Advice Regarding Breast Feeding and Acid Reflux

My eldest daughter had it so bad she would projectile vomit, she also had colic very bad and was on anti spasmatic medicine to control the spasms in her intestines, my second daughter had it and they put her on zantac, my youngest had no issues. it took my oldest about a year to get over it, once she was off the bottle and on a cup she was fine.

My son is now 26 months. Up until he was 6 mo, I thought all his symptoms were from what *I* ate. Finally, I took him to ped., was diagnosed with acid reflux. He took liquid zantac for one month and never had the reflux again. I bf him until he was 20 months.

I also breastfeed and my daughter is now 12 weeks. I had similar problems. Stopping breastfeeding won't stop the acid reflux (if that is indeed what she has) she will probably have the same symptoms with formula. My daughter wasn't regular with her bowel movements either. Went from everyday to every other day without going. My doctor's office suggested that I give her sugar water. 1 tsp of Dark Karo syrup with water. this helped her with her bowel movements and eleveated some of the crying and spitting up. As she has gotten older she has gotten much better. Just watch your diet and talk to your doctor at her visit.

I have a 3 yr old son with severe reflux. Eventually he was put on prevacid for it and he is doind so so much better. He grew taller but did not gain weight for a long time because he just did not eat that often. Personally I think breast feeding far outweights any trouble in the reflux it may cause. The only recommendation is to make sure you hold her upright to let that food go down well. Also, if you want to pump and put it into a bottle I saw these really cool bottles in a mommy magazine that have a straw like device that goes into the bottle and the nipple is attached to it allowing the baby to sit up while eating. I am pregnant with our next baby and am thinking of looking into these myself. Wish I could remember the name and I cant find the magazine! Busy 3 yr old and all! But let me know if you are interested and if I find it I will send the name and info to you. I would bet anything Babies R Us would have them tho. Take care

T.

SAHM of very active 3 yr old boy with baby on the way, due in June!

First of all, be sure that your infant is not being overfed. Second, be sure that your is always being pulled "forward" (to reduce air intake). For example, if your baby is positioned to your right, you should angle your body to the right so that your will not "twist" to the right. Third, be sure not to rock your baby during nursing (to prevent upset of the stomach). Think about it? Would you want someone rocking you while you were trying to eat?...Along with time (to heal the irritation associated with acid reflux) these simple changes should solve the problem. If not, your baby may have been compressed (which is common during birth)and should be adjusted by a chiropractor who specializes in adjustments on infants.

Dear H.,

I am a mother of 2 and my little one had acid reflux as well. Did you know that breastmilk is a natural antacid?? Breastmilk over formula will actually help her out. While consulting many doctors, lactation consultants and other moms, I found out that in Vietnam, the mothers there actually express the foremilk before each feed which will minimize some of the irritation. The hind milk will sooth the baby more. Also, if you are nursing, avoid CHOCOLATE and MINT which will only aggrivate your sweat pea's reflux. It is something they they eventually grow out of, but it is very, difficult to deal with while they are so small. Also having her sleep on an incline or wedge is best. I ordered a TUCKER SLING, which did NOT work for us, but it is something to consider...it basically is a sling that you can put in the crib to hold the baby in more of an angled position so she doesn't slide down to the end of the bed. I know I just had to try everything before meds...we eventually ended up with Rx Pepcid for about 6-8 months..then weened him off. Good luck...hopefully this helps a little bit...Trace

Hi H.
Try checking your diet also. If you are eating anything spicey or greasy it may be an issue. Propping is a good idea. But, also make sure she has been burpped. The problem that I had with my son was that he would burp more than once so I had to make sure I burped him properly. I wish you luck with this.

My son had reflux at 7 weeks, too, and it was awful. What really tipped us off was that he cried every time he spit up. That indicated that he had too much acid in his tummy. My ped suggested many things, but what worked for us was Zantac. He would still spit up alot, but it wasn't acidic, so it didn't burn his esophagus. I was just glad he was comfortable. I am still breastfeeding him today, and he has no symptoms of reflux.

