mummies with babies with GERD (reflux)
- Thread starter uddermummy
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uddermummy
Well-Known Member
i feed her through syringe and let the med drip along her gums so that it's easier for her to swallow.
but dear daughter is very smart, she actually refused to swallow and when she bo pian had to cos she was crying, she gagged and threw up her previous feed.
yesterday night, her fussing was quite bad cos i think the med wore off. She was red in the face from crying and I was also in tears by the time she finished her med.
the stress of having to deal with this is bad enuf. My family is now starting to question why dd is suffering from this when other bbs are not... Seem to be suggesting that i must have done or eaten something wrong during pregnancy to cause her condition.
but dear daughter is very smart, she actually refused to swallow and when she bo pian had to cos she was crying, she gagged and threw up her previous feed.
yesterday night, her fussing was quite bad cos i think the med wore off. She was red in the face from crying and I was also in tears by the time she finished her med.
the stress of having to deal with this is bad enuf. My family is now starting to question why dd is suffering from this when other bbs are not... Seem to be suggesting that i must have done or eaten something wrong during pregnancy to cause her condition.
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epicurean
Member
uddermummy,
Your experience with the syringe is similar to mine. I used to get a heart attack each time I fed med to bb with syringe coz he would choke & gag on med though friends advised me that syringe-feeding works when aimed at the back molars along side of cheeks coz med would flow down baby's throat that way. But didn't work for my bb probably coz he's got a sensitive gag reflex.
What worked for me and saved my sanity is small medicine bottles from Kiddy Palace (either Nuby or Munchkin brands). They're specifically for feeding med ... I syringe med into the med bottle & coax bb to drink it. Coz he sucks at the bottle like his regular milk bottle, he swallows the med & doesn't choke on it. Plus afterwards I would give him his pacifier ... the sucking motions ensure that he really swallows all his med.
DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF FOR YOUR DD'S REFLUX. There's no clear-cut reason why some babies get it & others don't ... there's nothing you would have eaten or done during pregnancy to cause it. I was super careful with my diet during pregnancy (no tea, coffee, bananas etc) plus out of respect for in laws, didn't do any of what they deemed pantang yet my bb has severe GERD.
Focus on how you can help your dd and take one thing at a time. If you don't mind me suggesting, 1. help dd to take med safely with med bottle 2. Bring forward next appt with doc to ask if can change med if after a few days, dd doesn't take well to med. Remember that it'll take a few days for med to be effective. If omerprazole is like zantac dosage, need to take it around same time every 12 hours ... is it like that?
Zantac also tastes awful ... I tried a bit once to see how it tasted like. It's bitter & sharp. I usually coax bb to drink it then sayang & praise him after that.
You're doing the best you can and know how. Don't let anyone, including family, tell you otherwise *big hug*
Your experience with the syringe is similar to mine. I used to get a heart attack each time I fed med to bb with syringe coz he would choke & gag on med though friends advised me that syringe-feeding works when aimed at the back molars along side of cheeks coz med would flow down baby's throat that way. But didn't work for my bb probably coz he's got a sensitive gag reflex.
What worked for me and saved my sanity is small medicine bottles from Kiddy Palace (either Nuby or Munchkin brands). They're specifically for feeding med ... I syringe med into the med bottle & coax bb to drink it. Coz he sucks at the bottle like his regular milk bottle, he swallows the med & doesn't choke on it. Plus afterwards I would give him his pacifier ... the sucking motions ensure that he really swallows all his med.
DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF FOR YOUR DD'S REFLUX. There's no clear-cut reason why some babies get it & others don't ... there's nothing you would have eaten or done during pregnancy to cause it. I was super careful with my diet during pregnancy (no tea, coffee, bananas etc) plus out of respect for in laws, didn't do any of what they deemed pantang yet my bb has severe GERD.
Focus on how you can help your dd and take one thing at a time. If you don't mind me suggesting, 1. help dd to take med safely with med bottle 2. Bring forward next appt with doc to ask if can change med if after a few days, dd doesn't take well to med. Remember that it'll take a few days for med to be effective. If omerprazole is like zantac dosage, need to take it around same time every 12 hours ... is it like that?
Zantac also tastes awful ... I tried a bit once to see how it tasted like. It's bitter & sharp. I usually coax bb to drink it then sayang & praise him after that.
