I need some advice from others that have had babies with reflux. My baby has reflux and it's really difficult. She throws up before, during, or after 3/4's of her feedings. I am not talking about spitup. I am talking about full fledged projectile vomitting. She is obviously getting enough to eat because she continues to gain weight and she is eager for her feedings. However, I am so tired of having to take 12 burp cloths with me whenever I feed her and many changes of outfits. I am afraid to feed her in a public setting because she will 80% chance throw up. She is on Zantac so that it doesn't burn that bad when she does throw up (although she throws up the Zantac many times that we give it to her). We have added rice cereal to her bottles and she still throws up. We keep her upright after feedings and then put her in her crib that has the head of it elevated and now she has started to throw up across her crib - hitting the floor even. Please....any advice other than she will grow out of this before 1 year? She is 3 months.

ooooohhhh, i've been there! my first was the same way! she was a happy spitter though, with no discomfort or anything, just projectile spitting up ALL day long!!! is your a happy spitter? i used to pretty much live with a receiving blanket thrown over my shoulder all the time with her (target sells them i think in a 4 or 6 pack for a reasonable price).

a few things you might try..... first, what kind of bottle does she use? make sure the flow isn't too fast for her (i highly recommend the playtex nursers). also, make sure she isn't eating too much in one feeding. you might try feeding her less....

nothing worked to stop my daughter's spitting up, but doing the above suggestions did help keep her from being quite so messy.... she still spit up, but it wasn't so much of the projectile spitting up like she had been doing.

we had at least 50 bibs (target sells them in 8 or 10 packs i think...) for her, and at least that many burpies too. i got some of the big vinyl lined bibs for feedings and put the small baby sized bibs on her between feedings. fortunately bibs are pretty cute these days, so at least you can coordinate them with her outfits..... my daughter also took a binky pretty much 24-7 at that age, and i think that helped too.

we finally out grew the horrible spitting at around 5-6 months.... she still spit up, but not near as frequently or as bad. she unfortunately spit up until she was around 9 months, i think. but it tapered way down between 5-9 months! so there IS hope!!! :)

Mine spit up a lot, too. We also started with rice cereal, then I think at 6 mths, the Dr. said to switch to oatmeal. That helped a little with the frequency of the spit ups. I too used to change clothes (both mine and my LO's) several times a day. My son was taking prevacid, however. That was good because it was only 2x per day.

At around 7 1/2 mths, it seemed like overnight...the spitting up just stopped. We stopped giving prevacid shortly thereafter, and at 8 mths, stopped putting oatmeal in his bottle. Now he is just like a regular baby. I can't remember the last time he spit up. We don't even use burpies anymore...just bibs to wipe his milky mouth. :)

So, hang in there. It does get better.:D

My youngest had acid reflux for the first six months. I took him to the doctor and they put him on some medicine twice a day. It helped him almost immediately.

I know as an adult I personally have acid reflux. It's painful and hurts. I felt so bad for my little guy. Thank god doctors realize that babies get this and they can treat it.

I would definitely take baby in to the doctor for medicine. Things should start to go easier for both of you after that.

Thanks for the replies. She is on Zantac 3 times a day and we switched her formula to Enfamil AR. When we added rice to the bottle, it wasn't working as well as this formula. She keeps it down much better. She went from throwing up about 6 times a day to 1 or 2 and not as bad. If it gets bad again, the doctor said that she will switch her from Zantac to Prevacid. However, I wasn't sure if Prevacid was safe with no possible long term side affects. I have to do my research before that. But, for now, she is doing okay.

As a side note, she hates Zantac because it is flavored with peppermint. The pharmacy flavors it grape (on top of the peppermint already there). The first time this worked and she stopped throwing it up everytime we gave it to her. I just got a refill and it smelled like peppermint and sure enough, she is throwing it up when you give it to her. I just went to the pharmacy and they added more grape flavoring; however, I also learned that the pharmacy can make the medicine from scratch right there and not put the peppermint in it. I didn't know that and they said if she throws this up again this afternoon, that they will just remake the batch by hand (so that there is no peppermint in there). Just a thought for others in case they are having any of the same issues.

What does the AR stand for? Taylor is on Gentlease, but Im thinking of trying Enfamil RS...at least at night.

She is also on Zantac as well as Levsin and her stomach issues seem to be much better. However, because she is on 2 different meds, Im not sure which one (or both) has actually made the difference. Now, if she could just get over this cold. I go back to work in 3 weeks and am hoping to have a few weeks with her where she is actually feeling good.

AR is 'added rice'. The difference is that the formula thickens when it gets to the stomach acid. Therefore, it's harder for them to throw up a more solid substance.

She is also on Zantac as well as Levsin and her stomach issues seem to be much better. However, because she is on 2 different meds, Im not sure which one (or both) has actually made the difference.

