Could this be reflux (8 week old)?

Question

My 8 week old daughter has been having stomach/gas/vomiting problems since she was about a week old. Due to health/medicine reasons I couldn't breastfeed & started her on Enfamil Lipil with Iron. I switched her to Enfamil Gentlease & she seemed to be doing fine as far as the gas/crying part. Now, it seems EVERY time I burp her she throws up. She's gaining weight as normal, but I feel so bad that every time I feed & burp her she throws up a lot. She doesn't cry when she's throwing up though so I know she's not in pain & she doesn't do it unless she has a burp after she eats. I'm in the process of getting a new pediatrician because the one I had would NEVER call back after hours or answer any questions at the office. My mom suggested I put a teaspoon of rice cereal in the bottle to thicken it for her but she still throws it up. Could this be reflux? The other doctor just told me "she's eating too fast" but I take her bottle out of her mouth every few seconds & give her breaks.

Answer 1

Yep, sounds like reflux. I went through the same thing. I actaully breastfeed and my son was still throwing up (so there goes the, he is eating too much theory) we switched him to soy formula and he threw that up, we added rice cereal and he threw that up (btw, this is doctor reccomended, not a hazard). My son was also really fussy when he was eating, he would scream and scream and hardly get anything down, it just seemed wrong (even though he wasn't losing weight). So finally I went back to the ped and they ordered him on reflux meds- it is unbelievable, he now keeps his food down and the hiccups are down to once a day (from 5-6)

Answer 2

i don't believe this is acid reflux.  My son has it and is on medication but it was ALOT more than just spitting up after meals.  He was in so much pain while trying to feed that he would thrash around and scream and actually lost weight between visits.  We also had testing done to be sure before accepting medication.  

I had a friend with a baby a few weeks older than mine and she has always spit up alot (probably an ounce or two) every time she eats and the doctors say that as long as it doesn't seem to be hurting her and she is gaining weight, not to be concerned about it.

Also, putting cereal in the bottle is a choking hazard.  

Enfamil makes a formula (orange can) that has rice starch (not cereal) in it that thickens once mixed with the acid in baby's stomach.  You might want to try that kind.

Answer 3

It's air. She's swallowing a ton of air while feeding. If you listen carefully you can hear it when it goes down. It sounds like a big bubble every time she swallows. That air pressure causes the milk to blast out when she burps. Hiccups are trapped air.  Removing the bottle very often actually puts more air into her body. She is still reflex sucking and swallowing therefore swalloing a mouthful of air before you put the bottle back.

Try feeding her before she cries for food. Maybe ten minutes sooner than before. She should be hungry, but not crying for the bottle. Also try different bottles. Dr. Brown's are expensive, but they will work if air is the problem. Playtex Drop-Ins will also work (and are actually more expensive if you factor in the price of refills), but ONLY if used as directed (manually pressing all air out of the bag before feeding).

Best of luck to you.  And don't be so quick to medicate her. You'll both feel better about it.

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hiccu...

Answer 4

Couple tips,



-Make sure you are using a 'slow flow' nipple

-Don't take the bottle out of her mouth - she'll get too much air

-Burp her every 2 ounces

-Spitting up is almost always caused by feeding TOO much or TOO often.

(think about it...their tummies are tiny - holding about 1 -2 ounces when born to increasing about an ounce a month)  so if she is 8 weeks, she probably can't hold any more than 3, maybe 4 ounces at a time...it's simple math.  Anything extra will come back out :-)

when mom's say that they will grow out of it...they do! How?- by finally having a bigger tummy to hold it all.  

Answer 5

It seems like reflux. My nephew did the samething and he is still doing it.  It's not becasue she is drinking too fast. My baby who is 3 months old now drinks soo quick. she can finish a 4oz bottle within less than 2 mins. once she burp she is fine.  

Answer 6

The hiccups sound like she is taking in too much air.  Try a different bottle or different feeding position.  An 8 week old baby should get 3 to 4 ounces about every 3-4 hours.  Don't let her go longer, or she will be too hungry and drink too fast.  It is best to get them on a schedule as early as possible.  Also, I wouldn't do the cereal thing just yet.

My son did the projectile vomiting thing every time he got a bottle.  He was gaining weight, but I would end up feeding 2 bottles so he could get something in his tummy.  The doctor had to put him on a different formula (soy, I think).    It's been a while (he is almost 12), but check with your pediatrician.  It was in a purple can and came in powder and ready to feed.

Answer 7

my son has severe reflux where he projectile vomits. there is a difference between vomit and just massive amounts of spit up. it is considered to be vomit for babies when it can soak a peice of 8x11 paper or when it is projectile, however if it is just consistent spitting up for a long period of time after a bottle- it is still reflux just not necessarily vomit (if that makes you feel any better). the rice definitely helped my son but only when he started on Zantac. Talk to the doctor, tell him you think it is reflux and ask your options. Dont be afraid to be firm with him and tell him what you think. After all, youre the one that spends the time with her and sees her symptoms.  

Answer 8

try this. pat her until she starts to burp and then stop. do not pat her while she is burping. keep her upright on your shoulder to burp her and don't change position. that's how i burp my little one and she doesn't yak as much now. if i pat her through a burp she does spit up.

Answer 9

I am currently going through the same thing. My daughter started signs at 2 weeks but wasn't told she had reflex till a little over a month. We too had to switch doctors because even after saying she had that she also kept throwing up. We used Enfimal AR which helped a lot, but then when we switched we found out she was allergic to the milk based. They also had to change her meds so you might want to make sure whats wrong. Get a second opinion because i waited to long and she got worse and worse and i feel so bad. Her 1st doctor had no idea what was wrong with her and i thought he was the one I should be going to for answers. My daughter has acid reflex as well a milk allergy. I know it is tough and I wish the best of luck to you!

Also signs of acid reflex are if you lay them on their back and they cry a high pitch cry or tighten their legs and make a fist with their hands, throwing up often, wont sleep well on their back, spit up a lot, also my daughter would cry unless held on her belly because she was in a lot of pain. Every baby is different so just get her seen by the doctor, one that knows a lot about acid reflex and/or milk allergy

Answer 10

It sounds like refulx...Does she arch her back alot or cry when she's eating like she's in pain?