Reflux - Santa Ana, CA

Yes newborns do know when to stop...BUT if one breast is letting down very fast the baby is getting so much so fast, she can't tell she is full until it is too late. It's just like us, when we eat way too fast we tend to eat way too much. It takes time for the stomach to register that it is full. So she very well may be over eating on that one breast. I have the same problem with my little one, she gulps SO much air trying to keep up....
And yes, for the most part most people will tell you that 6 weeks is too soon for rice cereal in a baby's bottle. The reason is that their stomach and intestine are new, and are still developing. They are still learning how to function with real food in them. But I would say, as long as you aren't noticing any extra problems with the rice cereal, I don't see why you would need to stop. But I wonder why you are adding to her milk to begin with?

She may not have reflux, my daughter is 9 weeks now and was doing the same thing it was even coming out of her nose, the Doc. said that she might have reflux, amazingly it got so much better about a week ago, just out of know where I realized wow she hasn't really spit up or had anything coming out of her nose. So maybe give it some time before you go to Meds. My daughter is just breast fed and I have always heard No cereal in a bottle and that actually it does not fill them up any better, don't no if this is really true. Good Luck

Hi Lara,

She is way too young for cereal, even if watered down. Her stomach is not able to digest it and this may be part of the reason she is vomiting. Their stomachs can't digest it until at least 6 months.

V.

Lara,

My now 20 month old son is allergic to soy protein and intolerant to dairy protein. He was breastfed until he was 18 months old. Once I cut dairy and soy out of my diet (including hidden dairy and soy) his reflux improved dramatically. I did have him on Prevacid for reflux but we were able to cut his dosage in half once I eliminated the dairy and soy and then in a few months we were able to stop the Prevacid all together.

Since your daughter is congested in addition to refluxing, I'd highly, highly recommend you at least try cutting all dairy out of your diet. If she's reacting to something in your diet, nothing you do for reflux will be all that effective unless you figure out what is bothering her and eliminate it.

T.

I would say--this is way too early for rice cereal. And, if your child truly has reflux it's really not going to help that much. Reflux is only a problem if your baby gets fussy when she is spitting up--then you know the acid from her stomach is burning her esophagus. If she is just spitting up, let her spit up. Unless she is not gaining weight you don't have to worry. My daughter had terrible reflux: spat up all the time and was very uncomfortable as well. I burped her A LOT when she was eating (every ounce when she was tiny, then every ounce and a half, etc--you can only do this if you feed from a bottle). I also switched to formula as it seemed to stay down a bit better than breast milk. But really the ONLY thing that truly made her life better was the medicine--not zantac--prilosec, which we had to have compounded for infants. Again, if she is spitting up and not fussy then don't stress. But I would def. NOT put cereal in her formula this young.

Hi, my son had acid reflux also. He never overate though, it was the opposite. He couldn't eat a lot at one time. Even by the time he was 1 year old, he was barely drinking 6 oz.
Anyways, I have attended seminars by Dr. Jim Sears, Dr. Bill Sears and it is not good to start an infant on solid too early - it will only cause more stomach issues later on. In fact, the said, if you put cereal in the babies mouth and it is spit out - they are not ready for solid food. It is only when they swallow that first bite that they are ready - which will vary by child, some at 4 months, can be as late as 8 months. The pediatricians have changed their view on solid food. When my child was an infant i was told to start cereal at 4 months and he would spit it out and my husband said he "didn't like it". The thing is he wasn't ready yet! And yes, he still has reflux - not to the point of throwing up, but acidity burps at times - depending on what he has eaten. He can't eat sauces - like ketcup, ranch dressings, mustard, etc.

I see that you have tons of responses but I have recently and am still dealing with this. My baby is 10 weeks old now and was vomiting volumes daily. It seemed like there would be 2-3 feedings each day that would come right back up. She was eating every hour (breast feeding only). Every time she cried, I'd put her on the boob, it soothed and calmed her. Recently I've tried slowing the feedings to every 1.5-3 hours and there's much less coming back up. It never seems to bother her when she spits-up so I'm not worried about reflux and she gains weight like a champ.
Now when she fusses I try rocking and find that often she'd not hungry, just tired and needs a little nap.
It seems to be helping some.

