Could it be reflux?

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I’m new to this forum and thankfully I found it because maybe I can get some answers!

I have an almost 7-week old baby girl who was a happy bubbly (and pretty advanced) baby up until about 2 weeks ago when she started to become pretty fussy all day long. It was even worse at feeding time. She is EBF aside from a bottle or two of my EBM, which she hasn’t had in about 2 weeks. That’s part of the problem in diagnosing the situation.

There are so many factors contributing to the problem that I’m not sure what to do, let alone what to do first. There’s the breastfeeding problems – we have latch issues, but have been fighting through them. I produce tons of milk, so I may have an OS issue, and maybe even OALD (though I have yet to see squirting/spraying milk), but LO does choke and sputter through nursing sometimes. She also gulps and squawks through the feeding for the most part. And more than half the time, she seems like she’s in pain, with clenched fists, arched back, whining/crying, etc. Those symptoms led me to my theory on Reflux, so I took her to our doctor, who is on maternity leave, so I had to see someone else in the office. He didn’t think it was Refulx for one main reason – she is gaining weight like a champ. 2lbs in the last 2 weeks for that matter. At 6wks she was 11lbs. She also started spitting up a LITTLE over the past 2 weeks (more so than before), but mostly it would be at every burp – which is another thing – her gas stopped “coming out”. She used to burp and fart all day long, but about this time too, I noticed a decline in that, and then her belly started getting distended and the doctor diagnosed her with “excessive gas” and basically said I had to wait it out, could try some Mylecon or other gas drops, and to try and burp her more. I have been doing that and have also been giving her Babys Bliss Gripe Water, and have seen a SLIGHT decrease in fussyness. But she still has her moments, and the nursing part of it is what concerns me still. (Not to mention HURTS because she thrashes with my nipple in her mouth.)

Does this sound like it could be Reflux? Maybe silent reflux? Should I “go over the helmet” so to speak of my Doctor? I think he would just kind of say I was crazy if I came back again to him with it. She has a 2mo checkup coming next week so I figured I’d wait til then. But it KILLS me to see her in pain like that.

I also bought some Original Fast Acting Mylanta (adult strenght) on the reccomendation of my sisterin-law but am not sure what dose or what to follow to try.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hi & Welcome!

I can’t help in the BF dept., but I’m sure other BFing mommies will! I do want to say that I think you’re on the right track. It DEF sounds like reflux to me, silent more than likely. My DD has been gaining beautifully also BUT she HAS reflux, lately silent. Your Doc obviously isn’t too educated on the subject as most aren’t for some reason. I would look into seeing a diff. doc and get your DD started on a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) drug ASAP. It can take up to 2 weeks for it to take in effect. So, the sooner the better. Also, you can give mylanta…BUT…It has to be cherry mylanta supreme b/c it doesn’t containin the aluminum that other mylantas do. HTH! Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Thanks Amber. That’s pretty much what I thought too but wanted to hear others’ opinions.

I also forgot to mention that when LO eats a bottle of my BM she doesn’t seem to have these same problems. The doc said that she must be getting more air during BF (which seems true because she thrashes, loses her latch, clicks, is on and off, etc.) which is what he thought to be the cause of the gas. I’m not sure if that’s true or not, but it does indicate that it’s probably not a problem with my diet, as its the same milk she gets from my breast as in the bottle, just how she gets it.

[Anonymous]

Hi there,
I’m breastfeeding though only 50/50 with supplementing.
Here, my daughter starting spit up a bit on 6 week old and starting gagging too.
So we went to the doctor (first doctor, whom I think is the stupidest doctor in the world) her doc said its okay nothing to worry since she’s gaining weight.
Not to mention she was gagging all the long.
So we went home thinking maybe its really okay and normal.
And then she starting to lose interest in feeding and still spit up a bit.
So on her 2 month check up (6 week old , she weight 11.8, and at 2 month she weight 12.15) I mentioned this again, and the doctor said, its okay, its normal for baby gagging and spit up.

My chloe spit up only a bit till now, she could go 2-3 weeks without spit up.
So since the doctor said okay, we thinking, we just ignore it, since every baby does spit up.
So she’s been gagging, refusing feeding etc till she’s about 4 month old.
She suddenly stop drinking, and only take 4oz for 24 hours, so on her 4 month check up, her doctor said its okay for baby to refuse feeding sometimes.
GOSH, I told her that Chloe been doing this for a week now.
So we went to another doctor that diagnosed her with reflux right away, and put her on Zantac.
We saw improvement on Zantac after 2 weeks, then she start drinking again and drinking like a champ!
She spit up, but her face doesn’t taste the spit up like sour taste, she just act like nothing happen.

So I suggest find a different opinion, you don’t want to find it in hardest way, like I did.
Be persistent!
She almost 5 month and weihgt more than 17lbs.

And one more, Chloe never show that she’s in pain, she just stopped drinking.
Everytime she saw breast or bottle, she will cry.

ChloeMommy2008-09-16 11:45:42

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