Coping with a baby that has reflux and can't be reclined?!

[hanflan]

Hi all, we are fairly sure our week old baby has reflux. We are taking the usual steps like infant gaviscon etc. we have also decided to make the controversial choice to let baby sleep on her tummy as this is the ONLY way she will sleep! The next thing I am wondering is, if she hates being reclined even slightly, not even in her bouncer chair, how do I ever get anything done like if we need to go out in the car seat or pram? The only way she stops screaming is to be lying on her tummy either on us or in the crib. Has anyone else had the same problem and how do you survive when your baby won't be reclined?

Oh and I already use a sling around the house which she loves, but this is obviously not suitable if we need to go somewhere in the car!

If the gaviscon isn't working enough to make her more comfortable being reclined, I would go back to your gp and ask for rantidine. It can make a huge difference.

We also find a dummy helps for the car seat etc.

My DD has reflux from about 5 weeks old- I ended up avoiding the car whenever possible and using my sling as she would just cry hysterically whenever she was in it. Then when she was about 14 weeks old the reflux went away literally overnight and she now sleeps in a car seat whenever the car is moving and really loves her bouncy chair.

It honestly will get better. X I found baby massage and baths were the only things that calmed her down when she was at her mosy hysterical.

Thanks ladies! Dummy for car rides sounds like a good plan!

Similarly, we have found the reflux has got better as time passes. DD is now 13 weeks and there is a vast difference.

It took a while to get her to take the dummy but it does help.

The other thing depends on whether she is bf or ff. If ff, it may be worth trying different brands.

And congratulations!

DS had awful awful reflux. I found a bouncy chair worked as he was upright enough - not one with a vibrate or bounce function. The bog standard one from mothercare.

He has had ranatidine and domperidone so it might be worth asking your GP about that as it helped a lot.