Acid Reflux? - Kansas City, KS

Updated on February 06, 2009
N.B. asks from Kansas City, KS
21 answers

I have a 4 week old boy that went from being a great sleeper, feeder and happy boy to a very fussy baby. He seems to be very uncomfortable after he eats and is only feeding for about 5-7 minutes on one breast and then starts crying, arching his back, etc. Seems to be spitting up a bit more than the past few weeks but nothing extraordinary. Gets the hiccups alot! Could this be reflux?

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S.O.

answers from St. Louis on

YES! That sounds exactly what I went through with my second in August. I would see you pediatrician as soon as you can so they can advise you as what they want you to do. They may try having you give Mylanta first before going to a RX. That's what we did and it helped but then he would finish a bottle and scream for 10 minutes afterwards. The hiccups and fussiness are red flags...the spitting not so much. I hope you both get relief soon. You may also look at what you are taking in and see if there could be a sign there. Dairy products could be bothering him too.

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M.M.

answers from Kansas City on

It sounds like everyone thinks it is reflux, but I have another option for you to consider. Try typing "hyperlactation" into Google and see if those symptoms describe some of the trouble your son is having. It would be a shame to put him on medication if his trouble just involves the abundance of your milk.

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H.S.

answers from St. Louis on

you did not mention if you are breastfeeding or formula feeding. it sounds like it could be an irritant with his food. with breast feeding it could be what you are eating that is causing the fussiness. with formula feeding it could be an allergy to the milk proteins or gluten. i would talk to your pediatrician about this and figure out a course of action. ps....it's not acid refluc. my 2 week old has a lot of hiccups too.

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C.C.

answers from St. Louis on

Like the others said, watch what you eat. It's amazing how it can affect babies! When my(now 22 year old) daughter was a baby, if I drank one glass of orange juice, the acid would give her a horrible diaper rash. So you have to really be careful. But it sounds like it could be colic. I had a colicky baby and my daughter (28) has had 2. They would arch their backs like they had horrible gas pains that they can't pass. My daughter used the Mylicon (sp) drops that you can get over the counter. It would help for a few minutes at a time. My daughter came home from the hospital screaming. But most that I've heard of, started 2 weeks or so later. Talk to your doctor. My grandson got Zantac drops for his reflux and it made all the difference in the world. Your doctor could also give you tips on colic, or maybe drops for it.

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R.W.

answers from Springfield on

My newest granddaughter, now 2 1/2 months old, had the same problem. There can be many reasons... your diet can be one of them.

Do a google search. I just did and there were so many helpful sites that were listed. I put in "hurting fussy nursing baby"

Try it. I hope you find some relief soon, and the dear baby too!

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L.B.

answers from Kansas City on

i had this problem w/my breastfed baby. try eliminating dairy products from your diet- this is what by ob/gyn suggested and the mosdt common issue and it worked

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B.A.

answers from Kansas City on

One of my twins did this also. At first we thought it was colic, but after talking to other moms, I called my doctor. He was reluctant to put him on anything, but finally prescribed Zantac for him. It made him a different baby! I believe he was on the Zantac until he was around 6 months old. He's 2 now and eats everything...pizza, spaghetti, you name it. I know it's frustrating, but definitely call your doctor. It's so hard to listen to your baby cry and not be able to do anything to soothe him. Good luck!

M.B.

answers from St. Louis on

It does sound like it could be reflux. Another thing, my son also went through almost 2 months of agony before I figured out myself he was lactose intolerant when I switched him to a lactose free formula! He was 100% happier within 24hrs of switching. The doctors didnt know either, in my own desperation I went out and bought him that formula, we tried it and never looked back! Since you are breastfeeding, you can buy dairy products at the grocery store that is lactose free. Maybe give it a try? But I would consult the doctor about any of other problems your babe could be having. Good luck, Congrats on baby!

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B.S.

answers from Kansas City on

My youngest is a severe refluxer; it got to the point she wasn't gaining weight because she couldn't/wouldn't eat. The first doctors we went to were complete and total morons. But that's neither here nor there.

