Acid Reflux - Bartlett, IL

My daughter was like this when she was a baby. She slept in her boppy all the time - naps, bedtime, etc. I know the label says not to - but it was the only thing that made it so that all of us could sleep. I literally had to put her boppy in her crip. The Dr. wasn't thrilled about it, and we slowly wheened her of it by having her take naps flat. Watch that she doesn't slide down in the middle of the night & then shove her face to the side. When you bring them home, for the first 4 months you seem to do whatever works just so that everyone can sleep! It will all fall into place, don't worry!

Hi S.,

My second daughter (also breastfed) would not sleep flat either. She would only sleep in her car seat. So we put her in the carseat (the detachable kind that clicks in to the base) and put the carseat in her crib. She slept like that for months. And she took naps in the swing. She eventually grew out of it. I tried to avoid the medication. You do what you have to. You and the baby have to sleep. Good luck.

Hi,

I read the Secrets of the Baby Whisperer and if I recall correctly, for acid reflux babies she recommended propping up the end of their crib mattress with something to create an incline, which is supposed to help lessen the discomfort so they can sleep. She may have had other tips for this situation, as well, I can't recall. I hope you find something to help her out, that must be hard for her (and you).

Best,
Jen

could be gas. when a gas bubble gets "stuck" its very painful.
are you burping her in the middle of her nursing? she may be swallowing too much air while she is nursing. Same thing happened with my son. he was very hard to burp, it was more like a belch when it finally did come up. There are also over the counter things that can help with gas.
hope this helps
S.

Hi S. - My little one was born in January and he doesn't like to lay flat either. After speaking with our pediatrician, we tried an angled sleep aid that I got from Babies R Us and he seems to be sleeping better. They make small ones (which is what I'm using in the bassinet) and larger ones for cribs that you can either put just under the sheets or under the mattress itself. Maybe worth a try? Talking with your pediatrician should help. Ours wanted us to try other things before resorting to acid reflux medication - I plan to avoid meds if at all possible. Good luck. K..

I'm so happy to hear you are nursing, congratulations onyour new little girl.
It might be reflux, it might be what you're eating, it could be a lot of things. My son never needed to be burped nor spit up when I nursed him. But my DD did need to be burped and spit up every time for her first 3 mos. YOur milk supply c/b as much as 30% higher than last time. So she could just be really full, too. Do you try having her sleep on her side? That helped my DD a lot.

I have a weekly support group for breastfeeding moms that meets weekly on Mondays at 10:30 in Naperville at Book/95th St. If you're interested in attending the info is below (it's not a business, i just volunteer to run this and it's free). My lactation consultant donates her time to come and gives free advice and assistance. Please consider joining us (bring the baby and the tot -- we meet in a church's toddler room so the older kids can play.)!
http://www.mamasource.com/business/8288988875477483521

Best wishes -- Jen S. (Naperville)

You could try infant massage for the reflux.Also it just helps baby overall.I teach in the area if your interested.Also I dont know how close to bed time you feed but maybe space it out alittle while.If you have any other questions just ask.
Kris

CD (DONA)
Certifed Infant massage instructor
Certified Breastfeeding councelor.

My son was diagnosed with acid reflux as an infant and it went away as he grew (I can't remember the terminology but it was physiological and very common). My son had the characteristic eruptive spit-up that helped confirm the diagnosis. Keeping him propped after feeding for as long as possible was a great remedy as well as frequent burpings and trying to keep him from eating too much at one time. You should definitely make note of how your daughter is after feedings for up to two hours after so it can help your doctor determine if that's what it is. Also ask her about giving your daughter Gripe Water. We used that a lot and it seemed to help our son.

If you are breast feeding you may want to eliminate dairy from your diet. I found both of my kids were lactose intolerant. For my eldest the doctor told to switch to lactose free formula. The second she said to lay off the milk. After about 8 months both were able to eat cheese and yogurt. At 1yr they both were able to drink whole milk. I've suggested this to a couple of other moms and they have said that it worked for their kids.

My sisters 10 month old has reflux, to the point of Rx to help with the pain. The thing that works best for him- add cereal to the bottle. The thickness helps keep the milk down. She did not breast feed, he has always been on formula- but I believe you could pump and add cereal to that and maybe nurse then supplement with the bottle? Also, her Dr. recommended feeding then holding him for about 1/2 hour- (holding because he is crazy active..that way he stays still) but maybe you could feed your daughter then put her in the swing or something so she is propped up for 1/2 hr or so, then try to lay her down.

