Reflux

[SoonerTexan]

I need some insight please.

I'm concerned J might have reflux. He is a very gassy baby, but I'm not sure it is just that. (We've been using simethicone, but it doesn't seem to help a whole lot)

He'll go through non-stop crying periods that are starting to drive DH nuts when he's home alone with the kids. Admittedly, it seems to happen less often when I'm around, but I've experienced it too. He'll resist the bottle or breast a lot (especially the bottle) and there is a lot of arching and stiffening.

He doesn't really spit up a bunch though. When he does spit up, it almost always happens when he's eaten a lot at once (and especially if I'm really full and have a more forceful letdown) and his discomfort seems to go away right after he spits up or burps. Some days he doesn't spit up at all.

It seems to usually happen mid-morning or late at night.

The other thing I'm wondering is if it could be really early teething?

[Vishenka69]

DS used to be a very gassy baby too. He loved tummy time and would mostly scream unless in vertical position. A bit of diluted prune juice also helped. He stopped screaming when he learned to roll and sit.

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[Pollyanna]

Sounds very much like dd. Once we tried the meds she was a new baby. Made such a huge difference. Ask your pediatrician what he thinks. FYI: The first med we tried didn't work as well as the second.

[SoonerTexan]

I set up an appt for Friday. He was apparently screaming all morning. DH doesn't handle that well.

[Sheherezade]

Tell him no one handles that well! And find him a support site online. No advice. My kid was colicky and the only thing that calmed him was standing on a bed and gently bouncing on the mattress while rocking him. We watched a lot of tv bouncing/rocking that kid!

[Phoebe]

Sounds familiar. Our pediatrician was conservative with a reflux diagnosis with a "wait-and-see" attitude because my children were gaining weight. Two of four were on meds and three had special formula along with their breastmilk.

[SoonerTexan]

Have you eliminated anything from your diet?

No...and I really hope I don't have to give up dairy because my nespresso arrives tomorrow!

He is gaining weight like a champ, though things have really gotten worse in the past two weeks. (since I've been back at work) He doesn't seem to want to nurse for as long/as much. Or really, it seems like he wants to, but he wont latch on or just screams at the breast. I'm also surprised at how little he is eating of what I pump, at least compared to N, and they are growing at a similar rate. N was eating 15-20 oz per day while I was at work. J probably eats 10oz at most.

Tell him no one handles that well! And find him a support site online.

Ha, if only. I did tell them that. He gets angry and then feels really guilty later.

[OrionGrad]

My kid was colicky and the only thing that calmed him was standing on a bed and gently bouncing on the mattress while rocking him. We watched a lot of tv bouncing/rocking that kid!

That reminds me of DS. The ONLY way we could settle him those first couple months was by bouncing on the exercise ball.
I always suspected DS had reflux because he spit up so much, but his ped was very conservative and didn't think he needed meds, especially since he was on track with his weight gain.

[Sheherezade]

He probably feels like he's "failing" and it's all the harder because he doesn't have boobs to comfort J. I'd look at your diet too if this just started when you went back to work. Did you start drinking a daily Trente expresso are anything obvious? Lol

[SoonerTexan]

Actually I've had less coffee and milk. Might be worth trying to cut out for a few days...would a few days do it though?

[Sheherezade]

It has a long half life in the baby through the milk. A few days *should* do it, but I wouldn't expect to see results until it had actually been a few days. Not sure on the dairy but the half life of caffeine in an infant is like 4 days (vs. 4 hours in adults).

[scrub-jay]

Isn't he due for another growth spurt? Those always messed with my kids big time.

[MrsC]

DS was very gassy too. Gripe water, Dr Browns bottles, gently bouncing him helped. I suspected reflux too but he got so much relief from passing gas, I'm not sure. He rarely spit up and the pedi was reluctant to give him any meds. He would never lie flat. He loved to lie in the boppy with his head and shoulders on the cushion. I hope something helps!

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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

C threw up ALL the time. In retrospect, she did have reflux but was gaining weight so they didn't do anything.

Honestly, I think some kids are screamers though. He's at a prime age for colic. D went through this and everyone told me to eliminate stuff which we know now would have no impact (since she's stopped now that she's older). I'm not a huge fan of mom eliminating unless really nothing works but that's my own bias, my mom swore by it with my brother.

It was literally sob inducing how much C in particular would SCREAM at certain times in the day. One thing that's unconventional but really worked was taking her for a walk at the fussiest times. My babies LOVED looking up at trees or around in parks. Can J try to go to the playground/on walks during those times? I know it's tempting to stay home because he's upset but listening to screams bounce off of walls doesn't help either. Being on walks seemed to soothe them.

[SoonerTexan]

Yeah, I suggested going outside. That always shut N up too! He really could just be a screamer. He's awful in the car.