Acid Reflux or Colic?

My daughter had the same problem, except she cried all day and night, I stoped breast feeding and started her on soy formula and it stopped. She was also diagnosed with acid reflux. I dealt with it from 3 weeks old til 4 months, then I switched to soy. I thought she had colic but it was really bad reflux. The soy formula took care of it.

S.,

Wow, he cries from 1-7pm straight? How do you not go crazy. My son is 8 weeks old and has fussy time from 7-9pm and has been more fussy during the day but just recently. We went to the doctors today and she switched his formula to soy cause she said he could be having an allergic reaction. I am weaning him off of breastmilk for when I go back to work. He also has severe eczema, which could be causing it.

Maybe it is something in your diet? Are you keeping a food journal to see when he is fussy and what you are eating? Have you asked your doctor?

Good luck with everything!

J.

Hi,

If your son cries when you're not holding him, maybe he just needs to be held from 1-7.

Mine did, and I got a sling and carried him with me and he was happy, happy, happy--and I could get work done at the same time. He would actually fall asleep while I cleaned--especially vacuuming!

I used a "New native carrier" that I got from Ehouse on E Carson in Pittsburgh PA--but I'm sure you could get one online--

also, check out www.pittsburghnino.com/ and www.thebabywearer.com/ --they've got lots of advice.

most women in the world "wear" their babies, and all primate moms are in constant physical contact with their babies--so maybe your son just wants what most primates get!

hope that helps.

S.,

Not knowing what you're feeding your son makes it a little tough to suggest what changes to make. If he's formula fed and you're utilizing powdered formula, you should try switching him to pre-mixed first. If that doesn't work, you can try a change in formula. The only formula I personally recommend is from this company <http://www.naturesone.com/index.php&gt;

If you're feeding him breastmilk, then you will definitely want to consider a possible change in your diet. The first change would be to eliminate all pasteurized dairy products from your diet. It might take up to 8 weeks to notice a change, but it could happen as soon as 2. Dairy is very difficult to rid from the body. Wheat is another common culprit.

In the meantime, a wonderful product to try is Baby Bliss Gripe Water. Amazing stuff. <http://www.blissbymom.com/&gt;

If you're looking for any other info or want to just talk, send me a message. Wishing you the best with your new little man.

Blessings,

Rolinda
Wife, Mother, Friend

My daughter was both. She had acid reflux and the daughter put her on Zantac and that really worked. My daughter also had colic for a few nights and I actually had to put her on a different brand of formula-I did breast feed for about a month but unforunately I couldn't produce anything. She scream for a few hours and was only quite when I walked the hall with her for a few nights and then she just stopped. If hes waking up after only ten minutes, maybe he has some gas pains or just gas in general. Try a soothing bath when he starts screaming with Lavendar baby bath or soap and see how that works, I hope this helps, If you have questions, feel free to message me.

Hi there,
My daughter was colicky about the same age. It's horrible and terrifying isn't it? I found a WONDERFUL help. I'd swaddle her in a blanket and rock her in the rocking chair while I had the vaccum cleaner on next to me. In less than five minutes, she'd stop crying. Also, did your son by any chance have any antibiotics in the hospital? If he did, that may be the problem. Let me know and I'll explain...

I understand that babies can and do experience reflux, but it just makes me crazy that you spend your whole pregnancy avoiding OTC and prescriptions drugs and within a month of leaving the womb the doctors prescribe that you fill your baby with processed chemicals. ???

Regardless of whether it is colic, reflux, whatever... try this:

Find a good massage therapist in your area, (you can find one at AMTA.com) and find one that is trained in craniosacral therapy. Schedule just one session for your baby. Just try it and see, before you end up on a wild goose chase trying to solve whatever the problem is and you are frustrated and exhausted.

It is always better to try to address the cause of the problem, rather than just treat the symptoms. And your baby is sooo young yet, you should see great results. WITHOUT drugs.

I've had this treatment done on my child and myself with wonderful results.

for more info see: www.osteodoc.com and look under "birth trauma".

Hope that helps.

I know that your son seems to have signs of colic. For mine, i used to give him mylicon drops and he was fine. Maybe you could try that.

My daughter was the same way. My doc didn't prescribe anything. She said it's due to the fact that their brain is not fully developed yet and has a hard time blocking out noises at times and gets startled easily. She told me it goes away when they turn 8 weeks or so, and it did. There were times were holding her or nursing her didn't work. She would just cry and be fussy. My doc did say that if it doesn't go away by 8 weeks, it might be something else. If you breastfeed exclusively (without a bottle), acid reflux isn't very common.

Good luck and hang in there.

Y.

S. both of my son's had Reflux. My youngest had reflux and was Colicy. I can understand what you are going through. My youngest is 16 months and still doesn't sleep through the night. I had to rock and sing to him to get him to sleep and he slept on his stomach from a very young age. Have they told you to mix cereal with your breastmilk.. My two were on formula and I had to mix it with cereal for the reflux to thicken it for them not to spit up. Any other question or if you just want to vent about it I am here and I understand!!!!!!