For awhile he was on Mylanta and Zantac. Then when he started cereal at 4 months, he only got Zantac. Gradually we reduced the frequency from 3x a day to 2x a day (but giving him more to compensate for losing one dose). Then we dropped the morning dose completely, waited about 3 weeks and dropped the evening dose. She said they usually outgrow it by 6-9 months, but always by 1 year. By 6 months he was eating 3 solid meals a day, so he started spitting up less. He's almost 9 months now (doing great)and hasn't been on Zantac since he was 6.5 to 7 months.

Also, you might try inclining her mattress so she's slightly propped up. My ped said you can go as high as a 30 degree angle, which is best. By the time we tried that, my son would roll downhill and wake up, so we nixed that.
Also, keeping her in an exersaucer or walker after meals might help. Just not in a position where she's sitting or her legs are bunched up because that will cause spit up.

Good luck. It will get better.

Hsving acid reflux has nothing to do woth breastfeeding or not. Babies still egt it even if they are on formula. I wouldn't be so quick to diagnosis her either. Newborns stomacks aren't fully developed until they are around 3 mths old. When you breastfeed you need to cut out gassy food, spicy food, not tomatoes, tomatoe sauce etc. Eating plain food is best. I breastfeed both of my daughters. My first was colic and my second had acid reflux and was colic. My pediatrician said my second chld was the worse baby she had ever seen. She would have to step out during visits because of the screaming. I know what it is like but breastfeeding has nothing to do with it.Breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for your child. It has so many advantages that I wouldn't be so quick to consider quiting. YOur baby might have acid reflux but her symptoms don't seem to line up as much. Normally they cry all of the time especially when they eat and spit up a lot, not just spit bubbles. I would wait and talk to a doctor. Having had a baby with acid reflux I really don;t think yoru daughter has it unless it is a milder case. Good luck!

my son was the same way and i got the same advice from the doctor wntil he was about 3 1/2 months and then was put on an acid reducer and he would barly get any of it down because he would spit it out or spit up but after a few weeks i stoped giving it to him and he seemed to be alot better so i think anout 4 1/2 months and it was pretty much over. but the spit up kept up about 2 months ago i switched to formula and still spit but not as much but now on table food barely ever hope it helps

H.,

My son was diagnosed at 5 weeks old and is now doing better at 8.5 months, though he still spits up daily. I remember telling my friends about the agony of hearing him scream, arch his back, etc. We switched from medicine to medicine. Nothing was working and we were all miserable. My husband and I thought..."this isn't the way it's supposed to be". Unfortunately, it takes time for her insides to grow up. In the meantime...I have a few suggestions that worked for us. They weren't quick fixes...but they worked.

*Use a bouncy seat for sleeping. This will help her not reflux at night. My son slept in his from 1 to 5 months of age. Sometimes I did sleep next to him because of his choking and gagging. The elevation helped decrease the frequency of it.
*Realize that any medicine you try takes some time to start working. We tried Zantac and Prilosec. It took Zantac 2 agonizing weeks to start working. After one week of Prilosec, we went back to the Zantac.
*Frequency and dosage is key. My son gets 1.5mL of Zantac 3 times a day which works out to be every 6 hours while he is awake. This is down from the 4 times a day he was first on. I even gave it to him while he was sleeping in order to make sure it was in his system. I no longer do this.
*Keep your little girl elevated at least 30 minutes after each feeding. This is very straining on the arms, but it will help with digestion. I used a Bjor0n to help my aching arms. We still use it at 8.5 months.
*Elevate your baby when you are feeding her. This too helps with digestion. I propped him up with one leg while he was on the boppy.
*Keep watch over your daughter's weight and that she is continuing to "thrive".
*Breastmilk is best for refluxers. It is a natural anti-acid.
*The doctors suggested less quantity/more frequent feedings a day. There was a period of time I had him nursing for about 5 minutes every hour to help his throat pain.