To trial if it is reflux you can give 1/2 tsp. of Cherry Supreme Mylanta (ONLY this kind and brand/store brand). Give it 30 minutes prior to feeding and see if that helps him nurse better. If it does, you know it's reflux. From there you can ask your Ped for an H2 (temporarily stops acid production in the stomach; weight based medications) such as Axid and Zantac. Axid is prefered, though it's more expensive, because Zantac has a lot of alcohol in the suspension. Keep in mind that these are weight based so if you notice some relief but only for a few weeks, get it adjusted to his weight. If that still doesn't help you can ask for a PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitor) which completely shuts off all acid production in the stomach. They need to be given 45-60 minutes before a meal. It needs this much time to shut off acid production. An example of a PPI would be Prevacid, Nexium, Prilosec, etc. Most small kiddos take the Prevacid Solutabs. They're great and do the trick for 99% of kids. My youngest can't take them because their is lactose in them and she's violently allergic to milk. (She's on a whopping dose of Nexium; 30mg daily.) Finding a Ped that will openly listen is giong to be the biggest battle. Many Peds shrug it off as "colic"...which there is no such thing. (Not only do I think that but Ellie's Ped, Ped GI, and Ped Allergist.) Oh man, I forgot the most important part! An H2 will work within 2-3 days, if not sooner. A PPI needs a FULL two weeks to kick in. Don't lose hope if you get a PPI and don't notice a difference right away. It will work just give it the required time. Also, if possible, try not to get a suspension medication (a liquid). They have a shelf life of 2 weeks and then the binders in the medication start to dissolve and the medication becomes unstable. By unstable I mean, it's still safe to give, it just won't be as effective as a fresh bottle.

Good luck! PM me if you have any more questions. As you can see, I feel pretty confident in this. ;)

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D.H.

answers from Wichita on

Although I do agree with the other Mom's that this may be acid reflux, I would first consider what you are eating. When my daughter was a baby 25 years ago, I had to be careful what I ate, or she would have some of the reactions you are talking about. Alot of soda, caffine, spicy, anything that might give you gas or reflux will give to you baby, only more concentrated. Try keeping a diary of what you are eating.

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M.A.

answers from St. Louis on

Dear N.,

I haven't read the other responses, so this may be a repeat. I would let the doctor know what is going on, and if s/he feels it necessary, s/he will have tests run.

When one of my grandsons was about 8 months old, he would drink about 6 oz of formula, and within minutes it would be thrown up across the room. He was losing weight fast. The doctor ordered an upper GI, which they had to make him drink that chalky stuff. Don't know what happened, but after that chalky mess, he started eating good, and keeping most of it down. He still has stomach pains and he is 11 years old.

I have acid reflux, and it is not fun. If your son were older, I would suggest ginger root capsules, we get them at WalMart, and my grandson takes them when he's here. They help with acid reflux, and also help to settle a stomach when sick. But at hs age, talk to the doctor.

I have an e-book that I'd love to give to anyone who is interested. It's called "Made With Love Baby Food". Lots of recipes for all kinds of baby food, and it will save you money, not having to buy boxes of cereal and jars of food. Just email me at ____@____.com with the subject of "baby food e-book". It was free to me, and it's free to anyone who wants it.

Jan

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D.C.

answers from Kansas City on

Both of my kids (5 1/2 yrs & 2 yrs now) had acid reflux. My first born had it the worse. For both of them I had to stop eating certain vegies & milk. My son (the oldest) started Zantac when he was about 1 month old and there was immediate relief (just make sure that they flavor it somehow). My daughter also started Zantac when she was around 1 month old, but even though she got immediate relief from the acid reflux, she developed an allergic reaction to the Zantac (hyper-sensitivity) and would scream night & day. As soon as we cut her dose in 1/2 she got much better. We couldn't take her completely off the Zantac because the acid reflux would get worse. Both of my kids outgrew it before they were 1 yr old.

I never tried a chiropractor for them, but I had friends who did and they got results.

Good luck, I hope you find relief soon. One thing my Ped. told me, "you want to get this under control as soon as possible, or you kids will associate food with pain. And that's not good."

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C.G.

answers from Columbia on

You may want to try a chiropractor. I know that sounds weird, but my chiropractor told me about a 5 day old baby that was having reflux so severely that they were about to perform surgery in a few days. The baby was gently adjusted a few times first and the reflux totally disappeared, and no need for the surgery. They can make it affordable. just an idea.

best wishes!

