Reflux - any advise?

[AuntBug]

My LO is 7 weeks old and has been home from the NICU for about 3 weeks. Since she's been home, she's developed terrible reflux. She won't sleep unless she's being held or laying on me, and dh is back to work so I'm totally exhausted. I'm running on 2 or 3 hours sleep a day.

I couldn't breastfeed, so she's on enfacare high cal formula. The doc also prescribed her nizatidine, which hasn't helped so far but it's only been since Monday. She looks so miserable, gagging, screeching and swallowing that stuff down. Her breath always smells like puke now and I just can't make her feel any better

Any advice from those who have delt with this? Dh and I haven't slept in the same room since we brought her home, it's taking it's toll on both of our morale - we are just beaten down already. I'm so thankful to have her home, but I need to figure something out before I go back to work next month.

 

[toothfairyx]

Reflux is awful and this sounds particularly bad so I really feel for you.
Is the formula you are using thickened or do you have gaviscon to add to it?

 

[AP]

Have you tried carobel?

 

[PleaseBaby]

Wetried everything for Amelia and nothing worked. She wasnt puting on weight at all so the consulatat advised us to wean early and shes been like a different baby ever since. I think the domperidone worked best for the actual sickiness and the ranitidine stopped the pain a little bit, well she stopped grunting as much anyway. Gaviscon made no difference to her.

Hope you find something that works for you, I know its miserable. The only place Amelia would sleep was on me or in her car seat and we couldnt leave her in there while I had a nap because of her apnoea. x

 

[kimbotrav]

hi my lil boy is 8 weeks old aborn july 24th a day before ure lil one and he has terrible reflux 2 just the same as ure lil on its horrible isnt it nothing u can do other than what ure doing have u elevated her cot/mosesbasket/crib we have to for our lil boy that helps and hes on domperidone and rantitine 3 times a day which does help but it needs uping when weight increses...how much does she weigh?? my lil one was 3pound14 when born and now is 6pound14 xxxxx

 

[AuntBug]

We've just started thickening her formula with rice cereal, doesn't seem to help. My doc told me to try elevating with a towel under the sheet first, but it's lumpy and she rolls so I'm going to get a proper wedge tomorrow. Also, my angel care sensor doesn't work right with her on the towel. I'm just so tired I don't know what to do. I can manage for now, but I have no idea how I'll go back to work in 4 weeks.

Kimbotrav - she was 2 lb 8 oz at birth and she's 5 lb 5 oz now. She's gaining really well, so the docs aren't too concerned. They took me seriously and gave her meds, along with a sympathetic look and the she'll grow out of it line

 

[toothfairyx]

We had loads of improvement when we went on to Enfamil AR formula which you can just buy from the pharmacist. But you do have to watch out for constipation which can set the cycle off again.