Feel free to email me if you want to talk. I go to a bi-monthly nursing moms group at Morton Plant Hospital. We have a meeting tomorrow at 10am-12pm. It is in the Sarah Walker Women's Center.

S. (mommy to 8.5 month old Robby and still breastfeeding)

Try Zantac .
That's what worked for my son when he was a baby.

Dear H.,

Try alternatives, not meds. The reason I say this is mine had lots of problems as a baby and the meds did not help at all. You can take supplements to balance your milk like ascidofoulous, spelling is wrong, but this stuff is essential to digestion. You can also take enzymes and break and enzyme capsule and take the powder and put it on your nipple before you nurse. This really works and is not harmful. Do some research on the internet regarding these two things and you will see they are important/essential for digestion.

It really worked for my baby when she was a new born.

D.

I didnt breast feed but my daughter who is now 18 months was born with Acid Reflux and I feel for you. But I promise you if that is what she has there is relief. We took our little one to a pediatric GI at 6 weeks old in Tampa and he has been a god send! He put her on mylanta for gas, cereal in her bottle, we did go to hypo allergenic formula and a prevacid suspension. My advice is to address it now before it gets bad and its hard for your baby to even swallow..one thing is trust your gut..our old pediatrician sent us home and said we had a colicky baby...H. I helped

Hi H.,

Yes, please continue to breastfeed. We all know that's best. My youngest had acid reflux and I made the mistake of doing the "Mylicon" thing. Antacids help pain for a short time but they are just that, NON-ACID. Our stomachs are SUPPOSED to be acidic in order to digest food. You don't want to take the acid away, it will just be more painful the next go round. It's a rebound effect.

What she needs is either more stomach acid or a probiotic to create and maintain her digestion. Otherwise her food will reflux and digest in the next few organs and cause intestinal and kidney problems. This is a COMMON mistake these days. I lived like this most of my life and have finally, through tons and tons of research, learned that my lifelong problems could have been solved quickly and simply.

If you would like to talk further I am always available to help another MOM. My Verizon cell is ###-###-#### or feel free to email me. Don't let your doctor create problems now that your princess will have to deal with later.

Regards,

M.

I'd suggest attending a La Leche League meeting for additional support. www.lll.org

I had the same problem when my daughter was 2 months- after a night in the hopspital and numerous tests they saw the reflux and my doctor advised me to solely pump my breast milk and stir in 2-4 teaspoons of rice cereal per bottle (start out with 1-2 and keep adding until it stops) when we fed her. It worked like a charm and she is a very healthy almost 2 year old and i was able to give her breast milk until she was 7 months old when my supply ran out. i must say at first i was frustrated because it seemed he wasn't taking it seriously (AFTER ALL EVERYONE ELSES DR PRESCRIBED MEDICINE) but in reality he did the best thing for her- she has never been on any medication and it was handled naturally. Kind of funny- all the books say don't put ceral in with the milk but even before we went to see the dr- my mother-in -law was suggesting it.
best of luck to you
It's such a wonderful ride! & it gets so much better!
:-)S.

H.,
First of all, hang in there. "This too shall pass." I have two children, a two year old and a 12 week old. I breastfed both. My two year old had reflux as an infant and was prescribed zantac. It helped just a bit. It mostly was something he just grew out of. I think around 6 months of age, it was gone. My 12 week old is a preemie who was born 8 weeks early. Preemies are known to have reflux and low and behold, he was just diagnosed with this. He spits up constantly and in great volume. He was just prescribed zantac and it's not helping. However, I am continuing to breastfeed him because I know that this is best for him. Because of my experience with reflux before, I am hopeful that he too will grow out of it. Definitely talk to your doctor about it and check your diet. However, sometimes your infant will have reflux and there's not much you can do. Keep her comfortable and remember that you are doing everything right. I pray that your baby will grow out of this soon. Best of luck!