L.
PS. I'm L. too, crazy because there aren't many out there.

I would go back to breastmilk with no cereal. It is way to soon at 6 weeks to add anything. Nature was very intelegent in the design of breastmilk. It is the perfect complete food for human babies. I would look at what you are eating. Are you eating dairy, wheat, things that could irritate your baby? Are you drinking enough pure water? Are you resting when the baby naps? Are you relaxed, calm, peaceful, loving when your baby is nursing? The baby can sense things that you are feeling. Relax and enjoy your baby.

Both of my sons had reflux. My first I did the medication and it helped with the colic, but my second wasn't fussy he would just spit up so I never bothered with the meds. My doctor told me that the medications only help to sooth the throat with the reflux and make the baby more comfortable. It does not help to stop the actual spitting up. SOif it doesn't seem to bother your baby, then skip the medicine. Also, what I found to help was making sure that they sat up as much as possible while feeding. It helps the milk go down faster. I wouldn't give a 6 week old rice cereal just yet though. She could be getting too much food, causing the vomitting. Breast milk should be enough right now.
Hope this helps. Hang in there.

Hi Lara,

Little boys are far more likely to have projectile vomiting. I had to prop two baby boys into a 45 degree angle for 45 minutes and that does not always work as you know. I gave them rice cereal with my milk too. Didn't hurt them either. If you are concerned at what she is keeping down, rent a baby scale. Weight her before you feed her and after she has set the 45 minutes. Subtract the difference in the before and after weights. Don't worry if she soils her diaper since what ever is in the diaper was inside her when you weighted her so it doesn't affect the final outcome of the weight in and you have the piece of mind whether she is getting enough to eat. Don't allow her to overeat, mini meals are better and less messy.
Good Luck ~ F.

First of all, congratulations on the birth of your new one. Sounds like you've got your hands full with cleaning up after her all the time!
I have 2 children and the second (now 9 months) was spitting up all the time in the beginning, for at least 3 or 4 months. We just got used to it. I had a lot of milk, and it seemed to be one of the ways her body was coping with all the milk. Babies don't always self regulate on feeding because there's a big comfort factor there too. Just remember you are giving her love every time you feed her.
So long as she's gaining weight you have NOTHING to worry about.
Please don't give her any medication and the rice cereal isn't necessary either.
Good luck...and keep up with the breast feeding!

I too had a similar problem and there are several steps that I took. I am just sharing the suggestions that I got from my pediatrician and lactation specialist and I am sure what evere you decide is what is best for you and your little one.
1- I used to pump for 5-10 minutes prior to feeding my son, especially in the morning (and yes this was a pain)
2- raised his bassinet/crib at a slight angle
3- prop him up after eating for 45 minutes (which it sounds like you are doing)
4- in the end we gave him a small dose of Zantac which I was really against until there were a couple of projectile spit ups thast freaked me out--- I did my research and felt that medication was my best solution but I did ensure that he was on the lowest dosage possible that was still effective. I also weaned him off the medication as soon as we were sure he was no longer needed it. When I was pregnant I suffered from severe reflux for most of the prenancy and I was miserable so I wanted to ensure he didn't go through the same uncomfortable feeling.

I was too scared to give him cereal after reading several articles but really that is what are parents did and we turned out alright.

good luck!

hi lara,
I was told my son had reflux around the same age. He's now 19 weeks. We had him on Zantac and then moved to prevacid. I was not excited about having him on adult meds and actually took him to an allergist at 8 weeks. Food allergy symptoms are very similar to reflux symptoms. Come to find out he has an allergy to tomato, citrus and brewers yeast.
I continued the meds for reflux until I was sure the allergins were out of my system as he is exclusively breastfed.
Once I cut out all the food he was allergic to, I stopped his prevacid and he no longer has the pain he had before that made us think he had reflux. It is possible his body just matured enough to control the reflux on its own but I believe it was his allergy not reflux hurting him.
I also have a very overactive letdown. This caused him to fill up on all foremilk and he never got enough hindmilk. This caused bad gas, tummy aches, fussy eating etc. To correct this, I feed him on one breast multiple feedings and unlatch him during my letdown so he doesn't choke as it is very forceful. I have always had a great milk supply since my milk first came in so feeding on one breast was never a problem for me. If your milk isn't well established you may want to try hand expressing a bit of foremilk before you put her to the breast.
I have always been told it is impossible to overfeed a breastfed baby so not sure about that part however the rice cereal IMO is the wrong answer. You are giving the baby a false sense of being full and she therefore isn't eating the nutrients she needs. Having a full tummy will only make reflux worse as it takes longer to digest. Some peds will prescribe reglan for reflux because it speeds up digestion.
Hang in there, either way it will get easier. I had a very colicky baby for the first 15 weeks (I didn't actually believe in colic and refused to believe my baby was crying for no reason, that's how I found his food allergy) but after we took care of the allergy (I also cut out all cow dairy as it makes him very irritable and gassy although he tested neg to milk protien) he is a happy baby. He still melts down in evenings but nothing even close to before and he still spits up/throws up but only during waking hours and never during his night feedings. feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Hang in there :)