I think that these resources have a lot of good ideas....

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/10/t106000.asp

http://search.llli.org/site/apps/s/google_search.asp?q=ac...

And here is a bed that helps babies that can't sleep lying flat, or who are restless sleepers....

http://www.askdrsears.com/amby.asp

Best wishes.

Have you considered chiropractic care for your little one? This is one of the most common symptoms we see @ our office with little ones in need of chiopractic care. I am a massage therapist and didn't know much about chiropractic care until I started to work with a pediatric chiropractic doctor. She works on my 2 year old twins all the time (they love it, it's a gentle & natural manipulation) and I have seen great differences in their overall health. They don't get sick as often as they used to & if they do catch a cold or flu, they are over it quicker than they normally would suffer with ear infections and all. But my girls had acid reflux when they were infants and all they could do was a Rx for them and constantly keep them upright al lot, but you need to constantly watch this because it does put a lot of pressure on their spines (hence the reason we need to sleep on our backs to rest the cushioning of the spine with gravity). Many insurances will cover chiropractic care if you verify with your insurance.

My son had acid reflux. The incline wedge from Babies R Us worked perfect. It was only about $13.

I remember when my daughter came home from the hospital (our first child). She would not sleep flat either. She would fall asleep in her carrier and we would set the carrier in her crib. In hindsight, I think she had "colic" because she grew out of this in about 6-8 weeks. I would suggest letting her sleep somewhat upright - she may also like the comfort of feeling securely surrounded.

It is my experience that many babies have issues with reflux or something similar those first 6 weeks or so. My second daughter was put on meds for it but they did NOT help. I tried putting her on one of those wedges that you can buy to go under the sheet (or mattress) to raise them up. That did work for my son ...not for my daughter. However, I will tell you a trick that worked for both of my two babies that had the issue (my first born did not) ...sleeping on their belly! I know, it is terrible with the info we now know about SIDS and such ...however, I was very careful not to put any blankets or other things in the crib and I watched them sleep from my bed for months until I was comfortable. They are not deep sleepers either. Anyway, I was told to try that from other moms ...and it really worked! No more wincing, choking, etc. ;)

My son had reflux. It may just be some indigestion since she is a little squirt. Is she vomiting up everything she eats? If so, then she may have a touch of reflux but it may be early to tell. Try and get a good burp out of her. Also, prop her up 5-10 minutes after feeding to help her. Keep track of what you are eating... does she always do it or maybe she is having a reaction to foods you are eating. Try swaddling to hel ease discomfort too. Good luck tomorrow and hope all goes well. Congrats.

Hi S.-Alot of newborns cannot sleep flat because they need to be up on an angle. It helps with digestion and breathing. I have 4 children and had an in home daycare for 8 years. I have always put them to sleep for the first 6-8 weeks in their infant car seat carrier- (make sure you buckle them in so there is no danger of getting caught in the restraints). That is why she did so good in the boppy. Or if you can find a pillow that you can place under the mattress to elevate that will work as well. I have a 10 week old who is still sleeping in there and has been sleeping for 4-8 hours a night since 2 weeks.

I have been studying holistics for 7 years--be careful of "buzz terms" like acid reflux. There should not be any infant on medication. Your nursing so she is getting what she needs from you.

Good luck

T.

I have a nephew who is now one month old and he too had the same problem. My sister in law did take him to the doctor but they said there didn't seem to be anything wrong and they did not think it was acid reflux (they thought the same thing) but the doctor said it seemed like he just had an immature system. I think he was right. Simon sleeps much better when he's in his car seat or somehow sitting up a bit as opposed to laying flat. Even when you hold him his head and chest seem to function better that way. Simon is doing much better now than he was a couple/few weeks ago. Maybe that's all it is.

C.

S., Congrats on the new baby girl! I am a pediatric RN, and mom and bfeeder of three, so i hope i can help.

