Infant reflux

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

 

I'm really hoping someone can help us or at least point us to the right

direction.

 

Our 4 months old son has a reflux and we've been fighting it for the last 3.5

months. Here

is a list of what we've done so far:

-The basics: proper positioning, not laying him down flat, smaller and more

frequent

feedings, burping and holding him upright for 30 minutes or more after feedings,

sleeping

upright etc.

-Elim diet. I've spent few weeks on chicken (all organic from the local farm),

rice and

occasional veg. Including eliminating all supplements, vitamins and anything

else I put in

my mouth. Didn't change a tiny thing. I'm off diary and gluten for now, but I

really don't

see it making any difference. He never had a single sign of allergy for

anything, so it's very

highly unlikely that it's my food intake related. No food allergies on either

side of the

family either.

-Colic Calm (surprisingly, it used to work pretty well, but not lately)

-Ayurvedic doctor

-Cranio-Sacral adjustments

-Chiropractic adjustments

-Formula (yeah, I don't believe I let my husband to talk me into it, thinking

that there is

something wrong with the breast milk. I hated it, baby hated it, so finally he

gave up after

couple of nights of hungry screaming)

-Probiotics. I'm taking them and we've been trying to give it to him too.

-Drugs. Yeah, yeah, I know they are probably doing more harm then good, but I

can't take

it my baby being so miserable anymore. He is not a " happy spitter " , it's a

silent reflux and

he is absolutely miserable. He wakes up every 30 minutes in agonizing pain,

arching his

back, kicking his legs etc. You can hear acid coming up his throat and him going

nuts as

soon as that happens. So I figured we would give it a try. So far we've tried

Zantac for

about 10 days (didn't work at all), Prilosec (too bitter, he kept spitting it

out) and now we

are on Prevacid for the last 2 days. I hate, hate, hate the idea of using drugs,

but I just

don't see what else I can do. Am I missing something? Is there anything else we

should be

doing?

 

I'm reluctant to try rice cereal, but they say it helps. Can't be worse than

giving drugs can

it?

 

My GE flap valve doesn't close completely (I can never remember what's the

condition is

called), so there is a good chance that he has the same thing. My mom said it

never

bothered me when I was a baby. The only time I had problems with hearburn is

when I try

to lay down after a huge meal. But I'm sure I'm not the only one

 

Little bit more info. Our baby was home born, of course without drugs. Delivery

wasn't

that long (as someone suggested earlier that might be a problem), about 10

hours. He is

not vaxed. I don't have leaky gut. I eat healthy diet - good fats, all whole

foods, nothing

processed, no sugars, no diary, no gluten. We all get plenty of sunshine and

fresh air.

 

I'm pretty sure once he gets older it would go away, but he is so miserable

right now, I'm

tearing my hair out seeing him screaming in pain. The only thing that sometimes

helps is

me carrying him around upright and that's what I've been doing for hours at a

time. He is

a big baby and my back is killing me. Sling makes it worse and he doesn't like

other

carriers.

 

Any other ideas/suggestions?

 

Thanks,

Elena

[Guest guest]

Elena, I don't know if this might help him, but I don't think it could

hurt. Try giving him Apple Cider Vinegar. It works for adults, and I

don't think it would harm a baby.

 

I learned about using ACV, last year, when I thought I had real bad

reflux. You can read more about it on Earthclinic.com. There are tons

of testimonials from people for whom it has worked, like me.

 

The very first time I drank it, my heartburn went away. It was faster

than Rolaids!

 

You put 2 tblsps in 8 oz of water, and add 1/4 tsp of baking soda to

make it more alkaline, like our bodies. I think it helps make it taste

better, too. The best kind to get is the organic kind made by

Bragg's. It has the " mother " in it, which I think is a type

of " culture, " like what they make yogurt from.

 

Now, ACV doesn't taste so great, so I just " grin and bear it. " But

I've read about people who've put it in grape juice, which makes it

taste like a wine. I tried it once, and it did help the taste, some.