My daughter had the same problem. My pediatrician said that during the day I could lay her on her stomach and turn her head (so she could breath) and check in on her throughout her sleeping to make sure she was alright. If she was doing well after a couple weeks then do it at night. It totally solved the problem. Whether you breast feed or bottle feed it won't matter, she'll probably still have these symptoms. When your baby lays on her tummy the food she is digesting has a harder time coming back up because her tummy is lower than her head. If that makes sense. Hope this helps. Good luck with your Princess.

If she is already 7wks she should start getting better soon with the acid reflux. Maybe feed her for short periods but, more frequently through out the day. I wouldn't give up on nursing her, formula might make her stomach problems worse.

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. My son had acid reflux as a young baby, he eventually grew out of it. It is important to prop them against you vertically for 30 minutes after they finish feeding; it really aids digestion. I know this is irritating in the middle of the night, when all you want to do is sleep, but it helps and it will get easier as the baby sleeps longer. Rice in a formula bottle at night will help tide the baby over for a longer period of time. If your baby spits up frequently after eating, you might want to consider allowing the child to sleep on its belly. I know this is not the politically correct position. However, you do not want the child to aspirate on spit up during the night. It does happen. Back to sleep is a suggestion, not a rule. My son slept on his belly. My daughter on her back, she does not have reflux. If you do allow your baby to sleep on her belly, do not keep rotating the position. You increase the chance of SIDS by I think 40% by changing sleep patterns at random. Once the baby can roll over, it is said that the baby's brain is mature enough to prevent SIDS. Just something to think about.

Your Ped will probably recommend medication. Formula will make it worse so stick to breast feeding. A sleep positioner may help too. Definetly prop her after meals.

Good Luck!

K.

I have wondered if my 2 month old son has this, also. Just noticed how you said you wanted to continue breast feeding. To my understanding, the breast milk is much easier to digest and causes less indigestion type issues than formula. So no matter what, I think you should try to continue breast feeding because it is so much better for the child. Does she exhibit those symptoms all the time no matter what you eat? Your diet could be affecting her, but I am sure you know that. Good luck and I will read the other responses to see if they can help me!

Get your baby to a chiropractor. Call around and see which ones do pediatric care. The trauma of birth twists a newborn's head and neck, thus affecting all those crucial nerves that go to every organ and limb of the body. I can't say enough for chiropractic care.
E.

H.,
i DIDN'T READ ALL THE POST BUT BREASTFEEDING IS NOT CONTRIBUTING T ACID REFLEX. I THINK THAT IS YOU STOPPED AND SWITCHED TO FORMULA YOU WILL HAVE EVEN A WORSE PROBLEM. REMEMBER THAT BREASTMILK IS THE GENTLEST ON HER DELICATE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO'S BABY HAD REFLUX AS A INFANT. SHE BF AND THE DOCTOR PUT HIM ON LIKE A BABY ZANTC . JUST FOR A FEW MONTHS THEN HE WAS OVER IT. I KNOW MY DAUGHTER HAD A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH THIS(I BF ALSO.) BUT BY THE TIME SHE WAS SITTING UP SOME IT WAS ALMOST GONE. DEFINITELY CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR. ALSO MONITOR WHAT YOU ARE EATING/DRINKING. IT CAN CAUSE SOME GAS/INDIGESTION FOR THE BABY. MINE WAS DAIRY. SO I JUST CUT BACK A LITTLE WHILE NURSING. I REALLY HOPE TOU CONTINUE TO BF. IT IS THE BEST IF YOU CAN. I WISH YOUR NEW FAMILY THE VERY BEST.
T.

Hello H.. My first child had terrible acid reflux until he was 8 months old. A few pieces of advice. I would sleep him in his carrier or an inclined position so he wasn't flat on his back. I also used Mylecon like it was going out of style! And, definitely make sure she is propped up for at least 30 minutes after eating. They actually did a x-ray on my child to make sure everything was alright in his esophagus, which it was. But that's something you could try, especially if she seams to be in pain. My child was also on baby zantac for a while, but it didn't seem to help much. Sometimes it just takes a while to grow out of. Good luck and hang in there.