You're doing the best you can and know how. Don't let anyone, including family, tell you otherwise *big hug*
Angelmum
Moderator
yesterday night, her fussing was quite bad cos i think the med wore off. She was red in the face from crying and I was also in tears by the time she finished her med.
the stress of having to deal with this is bad enuf. My family is now starting to question why dear daughter is suffering from this when other bbs are not... Seem to be suggesting that i must have done or eaten something wrong during pregnancy to cause her condition.
We can't stop ppl from commenting.
uddermummy
Well-Known Member
will try the med bottle. right now, will try to pacify dd with the breast after the meds so that she can swallow the meds, and also to wash out the nasty taste.
yeah, omeprazole is taken twice a day. I tried to time the feeds 12 hours apart but the med seems to wear off v fast, so i tried to bring forward the second feed.
nuh is v busy! prof quek was supposed to see me 1 week later but we only managed to book an appointment for 2 weeks later.
I know i should really learn selective listening but in times of stress, negative remarks still really get to me.
But angels like you (angelmum and epicurean) really helped me a lot.
yeah, omeprazole is taken twice a day. I tried to time the feeds 12 hours apart but the med seems to wear off v fast, so i tried to bring forward the second feed.
nuh is v busy! prof quek was supposed to see me 1 week later but we only managed to book an appointment for 2 weeks later.
I know i should really learn selective listening but in times of stress, negative remarks still really get to me.
But angels like you (angelmum and epicurean) really helped me a lot.
epicurean
Member
uddermummy,
Does omerprazole need to be taken half hour before feed? Zantac has to be given like that to give time for acid production to be minimised. So my boy can't take anything to wash down the taste of Zantac except his pacifier. That probably explains why we need to change his pacifier every 2-3 weeks ... his doc calls him a 'chu chu killer' hahahah.
U mentioned that the med wears off quite quickly ... so you can see a significant difference in your dd when the med is working? Her pain, arching etc is reduced?
Hope the med bottle helps!
Does omerprazole need to be taken half hour before feed? Zantac has to be given like that to give time for acid production to be minimised. So my boy can't take anything to wash down the taste of Zantac except his pacifier. That probably explains why we need to change his pacifier every 2-3 weeks ... his doc calls him a 'chu chu killer' hahahah.
U mentioned that the med wears off quite quickly ... so you can see a significant difference in your dd when the med is working? Her pain, arching etc is reduced?
Hope the med bottle helps!
uddermummy
Well-Known Member
by right, it should be taken on empty stomach. but the pharmacist says if really bo pian can take with milk. i also read somewhere that it can be taken with something alkaline like milk.uddermummy,
Does omerprazole need to be taken half hour before feed? Zantac has to be given like that to give time for acid production to be minimised. So my boy can't take anything to wash down the taste of Zantac except his pacifier. That probably explains why we need to change his pacifier every 2-3 weeks ... his doc calls him a 'chu chu killer' hahahah.
you mentioned that the med wears off quite quickly ... so you can see a significant difference in your dear daughter when the med is working? Her pain, arching etc is reduced?
Hope the med bottle helps!
when the med is working, we could actually take her out for 3 hours without her crying her head off... Like yesterday!
ancing_wub:She's less fussy and can nap longer.uddermummy
Well-Known Member
epicurean, does your boy have this intense need to suck? my girl is so sucky that she actually tries to suck both hands! i tried pacifier but she'll have a v poor latch after that so i stopped.
and she really drools a lot...
she still arches her neck but she doesn't seem to be so irritable.
and she really drools a lot...
she still arches her neck but she doesn't seem to be so irritable.
epicurean
Member
uddermummy,
Yep, my boy used to be a very sucky baby ... he wore out a pacifier every 2 weeks. He sucked at it quite ferociously, which his doc told us, is attempts at self-soothing. We burp him with his pacifier on ... need to burp him frequently to minimise reflux but he dislikes the bottle being taken from him so the pacifier keeps him occupied & calm while we burp him.
Now he's not so sucky ... sometimes he doesn't even want his beloved pacifier. Generally, he sucks his pacifier while on his way to dreamland ... he would spit it out when he more or less falls asleep
Isn't sucking her hands a good thing? It's also discovery & exploration of her limbs. Our therapist always tries to bb to suck his thumb or hands.He drools a fair bit ... I'm not sure how much qualifies a lot! He drooled more than usual when his front teeth were coming out. How old is your girl? could she be teething?