 

Now, I'm not sure if that strong of a dose would be good for a baby.

Maybe half of that might be better.

 

Do some research on Apple Cider Vinegar. It's good stuff. It

increases the acid made in the stomach, because, contrary to the

commercials for Prilosec (which did nothing for me)and such, the

problem is not too much acid, it's not enough.

 

Another idea you might consider trying is raw milk. Now, please don't

be alarmed by all the " negative press " you've probably heard. Raw milk

is extremely healthy for us, and is not dangerous at all when it comes

from grass-fed, healthy cows. It contains live, beneficial bacteria

that helps our systems, not harms. Pasteurized milk has all of the

beneficial bacteria " cooked " out of it. And homogenization crushes the

milkfat so it is easily absorbed through the intestinal wall, which

it's not supposed to be. I don't recall what I read about why that's

bad for us. I read so much about so many things, it's difficult to

remember all of it.

 

You can also do some research on coconut oil. Yes, it is a saturated

fat, but it is not the " demon " the margarine industry has led us to

believe. It is extremely healthy for us. Virgin coconut oil has

medium chain fatty acids and lauric acid in it, which is what's in

breast milk. It's important for your baby to get the lauric acid.

 

Bruce Fife wrote the best book on coconut oil, " The Coconut Oil

Miracle. " And, of course, there's a , the " coconut oil open

forum. "

 

Now, if your baby has a leaky valve, like you said you have or had,

then that's a whole different story.

 

I feel for you. I'm not a mother, but I helped raise my brother's

kids, and a constantly crying baby would drive anyone nuts. I would

definitely want to do anything I could to try to resolve the problem.

 

I hope some of my suggestions will be able to help you. Or if someone

else knows something, hopefully they will see your posting and reply.

 

My heart goes out to you. Hopefully, you'll be able to find an answer

soon.

 

Cryss

 

 

, " Elena "

<elena.forums wrote:

>

> Dear all,

>

> I'm really hoping someone can help us or at least point us to the

right direction.

>

> Our 4 months old son has a reflux and we've been fighting it for the

last 3.5 months. Here

> is a list of what we've done so far:

> -The basics: proper positioning, not laying him down flat, smaller

and more frequent

> feedings, burping and holding him upright for 30 minutes or more

after feedings, sleeping >>>>>>>>>

[Guest guest]

Both of my kids and myself were born with esophagusitis (sp) .what worked

was tilting the bed and making sure the baby stayed that way all the time.

You mentioned your diet right?

 

 

 

Is your baby just nursing? If not go back to that - these babies since

their esophagus are un-developed and don't close allow the food and bile

from their tummies to stay down have horrible reflux.

 

 

 

If you are giving any food - even solid they will have a harder time - if

you are not nursing - go back to the most easily digestible formula out

there - the mildest.

 

 

 

Once my son was 6 mo. Old we started rice cereal but only in the morning so

nothing hard on him when laid down for the night. Then we gave him

eventually breakfast at night and dinner in the morning so that the mildest

food was at night so when he went to bed it was easy and quick to digest.

 

 

 

Today there a lot of homeopathic remedies that might help maybe some

digestive aids like amino acids if possible for a baby

 

 

 

Good luck , most of them heal by a year old.

 

SeaLady

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

The best thing is mother's milk. The rest is really digestive immaturity. My 5th

child had GERD as well. It was awful. Twenty-two hours a day of screaming due to

hunger; nursing; pain from fullness; projectile vomiting; then back to screaming

from hunger. There isn't a lot you can do short of horrible medications like

Zantac and Reglan which are TERRIBLE for adults nevermind babies! I would not

recommend many of the " adult " remedies such as apple cider vinegar. Even giving

a young child of 3, 4 or 5 apple cider vinegar to drink can be bad, much less a

4month old.

 

Some say rice cereal helps. And 4 months with GERD may call for it. I gave mine

rice cereal at 7months at which point the GERD slowed down and the screaming

ceased.

 

Michelle