My daughter had reflux and was on zantac until she was 4 months old. During that time she would only sleep in her swing. We even bought a portable one to put in our room at night. Our doctor said that having her sleep upright helped prevent the acid from coming up so she would sleep better. Maybe that would help for during the day.

sounds like both. my now 15 month old was and still the same way..raise the head of the crib mattress up a little, if you have a bouncy seat or swing let him set up in it at a recline position. after feeding keep him sitting up in recline position 1 hour or more before lying him flat.. mine was and still on zantac, does he spit up alot where its projectile and if its too much prblem take him to a gastrologist

My son for the 1st year of his life was miserable - Especially in the evening. I breastfed as well. He spit up constantly and the ped. we had prescribed him first Zantac and then Prilosec diagnosing him with reflux. We found out at a year of age he was allergic to milk, eggs, and nuts. Food allergy's are very much on the rise and very under diagnosed. I would try an elimination diet for yourself. A common misconception- even in some books- is that food allergens cannot travel through your breast milk. That cannot be further from the truth. To do the elimination diet you must take out the top allergens for more than a week out of your diet. It's pretty hard. You could also have your baby skin tested- It's really not as bad as you'd think. My 3 year old barely flinches when it's done to him. I sooooo wish we would have reached out and gotten other opinions when Owen was going through this as a baby! I will always feel somewhat responsible for not listening to the pediatricians tell me he had colic. I even took him to the emergency room one night because I was convinced something was wrong with him- just for him to again be diagnosed with colic. I truly believe as someone else has already told you that colic is a diagnosis that doctors don't know what is wrong- but that they don't think it's life threating. I have also heard that craniosacral works wonders.

Another thing that did help a little (atleast to give this tired mama a break) was Owen's motorized swing. Thank god for that swing- That and the bath tub. Good luck to you-- Hang in there- It gets soooo much better- And ask for help from those you trust. It will make you much more patient when you need to be!

I went through the same thing with my oldest son (now 5). The doctors put him on every medication and every formula to try to solve the problem. We ended up seeing a gastroenterologist and found out that he was slow digesting. I'm pretty sure that isn't a common problem but by about 6 months if it's colic or reflux, the problem will get better. I know it sounds like forever now, but just try to hang in there. You may want to ask your doctor for a referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist just because they know about the specifics of the digestive system. Even if it's just reflux, they may be better able to help you. Good luck and remember it gets easier!!

I had the same problem with my son who is now 6 months. He cried from 5 pm to 7, 8, sometimes later. He was diagnosed with reflux at 6 weeks and put on zantac. It worked at first but then it stopped working within a week or so. My son also would not sleep on his back, so I ended up putting him on his stomach. I know your not suppose to because of sids, but he would not sleep any other way. Also, the dr. switched him onto prolosec which has been working great. Now he will sleep on his back sometimes but is still more content on his tummy. They origianlly thought it was colic because of the consistnancy of the time period that he would cry. But after getting him on the right medication the crying stopped. I also was told not to put him to sleep laying flat right after his feeding but to try putting him to sleep in a bouncy chair or car seat for the first 1/2 an hour or so to help his reflux. This helped too.

When anyone has reflux they are generally more comfortable if kept somewhat upright. When my reflux acts up I usually use an extra pillow at night. Since you cannot put an infant on a pillow, try letting him sleep in his car seat or in a bouncy chair. You could also try to raise one end of his mattress to elevate his head. Try to keep him upright for about 30-45 minutes after eating also.

Milk does neutralize the acid which could explain why he stops crying when nursing. It is also because at this point nursing is a baby's "security blanket".

Also, it is not uncommon for an infant to have a "fussy time" each day, its just something that a lot of babies do.

If this continues and you think it really is the reflux, contact the pediatrician, there are several medicines for refulx and you may have to go through a trial and error period until you find the one that works. Just to forwarn you, as the baby gains weight, the medicine dosage may need to be adjusted. Just make sure you get approval from the pediatrician first.

Sorry if this is long, but we have had some experience with reflux.

Do you swaddle? 4 weeks is pretty young, and he may not be fully neurologically mature enough yet to deal with all the stimulus of having hands and whatnot. (Also - have you watched the Happiest Baby on the Block? It helped us a lot.)

That being said, my son had bad reflux, and woke between 40 and 90 minutes almost every night for the first year. So I would ask you some other questions.

Does he scream after burping? Does he arch his back or try to curl up? Is he a spitter? Does he cry just before or after spitting up? Has he started to nurse more often lately, like he's having a growth spurt? If he's having a growth spurt, his little tummy may not yet be used to the amount of food he thinks he wants, and so there's a bit of time getting the balance. And if he's trying to nurse to soothe his tummy, he may be also eating a bit much and causing some overflow. My son started to develop worse signs of reflux when he was 3-4 months old and started spitting up a lot more.