**by the way, one quick edit: the meds for reflux wont stop the spit-up it just makes the baby more comfortable as it cuts down the stomach acid

Hi Lara
My son, too, had reflux issues when he was little. We did give him the antacids which seemed to help. But the doctor also recommended that we put his bouncer in the crib (with the crib mattress lowered to reduce the risk of him flipping out - even though we would strap him in). Letting him sleep at that angle seemed to work a lot better than just raising one end of the mattress. At around four months, he was completely off the meds and sleeping flat again. As he is also being breastfed, we didn't introduce solids (including rice cereal) until six months which I had read was the "best" time for reducing the risk of food allergies. Hope this helps and best of luck with your new-born. It is a lot of work, but worth every minute :-)

For my colicky baby who was throwing his all feeds was not getting settled until I gave him babies magic tea.

My Ped says to not start giving my baby any solids including cereal until 6 months. Some people start at 4 months but not six weeks at all. It's way too much food. Change her diaper before feeding then she can relax and go to sleep after without disturbing her. Stick with the breast milk only and from the boob, it creates less air thus less spitup. Let me know if you have any questions.

Hi Lara,

Your baby is WAY too young for rice cereal or any food. It could be something that you are eating that is irritating her tummy. Try cutting out all dairy from your diet and switch to a number of other things for your calcium. If you do this for a week or two, really take out the dairy, then re-introduce it, is there a reaction? Then you know what it was. If that isn't it, then take out something else, the Elimination Diet. For me it was eggs and dairy for my daughter.

My daughter had reflux and NOTHING worked. We did the rice thing too. We did finally put her on prevacid. We just gave it to her right before she ate and it made an improvement the first day. She was pitting up EVERY time and I wouldn't even have time to put myself "back together" after nursing. SHe only needed to be on for a month or two. It was so different and wonderful once we started the prevacid.

We are not into meds either but we were so worried about her getting nutrients. She was chubby no matter but she never could keep it down.

Hope you find something that works!

Try changing your own diet to exclude things that may aggravate her reflux, such as spicy foods, foods that cause gas such as bell peppers or maybe cow's milk. Try to eat bland foods and liquids and see if you notice a difference for a bit. I have a friend whose child was so bad they had to sleep with their baby propped up on their chest, it was the only way. They were miserable, and then one day she said it was her own diet causing her child's problems.

Hi Lara,
Check out www.reflux.org. There is also a blog there. I know that babies who have food other than breat milk/formula before 6 months are more likely to develop food allergies so I would stick to breast milk if I were you. My daughter spat up for about 16 months but she grew out of it. I think controlled feeding is the best idea and you can angle her crib or bassinet when she goes down for a sleep.
All the best,
C. :-)

Does your doctor know yor feeding her rice ceral, if not consult with him right way, I agree 6 weeks old is way way to young. It does sound like she is over eating, giving her small amunts making sure she is burping also helps. Babys usually won't eat when they are full, but yours night not, your a new mommy with lots to learn its ok you will make mistakes, more importantly is to learn from them. Docotrs don't mind if you ask lots of question, make an appt with her Ped... write down your questions beofre you go see him, this way yo won't forget to ask. Give them to the nurse before the doctor comes in, when yo make the appt ask for an extra ten minutes that you have lots of questions to ask, so you have the extra min or two with him.

Happy Parenting.

