This past week I have noticed a big change in my infant. Below are his symptoms-

Does not nap/sleep long. Takes cat naps all day and night.

Does not throw up

Has a lot of gas about an hour after eating (I breast feed and supplement with Similac since my breast milk supply is not abundant)

Is very difficult to burp. I will try to burp him for 20-30 minutes and NOTHING! Yet, he needs to burp b/c a half hour later, he has horrbile gas.

Gets the hiccups numerous times a day

Cranky and cries a lot.

I talked to a nurse at the ped office and they said it may be silent reflux and to take the weekend to prop him up after feedings. (This doesn't seem to do much.) I have an appointment with the ped on Tuesday and it seems so far away since I am getting no sleep.

Has anyone ever had experience with this? I feel so bad for him when he screams in pain.

It is so hard b/c there are so many things it could be - formula, allergy, colic, etc. I think the main keys are the lack of burping, gas, and hiccups. He has never thrown up - which is why it may be the silent reflux.

I would love to try a different formula but I know I shouldn't do it without consent from the doctor. I am just so desperate to try something now.

Hello,

My son had terrible reflux and I was a 1st time mom and I was breastfeeding and supplementing with formula because he was a HUGE eater (10 oz at one feeding at about 4 months)!!!! ......Well, I was giving him 'MILK' based formula and he constantly was spitting up!!! .....Come to find out that he had developed an allergy to the 'milk protein' from the 'MILK' based formula. I was told that babies intestines are not fully developed, and they can't digest the milk protein, and if you expose it to them too early they can develop an allergy to it! My son did....he was spitting up and he also was getting a rashy hive-like apperance on his belly and face!

So, I switched to a 'SOY' based formula and he was just fine! Amazing! Breast-milk is the best and I gave him as much as I could, but I could not keep up with his demand, so I supplemented with soy based formula. My 2 1/2 month daughter is the SAME way.....she is an EATER!!! So, that is why I asked about the 'FENUGREEK', because I do produce a lot, but not enough....and had to supplement 2 bottles a formula a day with her of soy formula. (But, the Fenugreek is increasing my supply=). What I have found out is that 'SIMILAC ISOMIL SOY' is really gentle on babies. It is specially made for fussy babies and for babies that have gas. I use this and it works really well! I had noticed a difference immediately! It really mixes well, and is not chunky. If you are using 'milk based formula', 'GENTLE EASE by ENFAMIL' is gentle too. I was told that it is small protein chains ie. like 2 or 3 amino acids rather than like 20 in a normal protein chain. This makes it easier for a baby to digest the protein. I was also told by a dietician that 'NUTRAGEN by ENFAMIL' actually is an allergy formula and is single Amino Acids making it easier to digest for the baby.

As far as propping a baby up after feedings, I use the 'BABY PAPASAN by fisher price'. Both of my children LOVE this!!! I was also told that it is good for a baby to sleep inclined, if your baby does have reflux and not on their backs and the PAPASAN is great for this. My son slept in this at night and for naps and my daughter does too. The difference is that my daughter NEEDS to be swaddled! So, I swaddle her tight and then place her in the baby papasan, and there is a little blanket that comes with the papasan and I tuck her in and she calms down immediately and goes to sleep! She will sleep for 8 hours (before I knew to swaddle her and put her in the papasan with a little vibration, she was up from 11 pm-1 am screaming) !!!!

She cluster feeds at night before bed, so I think that is why she sleep so good....plus the papasan inclines her at about a 45 degree angle and if she burps up, I don't worry as much because she is not flat on her back. The papasan is like a little nest! Both of children felt so comfortable, and the nice thing is, if they are sleeping.....you can take it anywhere......just pick it up with them in it and put it in the bathroom as you take a shower or do laundry or cook dinner....etc......Can you tell I LOVE this product!!! Well, I hope that this helps a little.....this worked twice for me.....ds 18 months.....dd 2 1/2 months~

I have the baby papasan and also the swing and I am lucky to get 10 minutes out of either one of them. He just won't sit and relax - which is why we think it may be reflux or something which is causing him to be uncomfortable.

However, today I did a load of laundry and placed him in his papasan on top of the washing machine and then the dryer. He slept like a champ through the entire thing! As soon as the dryer was done, he was awake.

I am now looking into getting those baby soothing CD's with white noise. I have also been told to get, "THe Happiest Baby on the Block" CD and DVD. People seem to swear by these things. My fingers are crossed.

My next step will be to also switch to the Soy formula. I am so ready to do it now, but the doctor warned me how their stomachs are so sensitive and it seemed like they didn't want me to do it yet. I had a hard time nursing him this afternoon b/c of his gas. He was so uncomfortable.

My daughter is a little fiesty girl....lol ....It was really hard to figure her out at first....definetely a different personality compared to my mellow son!

Every baby is different, so keep trying different things for your baby...

I know that you mentioned a CD and DVD to try, my son has LOVED the 'Baby Einstien' DVD's and has watched them everyday since birth and now he is 18 1/2 months old and still loves them..... he is getting into the 'Little Einstein' videos as of lately......They are worth GOLD to me! ....but all kids are different...so, try different things~

KeltoKel,

How old is your baby by the way?

& What type of formula are you using?

Also, watch what you are eating while breastfeeding that could contribute to a gassy baby..... Eating.....cabbage, broccoli, eggs, onions, beans, garlic......etc will pass into your breast milk and then to the baby.....and give them lots of gas.

I know, my baby is VERY gassy.....poor girl.....but, after I switched to the 'Similac Isomil Soy', she was much better and watched what I was eating~

My son will be 4 weeks old next week.

Yes, I think I need to watch what I eat. I have heard two totally different theories about that. A lactation person told me that you can eat most things you ate while you were pregnant - that it wouldn't affect the baby. My friend ate everything she wanted while nursing and didn't have any problems. The only thing she noticed was cabbage that gave her baby gas. However, books tell you to totally watch your diet.

I don't usually eat anything too spicy or that would cause gas, but I do have the piece of garlic bread from time to time. I have stayed away from broccoli (although I really want some) and am not a bean eater. I love onions though, but I try not to overdue them.

My son is currently on Similac Advance. I also have Enfamil samples that I thought about trying, but I think it is basically the same stuff????

Both my son and my daughter reacted differently to different types and brands of formula. I tried different ones to see which ones agreed and which ones did not.