Anyone have an infant with GER/Acid Reflux?

[two-foxes]

Hey there. My little one month old has recently been diagnosed with GER/Acid Reflux. He is currently on Pravacid, although not a whole lot of improvement has come with the meds as far as vomit/spit up, although his discomfort and pain has been obviously improving, thankfully. About 90% of his feedings end up with LOTS of spit up/vomit. We are an active family and I am looking for tips on how to actually deal with this if we choose to feed him in public or am I just going to have to accept that this will keep us home to clean up the messes after feedings? We are taking our first WDW trip with him in December, so my hope is that the condition will improve at his 6 month mark. Any tips on dealing with the messes of this condition now that the little man's pain/discomfort seems to be alot better?

 

[Fies4]

Hi. My DD had GERD when she was tiny too (she grew out of it by the time she turned one if that makes you feel any better). Our pediatrician told me to add a little rice cereal to her bottles (I would pump my breast milk and put it in a bottle) and that helped a lot. Also, burping more frequently, feeding her smaller meals, making sure we stuck to a regulare feeding schedule and be sure she never had any tight diapers or tight clothing around her belly. I hope this helps you. Good luck to you!!

 

[NemoMOm]

My little guy grew out of it too. However, every now and then when we eat out and he eats something that does not agree with him he will have problems. As I have acid reflux too I make sure that our diet is free of preservatives and we have almost no problems.

 

[Desnik]

DS had it until he was about 2 years old. I won't scare you with all the problems it caused for him because it could not pertain to your baby at all. DS was on the same meds and we tried others when certain ones weren't working. Nothing ever stopped the spit up/vomit completely. For DS it just got him more comfortable and made it not shoot out across the room! Sorry to be so graphic! DS had to be put on Enfamil AR(added rice) formula(he tried every other one but this is the one that was best for him) and then I had to add rice cereal to the bottles, and only use the Dr. Brown's bottles, which really work btw. We had to make it thick so it would help it stay down and we had to get him the most calories possible because he was labled "failure to thrive" and was only 8lbs at 4 months. He was hospitalized many times and the last time was when they advised we do the above to see if that would change things. Also, we had to put his mattress in his crib at an incline and put him to sleep on his side. After every feeding he had to kept him in an upright position and not moved at all for 30mins. Also he had to be fed about 3oz every 2 hours even through the night, this went on from about 4 months till he was one. We couldn't give him too much at once. I never wore a clean shirt, and I always traveled with tons of extra clothing for him and he was never without a bib! But we did leave the house. Many times as soon as I got him in the carseat to go he would throw up all over and then I would have to go back into the house and change him. It was a very stressful time, but it did pass and got better. I can look back on it now(he's 4) and laugh at how long it would take to get us out of the house! We did take him to WDW when he was 8 months and we all survived! You get use to it and learn what works best for your baby and it becomes 2nd nature. As for being out in public, keeping DS upright was very important after feedings. What worked best for him was putting him in the Baby Bjorn and shopping or walking around with him like that. Also the thicker formula worked wonders, ask your Dr. about that. Go get Dr. Brown's bottles they really work!! There is a new formula out for babies with reflux issues that is partially digested so it breaks down easier in their tummys and helps them keep it down. Sorry I can't remember the name. You just have to get use to the fact that you will have to travel with lots of extra clothes. I know how stressful it can be, but hang in there, it will get better and easier to deal with. If you have any questions just ask. Good luck!

 

[Suzanna1973]

My DS had reflux as an infant. I was told to put a tablespoon of rice cereal in 4 oz. of formula. I had to burp him after every ounce. He also had to be in an upright position for 30 minutes after finishing his bottle. I also made sure he wore a bib at all times and I always had an extra change of clothes handy if we went anywhere. Rest assured that most babies grow out of this. My DS did at 6 months. Make sure that there is no air in your baby's bottle that will cause gas to build up. Playtex nursers will be your best friend.

Good luck!

 

[dpcheercoach]

Hi! I don't post much but this one caught my attention and have I ever been in your shoes ! My DS (now6) was diagnosed at one month also. My experience with the prevacid was the same unfortunately. His symptoms of pain and discomfort went away almost instatntly but the spitting up (I mean projectile spitting...across the room spitting) continued. The dr. told us that the medication could not stop the spitting...it was from the valve between the stomach and esophagus(I think) that wasn't strong enough to keep stomach contents down. The meds would only help with the irritation in the esophagus that caused the discomfort and pain while eating.