Lara,

Your baby sounds a lot like mine and they told me I had overactive let down also, which now I think would have been ok if my baby did not have reflux. The best thing you can do for your baby right now is to become informed about reflux and find a doctor that you are happy with in terms of how they are treating the reflux and become a voice for your daughter because she could be in a lot of pain. You must order the book "Colic Solved" You can find it on Amazon. It is written by a pediatric GI doctor and has a whole section on the pros and cons of adding rice cereal to the milk. Basically if I can remember correctly is good for the reflux but bad in terms of digestion for that age - but you should really get the book. I ended of putting my daughter on meds even though I really didn't want to because she couldn't sleep and was in a LOT of pain. Once we found the right one, it really made a difference in her life. The book really goes into each med and if having one for your child is right or not. I hope this helps.

hi-
one thing that did work for me was altering my diet a bit. i am a vegetarian so it was hard, but i cut dairy out of my diet. it really helped. also, if you are eating lots of tomatoes, citrus, garlic or chocolate (sad but true), that can also cause your breastmilk to be harder for the baby's tummy. so, try taking something like that out of your diet and see if it helps.
personally, i do think it's early for the rice cereal. her little tummy and digestive system aren't quite ready for that.
good luck!

My youngest son now age 2 had really bad reflux when he was a baby. Thankfully in MOST cases they outgrow it by the time they are upright and walking around the age of 12 months. We saw a specialist in West Hills that put my little baby boy on lots of meds and all the meds did was make him worse. We finally got to a fantastic doctor at UCLA that was confident he would just outgrow it. We took him off all meds, he was happier although still refluxing quite a bit. Because of the reflux my son's tummy would burn and he would be uncomfortable so he would want to nurse again for comfort reasons. Well that got us into a vicious circle because he'd overeat and the puke up all over the place. Having a reflux baby can be very difficult, challenging, and very tiring. Most reflux babies don't sleep well at night. My suggestion is to just Hang in there and try to figure out what works well for your baby. Getting feedback from Doc's is great but I too would stay away from Meds if you can help it especially Reglan. Oh and if you don't have a Baby Bjorn you should definitely get one as it helps baby to stay upright and can even sleep that way. There are lots of Reflux message boards out there that you can sign up for and get good advice from other parents and just vent on the tought days. I know what you are going through and all I can say is that it will get better and I wish you the best of luck. Oh, and one more thing have you joined a MOMS Club? You can use this link to find a chapter near you. The site is kind of cheesy but the Mom’s are great. http://www.momsclub.org/links.html#California That is a good way to find other moms to hang out with and get support and just get out of the house. -T., Simi Valley, CA

Lara,

My daughter had reflux as a baby too. I chose not to medicate her, because I didn't want to give her anything that young. I also did not start the cereal until she was just over 8 weeks - I did want tsp/feeding. I also did more of a controled feeding and this helped her a lot, as well as propping her up for at least 30 mins after eating. She is 7 years old now (wahhhhh) and has no eating or weight issues at all. Your baby is only 6 weeks, she still is learning on when to stop and I wouldn't worry about the future. SHe will be fine

Have you tried raising the head of her bed a tiny bit? They have these very, very slightly graduated wedge things you can buy to help her head be a bit above her feet and this may prevent some of the vomiting. Or, just try to keep her upright or in your arms for a while after she eats. As far as the rice cereal, I don't know if she's too young. It seems like it. Check all of this out with your doctor and keep going back to him/her until you feel satisfied. Good luck!

Hi Lara,

Try cutting all dairy out of your diet for a week or two and see if that helps. I've had a couple of friends with similar problems and that seems to have worked for them.

Good luck,

M.

Hi Lara,

I have a 15 week old boy (my first) who spits up occasionally and has for most of his short life. I would recommend getting a second opinion that your doctor automatically thinks it reflux. I have a pediatritian I trust and he says that is very normal, as long as it doesn't seem to make him uncomfortable or put him in pain, some babies just do that, and they will outgrow it. As long as she is gaining weight and doesn't seem bothered by it, I would not worry about it. My Dr. has suggested burping more often during a feeding may also help, and keeping baby upright for a bit after feeding. I know it is hard to be a first time mom, and I have had the same worries as you in the beginning, but feel fine now and just accept that some things are just baby things, and let them go!

Hope that helps!

A.