Is it that baby won't sleep laying flat or she won't sleep when laid down. Remember, if you nurse, you are holding her a majority of the time she is awake and probably a lot of the time she is asleep. She may just be used to being held and we are warm, so the change between being held and being laid down is cold and wierd to her. Also a cool bed is strange, a hot water bottle laid in the bed until you lay her in there swaddled up will warm it up. Make sure the foods you are eating aren't giving her gas,(cabbage, lettuce, beans, etc) which might be more unconfortable lying flat. Also, go ahead and burp, some bfders do, some don't- maybe she needs it. You can prop her mattress in her bed (only a few inches, make sure she won't roll down the bed sideways) up by using a blanket or towel rolled up under the mattress itself. We do that in the hospital for sick kids, too. I doubt very much it's reflux, unless she is spitting up massive amounts of formula. I would guess if she were in the nursery she was probably propped up in the little basinette, too. Some people just do that as a rule. Be sure to wrap her up tight, too. They like that and it soothes her. Be sure to help yourself by trying to schedule her feeding as much as possible, Q2-3 is fine as long as she sleeps between and acts sleepy then wakes to feed. And, once this time of upset passes with the sleep problem, be sure to lay her down after she has fed and is trying to go to slep. She will learn that in her bed is where she goes when she is sleepy and she will become used to going to sleep in there. You would be suprised how much even at this age that they look at mobiles and such. There is nothing wrong with laying her in there a little groggy, talking to her a bit, giving a few nice pats to help her nod off. It develops good sleep habits you need with two this close together. My oldest two were 20 months apart, i feel your pain. I hope some of this might help. I doubt you need any medication, just maybe try a change or two and see how it works. It takes a few days to get things just right, but it is possible. SOunds as though baby is great other than the crying, right?! Good luck!

Hi S.,

My son had acid reflux that he has since stopped medication for - he was on meds for about 6 months. His was characterized by vomiting, frequent spitting up and crying in pain and arching his back during and after meals, frequent hiccups, constantly being hungry and then only drinking small amounts before throwing it up. He also cried in pain (you can tell - the cry is different) when laying flat. She put him on medication - fyi, it tastes AWFUL - ask your pharmacist to flavor it if you get a script for one. That seemed to help almost immediately - within a few hours.

My doc wanted to wait it out until i called and said I can't take it anymore, i haven't slept longer than 45 minutes at a time for 5 days straight - if we dont medicate him, we need to medicate me! Every once in a while the symptoms would come back and they would have to increase the dose slightly because he was getting bigger.

Also - the one thing that saved me - soothing motions glider by fisher price. He slept in that for several months and it was the ONLY thing that worked. it kept him propped up, and you can turn the seat to glide in any direction.

Good luck! GERD is no fun, and it certainly makes you feel helpless... wanting to fix the cause of the painful cries and not being able to.

p.s. - another thing that helps is constant swallowing, because it pushes the acid back down. a pacifier may interfere with your breastfeeding though so the preference is all yours, my son was bottle fed as breastfeeding him got to be exhausting - my milk wouldn't let down due to my high stress level/exhaustion and we put him on soy formula - so the pacifier did not interfere with our feeding.

Good luck!

I hate to sound simplistic, but it sounds like the baby just needs a good burping. Baby's often need more than one burp before settling down. In other words, if the baby has burped and you put the baby down, it may just mean one is not enough. kinda like when you drink a coke and then have a couple burps.... a good way is by just rubbing the back instead of patting, and by pressing just a little on the chest like you would for yourself after a coke.

My son had the same problem and he had to sleep in a seater for some time and he was on medication for it also. The medication helped greatly. I have a grandson who had it also and still has it at 11. I believe he was on Zantac for it. Little people will rub off on you but with two remember to be kind to yourself. Have you returned to work yet? That will also help with the adjustment. Some people love small children the best and some like older. You love them all the same just enjoy some milestones better than others.

I have 3 boys - they all had reflux. My oldest son, (currently 7) had it the worst. He spit up a lot and would scream when laid flat. I had so many people tell me he was spoiled until he had an upper GI done. He was put on Zantac and Reglan. To bring relief, try a side sleeper (Babies R Us) instead of the Bobby. Although the Bobby works, you wouldn't want her to slip inside the Bobby pillow. Does she spit up a lot? Make sure you let your DR. know about the spitting up is she is.
Best to you!

