Big win last night! I didn't have to get up with Josh!
Now that it's just kind of a waiting game on the food sensitivities I turned my attention back to the idea of reflux.
The doctor reminding me that arching is a sign of reflux (apparently stretching out the neck eases the pain in the esophagus) reminded me also that congestion can come along with reflux. So I turned to trusty Google and did some more research. This confirms it for me: one site I read said not to give decongestants because they make the mucus thicker. And that night I gave him the decongestant his nose was more plugged up than ever.
Some suggestions for helping a baby with reflux include left side sleeping and tummy sleeping. So last night I made sure he was on his left side the whole night (usually I switch him back and forth with each nursing request). And that took us all the way to 5am before he was too stuffed up to sleep. At that point, rather than getting up to suction his nose, I moved him so he was sleeping on his tummy, on my chest. And that did it! He was as clear in the morning as he would have been if I'd suctioned him, and we didn't have to get out of bed!
I'm VERY encouraged by this. I am more than willing to sleep like this if it means staying in my cozy bed all night long. Especially now that it's starting to get chilly willy at night.
So I'm feeling pretty confident now that he has silent reflux. And a strong sensitivity to wheat, and quite possibly a more slight sensitivity to dairy.
The next question is: what do I do about it? I didn't notice it really bothering him today, but yesterday he had a crying session of about 20-30 minutes where he was obviously having waves of pain. Do I proceed with invasive testing? Do I try reflux meds to see if they help? Do I just wait for him to grow out of it?
One remedy for reflux that I have heard is potato water. Yep. Boil a few potatoes- no skin- and then give some of the resulting Potato Water to the baby. Apparently it neutralizes the acid. It's not clear to me how much one should give to the baby, or how often. But I suppose it might be worth looking into.
I welcome any other thoughts about what else I could think about doing.
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Awesome about your good night!!!
ReplyDeleteAs for the reflux - I would certainly try the potato water before resorting to reflux medication. Hopefully, he will grow out of the reflux as his body continues to develop. As to how much of the water - I wouldn't think it would take very much for an almost three month old!
hooray for a good night!! :)
ReplyDeleteLouise would be the expert on reflux! All I know of it is what I've heard from her. Potato water sounds reasonable to me!
Keep on truckin, good momma. You're the best!
Hey Dana,
ReplyDeleteI know that Koen's was manageable without the reflux meds so we did it without. I had tried for about one week but did not notice a difference so the doctor said not to use it.
I had him either upright or on his tummy at all times. Loose pants (not tight on the tummy). If changing him or having him on his back, make sure it is inclined and for as little time as possible. Try to not have him in a sitting position, especially after eating, wait maybe 20 minutes? So much pressure on the tummy.
He has always, always slept on his tummy, with the head of the crib slightly raised. Although, not laying him on his tummy right after a feed...wait about 20 minutes and make sure there is a burp. Does he burp like a man? You know...loudly? That was/is Koen.
I know that Josh likes to bounce, but for Koen, the first 20 minutes after a feed, he had to be held upright and not moving. That would decrease the agitation.
Getting him to burp was very important for comfort and less reflux. Koen's fav. way to sleep was also on my chest...on tummy and inclined.
I know every kid is different and I'm so glad you are figuring him out. I think the hard part is that it takes so long and by the time we figure something out, something changes OR we feel bad we didn't figure it out sooner.
You are so in tune to your body and to Josh, you know him best. YOu are doing a great job!
Louise
I don't have experience with reflux but there is some useful info on this site: http://www.pollywogbaby.com/refluxandcolic/remedies.html
ReplyDeleteI would recommend giving him probiotics (reuteri) and at the same time experimenting with your diet. His reflux should definitely improve with time. You're so good at making him comfy and happy! The frustrating part is the time it takes to figure out how to do that...
That's awesome! Was great catching up with you yesterday.
ReplyDeleteAlso, read these regarding homeopathic remedies for reflux:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thehomeopathiccoach.com/blog/crying-babies-reflux-and-homeopathy.html
and
http://www.ehow.com/way_5246805_natural-remedies-infant-acid-reflux.html
These should bring some relief and healing.