My son has reflux and i am just NOW put him on meds cause it got REALLY BAD, he is almost 3!
When he was a baby we just put up with it. It was not horrendous and was tolerable. I also did not want to do meds. I only did the rice cereal when he was at the babysitters and needed the bottle otherwise i just fed him. Depending on how bad her's is and how much you can put up with i can Give you alot of advice.
Email me if you are interested.
A.

Hi Lara.. I a 3.5 year old and a 9 week old (both boys) and they both did/ do that. What I have read and what I have been told is that as long as they are still growing all is fine. The spit up is gross and may seem like a lot, but it is my understanding that they get a lot more that stays down. I think as long as you are burping her and trying to slow down her feeding and she is growing, she should be ok. I have also recently learned of a more natural product for gas.. gripe water.. check out www.babybliss.com for info on it.. and I got mine at Henry's. Just try not to get so upset about it. I know it is hard, I did with my first. But now that I see he is fine and got through it, I am not so stressed with #2. If he gets his clothes a mess, I just wait until nap time to change him, as he may spit up more and I don't want to have to change him 10 times.. just keep telling yourself it ok it is not that big of a deal... and it will be ok.. And your 2 hands are more than enough!! You will get through it! Good luck!

I don't know much about the reflux... but are you burping her sufficiently after she eats? (sometimes it's easy to forget, especially if they fall asleep while eating).

Also, if you have overactive letdown you may want to pump BEFORE you nurse her so you can get that milk out and get her on for the hindmilk (more nutritious). I didn't have this problem but I went to an AMAZING LC through Long Beach Memorial and heard her counsel a woman with this issue.

As for the rice cereal, in my opinion that is too young but I am not a doctor. I didn't start my daughter on any foods or cereals until 5 months (cereal) and 6 months (slowly started foods).

Good luck - and, it gets easier :)

First of all, congratulations on the birth of your daughter! The good news is that most babies will outgrow the reflux. The bad news is that it isn't usually until 6+ months. My son has silent acid reflux (this is where they spit up but it goes back down, instead of out like your daughter). We put my son on meds at 4 months old and it made a huge difference. My son was happier, slept better, and wasn't in pain. However, I realize that this is a personal parenting decision that everyone has to make. I just know that it worked for us. I prefer not to use medications whenever possible, but I couldn't watch my son writhe in pain anymore.

As far as the rice cereal is concerned, I would talk to your pediatrician. Babies digestive tracts are not fully developed when they are born and don't fully mature until they are about 6 months old, which is why the AAP recommends waiting to start solid foods until that age. However, your pedi knows your child and can prescribe the best solutions. If you trust your pedi, then trust their recommendations and ignore what everyone else says. If you don't trust your pedi's recommendations, find a new one that you do trust. This is your child's health.

I'm a first time mom too and I remember how crazy and scary the first couple of months can be. It will get better, just trust your instincts, love your baby like crazy, and try to keep your sense of humor. This will all work itself out and then something new will come to challenge and perplex you, try and enjoy it all. After 6 months, I can already tell that parenting is a wild ride! Again, congratulations and best wishes!

My baby is 7.5 months and pretty much spit up after every feeding. It never occurred to me she had reflux - I figured babies spit up. She has always gained the right amount and has been really happy - other signs it wasn't reflux to me. So we never treated for it.

Not sure why you are feeding her cereal - most people do that because they think the baby is still hungry - you might want to talk to your DR again about that. We waited til she was 6 months to feed more than bm or formula - there is some research that it helps with allergies, weight stabilization thru out life etc. Who knows! They change their tune every few years!!

You are in the toughest phase of the baby time - It'll start getting a lil easier in about 2 weeks. The first 3 months are really really tough emotionally and physically! You'll get thru and be great and have a new "normal" life sooner than you think,

xoxoxo

I've raised my granddaughter since birth..she is now 13. At 17 days we rushed her to ER as she was in pain and screaming and we did not know why. After a lot of tests they said it was reflux...a severe case of it. We did put her on meds, and we put rice cereal in her formula...it really helped. The other thing that helped was raising the top end of her mattress in the bassinett, then crib, so she wasn't laying down flat. It took awhile but she out grew it.
My own daughter had reflux yrs ago but at that point they didn't have a name for it. On my own I put rice cereal in her formula at 3wks and it worked.
Good luck....

