I am really tired (reflux) every evening with screaming baby

[Tooodlepip]

Hi everyone

I am absolutely exhausted I know a lot of people on here are going through the same or similar situation. Last week I was given ranitidine for my lo for reflux, 0.5ml 3 times a day. Initially it seemed to really help he is certainly a lot smilier in the day time. However the last few nights have been back to screaming himself to sleep. Last night he was crying from 5 until 10 in that time he went into deep sleep maybe 3 times but he kept waking up I don't know why. I usually just end up sitting in a darkened room holding him he seems to become over stimulated and noise etc adds to the problem.

He can be really good at self settling when he wants to be but when we get these bouts they go one for days on end.

I have rang the gp I am waiting for them to call me back and lo is down for a nap, yesterday he didn't have a long nap so maybe that was part of the problem. The napping is an issue as well, he will nap for half an hour and be up again will laugh and coo for 15 min and be back to being tired again.

I was wondering if maybe my supply was low in the evening time, I was thinking if ringing the la leche league last night but it was really late and I think some of their calls are answered by volunteers at home. He doesn't overly appear to be starving he might go on and off the breast when he is calmer a bit and maybe doze a bit.

Its all so confusing I just don't know what is going on with him

So far it has been suggested to me, to top up with formula in the evening?? have him put onto some sort of formula for reflux?? give up diary products?? give up caffeine?? let him cry it out ??Give baby rice in the evening

I am ebf and he is 14 weeks, he loves anything going into his mouth loves medicine time and has started waking up for a feed at 3 am which he was going without some times

does anyone know about ranitidine will increasing the dose help??

thank you if you take the time to answer

Oh you poor thing, I remember so vividly the awful screaming episodes, so awful.

We never prescribed ranitidine but had omeprazole. It worked so quickly for DS (ebf) and we just increased the doese (with guidance) as he grew.

My understanding is omeprazole is generally prescribed by a paed rather than GP, do you have access to an ambulatory where you gave birth?

Am so sorry current dose isn't working but do call your GP and discuss, it. Old just be dose needs upping if you DC has grown. Only increase dose with guidance from professional.

Hope it gets better soon.

I would definitely not use formula if you don't have to. Will exacerbate any cows milk protein intolerance causing reflux.

Have you got infant Gaviscon?

Try propping cot at slight angle with books?

Oh and I think with my DS, particularly at night, he didn't feed well even though he was hungry because it hurt. He wanted the milk to ease the pain but then it hurt to swallow so he would ill off screaming. Of course by the time the pain had eased he was so totally shattered he would fall asleep feeding but only wake up again a short while later as was still hungry. Huge vicious circle.

For us sleep was a nightmare too but we got reflux under control and then tackled sleep. Once both had settle he started taking much much bigger feeds and then sleeping longer.

It's hard but you will get there, i'd not focus on top ups etc, unless you want to, but try and find a dose / medication that works to control the reflux then use a gentle sleep method to help your little one get some decent sleep too.

pull

I second giving infant gaviscon although I don't know what age you can give it? We started at 12 months and it really really helped at night (we only give it just before bedtime).

Hope it gets better soon - I can totally sympathise.

Hi thank u so much for replying I'm still waiting for the gp to call baby is asleep in the sling now I think he would be in better form later on if he had a decent nap too.

I don't want to give formula I don't see how it would help I think it's tempting to really believe that one bottle will make him fuller and sleep for longer its also because he shows weaning signs and he is still so young not even. 4 months yet

I have infant Gaviscon I tried him with it for 1 day then he didn't poo for 8 days but I don't know if it was related to the Gaviscon or just how he is still only goes every other day or so I might try it again tonight and see if it helps

I'm so clumsy with the sling I can't do anything with it on I'm trying to lie propped up on pillows with baby asleep in it so I can close my eyes how on earth do people get housework and everything done with it on as if I could learn he could just stay in there until he is 6 months and ready for food any tips

I appreciate the support

Sorry to hear about your troubles, we are currently going through the same thing. My little one is on renitadine and donperidone. Does your little one have donperidone too? perhaps you could ask for that aswell. I tried my little one on gaviscone and she didnt poo for 4 days, she was in soo much pain so i dont think you should try it again as it does seem to cause constipation.

Try aking for donperidone

I couldn't get the hang of doing anything with the sling on either!

I don't think formula is the answer. DS was sick daily (on average 10 times a day) until he was 11 months. Then we finally found a medicine which works (and isn't recommended for under 12 months) and he gradually stopped being sick.

Moving onto formula aged 6 months didn't stop him being sick. Neither did weaning, learning to sit up or learning to walk! I think he just needed to grow.

Fortunately for all of us from about 4 months he didn't scream about it except in the evenings when he woke up an hour after going to sleep. I'd pick him up, he'd be sick, then go back down again ok.

Hi

Thanks everyone for the support the gp says to keep going with the ranitidine for another week she says it can take time for it to start working so we shall see she also wouldn't up the dose I don't think they will I'm probably gonna be letting him grow out of this

It's been a struggle to get him to nap I'm ready to keel over myself it's been a long day and still the night ahead to go

You never know tonight might be the night he settles without any fuss

Sorry your LO is suffering. DS has reflux, so sympathies. The ranitadine took a week or so to help with us. Elevating the cot also helped. DS has a cows milk protein problemand his reflux improved massively when i went dairy and soy free. YOu have to be strict with it but it may be worth a go. kellymom have some good info on it. hope you have a better night

Hi

I was thinking about the diary I bought some rice milk its yuck and I need my tea I should give it a proper go I know

Blee to rice milk. I'd just give up on tea and find something else you like drinking. I went through a pretty fierce hot Ribena stage.

If no improvement on a week on ranitidine demand something better.

This too will pass. FWIW my dd has horrendous silent reflux but somehow at 6 months started sleeping through the night. I put her down, let her cry for 60 seconds, picked her up and repeat. Not really controlled crying as I was patting her at the same time but did work and now despite reflux she sleeps 7 to 7.

The Gaviscon made need persistence. Mine got constipated but it was a trade off between infrequent poo and screaming. BF babies can go ages without pooing and it's normal.

Hang in there.

oat milk is better, but I've converted to black red bush. We are going through the same just now. Fussy feeds, writhing, screaming, never properly asleep before 1am and only then attached to me in bed. Most nights pacing the floors jigging up and down are required to achieve that. 11 weeks in and it seems never ending but as a veteran of 2 refluxers I know it gets better. Your ranitidine does can go up a long way from 0.5ml x3 a day. We are on 1ml (and needing to go up again I think). One of mine was on omeprazole and it was much easier and less weight-dependent. There is evidence that babies have such high metabolisms that they can tolerate higher doses than the pared down adult one. I think it's a max of 3mg/kg x3 a day and ranitidine is 15mg/ml. I can't remember where I got that from so it is worth a google and take it to your gp.

You must be exhausted and drained. Poor you. Hang in there, things will get better for both of you soon. Would send sleep if I could but I think hugs will have to do.

Make sure you give the ranitidine about 20 mins before a feed, it takes a little while. We had gaviscon and domperidone too for DTs and the gaviscon made them constipated. We used infacol to negate this.

I agree the ranitadine could probably be increased, although I found the GP was reluctant to do it.

I use kara milk. It's the best I've found. I've switched to rooibos tea now & it's ace in coffee

Thank you everyone I can't seem to give up my tea but he has improved a little bit in the last couple of days or maybe I'm feeling a bit better as that too can make all the difference in how I feel I'm coping

I appreciate the support it does mean a lot

Am I really bad for not giving up my tea how likely is he to be allergies to diary