Arching *usually* indicates reflux, and curling up *usually* indicates colic. The burping or spitting and then crying could indicate reflux as well. My son would never sleep on a propped mattress (he's always been a light sleeper; some babies will), and there's some evidence that if you prop it up at too high an angle they just slide down to the bottom of the angle. We put a wedge in his crib too at one point and he did better with that.

How is your baby sleeping after 7? Is he sleeping on any kind of schedule yet or is he one of those kids that takes a little longer to figure it out? He may be trying to figure out when he's tired.

And if it is reflux, expect it to get kicked up when things change physiologically - colds, teeth, viruses, etc will all kick it up a bit and then it will settle down again. It helped us a lot when we realized that and knew to expect it.

Do you carry him in a sling or anything? I found a ring sling to be awesome for when my son needed to be held for long periods of time, and it was very calming for me, too. It didn't always free up my hands as much as people can claim, but it was easier on my arms and back than just holding him as much as he wanted.

Also - do check out Harvey Karp (Happiest Baby on the Block). It seems a bit corny kind of, but it really is an awesome system for calming babies, especially under 3 months.

If any of this doesn't make sense, feel free to ask more or to tell me I'm full of it. All kids are different. We have had our own battle with reflux that we still fight - my son turned 2 in Feb and he is still on prevacid, probably for a few more months. As far as medicine goes, simethicone (mylicon) can make reflux a little worse, and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp mylanta can help, depending on the weight of the baby - but check with your pediatrician before you give your baby anything OTC. He's still really little.

And above all else, remember - it won't last forever, and enjoy your baby! They're so precious and fun!

H.

"Colic" is just a word to describe a fussy baby who has not yet been diagnosed with a problem. There is always a cause for "colic"--the two main causes being reflux or a milk allergy.

My daughter screamed for the first four months of her life until we got her reflux and milk allergy diagnosed and treated (finally). She takes Zantac, which has worked wonders for us, and I went on a completely dairy-free diet (she is breastfed). Has the medication helped him at all? Give it some time. Also, look carefully for blood in the stool--that is a hallmark sign of a milk allergy.

My daughter was also a terrible sleeper--rarely a daytime nap and up every 1 to 2 hours at night. What changed our lives was the Miracle Blanket (www.miracleblanket.com). It worked wonders for us. The first night she used it at age six weeks, she slept for seven hours straight.

I have been in your shoes and sympathize with you. The good news is that most babies grow out of this. My daughter is almost ten months old, and she is over her milk allergy. The reflux is still a problem, but she is no longer in pain--just spits up a lot, and we have to keep up with the Zantac. She is otherwise happy.

You know your child best. If you feel that he is more than just "fussy," press on with your doctors until they find out what is causing him pain. Don't let them tell you it is just "colic." I am passionate about this issue because my daughter was in pain for so long without a diagnosis, and I was going crazy from the constant crying.

If you feel that he is not in pain and just fussy, the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" is great for techniques to soothe a fussy baby.

Good luck to you!

I had this problem with my first daughter and i found that there were two things that worked. First try to get him to sleep b/f 7. If it starts at 7 aim for 6:30. I would lay in my bed and nurse my daughter until she fell asleep. I co sleep so this worked out great for me. Another thing you might want to try is to put him in the swing or the car seat to sleep. It helps with the acid reflux. Also, breastfeeding too often could actually add to the problem if he is not actually hungry. Sometimes they mistake there pains for hunger and this just starts a viciuos cycle of them filling up their little tummies too much. I almost forgot, this started with my second daughter and static calmed her down. Just turn to a channel that you do not get. It helps them block out the background noises. Good Luck I hope this helps.

There are a lot of us out there that know how you feel. My 2nd baby has reflux and suffered colic when she was little. she started at about 4 weeks. For the reflux we tried zantac, prevacid and prilosec for her reflux and found that the prilosec was the only thing that worked and only if we got the prescription from a special compounding pharmacy in Warrington (CVS mixed the medicine with baking soda stuff and it was so gross she puked it as soon as we gave it to her). we changed her formula to soy for about 4 months too as regular made her gassy. when she turned 3 1/2 months we started putting rice cereal in her formula and that helped a lot. when she started eating solid foods she got even better. she had her colic from being 1 month until 5 months. i will never know how much of it was caused by the reflux though as she was eating much more solid food by 5 months and who knows whether she was uncomfortable because she was in pain or because she was just colicy. i can tell you that she cried pretty much all day and slept through most of the night which is odd for reflux babies. the baby bjorn helped a lot during the day. Babies can get reflux even when they are breast fed. also take a look at what you are eating for breakfast, perhaps he doesn't like something you are eating??? Good luck, i hope this passes soon!