Hi Lara,

My son did the same thing although he spit up almost with every feeding until he was about 6-7 months. The doctor told us the same thing...that he had a great appetite and eating more than his stomach could hold so the excess was coming up. He eventually outgrew it and now at 10 months, he rarely spits up.

I didn't start my son on cereal until he was almost 5 months. Our doctor said that we should target our solid food start at 4 months or later.

I wish you luck!

D.

Hi Lara,

Try doing a google search on "reflux and chiropractic"....sometimes during the birthing process damage is done to the spine, which then causes the nervous system to function less well.

A chiropractor may be able to correct this within a few visits. I know it sounds strange, but research it please.

Best wishes

Hi Lara,

I have 2 children both had/have reflux. The first took 6 months to identify, the second I had on Zantac by 8 weeks.

My children screamed while eating and after. The spitting up usually comes later as their tummy muscles are not that strong and usually throwing up does not happen until they are older so reflux is hard to diagnose.

Two thoughts.... Try the medication as reflux is VERY painful and generally hereditary. If medication does not make an impact it could be because her little valve connecting her tummy and esophagus is not closing right and a simple procedure could save her years of pain.

She could also just be a spitter and this is common in babies. However if you feel something is wrong and your your Dr. is not more proactive about this find a new Pediatrician.

Also while breast feeding I cut out Milk from my diet and went to soy Milk. Within days I saw an improvement as Milk is the hardest protein for a baby to digest.

Last thought, reflux will cause many sleep issues. Both of my children slept in their swings until 6+ months of age. Start reading about reflux and some solutions such as elevation of the crib etc. My son who is now 11 months is still on Zantac and cries through breakfast when I forget his medication. I usually think he is teething until I remember his Zantac and within 10 minutes he is better.

My daughter now 25 months has no linger effects from the baby reflux or the medications and is doing very well with all foods including milk.

The rice cereal gives the liquid weight thus helping her keep the milk down, not burping after eating and keeping her upright are all helping her too so don't give up those things. Watch her weight and trust your instincts.

Hang in there,
H.

Hi Lara,

Did your Pedi advise you to add rice cereal to her milk? 6 weeks is rather young for that. Her tummy is most likely not ready to handle that and she could begin experiencing constipation rather soon.

My daughter was an 8 week preemie and she was exasperating fluid into her lungs, causing her to reflux. I was breast feeding her as well and my milk was too thin for her. I exlusively pumped for the next three months and she was bottle fed. We had to add a thickener to her milk that made it the right consistency and allowed her to swallow it properly. We used the thickener until she was close to 5 months old and then she was fine. You just add it to the bottle, shake it and it's good to go.

You may want to ask your Pedi about using Simply Thick. I think there are two or three consistencies of it and we used Honey which is the thickest it comes in. Our daughter also had to sleep on a wedge (Tucker Sling) so she was at a good angle while she slept. Try putting her bed at a bit of an angle (use books or something to prop the end up). This will help a lot too.

Good luck!

-Char

6 weeks is way, way, way, way, too young to be giving rice cereal! In all likely hood this is why she is having reflux. Her lil tummy is not ready for anything but breast milk or formula. Even though she is out of the womb, many of her organs are still developing, the stomach being one of them. You also have to remember that while she was in the womb she didn't 'eat', she got her nutrition thru the umbilical cord. Her stomach is learning how to tollerate food. And as far as knowing how much to eat, no newborns do not. Remember, they are learning how to eat, it is new to them. As she gets older she will be able to control this, but for now she will eat as long as it is available. Also, are you burping her enough? You should be getting at least 2 good burps right after feeding if not more. She takes in a lot of air (more from bottle) as she eats and it gets trapped in tummy and has to come out some how.

I have a 17 week old who has had the same problem. We were told he had acid refulx or heartburn at his 1 month check up. We opted for the medication. Our ped said it along with keeping him upright was the best option. It wasn't a cure but it did seem to help. He is still on it but we have decided to wean him off of it and see how he does. His heartburn symptoms seem to have gone away but he does still spit up, sometimes quite a bit. I was told that the reflux would eventually go away.

I always changed him (clothes, diaper) before I fed him. Then kept him propped up for at least 30 minutes after eating. Actually he was propped up most of the time, for sleeping as well (recommended by our ped). He started sleeping flat at about 10 weeks without too much problem or spit up. I was told that tummy time helps with the acid reflux as well so try putting her on her tummy if you can.

