Reflux, I'm struggling

[nic1231]

Anybody dealing with reflux in their babies? Both twins have it and tonight it's horrible. He's screaming, nothing is helping. We tried the rice cereal to help thicken and that ended up being launched back up. I'm struggling to deal with his crying... I'm at the verge of tears myself.

[nerdykitten]

Can I ask what your pediatrician has recommended? Two of the three triplets had reflux and Damian just weaned off the meds last month.

[jd]

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this . My daughter had terrible reflux for the first few months. The cereal made her constipated and Zantac didn't help either. What worked for us really, really well was Prevacid. I know it sucks to have to use prescription meds on a young baby, but it was affecting her growth and she was miserable. She became much healthier and happier when the medicine began to work.

[nic1231]

Apr 3, 2017 20:41:18 GMT -5 nerdykitten said:

Can I ask what your pediatrician has recommended? Two of the three triplets had reflux and Damian just weaned off the meds last month.

Both are on Zantac (he started last week, her today). They suggested smaller feedings, more frequent burping, elevate one end of the crib and last resort the river cereal.

Easton is battling the silent reflux with an occasional spit up and Charlotte is struggling during feedings as well as spitting up a ton

[nic1231]

Apr 3, 2017 20:41:36 GMT -5 jd said:

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this . My daughter had terrible reflux for the first few months. The cereal made her constipated and Zantac didn't help either. What worked for us really, really well was Prevacid. I know it sucks to have to use prescription meds on a young baby, but it was affecting her growth and she was miserable. She became much healthier and happier when the medicine began to work.

I think we may have to go back in sooner and try something else. He's having a hell of a time, doesn't seem to be doing much.

[nerdykitten]

We had to routinely hold the babies upright for 20 to 30 minutes after feeding. If they don't show improvement on the Zantac by a week and a half I would be asking for Prevacid. However I will also say my kids had worse reactions with specific kinds of formula or after I ate specific kinds of food which once that was figured out helped a ton with the spitup and screamcrying.

[jd]

Apr 3, 2017 20:54:50 GMT -5 nic1231 said:

Apr 3, 2017 20:41:18 GMT -5 nerdykitten said:

Can I ask what your pediatrician has recommended? Two of the three triplets had reflux and Damian just weaned off the meds last month.

Both are on Zantac (he started last week, her today). They suggested smaller feedings, more frequent burping, elevate one end of the crib and last resort the river cereal.

Easton is battling the silent reflux with an occasional spit up and Charlotte is struggling during feedings as well as spitting up a ton

Our doctor kept telling us to burp after every ounce, keep her sitting upright for half an hour, etc. and it drove me insane. It's nearly impossible to do those things when you have another baby in the picture, so I really feel for you.

[piccyami]

Apr 3, 2017 21:00:20 GMT -5 nerdykitten said:

We had to routinely hold the babies upright for 20 to 30 minutes after feeding. If they don't show improvement on the Zantac by a week and a half I would be asking for Prevacid. However I will also say my kids had worse reactions with specific kinds of formula or after I ate specific kinds of food which once that was figured out helped a ton with the spitup and screamcrying.

This was us, minus the need for prevacid. W in particular was bad about spitting up  and/or screaming on certain formulas. Once we found the one, it made our lives so much easier.  Starting solids has also really helped with the volume coming back up. He's also on Zantac.

[nerdykitten]

Mine never had to go on the Prevacid either, but there are a few that did in my birth month group cause the Zantac just didn't touch the reflux.

I will also say that even if they were fine with a formula in the past that can change. Mine were on Enfamil in the NICU, but by their 2 month visit we had to move to Neosure to help ease the symptoms.

[nic1231]

Thanks everyone, Ill have to touch base with the doctor. Today isn't much better and Charlotte just projectiled her latest feeding

[schmella]

Ugh I'm so sorry, both of mine had terrible reflux from the start. Just to add to other's suggestions, some doctors are more conservative in their dosing, so I'd definitely call to tell them this hasn't touched it- they might be able to up the dose of the Zantac. Oh! And timing can sometimes help- we had to do meds 3x a day at the worst of it. Now we're back down to twice a day, but I know some docs start patients once a day and as a reflux sufferer myself, I know that doesn't work for me!

We had to switch to Dr. Brown's bottles, mix formula way in advance (shaking a bottle introduced way too many bubbles), mine slept in RnPs until 6m because of the incline. Pacifiers increase saliva production which also helps with reflux. I told them to go to hell when they told me smaller, more frequent feedings, its just not possible with twins. I've heard cereal is "old school" and doesn't really help, in fact my pediatrician was more concerned with them spitting up and then choking on it than she was about normal spit up.

Mine were on neosure for a very long time. At 17m, my kids are still on meds. Dosage changes with weight, so we were at the doctor's for a weight check every 2-4 weeks (post growth spurt was the WORST).

Other things recommended but I didn't see much of a difference: an ounce of chamomile tea a day? gripe water? A was absolutely miserable, I'm so sorry, its so hard!