Reflux

I've had a feeling for a few weeks now that Emily might have what they call "silent" reflux.  She never really spit up a whole lot but starting a couple weeks back she would frequently gag and make faces and noises like she had a hairball.  She would also arch her back when we picked her up after she'd wake up from sleeping.  I mentioned the behaviors and asked about the possibility of reflux to Emily's pediatrician at her well visit last month.  The pediatrician's response was that all newborns have reflux to a certain degree because their digestive systems aren't yet matured.  That made sense to me, and since the pediatrician wasn't concerned I tried to let it go.  I hate drugs -- I rarely even take Tylenol myself, so I certainly wouldn't want to give my baby any medicine that isn't necessary.  But, as time went on and I kept seeing her gag, it made me sad to think she might have acid in her throat that I don't know about or that we don't fix.  The pediatrician's view was that as long as she's eating well and gaining weight there is likely no need to do anything.  I accepted that response, but kept a close watch on her behaviors.

On July 9, there were 2 instances where she spit up while laying on her back and the milk came straight up into the air about an inch above her head, like a little geyser.  It wasn't an abundance of spit-up, but I did think it odd that it came straight up like that.  I mentioned it to the pediatrician, who advised that I keep an eye on things to see whether it would happen again.  On July 11, she was screaming randomly throughout the day for no apparent reason, she woke up crying from several naps, and was nursing a LOT... to the point where she actually did spit up a lot bc she ate so much and didn't have room for it in her tiny tummy.  Through my online research I discovered that breast milk can act as an antacid to babies, which I thought might possibly explain that day's behavior -- though such behavior could also be the result of a growth spurt.  On July 14, I was holding her upright near my shoulder when she spit up while looking at me.  Instead of going down her neck and short, her spit-up shot straight out and hit me in the neck, which was several inches away.  Again, it didn't seem like an exorbitant amount.

Beginning last Monday, Emily's nursing time dropped pretty drastically.  Though she would spend between 2.5-3 hours total nursing on a typical day, her nursing time last week was down to ~ 2 hours per day, and on certain days as low as 1.5 hours.  This didn't make sense to me, because as she grows and her tummy gets bigger, it would reason that she'd need MORE food to feel full, not less.  Additionally, it appeared she was spitting up a lot more than usual.  I checked her temperature, and kept a close eye on her wet and dirty diapers.  Though she was having fewer diaper changes, the numbers were still in the normal range.  On Saturday night after I fed her, I was holding her upright in front of me, facing me, when she vomited a thick stream of milk that came out of her mouth and propelled OVER MY SHOULDER.  The milk spew that ejected from her mouth looked about 1/2 inch in diameter and traveled at least 10 inches from her mouth over my shoulder, where it soaked my entire back, my pants, and the bed I was sitting on.  It honestly looked like the entire amount of milk that I'd guessed she just drank.  This was not normal baby spit-up.  This was projectile vomit.

Sunday she was acting okay, spitting up a lot but nothing projectile, thank goodness, and not too much crying.  I decided to take her into the doctor on Monday though just to be safe, and I'm glad I did.  By the time we got to the pediatrician's office a little after noon, she was very uncomfortable.  During the 1 mile walk from our apartment to the office, I had to stop 5 times to take her out of her stroller to hold her and pat her back, because she kept gagging and actually choking on what I imagine was spit coming up into her throat each time I placed her in the stroller -- and she hadn't even just eaten.  She was crying a painful cry and I was convinced it was reflux.  I explained all of her symptoms to her pediatrician, and the doctor agreed, so we've started her on a low dosage of Zantac.

Administering a liquid medicine to a newborn is challenging!  I was really nervous the first time I gave it to her, but she actually did pretty well.  Slow and steady was the key!  By the end of the dose, I actually had her laughing and smiling.  Maybe she realized that weird liquid Mommy was squirting into her mouth was going to help her.  :)

I feel so badly that little Em has acid reflux, and has been experiencing it for weeks!!!  On the one hand I wish I had pressed the pediatrician a bit more earlier; perhaps if we'd started the medicine sooner it wouldn't have gotten so painful for her.  On the other hand, if she was happy and not in pain, perhaps the medicine wasn't needed earlier on.  Either way, I'm glad she's got what she needs now and hope it helps her.... she seems to be in better spirits so far!