Newborn and Reflux hell

[NameChange433]

Hi MN,

FTM here with a gorgeous month old who I think is miserable. At only two weeks old, he began vomiting immediately or an hour after feeds , quite a bit. Peds told me it’s reflux abs prescribed Infant gavisgon. It’s settled hun slightly but the nights are the worst. I am fine with waking up every few hours to feed him, I get that’s what newborns do but after the feed, he’s so unsettled, thrashing around, legs and arms thrown about, arching back, grunting, choking, coughing. Yet as soon as he’s on me, he’s able to nap. I have the Chicco Next to me crib which I love but we’re not using it much. I know I’m to expect to be sleep deprived but this is too much, he will only settle on me which means I can’t sleep. Daytime naps aren’t so bad, he seems to settle better, in his cot / pram / my bed / his swing. Sleep when baby sleeps seems impossible because I’m so on edge I can’t even nap during the day. I don’t know the point to this post, partly venting and partly wanting some advice, if anyone who’s been through this hell. I feel trapped in my home because the day goes so quick, one minute it’s the morning next it’s late and I’ve spent all day trying to settle him, keep him upright. He’s also become very fussy with feeding at times. I don’t know wether me weaning him off breast feeding to formula has made him unsettled too? I exclusively breast fed for week one, we had a great latch and he loved it but I was exhausted. I introduced formula as a top up but now it’s his main feed. I don’t offer breast much anymore and my milk supply has definitely decreased.

I didn’t want to read and run but don’t have a huge amount of advice. My DS was like this for the first few months and everything improved around the 6 month mark when he weaned. The drs kept saying they were not concerned as he was gaining weight well but he seemed really miserable every feed to me and doing just as you describe - plus we were going through multiple sick-soaked washes a day. In the end I cut dairy from my diet (ebf) under the advice of gp and HV and it helped slightly.

Do speak to your gp/paeds team again if things haven’t improved.

You’re doing a great job - it will get better

I think if he's coughing abs vomiting the HCPs really need to look at what's causing this, reflux is usually a symptom, not a diagnosis.

Has anyone suggested the possibility of CMPA yet?

^ what @DominicRaabsTravelAgent said - they need to exclude the possibility of CMPA (and also poss soya allergy too).

From bitter experience, I would not recommend going down the route of treating the symptoms rather than the cause - using ever-stronger anti reflux meds really not a good plan for a baby who's actually allergic, as the acid inhibitors change the gut balance.

Hiya! I'm just wondering how you are getting on now with your little one? EVERYTHING you have described is the same as my 7 week old. We are absolutely shattered. Night times are the worst. He is so so unsettled. Waking constantly for a feed and when he is fed he grunting, kicking, arching back, coughing, spluttering, stretching out legs, straining, crying etc etc. We have to walk the floors with him to get him to settle down and then same as you, he will only sleep while lying on me or h y so we can't sleep either. Once he falls asleep, we try putting him in his cradle but he wakes almost instantly and cries until he is lifted, walked about and then sleeping on our chest. We've been given infant Gavisgon a couple of days ago but it is making no difference at all. It is exhausting. Hubby sitting downstairs all night with him as we can't have him waking the 4 and 6 year old who need to get up for school. I am at my wits end 😢

@Dunnowhattosay1

I’m so sorry you’re going through this, it’s so hard!
My bubba is now 5 months old and the happiest baby! The paediatrician promised me that it would get better once his organs got bigger and was able to hold down more milk and he was right. It got better at 3 months old, the grunting, the pain from his stomach stopped and he started sleeping through the night. We continued on gavisgon and it’s been a life saver. We still use it now and will carry on until he’s on solids. All I can say to you is it will get better. I know it’s hard but I kept telling myself there will be an end.

Hello lovely

It sounds to me as though little one has a bit of silent reflux too? My LO had this and couldn’t sleep on her back as she was so uncomfortable (the stomach acid flows back up into their throat causing all the choking coughing gargling grunting).

A few things we did that helped was tilting the cot, holding her upright for 30mins post feed, lotssss of burping, we settled on kendamil milk as this seemed to agree with her best. By 6 months she had mostly grown out of it but I know that feels like a lifetime away now.

I was exactly the same as you too on edge to sleep during the day and tortured at night. My husband and I used to do split shifts. He would have her downstairs from 8-12 while I slept and then I would do 12 onwards while he slept.

The early days and so tough and a reflux baby make it so much tougher. Be kind to yourself, reach out for help and take LO back to the doctors if you feel the gaviscon isn’t helping. Xx