Holly~

Where are you located by the way...I know your probably not out west where I am...seems no one ever is on any of these forums!  I was just curious!

Holly you're on the right track with wanting answers and the more you questions things and trust your gut if something just doesn't seem right to you it probably isn't.   

I have to laugh because I just was reading the thread on 'relationships'...after 2.5 years of 24/7 constantly trying to be one step ahead of Gunnar and him being sick with yet another ear/sinus infection or needing his Prevacid dose to be upped....I honestly can't believe we HAVE survived! ha!  I also look back and can't believe I went back to work full time when he was 10 weeks old and how on earth I still have a job!  I must say I lost it a few times at work and I work with 5 men (architects) and I think my boss wanted to crawl into a hole thinking he had really hurt my feelings one day and really I was just having a total melt down! But you WILL get through ALL of this!

Now days I have to remind myself, Gunnar is fine, the worst is over and I need to relax and start focusing back on myself and my marriage!  My husband used to tell people that we had "hall-sex" you know choice words to eachother while passing eachother in the house after being up for 22 hours and GEE we get to do the same thing again today!  Now we laugh at how we were and I'm so glad we had such a good honest relationship before having a child...I now know how divorce happens even to the best of marriages! 

A final tip for you for today ha!  Try giving Sierra a warm bath on one of those big bath sponges and just let her lay there in the warm water before putting her into her jammies for the night.  My sister in law started doing this with my nephew a month ago (he's 6 months) and he is now sleeping through the night (also a reflux baby!).  It just calms their nerves and Gunnar almost fell asleep one night he was so relaxed!  Worth a try!

Holly~ YEAH!  She pooped! Funny how the little things get you excited in life these days isn't it!  With Sierra sleeping on her left side it is actually allowing her digestive system to have the least amount of pressure on it.  Yes, she may have fluid going up and down but, it will also allow to start digesting easier. 

Gunnar up to age 6 months never 'projectile vomitted' it was always more of an erruption and once we started him on Prevacid (can't remember the high dose he started at sorry!) it took a good 2 months and he rarely errupted anymore.  Now at age 2.5 he doesn't at all but on occation he will silent reflux beut he has not been taking Prevacid for 3 weeks (except for 2 nights he said his tummy hurt).

Holly when Gunnar was 4 months old I hated taking Gunnar anywhere because he would scream riding in the car and I would be miserable!  I had a hard time with not 'getting out' it was a clausterphobic feeling for a while for me!  Family didn't understand why I didn't want to drive to their house 30 miles away...it wasn't worth it!!  Now once Gunnar was 20lbs. at 11 months we switched his carseat facing forward and it made all the difference in the world!!

You mentioned the damaged vocal cords and raspy/hoarse voice, Gunnar did as well.  This was from the cronic coughing and once again the cronic cough at night is our key to knowing if he is refluxing again or if he's had a bit of a cold he and starts the same cough he has had a sinus infection start again.  I guess what we have really learned through all of this is being VERY aware of key signs of his health.

I mentioned to Gunnar's doctor last month about how I feel so guilty as a mom for giving Tylenol so often to Gunnar to calm him down or benedryl (only on occation after 2-3 hour screaming fits) and she assured me I am not a horrible mom for doing that!  She also has a reflux baby so she has first hand experience!  She said actually the Tylenol helped keep the inflamation down and ease the pain in his esophogus.  But once again the Prevacid did and does help repair what the acid is/has done to them.  The one thing I worried most about is the thin lining on the esophogus that once it is damaged can lead to asthma, allergies later on because it protects us from allergens.

Oh and yes, we kept Gunnar as calm through the day as possible but in the week he was at daycare, which that could be a challenge for them on occation, they always put him to sleep in his crib first before all the other babies.  And at home once he was rocked (standing up that is in our arms) to sleep we would put him in his crib.  At night soft music with light turned low was very calming as well.

I know this is alot of info!  Hope this is more helpful hints though!

Holly ~

Oh how I just remember these days like it was yesterday! And you sure can email me off this site @ kirsten@hatchmueller.com that ok to do.  Have you called the doctor?  If so what did they say?  Has Sierra had an upper GI...can't remember if you mentioned what testing she has had done. 

We did not start giving Gunnar any cereal until he was 6 months old to besure his digestive system was a bit more developed.  We did on occation do the rice cereal in the bottle but honestly I don't think it helped much. 

Do you keep her in a carrier often?  I know Gunnar's GI Ped mentioned to us not to leave him in it too much because of the abdominal pressure it can cause, which is also why he hated car rides!  One thing I did resort to on a long exhausting night is I heated up a rice bag that I put on my neck (don't know why I get tension there! ha!) and I layed it across his tummy and that warmth did work a bit, also try a warm bath and keep re-warming a wash cloth over her tummy.  Gunnar used to love that...very traquilizing!