The dr wasn't concerned because he was gaining weight properly and we just had to wait it out. He said the valve would enventually strengthen and that would stop the spitting. We were told that the spitting should decrease once he was able to sit up on his own and should continue to improve by 1 yr. We had many ups and downs with this. At 2 mos he was hospitalized and after many tests(spinal tap included) they determined that the prevacid dose wasn't enough due to his rapid weight gain (even though I thought there was no way he was getting enough food in him because of all the spitting). The dose was changed and we continually increased his doses about every month or so for the first 4 months.

At about 3 mos. we were even told to introduce a little cereal into his bottles (very thin) but that would help to thicken it up. Also to feed him in an angled or upright position and to prop the head of his baby bed mattress up to a 45 degree angle so that he would sleep better. These were very difficult as I was breastfeeding and the cereal thing and the feeding in upright position were not really possible. We did introduce a bottle between 3and 4 months with just the cereal mixture. We also used Dr. Browns bottles when we did this and I think they helped too. When I returned to work and he was at a sitter during the day he also took bottles of breastmilk and the Dr. Browns bottles were much better than regular baby bottles. I guess they prevent air from getting through which helped with the spitting. After he was 6 mos. his meds were switched to something else (I forget right now what it was.) The spitting slowly improved although at 6 he still has some issues I believe to be related to the reflux.

Your post really brought back alot of memories. Stock up on bibs and always take several changes of clothes when you got out. If the baby isn't in pain and fussy, I say just pack the bibs, extra clothes and plenty of wipes and head on out. It didn't stop us. We were just careful to feed him before we went to a restaurant. It will get better!

If you have any other questions feel free to ask away. My sisters 2 boys went through GERD/reflux -one with spitting and one without spitting-just pain, so I am pretty experienced in this area. Hang in there. I know it is frustrating, but believe me it will soon be a memory of the past.

 

[belle&beast]

My DS3 was diagnosed at 2 1/2 weeks. He was put on reglan and zantac which really helped his fussiness. I also had to keep him upright after feedings and we introduced cereal at 6 months. We used the infant swing (without the motion) for him to stay upright. By 6 months, he was pretty much symptom free and by 9 months he no longer spit up, and we stopped the meds. I feel for you because I know how difficult it can be! Hang in there, it will get better.

 

[mickeymouse1017]

My DD was diagnosed with reflux at 3 weeks. She was put on Zantac and Enfamil AR and taken off of breast milk. She had to be on it until 9 months old but it did work. Another thing that helped is that we kept her upright for at least an hour after each feeding (Dr. recommended) and she had to be burped half way through each feeding. She was also started on rice cereal at 15 weeks. I would talk to my ped if it doesn't seem to be getting better as there are other meds that your baby can be put on. It will get better but you may have to tolerate the spit up while out for a while until your baby can get used to the meds. Good luck!

 

[syko]

We put our daughter on to Soya milk, and her GER / AR stopped at once.
Our Dr. didn't like putting babies on meds until they had tried the Soya.

 

[Girly_Qs]

Two refluxers here - though very different experiences.

DD#1 was a "spitter" - oh how she used to soak us. Not a lot of advice, but even once we found the 'right' combo of meds (and for us it took several) it was still a struggle as they had to be adjusted constantly for her growth.

DD#2 had 'silent' reflux - pain, but very little vomit. Her meds were easier to manage as hers wasn't as severe (not just because of the lack of vomitting, that's not really much of an indication of severity), and she took to breastfeeding much more readily than dd#1.

I would STRONGLY urge you to consult your Ped about using any sort of 'substitute' (soy milk or otherwise). First because GERD is not a milk allergy (though some confuse it or have both). Second because even IF it is a milk protien allergy, soy milk does NOT contain many of the necessary fats/protiens necessary for that critical first year (there ARE soy formulas that do, as well as hypoallergenic formulas that do). For some children with GERD, and threatened failure to thrive (an issue for some), depriving them of vital nutrients is the exact opposite of what you'd want to do (you'd want to be sure to be feeding them "nutrient dense" things - like bm, formula, and eventually things like avocados, etc).

We also used a Tucker Sling with both girls (a wonderful, but crazy, pillow contraption to elevate their heads) - PM me if you're interested in more info (or mine! LOL!).

It's a tough year, but you WILL survive. To look at my girls now, you'd never have any idea! Blessings!

