I'm a brand new mom and trying to figure this nursing thing. My sweet little boy is only a week old. Just the other day I was feeding him and every time he'd swallow the milk would come back up and he'd have to swallow it again (like acid reflux or something) then his breathing would get all raspy. Has anyone else had this experience. I'm so worried about him that I stayed up all night, I was afraid if I layed him down he spit up some of the milk and wouldn't be able to swallow it or get rid of it to be able to breathe. Please help.
Sounds like relfux to me. We've been there 2, probably 3 times. The sooner the baby starts medicine, the fewer problems you'll have in the long run. The raspy voice means it could be getting into the airway. We've been that route, and it's not worth trying to avoid the medicines. You'll end up with worse medicines for a longer time. Reflux is very easy and safe to treat. We have two on Xantac and it's great. GL!
Hello L.,
I am a mom of 3 lovel girls. When you feed your daughter, give her like 1 ounce and then burp her. Then give her the other ounce and then burp her again. I remember most of that was lost a lot while my daughter was eating because she didn't drink all of the milk. My doctor has told us to hold the baby like 15 to 20 minutes afterwards so they don't spit up as much. This may help with the breathing thing too. Does it sound like wheezing sounds? Babies this young can't really control the amount they are eating so it seems like they are sucking up a lot. They also do spit up a lot if their tummies are full. Even my youngest daughter now who is about almost a month can drink about 2 ounces for each feeding. Any more than that and she is too full. If you have any questions, I would be happy to help you out. I know it's tough being a new mom. Take it one day at a time.
Good luck.
N.
I would call your doctor. Most babies end up being diagnosed with reflux at their two week appointment. It is very scary when they do this. My daughter had severe reflux and had many episodes like that. Good Luck?:)
L.-rest your mind and go see your baby's doctor. In my opinion, you can never be too worried about your baby. It is better to be safe than sorry and in the process-you will be able to sleep a little bit better at night (or during the day ;0) Being a first time mom can be hard and if you are like me being a second time mom isn't any easier!!!! Good luck!
Check with the nursing specialist at the hospital. Just call them and ask as many questions as you need to. Its what they're there for.
The other things I'll suggest is to use the 'football' hold when nursing. This keeps baby a little more upright rather than laying more flat across your belly. http://www.llli.org/FAQ/positioning.html
It may help with swallowing... GL and good for you for sticking with the nursing!
While my baby boy doesn't have reflux, he is sensitive to things that I eat and will spit up A LOT depending on what I eat. After doing some research and some tests with my son and seeing what makes him spit up, I've discovered some things that I have to avoid if I want him to stay happy after nursing him.
I have to avoid all chocolate, any carbonated beverages, anything with a lot of sugar in it, broccoli, cauliflower, beans, and while I can have milk, it has to be only 1-2 servings a day.
Since my son also had some bad episodes of spitting up before I figured out what he was sensitive to, I would put him to sleep in his bouncer chair, since that keeps him more upright. That helped a lot. I've also heard that if you raise one end of your baby's crib, about 30 degrees, that will help too. So will holding him upright for about half and hour after feeding him.
Good luck and hopefully your pediatrician will be able to help you out.
I can relate. My husband and I were up half the night when our daughter was a newborn and wheezing after a 3 am feeding. The next day I took her to the doctor and she was diagnosed with acid reflux. It can be scary, but there are so many ways you can help your baby be okay. Our daughter needed medicine (that we stopped when she was 10 months old). Our nurse practioner's daughter also had GERD so she was full of good advice. Raise one end of the crib to encourage fluids down. (Can buy crib raisers or put a folded blanket under the matress, some parents choose a wedge for sleeping). Also 15 to 20 minutes of being upright after a feeding was a huge help; mostly I held and rocked her, but occassionaly we opted for a carseat or swing. Also, watching your diet for foods that trigger a adverse reaction in your little guy will be helpful (I've known some moms who keep a food diary and they can notcie things that coincide with increased fussiness in their babies). We also found out our daughter was soy intollerant and once that was out of my diet, things also improved. La Leche League should also be able to offer more support beyond that of your peditrication. Good luck and remember it does get easier!
