Life’s tough as a baby. It begins when they get evicted out of their warm & cozy home after being there for 9 months. Babies have to deal with diaper changes, baths, and people they’ve never seen before. In the beginning the only way babies can communicate is by crying and for parents it can be hard to figure out what’s wrong. Babies have it rough if you think about it.
Babies who have reflux have a whole set of issues they have to deal with in addition to everyday normal “baby” stuff. Reflux, or GER/GERD, gets confused with colic a lot because the symptoms are similar. Babies with reflux cry uncontrollably for hours, just like colic. The difference? Reflux babies don’t have the occasional spit up. Their spit up is a mix between vomit & stomach acid. Colicky babies typically cry around the same time every day. They say it’s more of an issue with gas. That’s why there are bottles specifically developed for colicky babies to reduce gas bubbles. Reflux babies have issues with spitting up acid & vomit after meals. You may even have a reflux baby who’s reflux peaks at a certain time of the day.
I have a reflux baby, and I can tell you that it IS doable.
Leo has had reflux since he was a few weeks old. His situation is a little different from reflux babies. He has an “extreme” form of reflux. Unfortunately Leo did not get diagnosed with reflux until he was 2 months old. Until we could get in with his pediatrician we were told by doctors that he simply had colic & nothing could be done. Leo was up 23 hours a day crying, puking, and screaming. It was absolutely miserable. We went through 3 different formula changes and two medicines before life began to feel “normal” with Leo. At six months old his reflux medicine stopped working which landed us an emergency trip to a children’s hospital. His throat was so swollen they thought there was an obstruction. It turns out his throat was irritated from all of the acid. We’re currently on medicine #3 and have been for two months. Unfortunately he’s starting to show signs of the medicine not working any longer. He is having nights where he’s vomiting 3 or 4 times a night. Leo’s pediatrician will be referring him to a GI specialist. We will have an appointment scheduled we can cancel if we find that his currently trouble is only a phase. The last thing I want is for us to go back to the hospital like I wrote about in Life Flight. There may be an end in sight eventually. I’ve already been prepared by my pediatrician that Leo’s reflux may last until he’s around a year old. His reflux is caused by his digestive system being immature.
When I try to explain the things I have to do with Leo a little bit differently some of my friends & family don’t understand. My son has been drinking juice since he was 2 months old. His medication constipates him and my pediatrician recommended juice rather than Karo syrup. You don’t want to know how many times I’ve been told I’m ruining my child by given him juice at “such a young age.” It was only 2 ounces of juice at most in a day. In the beginning it was watered down apple juice. At six months old we switch to watered down cherry juice. Another thing we have had to do which results in eye brow raises is when we started purees. He has been eating solids since he was 4 months old. My pediatrician recommended starting solids to help reduce reflux. He’s been eating solids successfully since then. His favorite solids is peas & carrots. The final thing we do differently is how Leo sleeps. A reflux baby is suppose to sleep at an angle and on his back. Not my reflux baby. Ever since he was born he refuses to sleep on his back. Leo is a tummy sleeper. It isn’t as simple to change how he sleeps. We have tried countless times getting him to sleep on his side or back. It won’t happen, and I don’t think it will happen for awhile. Leo takes after his mommy. I didn’t start sleeping on my back until I was 7 years old. Is there a saying that goes “Like mother like son?”
Living with reflux baby is definitely a different experience. There have been days where I have had to make multiple shirt changes and we have a strict feeding schedule Leo follows because of when he needs to take his medication. In the beginning I thought we would never experience “normal” but in a way we have created our new normal. Leo’s happy, I’m happy, and most importantly my son’s reflux is at bay for now. Give me all of the eye brow raises, questions, and what ever else anyone can throw at me. Reflux is a different type of life for a baby, and that is alright.
About Desiree Morris
Thank you for sharing this information my great nephew has this and he is only 2 months old. I shared your experience to my niece. Leo is so cute!
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Leo is beautiful! …and he has a wonderful Mommy!
Bless you both! You both are in my prayers and I wish you the best!
Thank you for sharing your story.
You are “living life differently” is all. I know you and Leo will pull through, hang in there mama!
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My daughter had reflux for about two weeks before I figured out it was the formula she was using (I was told it was colic too, but I kept digging). We put her on a more sensitive formula and it cleared up for her. I don’t think I could handle a reflux baby for a long period of time – I do not do well with vomit and other bodily fluids. The two weeks she had it was bad enough!
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I know exactly what you and your family are going through. My son was diagnosed with reflux when he was four days old. When he was born he looked as healthy as can be, ate well, did’nt hardly cry, but after his first day of life he began to change color to blue and would stop breathing for 15 seconds or more. The hospital he was born at did’nt have the means to treat a baby with extreme reflux so he was transfered to the states capitol NICU 2 unit where very sick babies all over the area are sent. Nathan, my baby, had several tests done, wires and claps in his head and little chest, and what made it the hardset was this was on Christmas eve. He was born December 20, 2010 and was suppose to be home for his first Christmas, but instead we had to spend it in the NICU 2 praying and fighting for his life. The doctors had no clue what was causing him to stop breathing and was trying every test they could think of. And if your a mom of a reflux newborn you know the NICU rule that the baby has to go 7 days without a atack and to be at least 4 pounds to get to go home. My baby was the only one that was a full term baby in the unit, but the only baby who could’nt make it 2 days without having a episode and spitting up three times in one hour. But long story stort, after 2 weeks in the NICU 2, several tests, and spending his first Christmas in the hospital, he was diagnosed with reflux & sleep apnea. He had to come home on a apnea monitor and medications for his relux but besides his borth that was the happiest day of my life. Finally getting to see my baby coming home. But I know how hard it is and you are exactly right, babies with reflux have it so hard and no mother who has’nt had to deal with reflux or sleep apnea knows how hard, frustrating, and difficult it is to go through it.
My oldest had this..no fun!
My two daughters have/had reflux. Older one had more severe silent reflux and younger one (3 months) has it now. I did everything you just described in your post. By 4 months the crying all day stopped but the constipation started. Juices didn’t really work for us to alleviate constipation. What really helped was using Murilax in her bottles everyday. It helped her gut retain some of the water so her stools wouldn’t be so hard. You might want to give it a try if your not wanting to continue with the juice.
Hats off to you for being a great Mom and helping your Baby!