What kind of Stomach issues was she having before you started the Levsin? I am trying to do some reasearch on Levsin, I believe it might help our 3 month old, as well. She has reflux and is on Prevacid, but still seems to have stomach pain. She also has MSPI and is on special formula - so I am 99% sure that's not the problem. I think she has some intestinal problems (gas) and gas drops only treat stomach gas - they don't help her at all!

What kind of Stomach issues was she having before you started the Levsin? I am trying to do some reasearch on Levsin, I believe it might help our 3 month old, as well. She has reflux and is on Prevacid, but still seems to have stomach pain. She also has MSPI and is on special formula - so I am 99% sure that's not the problem. I think she has some intestinal problems (gas) and gas drops only treat stomach gas - they don't help her at all!

She was having REALLY bad gas pains that Mylicon and excessive burping were not touching. She was literally screaming in agony for hours. The Dr didnt offer or even suggest the Levisin, I just did some research and asked them to prescribe it. They kept saying it was colic and to just let her grow out of it. Finally, when I all but insisted, they wrote the prescription. She seems much better, but Im still not sure if we owe the improvement to Zantac, Levsin, or both.

My son is 10 months and we're still battling the reflux monster. I actually just took him back to his doctor yesterday because of it. One thing to think about is talking to her dr about switching to a gentle or hypo-allergenic formula which will be easier to digest and faster to leave the stomach. Also, you might try thickening her formula with a product called Thick It, rather than rice cereal. We've been using Thick It for 6 months and it works far better than the cereals, in our experience. Just bear in mind though that, as long as she's not showig signs of being in pain and growing well, the vomiting really is just a laundry and social problem.
I hated hearing that too but, at least the baby isn't hurting. My sister's son spit up fountains for about 4 months but w/ his Prilosec it didn't hurt so, she just did extra laundry, LOL.

One thing to think about is talking to her dr about switching to a gentle or hypo-allergenic formula which will be easier to digest and faster to leave the stomach. Also, you might try thickening her formula with a product called Thick It, rather than rice cereal. Just bear in mind though that, as long as she's not showig signs of being in pain and growing well, the vomiting really is just a laundry and social problem.


We are on Elecare - the most gentle and hypo-allergenic formula you can buy (from what I've researched). It's similar to Neocate, just a different brand.

Where do you get the "Thick It" and what's it made from. My DD has MSPI, as well as the reflux, so we have to be careful what we give her.

She is clearly in pain, the spit up doesn't bother me at all. I believe, however, can't be proven right or wrong since she can't tell me, that the pain is gas, but the mylicon or gas-x drops don't do a thing for her. I think I'll ask my doctor about the Levsin. The other problem we have is that she won't sleep - she gets about 8 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, when she should be getting 15 hours - again, I believe it's due to the pain she's having. It's pretty much a guessing game at this point!

Thanks G8R - I think I'll ask my doc about it!

~ravae

We are on Elecare - the most gentle and hypo-allergenic formula you can buy (from what I've researched). It's similar to Neocate, just a different brand.

Where do you get the "Thick It" and what's it made from. My DD has MSPI, as well as the reflux, so we have to be careful what we give her.

She is clearly in pain, the spit up doesn't bother me at all. I believe, however, can't be proven right or wrong since she can't tell me, that the pain is gas, but the mylicon or gas-x drops don't do a thing for her. I think I'll ask my doctor about the Levsin. The other problem we have is that she won't sleep - she gets about 8 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, when she should be getting 15 hours - again, I believe it's due to the pain she's having. It's pretty much a guessing game at this point!

Thanks G8R - I think I'll ask my doc about it!

~ravae

I have a friend who's son is on Elecare. You don't get any gentler than that. Thick It is available at WalGreens. It is modified cornstarch and maltodextrin. Sine milk and soy cross contamination are a concern, make sure to use Thick it brand. There's another one, Thicken Up, but its produced by Resource, who also produces milk, soy, wheat and peanut products. We also have to be careful about what we use becaues DS has reacted to milk, soy, oats, barley, carrots, sweet potatoes, fish and the list just keeps growing. Thick It hasn't caused any problems though. Its actually worked wonders.
As for the gas, rice can cause horrible gas, so you might see her gas pains get a lot better if you switch to a thickener that's not rice.

We are on Elecare - the most gentle and hypo-allergenic formula you can buy (from what I've researched). It's similar to Neocate, just a different brand.

Where do you get the "Thick It" and what's it made from. My DD has MSPI, as well as the reflux, so we have to be careful what we give her.

