Help! Reflux? Gas? Constipation?

[Samantha_S]

Hello All,

I am a new Mom. My DD is 3 week old today. Her first two weeks home weren't bad... she was great sleeper... napped during the day slept through the night. Things started to go south the end of last week to now... I started to notice her spit-up a lot, sometimes it looked like her entire feeding (although I know it looks like more than it actually is)... after she would spit up she would become very fussy, arch her back, kick out her legs... I couldn't tell if it was gas or reflux. We had her check up yesterday... all looks good, except her issue with feeding. I explained this to the doctor. (She is FF) Dr. Suggested trying soy formula, AR (Added rice) formula, or gentle ease (partially digested protein). We decided to start with Gentle ease because it was most similar to what we were using (Enfamil newborn). We switched last night... and today especially has been a nightmare. I don't know if things could really go south this fast, within a day, or if something else is the cause. She slept through the night last night except for a feeding mid way. Probably a total of 7- 8 hours. She has been up since 6:30 this morning, has not napped all day (it's now 9:06). She would eat, get fussy, try to sleep only to wake up hungry to eat again (would get maybe a 5-10 min cat nap between). Now she is screaming her head off, flailing arms and legs, swallowing something down (don't know what). I am so confused.. I don't know what to do. Doc said change in formula could take 4-5 days but so far what I am seeing, I'd rather go back to original formula and deal with spit up. I should mention she has not had a BM at all today. Do I change formula again? I opted against soy due to reviews regarding the estrogen in it? Not sure if it's true or not. I decided against AR because I read it only constipates them further. Gentle ease is supposed to help with gas... I don't see an improvement, if anything... maybe worse. Does anyone have any insight at all? Sorry for the novel... I need advise, stat!

I tried to get her to sleep all day and nothing... Rocking her and carrying her would sooth her for a time, until she lost her nuke... back to crying.

Thoughts?

TIA

 

[angelwings7]

It sounds like reflux. My first had it and he would scream most of the day it was awful. We went to the doctor and he put him on Losec which really helped. We also tried a few different formulas until we found one that worked.

 

[hopeb11]

that definitely sounds like reflux! our dr gave us the basic rundown, sit baby as upright as possible during feedings and burp more often, after every 1-2 ounces. and keep baby upright for at least 30 minutes after each feeding. your baby is quite young, but our dr also said we could try thickening formula with rice cereal which is an alternative to medicine. and said that if that didn't help then we would resort to zantac to some other form of an acid reducer. we were also on enfamil gentle ease which seemed to help for about a week, but then reflux symptoms started again but also we figured out our baby has a milk protein allergy and switched to nutramigen, which that or a soy based may be your best bet since they seem to be less acidic.

 

[BabyCleo]

That's reflux. Poor little thing

I don't know if Gripe Water is good for reflux, but for gas/hiccups it works amazing. You can buy the non-alcohol version. (Back in the day a there was an ingredient with a small content on alcohol) my mum told me to use it if my LO got gas pains.

Ask your doctor about it, im not sure if you can use it on reflux.

Good luck! xo

 

[Starlight34]

I'm going through this right now with my DS, who is just over 1 month old.
Another piece of advice not mentioned here, which we got from our doctor, was to elevate the head of baby's bed. We did this by putting a blanket underneath the bassinet mattress, just so DS's head is slightly higher when sleeping. I think it has helped him with some of the reflux, especially when he's trying to sleep.