Why do you think acid reflux? Is she spitting up, or just because of not wanting to sleep flat? My twins didn't want to sleep flat at first either, but it had nothing to do w/ reflux. I think they are just used to being all curled up inside of you, and they have to get used to flat. We used bouncy seats and boppys at night, too, even though you're not supposed to. Within 2 weeks they were in their cribs. Maybe just give it some time... Good luck.

there is an incline wedge that you can purchase at Babies R Us for babies with reflux or breathing probs. It is safe until your baby is six months old (unless your baby starts to roll over before then). My son has reflux and the incline wedge was the only way we could get him to sleep in his crib. My son had to sleep in his car seat (we moved the straps out of the way) for the first few weeks. He has been on zantac from 2-9 months old and now is on previcid. best of luck at the doctor!

Acid or she's reacting to something you are eating. Good luck trying to figure that one out. I was practically on bread and water with both my girls and never really determined any problems with my diet. The younger one just snapped out of it after a week. The older one did have acid reflux that she out grew after about four months. My doctor wouldn't treat her for the acid. He said he didn't believe in medicating a child for that. I wish I had switched because he wasn't up all hours of the night and day with her screaming.

Some other signs to look for:

Does she throw her head back when she sleeps....like she's trying to get away from something. My oldest did that even in her swing (that's where she slept best)

Does she get the hiccups more than once or twice day?

Does she sneeze quite a bit?

Does she spit up? Even sometimes vomiting in a projectile manner?

Those are some of the symptoms I can think of right off the top of my head.

My daughter screamed from about six or seven every night until usually 11pm or so. She never slept well unless she was in the stroller sitting up or the swing. Nothing I did with my diet helped. And formula didn't make it any better either.

HI S.,
I hear you! This is painful for your little one, and it is very difficult on you too!

My daughter (now 6 months) had this for the first 4 months of her life. The doc CAN put her on anti-acid medications, but I felt strongly that my little tiny baby should not be given medication unless her life was in danger.

Instead, I saw a lactation consultant because I was breastfeeding. Turns out, my daughter was having trouble digesting the proteins from the large amount of dairy I ate on a daily basis. Cut out the dairy from MY diet and the problem solved itself. No kidding.

If you are breastfeeding, I am happy to share the name of the lactation consultant.

As a rule I always discuss questions with my dr. but in this case your baby may just be more comfortable sitting up. For the first months she may be happier in a carseat, bouncy chair or anything that has her sitting up more. I am the mom of 3 boys and my 2nd two didn't lay flat until about 2 1/2 months old. I think sometimes it's hard for newborns to lay flat because they've been in your belly for so long. It takes them a little while to get comfortable that way. Good luck to you!

My daughter had acid reflux and we didn't catch it till she was 4 months old. I nursed also. In the beginning all she was do was nurse and she caused me to produce too much milk, so we also had to deal with over active let down. Prop her up as best you can when she eats and keep her propped. If you think she needs medicine, get it!! It will make all the difference in the world and you will be so much better in the long run. My daughter went off her meds around 15 months, but we have recently put her back on them because she was munching and drinking constantly and has a super sensitive stomach (almost anything can trigger vomiting for her). She does so much better on them and until she can tell me more about how she feels (she's almost 3), we will be keeping her on the medicine. As for propping your daughter, we just learned a trick on our third child who was suffering with a cold - raise the head of the crib to a higher notch than the foot of the mattress. Don't make it too steep, you don't want the baby to roll, but a gentle incline should help her sleep. Maybe you can get her to sleep in her own bed some and won't be stuck with the night time problems that we now have because of habits Chiana started before she went on medicine.

My son ended up with GERD, essentially bad acid reflux. His esophagus was wide open. I went for several months of non stop screaming and crying....the only way he would sleep was upright on me. I was a new mother and just thought I had a "fussy" baby. All babies cry we are always told. Luckily he was having one of his fits at the doctor's office and she was good and figured it out finally. He was on zantax, reglen, and myclon (over teh counter). Once he started that and he had almost the maximum dose of all three he was a different child. If we missed some he was miserable. The nice thing is there really a light at the end of the tunnel. By 7 momths he was off everything and now he is a very happy 15 month old. Just don't let it go too long. If she needssome medicine...it will save both of you a lot of frustration and pain! Good Luck!!!