 

[all4fun]

My ds also had reflux. His was the "silent" type so we didn't have to deal with spit up issues. He was on Prilosec instead of Prevacid (His ped actually would not prescribe it because at that time she said it was contra-indicated for infants, although I knew that lots of babies on the infants w/reflux forum on babycenter were on it but that is neither here nor there right now!). Anyway, the meds never seemed to help him much. He just had to outgrow it. At about 9mos he had a study done that didn't show any reflux. I can't really say for sure when the reflux was "better" because he wasn't a spitter and he ended up having oral aversion issues (a whole other story). Anyway one site I found that has tons of info about infant reflux along w/tips on how to deal w/it is here:
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/

Just thought I'd pass that along. I feel for you! I hope that your precious little one is at least a "happy spitter" and the reflux isn't causing a lot of discomfort. {{hugs}}

 

[momx2]

I've had several issues with both my DDs. The oldest has had GERD since about 2. It really got bad this year at the age of 9 and now she is on daily medication and doing great.

Youngest DD was diagnoised with reflux at 2 weeks. I mean she projectile vomited all the time and slept in an upright bouncy seat for fear of her vomiting in her sleep. The dr. tried her on every type of formula and we did the cereal in the milk thing also. Didn't work and the poor thing was bloated and weighed 20lbs by 4 months. Finally I had had enough and decided myself to put her on soy. I suspected because her older DD had had a mild milk allergy until a year old, but the doctor knew that. 2 bottles later she was fine. She had a severe milk allergy that she out grew by 5. But it was bad and I'm suprised she didn't quit breathing. Her throat was swelling together and she had a runny nose her whole short life. We were lucky! Look into food allergies, please!

 

[dpcheercoach]

all4fun-

Could you tell me a little about oral aversion issues? I only ask because my DS6 definitely has had problems since the reflux as an infant with feeding/now eating and my ped. won't say what, why or if it is related to the reflux.

Thanks!

 

[Jajone]

My son had reflux that we figured out around 4 months. He just turned a year and is off the zantac, but now has a milk allergy. I wonder too if that was the problem all along. He was primarily nursed, but I never avoided milk. Once we started to switch him to whole milk, he got really bad diapers. 2 days after switching to soy, he was back to normal.

 

[HA_Mom]

Another person who would love any advice on the oral adversion!!

My son had severe reflux as an infant. Did the zantac and formula/rice thing as well. He never really made the switch to solid foods. He eats an extremely limited diet. He's growing but he REALLY needs to expand his diet. My ped. is no help. Feeding therapy (I begged for a referal) didn't help either.

His first new food in two years was pancakes. Does anybody know of anything that you can add to pancakes that won't change the taste/texture but will add vitamins, etc. I haven't had any success adding any other new foods. Don't mean to hijack the thread but I'm desperate and not sure what else to try.

 

[fakereadhed]

DS had reflux. Buy a bunch of soft terry bibs that cover the front of the shirt, and a big pile of cloth diapers to cover yourself with! He had it for the first two years, although it improved greatly when he was upright and walking most of the time. I have heard a lot of negs about Prevacid especially for long-term, did you try Zantac first? The point of the meds is to reduce acid, but will not help the spitting. Try to keep the baby upright and still after feeding- carseat works great. You will work out over time the right amt. of patting to get a burp without being so much that it causes them to spit up. Hang in there! Also, it helps to raise the head of the mattress with a wedge.

As far as the oral aversion goes, sign us up for the club too. DS does eat pancakes- I buy the Kelloggs Nutrigrain. They have zero trans-fats and added vitamins and minerals and I put butter on them to add fat and calories.

 

[1rockinmamato2]

Anyway one site I found that has tons of info about infant reflux along w/tips on how to deal w/it is here:
http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/

That site helped me a lot in the beginning after DS was born. Thanks for posting it so that it can help others!

DS wore a bib every waking moment for the first 9 months of his life. It wasn't until then that the spitting up really stopped. Previous posters are right, no medication will stop the spitting up part. They only help with the pain the reflux is causing.

He's now almost two and on Prevacid. The spitting up has decreased, but occasionally he will vomit after eating (typically if he's playing, etc.) We're also dealing with the oral aversions and DS is in therapy to help him overcome those issues.

Please keep in mind that around 6 months, your baby may stop spitting up, but will probably still have reflux so continue the medication per your doctor's advice.

I'm not sure if anyone else has posted these tips that helped us a lot, so I apologize if this is redundant information:

Give your baby smaller, more frequent meals. DS could only handle 4 oz. at a time until he reached the age of 1. Even now we are careful that he doesn't over eat.