She is clearly in pain, the spit up doesn't bother me at all. I believe, however, can't be proven right or wrong since she can't tell me, that the pain is gas, but the mylicon or gas-x drops don't do a thing for her. I think I'll ask my doctor about the Levsin. The other problem we have is that she won't sleep - she gets about 8 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, when she should be getting 15 hours - again, I believe it's due to the pain she's having. It's pretty much a guessing game at this point!

Thanks G8R - I think I'll ask my doc about it!

~ravae

Ive never heard of Elecare! Is that a prescription? She seems to be responding well to Gentlease at the moment, but Im waiting for the shoe to drop and the gas pains to start all over again. My little one was only sleeping like 8 hours in a 24 hr period and screaming for the other 16 hours and it was incredibly difficult. The Levsin/Zantac/Gentlease is working great for her at the moment though. I have to say that the Alimentum worked wonders as far as her colic was concerned, but she absolutely could not keep it down....it was way too light.

Let us know what your Dr says about Levisin =)

Doodle & G8R - Thank you so much for the advice! I'm going to get Thick It today! I have heard that Rice can cause gas and constipation, but didn't know I had another option - since it works so well for her keeping the formula down! Hopefully the Thick it will help with gas and help her sleep! I'll give it a week and if no change, I'm going to the pedi to get Levsin!!!

Thanks again, so much!!!! I love these boards and don't know what I'd do without the advice of great moms!

~ravae
Oh, the Elecare is sort of a prescription - I have to order it directly from the manufacturer. It's more broken down than Alimentum and Nutramagin. It seems to help her, but still need the thickener. =)

Well, I talked to my doctor's office today and they told me to stop giving her the rice in her bottle and see if that helps her gas. The bad thing is, when she doesn't have the rice, she totally pukes up everything she eats! It started with the first bottle we gave her yesterday with no rice. I gave her 3 oz and she spit up at least 2 1/2 of it. I know it's just a laundry problem (I love that saying, by the way) if she's not hurting, but if she spits that much up everytime, she can't gain any weight, can she? He said no to the Thick it - said he didn't reccommend it for a baby and he also said no to the Levsin - again, said they've never given it to a baby - especially one as small as her. So, I guess at this point, we're trying Elecare with no rice for a week and seeing if she gets any better. Oh, just a side note, we already did this right when he prescribed the Elecare for her, but it wasn't staying down, so that's why we started the rice. UGH!! I feel like I'm going in circles right now! I just wish we could find something that works! If this doesn't work and the next "advice" he has doesn't work, I'm going to try the Thick it, anyway. We went out and bought it yesterday and put it in one bottle before they called back and told us not to use it. Didn't seem to hurt her, but you can't tell from just one bottle if it helps, either. I hate not following my pedi's advice, he's a great doc and we both really love him. I shouldn't have waited so long to call him back when she wasn't getting any better. I just hate calling there, feel like I'm totally bothering them, which I know I shouldn't - but I do. Oh, well. We'll get through it. Thanks so much for the help! I wouldn't have had anything to suggest to him if it weren't for you guys!

~ravae

Have you tried Enfamil AR? It thickens in their bellies. My daughter still throws up sometimes; however, she went from about 6 times a day (and very bad...like you are talking about) to 1-2 and on a bad day, 3 and not as bad. The rice in her bottle didn't cut it for us. We are also on Zantac. Just a thought for you. I know how desperate it can feel to find something that might help your baby out since we are going through the same thing.

Also, as a side note...our GI specialist told us that the rice can constipate a baby and if necessary, give her oatmeal in the bottle instead. I ended up giving her oatmeal by spoon and she loves it. The Enfamil AR constipated her as well and this oatmeal is wonderful.

At this point, they are steering us clear of the Enfamil AR becuase she has MSPI and the AR is milk based - so it could cause us worse problems than we already have. However, if it's a last resort, we may have to try it...

I have heard that it works great for a lot of babies! DD is on Prevacid for her Acid Reflux and the Elecare for her MSPI. Hopefully she will grow out of the reflux soon!!! That would solve most of our problems, I think!

Hi, my first baby was prem and could not suck and was feed with a tube until the day she came home, once we started to feed she screamed and screamed.
everyone told us that all babies cry, eventually after 3 months of projectile vomits after and during every feed. We found out that the reflux was so severe it had burnt her esophagus. We then changed her formula to Infalac and put a lot of thickener in her bottle, it was like custard, she was given Zantac 15 minutes prior to every feed and a prescription medicine from her Ped that acted like a anesthetic in her stomach, because she was not gaining weight. Prop her up at all times even when you are giving her a bottle. prop her crib up at the top with a brick or a phone book and only use the bottom half of the crib. Hopefully some of these tricks will work but as soon as she hits 12 weeks start giving small amounts of baby porridge or pureed pears, not apples they are to acidic for her tummy and rice does cause constipation and babies have trouble digesting it properly when they are very young.
Regards