before he eats if he is breastfeeding. Otherwise, right in his bottle. The Mylcon will help with any excess gas that is still in his stomach from the prior feeding. If you are breastfeeding, watch your diet. I found that anything that I ate that was acidic or gassy, made her miserable. We would also hold the baby on her stomach in our arms with her head up towards our elbows with the remainder of her body laying on our arm and our hands supporting her legs (as if you were crossing your arms). When he sleeps or naps, keep him on an incline. My nephew and daughter lived in their infant car seats when they slept during the day. Put something under his crib mattress to prop it up at night. It only needs to be a slight incline so that the acid is not coming back up.

When they have acid reflux, you need extreme patience. Asking for help with him will help you keep you sanity(and allow you to get some sleep).

Good luck.

S. D

It's unacceptable that any pediatrician would not see a one month old baby for 3 more days...let alone one that is in discomfort as you state...you demand to get in today, or seek another pediatrician...one that is less busy and can show compassion.
I have no experience on the reflux, but the waiting 3 days thing annoyed me.

Best wishes to you and baby.
Jillain

Your son sounds EXACTLY like my newest little niece. She is four weeks old...and fussy.

My sister nurses the baby often, but she will nurse the baby on one side, then burp her, then nurse her on that side again, burp her, nurse the other side, burp the baby, nurse the second side again, and burp the baby one last time. The baby seems happiest if she's either nursing, in her little Moby Wrap nestled against my sister's chest, or in her swing. She sleeps in my sister's arms, upright, during the day, or in her carseat at night. (If she lays down flat, she starts gagging, and wakes herself up.)

I hope that helps. Try to make sure, also, that he doesn't have any waistbands around his little belly. I know it's harder for a boy, but you can put him in onesies and thick baby leg warmers. He's probably still small enough where he can fit into those little Carters gowns with the elastic band around the bottom.

(If the baby wrap or the leg warmers sound like something you'd want to try, "Reply" to me and I can either send you directions to make your own VERY inexpensively, or I could probably help you make them - I run a little etsy shoppe that sells baby stuff. :-))

Good luck!!!

It very well could be. You have to watch what you are taking in also. I know that coffee,tea, and chocolate were a big no no when I was breastfeeding. One piece of chocolate and I paid for it big time for the whole next day.

Check out the Born Free website and La Leche League:
http://www.newbornfree.com/Default.aspx

http://www.llli.org/nb.html

All the Best,
J. H.

go to a pediatric gastroenterologist...
get a recommendation of who from your pediatrician.
you want to make sure that it's not just reflux.
we went through wthis with our first. she's fine and she 14 years old now.
they need to check to make sure that it's not pyloric stenosis which would require minor surgery. really no biggie. not to worry you.
good luck.

Hi R. - I had a little boy with acid reflux and I know how hard it could be. I also breastfed and was told at 5 days old that he had acid reflux. Since he was my first, I was hesitant to put him on medication and waited 8 weeks to do so....longest 8 weeks of my life. His symtoms were spitting up a lot, constant crying when not feeding and just uncomfortable all the time. At one point he even spit up blood - the doctor's told us that was another sign of acid reflux. The advice I can give is to not worry about putting him on medication. It will make him feel better and hopefully the reflux will end around 10 months.

Best of luck to you!

Boy did you come to the right place. My daughter had colic for the first 9 months of her life. I'm not saying your son has it, but the things we learned can apply to pretty much any child w/an upset belly. A lot of the time the best thing we did to relieve her was to hold her w/her laying down our arm & head towards our hands - this allowed any gas she had to pass - the other thing we would do would be to sit her in some warm water in the kitchen sink in one of those bath hammocks they sell - just enough water to go past her bottom - the warm water would help to - if you are taking any type of vitamin w/iron that could be the cause - our daughter couldn't tolerate the iron & would also have trouble having a BM - i could go on forever, but I have to get my girls out of the shower - any questions, I'm here. Good luck!

Hi R.,
It sounds like reflux to me. My son did the same thing. Most important thing that helped us was small, frequent feedings. Unfortunately, you will feel like you have become a milk machine and you will start to wonder if your child will ever come unattached from your breast...lol. But stick with bf for as long as you can. You don't want to go thru the whole switching formulas nonsense until you find one that suits your baby.
We started noticing signs around one month, too. Our initial visit with the doc left us feeling like she had brushed it off as nothing (we were dealing with major spit up and projectile vomit - so we were pissed off that she told us he was fine). Trust your instincts.
Also keep him upright after feedings for as long as you can. My son spent a lot of time in his bouncy seat - it seemed to be at just the right angle to keep him semi-upright and comfortable.
Most babies outgrow GERD after one year. If your son is spitting up a lot, my advice is to pick one spot to nurse him and cover that up with an old sheet. It is much easier to throw the sheet in the wash then to try to get spit up out of the couch, carpet, bed, etc.
Best of luck to you!

Sounds like Acid Reflux of Gas to me. Is he projectile vommiting or just spitting up? Arching of the back is a big sign of reflux, try to feed in as much as an upright position as possible and keep upright after feedings.

Good luck!