Hope this helps. Acid reflux is a common problem with babies so you are not alone.

K. O

Dear Lara,
Ask your doctor about possible stenosis. I had it as an infant. To correct it, I was fed heavy gruel to force the stomach muscle opening that wasn't developed. Symptoms are projectile vomiting. (Girls aren't operated on for this as much as boys.) I am 58, so things probably have changed since then.) My nephew, had this too however, and he is 18, but he was operated on as a newborn.

My 5 month old daughter is still going through this and she's seen 3 different doctors, who have all told her she is simply overeating. They say some women just produce more milk, plus my daughter has a very powerful suck. Everyone in my family kept saying there was something wrong so I was worried for awhile, but the doctors act like there's nothing to it. With breastfeeding, unless you pump and give it by bottle, there really is no way of knowing how much they're getting. One doctor suggested timing it and cutting them off after say 5-10 minutes, but I did not feel comfortable with this for fear of not giving my daughter enough to eat.

As long as she is gaining weight and is filling up a few/several diapers a day, she is getting enough. It sounds like your daughter does not spit up the volumes my does, although they say it's not as much as it seems. She is getting a little better, but there was a few months when it was ALL day long and she would soak her clothes and mine several times a day.

When she was 2 months old, the doctor gave her zantac to try and treat her for reflux but it didn't do anything so I stopped giving it to her. I also read alot of things online saying the same thing, that it's simply overeating. So the way I've been looking at it now, is that it's more of an inconvenience, but will pass with time.

As far as the cereal, I started giving my daughter 1 tsp per ounce (in a bottle) before bedtime at 2 months, so not much older than your daughter. Before that, everyone in my family kept trying to get me to give it to her sooner. There's such mixed reviews on when to start cereal. It didn't do anything to help her sleep longer, but she seemed to like it anyway. I started spoon feeding her cereal around 3.5 months and she LOVES it!!!

Not sure if any of this is much help, but at least you know there's someone else who's gone through the same thing (and is still going through it!) Good Luck!

Yes, babies do stop when they are no longer hungry. I would consult with an naet certified doctor (naet stands for Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Techniques). They can test your baby through a surrogate (you) and then cure the allergy (if she tests positive for something). I go to a wonderful doctor in Fullerton, as does my (baby) grand daughter. My doctor would give you a free consultation. Let me know if you want his information.

Best wishes,

M. S

Hi there,
if controled feeding is helping her, then it sounds like that is your answer. It's unfortunate that you may not be able to continue breast feeding, but it's not the end of the world as long as you continue giving her breast milk. I would not give her the rice cereal. Her tummy is to premature for that in my oppinion. Breast milk is good enough! I started my baby on rice cereal at 6 months. I tried it at 4 months, but it made her constipated. If you can control the spitting up/vomiting by feeding her by bottle, then that is what you should do to avoid medication. If it continues, and she spits up no matter what, then I would consider it. But, it sounds like you are doing everything in your power to help her keep the milk down. What a great mommy you are!!!!!!
Good luck to you, and congrates on your new baby!
Take care.

Hi Lara. Reflux is very common in infants. Your situation sounds very similar to ours. I don't think rice cereal is the answer that young. I hate to break it to you, but until her digestive system matures, it is just something you may have to deal with. I found that watching what I ate (cutting out acidic foods, dairy, chocolate, soy and gassy veggies)helped a bit. Also, keep her propped up after feedings. I know it feels like all you do is feed her and prop her up, but it does help. We used the swing after feedings for nap time and that helped as well. They also sell a sleep positioner with a little baby pillow and that did wonders for our nighttime. When she slept on that, she never seemed to throw up at night. If she seems to be bothered by the spit up, then meds might be your answer. Although, we tried all the different meds and none of them seemed to help for us. My daughter is now 6 months old and unfortunately, she hasn't outgrown it. In fact it got worse for us now that we are on solids....rice cereal coming back up is a whole lot more to deal with than plain old milk. I have found myself so frustrated with the reflux, but my friend with older kids swear she will outgrow it. The only consolation for me is seeing other mom's in playgroups whose babies are doing the same thing...making me realize how common it is. Good luck! Enjoy your little one :)