Glad to hear that your dd is less irritable
ancing_wub:Give med more time to work with her and hopefully she'll stop her neck-arching too. When med is working well, my bb is usually significantly happier, calmer, responsive rather than caught up with his pain & discomfort.uddermummy
Well-Known Member
hee, yeah, your son is a 'chu chu' killer right?
dd discovered her hands when she was about a month old.
worried cos she sucks so hard that her fingers turn red! and she actually gags herself with her fingers.
dd is not teething but she drools so much that she will wet her and my shirts, and the floor!
i read somewhere that it's a sign of inflamation of the gullet?
I'm getting a bit confused nowadays. Don't know if she's fussy or really having GERD.
dd discovered her hands when she was about a month old.
worried cos she sucks so hard that her fingers turn red! and she actually gags herself with her fingers.
dd is not teething but she drools so much that she will wet her and my shirts, and the floor!
i read somewhere that it's a sign of inflamation of the gullet?
I'm getting a bit confused nowadays. Don't know if she's fussy or really having GERD.
epicurean
Member
uddermummy,hee, yeah, your son is a 'chu chu' killer right?
dear daughter discovered her hands when she was about a month old.
worried cos she sucks so hard that her fingers turn red! and she actually gags herself with her fingers.
dear daughter is not teething but she drools so much that she will wet her and my shirts, and the floor!
i read somewhere that it's a sign of inflamation of the gullet?
I'm getting a bit confused nowadays. dont't know if she's fussy or really having GERD.
Sorry i don't know much about finger-sucking to help! My bb doesn't do that even tho' we try hard to get him to do so ... physio told us babies explore with their mouths, that being the most sensitive part of their bodies.
Why don't you try process of elimination to figure what your dd is fussing about? Since omerprazole settles her GERD (coz you observe she doesn't scream as much, not in pain, less arching, less traumatic feeding etc - my bb always cries after burping coz he feels the acid moving up & down his system), she could be fussing coz of other things.
Have you read 'secrets of the baby whisperer' by tracy hogg? I get frustrated by a lot of baby books coz they don't really apply to my bb coz of his severe condition. This book is more helpful coz it talks about babies' temperaments, how to listen to & understand your baby and there're sections that describe my bb to a T (it helped that the author used to work with special needs babies). The recommended tips do help to settle, soothe & calm him and I've learned to understand more about his cues.
My experience with gerdling is a lot of trial & error, detective guesswork
uddermummy
Well-Known Member
my dd cries b4 burping, and when she's asleep, after burping as well. She'll actually writhe this way and that way while swaddled until she burps or spits.
and she cries out suddenly for no rhyme or reason, and always seem to be swallowing stuff.
the med does seem to make her less irritable tho...
will try the bb whisperer. heard abt it but haven't read it.
and she cries out suddenly for no rhyme or reason, and always seem to be swallowing stuff.
the med does seem to make her less irritable tho...
will try the bb whisperer. heard abt it but haven't read it.
yummymummy
Member
Hi Epicurean, Uddermummy,
Vera has GERD too. I know all about Merlion trust me.
She recently went for a fundoplication. It does reduce the vomitting, like from 5 times a day to maybe 1-2 times, and less comes out.
This is an option, yes though it's surgery, but it means we don't have to put her on long term medication.
You may want to discuss this with your pd.
Vera has GERD too. I know all about Merlion trust me.
She recently went for a fundoplication. It does reduce the vomitting, like from 5 times a day to maybe 1-2 times, and less comes out.
This is an option, yes though it's surgery, but it means we don't have to put her on long term medication.
You may want to discuss this with your pd.
epicurean
Member
uddermummy,
My bb is like that too. Swaddling helped to soothe him but as he grew older, he's got a low threshold for heat plus he's much bigger now so we stopped swaddling him.
Hope your dd is getting used to the med and that her condition is improving
epicurean
Member
Hi yummymummy,
Nice to meet you
Thanks for sharing. My bb's GI doc has explored fundoplication with us before when he was losing weight coz of his GERD. When his GERD got better (from improving positioning during feed & post-feed, thickening his milk, osteopathy) and he went back to putting on weight, the idea got shelved. Plus the surgery option will be complicated coz of my bb's condition (brain damage, severe cerebral palsy with hyper tonia).
