Talk to me about silent reflux?

[ashaj92]

Hope I’m posting this in the right place!
DS is one month old today, since the day he was born DH and I have been dealing with his constant restless and screaming fits every night, starts around 10/11pm and go on and off all the way through to 9am EVERY night. After being fobbed off by various different clinicians and told he probably ‘just has colic’ and to get on with it and trying all of the over the counter remedies eg infacol, gripe water, colief drops, gaviscon - (you name it, we’ve tried it!!), we went to the out of hours doctor today completely beside ourselves after yet another night of no sleep.
Dr finally diagnosed silent reflux, (something DH and I have been saying to everyone for what feels like forever but at least it’s finally been recognised now - this is our first baby and we’re so sick of being told ‘this is what babies are like’.. easy to say when you’re not the one dealing with the screaming every single night!)
We’ve been prescribed omeprazole tablets (dissolved in water to be given once a day before a feed), only given him the first dose today so not expecting miracles tonight, just wondering if anyone else going through this has some helpful tips to try and ease our poor baby’s suffering?
So far we’ve propped up his next to me cot so he’s not lying completely flat, try and keep him upright after every feed for as long as possible, being gentle with burping after feeds so as not to aggravate the reflux further.. I know there’s no miracle cure but if there’s anything else we can do please please share your wisdom!!!
Thanks in advance x

Keep him as upright as possible whenever possible, so use sling instead of pram for now when you can, a bouncer which has a more upright than lying down setting (but make sure it is supporting him properly and not so upright that his chin is on his chest restricting his breathing etc), prop him on a pillow/ cushion on the floor or sofa if you're sitting with him and not falling asleep during the daytime etc. Mostly with severe reflux medication will make the biggest difference though, good luck! It's heartbreaking to see them in so much pain

Thank you SameWitches, stuck to that last night - kept him sitting upright after every feed and frequent little and gentle burps in between last night.. and it was the most scream-free we have been in forever! Still only going 1.5/2 hourly between feeds and waking at night, plus it takes me longer to put him down for keeping him upright longer, but oh my god the difference! Patience really paid off 😊
Hopefully this is a step in the right direction!

You can also prop the top of his cot up so that his cot is slightly inclined from the top to the bottom. Hope things improve

That's fantastic news, long may it continue! For nighttime burping I propped up my pillows so I was mostly upright and winded baby over my shoulder by rubbing in circular motions which helped dd fall asleep, then once she was settled put her blanket over her still on my shoulder and tucked it in round her so the blanket was warm. Then chose my moment to slide her into the cot and put the warm blanket over her. It helps a bit to not be transitioning from on you and warm into a freezing cot, especially in this weather!