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T.J.

answers from St. Louis on

Try making a diary of what you are eating at each meal. It could be that he has a low tolerance for something that you really enjoy eating.
I started a journal and found in 2 days there were a few thing she had problems with. My daughter could not tolerate broccoli in my diet. My doctor told me a bland diet is always better for you and the baby. I hope this helps.

A little About me:
I am a mother of two; a 17 year old girl and a 8 year old boy.

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B.C.

answers from Joplin on

sounds like just a bit of gassy stomach, try milacon drops they worked well with all 3 of mine, and I nursed them as well, did you eat something different? There were certain foods that became no nos for me while I was nursing early on, not so much as they got older.He may also need to just be burped a little...and make sure he is latching on well = )
Lots of luck
B.

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S.C.

answers from Kansas City on

Take him to see a chiropractor:o) They can do wonders for him! There are a lot of babies suffering out there when they don't need to be. Both of my kids experienced that but not for long b/c my chiroptactor nipped it in the bud. I don't ever have to worry about what I feed my kids b/c he deals with all of that. Dr. Clarke can test you and your baby for problems with foods. Your baby won't even notice he is doing it. Extremely non evasive. My kids love the process and think it's a big treat! :o)

You can also try colostrum. Your milk starts off as colostrum but some times, babies need more than what they originally got. You can buy it at any health food store and either put it in a bottle or take it yourself if he refuses the bottle.

If you need a good chiropractor, let me know. My 2nd son has been seeing him since he was 3 days old. Such a huge difference in our lives! I wish I had found him when my first was a baby!

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D.N.

answers from Kansas City on

I totally understand what you're going through. Had the same problem with my daughter who is now 32. What are you eating? That has a lot to do with it. Have you been eating anything that you have not eaten since he was born? also, don't be tense while you're feeding him or holding him. He can sense that. Good Luck!

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E.V.

answers from Kansas City on

Thats the same stuff thst my son was doing when he was about your sons age. Took him to the dr and he said it was acid reflex, he gave us a pill to put into his bottle everyday and it did seem to help a bit. So I would def let his dr know! Good luck.

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P.K.

answers from St. Louis on

It sounds like it could be reflux. I'm not sure if the hiccups have anything to do with that, though. But my son had reflux and we ended up having to put him on meds and special formula. Until those two kicked in, it wasn't a fun ordeal at all. Another thought...are you sure he's getting enough milk from your breast? I was only able to breast feed for 6 weeks, and even then had to supplement with formula, as my son wasn't getting enough. And both with the breast and bottle, if he had trouble getting enough milk to come out, or out as fast as he wanted it to, he would do the same thing (crying, arching back, etc.). Hope that helps. Good luck!

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E.S.

answers from Orlando on

I know you've already had many responses, but I had to chime in. My son (now 4) had this, and again, he had been a great feeder, no problems, until he was around 6 weeks old. Then he would latch on perfectly, get a couple of swallows, then start to arch his back and pull (but without letting go--OUCH!!!!). I thought maybe thrush (had a brother with it, so I knew about it), and the doc wasn't at all helpful. I called for a lactation consultant, and she said it looked & sounded just like reflux. Stuart went on meds (don't remember which one), which he had to take in applesauce, so he started solids early, at least a couple of bites a day. As he grew, we had to increase the dosage several times, but by 6 months or so, it was all over. I hope this doesn't happen with this baby! It was an ordeal, but it's treatable--unfortunately, the latest medical advice is not to medicate, so if your doc believes that malarky, PUSH! You don't want your baby to have pain with eating--that's supposed to be a wonderful quiet time with the two of you! Good luck.

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L.B.

answers from Kansas City on

Hey N.! My son was diagnosed with reflux and you are describing quite a few of the sypmtoms he had with the exception of the actual nursing.

Described what he was doing to his pediatrician and they put him on a prescription of Axid; took a short while to get the dosage adjusted. Jack did much better after that and now, at 10 months old has outgrown the reflux!

In the meantime, try keeping is head elevated at least 45 minutes after he eats; Jack spent a lot of time in the bouncy seat and the swing after eating. Also, try placing a folded towel under the head of his bed. Jack was in a bassinet still, so it was pretty easy. Poor baby...I hope you guys find something that works for him soon!!

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