Btw, it must be such a relief to have those merlion days behind you. I'm so thankful that his GERD is improving.
uddermummy
Well-Known Member
hi yummy mummy,
my dd's condition is moderate and she's putting on weight, so we prob won't look into surgery. Am crossing my fingers that her condition will improve once she gets older.
epicurean,
dd is really a much happier bb now that she's on meds. The only drawback is med time! We just console her by telling her, ' Naughty doctor! Scold the doctor for giving such horrible med!' hahaha.:tlaugh:
she doesn't spit so often, but am worried that her reflux have become invisible instead cos she tends to gag and cough pretty often, and she will use her fingers to dig out milk from her throat.
my dd's condition is moderate and she's putting on weight, so we prob won't look into surgery. Am crossing my fingers that her condition will improve once she gets older.
epicurean,
dd is really a much happier bb now that she's on meds. The only drawback is med time! We just console her by telling her, ' Naughty doctor! Scold the doctor for giving such horrible med!' hahaha.:tlaugh:
she doesn't spit so often, but am worried that her reflux have become invisible instead cos she tends to gag and cough pretty often, and she will use her fingers to dig out milk from her throat.
epicurean
Member
uddermummy,she doesn't spit so often, but am worried that her reflux have become invisible instead cos she tends to gag and cough pretty often, and she will use her fingers to dig out milk from her throat.
Have you had the follow-up consultation with Prof Quek yet? Is he able to shed any light on your dd's gagging & coughing?
My bb started to gag & cough after he went on baclofen (muscle relaxant). We were warned about it increasing his amount of secretions (phlegm) coz it relaxes muscles in general, including throat area, so he swallows less and secretions will build up. So his gagging & coughing is usually to phlegm as he tries to clear it ... sometimes like those 'ah peks' at coffeeshops.
I'm not terribly sure about GERD-related gag & cough though I've read about it on GERD websites. One useful tip we've picked up is that your dd is gagging & coughing and has trouble clearing whatever is in her throat, put her on her side and pat her back. That position helps to clear secretions safely.
paigemummy
New Member
hi mummies,
i'm totally new to this but felt so drawn to join you guys cos finally i've found people who knows what i'm been going thru'!!!
i really know what each and everyone of you are talking abt.. merlion, dehydration, no weight gain, people saying you're overreacting, etc...
btw, my girl is now 17 months old and has been throwing up since 2 months old. i've just returned from a first appt with Dr Marion Aw today. she's good and doesn't belittle what i said. that was a nice change.
i'm still trying to monitor her condition before starting on the zantac cos it had been a good week. so Dr said to start when i feel necessary.
i'm totally new to this but felt so drawn to join you guys cos finally i've found people who knows what i'm been going thru'!!!
i really know what each and everyone of you are talking abt.. merlion, dehydration, no weight gain, people saying you're overreacting, etc...
btw, my girl is now 17 months old and has been throwing up since 2 months old. i've just returned from a first appt with Dr Marion Aw today. she's good and doesn't belittle what i said. that was a nice change.
i'm still trying to monitor her condition before starting on the zantac cos it had been a good week. so Dr said to start when i feel necessary.
epicurean
Member
Hi paigemummy,
Welcome! I know what you mean ... it's like finally finding the people on the same wavelength as you
Yeah, Dr Aw is compassionate & professional ... good listener too. My bb sees her too ... she notes the details we provide and would address whatever concern we have, be it minute or weird-sounding.
My bb's on Zantac also .... btw it doesn't work immediately ... gotta give it a few days to see effects. Good luck!!
paigemummy
New Member
hi epicurean,
thanks for the support.. i've started on the zantac today... let's see if i helps.. the followup with Dr Aw is 3 wks later..
hi yummymummy,
was the surgery traumatic or was it manageable? ( i think reflux mummies got a much higher threshold for "manageable"). how old was your baby when she did it? Who was the surgeon? was it Dr Marion Aw also?
Thanks for sharing!
thanks for the support.. i've started on the zantac today... let's see if i helps.. the followup with Dr Aw is 3 wks later..
hi yummymummy,
was the surgery traumatic or was it manageable? ( i think reflux mummies got a much higher threshold for "manageable"). how old was your baby when she did it? Who was the surgeon? was it Dr Marion Aw also?
Thanks for sharing!