If you're using formula, ask your doctor about Enfamil AR. Since your baby is really too young to start adding cereal to the bottle, you may see improvement with the AR, we sure did!

After every feeding, keep baby propped up for at least 30 minutes.

Make sure diapers and clothing are loose around the waist.

Burp often during feedings and when you think baby's burped enough, burp them again!

Instead of expensive burp cloths, we bought two packs of cloth diapers to use since we were continually wiping spit up off him, his clothes, us, and anyone who held him.

When you start solids, be careful of tomato and citrus based foods. They have a tendency to aggravate reflux.


I sympathize with you. It can be rough, but it's manageable.

 

[momof3poohlovers]

Wow! This brings up not so good memmories for me as well. My DS who is now 9 had GERD/Acid Reflux as well. I won't go into all the details but he eventually had to have surgery as he ended up vomiting so much he couldn't gain any weight. My son's case was extreme so please don't worry, most babies don't need surgery and outgrow it(my DD did at a year). The most important thing is please don't let it keep you home and from going to Disney. I stayed home my son's whole first year because it was so "hard" going out and I totally regret it. I became so depressed. The best thing to do is find support (google Reflux in Children)and don't let it keep you down. Just remember, get a BIG diaper bag and carry lots of bibs and burp towels(yes, I said "towels" ). Your baby may reflux more while there so expect it but getting out and away will do you a world of good. The people who have replied have offered some great advise on things that help so I won't reiterate. Also, if your dr hasn't already done so, ask for a referral to a Pediatric Gastroenterologist. They specialize in this and will be able to help you through this much better than your ped.

To those asking about oral aversions: my son also developed an oral aversion so severe due to the reflux that he ended up needing a feeding tube. Again, his case was extreme. We did OT and it really helped so much. My advice is find someone who specializes in this, if one person doesn't help, find someone else, we did and it made the difference between my son being tube fed the rest of his life and becoming the completely normal, eating, tubeless child he is now. If you are worried about their nutrition, try mixing some chocolate pediasure with some regular chocolate milk(most kids think it is nasty by itself). I have researched so much on this and also helped run the Reflux in Children Website for several years when my son was younger. Please PM me if you have any questions, I would love to help.

To the OP: you will get through this!

Karen

 

[all4fun]

all4fun-

Could you tell me a little about oral aversion issues? I only ask because my DS6 definitely has had problems since the reflux as an infant with feeding/now eating and my ped. won't say what, why or if it is related to the reflux.

Thanks!

I wouldn't doubt it's related to the reflux, which probably gave your ds a negative associate w/food. When eating equals pain, one can see why you'd develop an aversion to eating. Sometimes it takes a while for that association to fade. DS is four and he's still an extremely picky eater but it's a huge improvement over where we started - which was gagging and throwing up whenever a spoonful of pureed baby food came near his lips. But then there's heredity. DH has always been very texture sensative himself - there's just certain foods he won't touch. So I wonder if he comes by at least a small part of it naturally (a possibility according to both his ped and his SLP). I think the reflux probably exaserbated the tendancy if it was already there. I guess in the end the reason why doesn't matter as much as how to deal with it. We still give ds whole milk w/carnation instant breakfast and a ground up childrens vitamin blended together. (We use a mortar and pestle to grind up the vitamin). Since he pretty much still won't eat vegetables ( and don't even try to "blend" it with something - heaven forbid if two different foods even touch on the plate!). He's getting a little better over time. But its very slow going!

hth and I feel for anyone going thru the whole reflux ordeal. I know our case was worse than some but not as bad as it could have been so in a way I don't feel so horrible about it. Given ds prematurity we could have had much worse to deal with.

 

[two-foxes]

A TON of great responses! I had bought some Infamil AR as a last resort kinda thing. Although breastfeeding is by far down my list of favorite things now, it is very important to me to keep him on breast milk. DS's doctor recommended starting him on one bottle of either breastmilk or formula a day to get him used to a bottle, and DH is now giving him his first bottle of the AR right now instead of breastmilk. I figure we'd give it a shot to see how he handles it. We have already gotten one of the sleeping wedges (www.ARpillow.com) which really seems to help so far. I feel like there are not enough bibs or burp diapers in a day! It is still new to us with him just being a month old and our first child, so I know there is some adjustment.
My mom just says it is Karma....evidently as an infant, I had a babysitter refuse to babysit me because I threw up all the time....

Thanks to all who responded for the great tips and support!