Hi there
Just read this string, and can really relate to what you are going through. Firstly sorry this is a long message, I just hope some of my experience will help you.
All 3 of mine have suffered reflux. All 3 put on weight and weren't really sicky. Oliver now 7 yrs had it very severely and didn't improve until over a year. He also had a dairy allergy and really improved his symptoms when I cut out milk from my diet but we didn't find out about this until he was 6mo old. He is still cow's milk allergic.
Darcy now 5yrs had reflux but I cut out milk straight away and her symptoms weren't as severe. She is also still cow's milk allergic.
Phoebe is 5.5 mo and has severe reflux. I cut out milk and it made little effect so my HV suggested cutting out soya as well, this made a big improvement to her windiness and cramping.
I have also identified that when I eat onion and garlic it makes the reflux so much worse so I've cut them out too..... It takes a few days of curting out for a difference but This has also helped improve the symptoms for us. Might be worth keeping a food diary and seeing if you can identify any troublesome foods.
She is on ranitidine which helps a bit, you said that it didn't work for you, have you checked with a doctor that she is on the maximum dose? As the weight increases so does the dose. It also takes a week to take effect. Phoebe would go through spurts of feeding every 2 hours and even now still feeds pretty much every 3 or 3.5 hours, I dream feed at 11 (but she always wakes up) and still wakes at 2 or 3am for a night feed. I put this down to the fact that her tummy just can't take a large amount of milk because it makes her uncomfortable so she needs to feed this way. She is still woken at night by the reflux too, but I don't feed her when this happens I stay with her and resettle her again and again until she is settled (she sucks her thumb and I'm sure the saliva going down makes the reflux worse too)
I have stopped stressing about the fact that she feeds more frequently and still at night and just decided to go with her flow as reflux is such a difficult thing to deal with.
How does your LO sleep, will he take long naps? Phoebe has never taken long naps because the reflux wakes her and she just can't resettle even laying on me. This is another reason why I think she feeds more often as she doesn't get enough milk to keep her going any longer and she's hungry from being awake so much.
Evenings are a nightmare as she's cranky and tired and feeds at 5pm then again at bed time more due to tiredness and for comfort between 6 and 7pm - this is a bit too much for her tummy to cope with (too close together) so it takes her ages to settle to sleep with my help but it's just the way it is at the moment.
I started solids last week, steamed and puréed pear, apple mixed with a bit of organic unsweetened baby rice, also tried carrot and mashed banana. I BF when she wakes 6/6.30am then give new food an hour later. Just a few teaspoons full. She seems in a bit of discomfort as it goes down so I stop as soon as she fusses. I can honestly say though that it has helped lengthen her morning nap. This week she has taken an hour and a half nap in the morning so her next BF is 4 hours after the first one. I have started to give the same tiny amount at lunch but she's not as interested and some days it help and others it doesn't. I think the addition of a bit of baby rice to the purée has helped the reflux as it's thickened the contents of her tummy.
I think it's going to be a long process to get to 3 meals and I have no idea how to cut out the 2am feed but I think when she is on 3 meals it will really help her reflux and help her to nap better. It'll also cut out the 5pm feed so hopefully that will help with the settling at night.
I hope that my really long waffle has some relevance for you. Reflux is such a difficult thing every child is different. Hang in there it will get better before you know it!
Miranda
