Reflux, Spit up, etc

I have read previous posts and am now more "unsure" than ever b/c my two are so different. In advance, thanks for reading and any help/advice you have.

My boys are 7 weeks old tomorrow. We started on Emfamil Lipil from the hospital. Once they were awake and alert for longer periods (past the 1st week) Ethan started being VERY FUSSY all the time (Of course they started eating good then too). Then I noticed he wasn't pooping. Then when he did it was hard and pellet like and he screamed when he was going. I called pedi and they said just give 1oz prune juice a day but don't make it a habit. So I did but only after he'd have a hard time. Of course, it never "fixed" itself and the little guy was miserable. He also does this weird "psuedo" spit up where it acts like he's going to puke but swallows it (I think) His cry is also like a cough at first. He never slept more than 30 minutes w/o waking himself up just miserable. We switched to Gentleease (I will admit w/o advice of pedi - he just seems to think it'll "even out" (colic) - however, he's not dealing with a crying unhappy baby 24/7). This formula was fine for like 2 days then it was WORSE. We kept going for a week just to see if it would even out.....no luck. Poor kid seemed gassier (is that a word? LOL) more constipated and in pain than before. When I went for my 6 week checkup last week my Obgyn said her twins loved Good Start. So here we are. The eat about 4oz every three hours. He is not as fussy takes good naps and sleeps MUCH BETTER, has good poopies but is still very gassy. I use the gas drops with most feedings. He does actually spit up some now not while burping but after feedings - but nothing I would call abnormal. He is still generally fussy for some periods right after eating. Swaddling helps some. He does eat well, but then is fussy does the cry, back arch, psuedo throw up/spit up swallows a lot and then cries - but not al the time.

Aidan has no trouble eating, poops fine, and in general is a happy baby except he too now is gassy (on GS too). It doesn't seem to bother him much and the drops help. HOWEVER, he is my spitter. I mean, this kid spits up at the drop of a hat, while eating, after eating, after waking up from a nap, you name it. It's never consistent either, it's milkish, clear, mucousy, etc. Sometimes it's like a drool but most times it's more projectile. That poor kid gets changed every feeding and then some in between again. The laundry never ends. Bibs sorta help with the little episodes, but I'd need a "body bib" for some.

They go for 2 month check up/shots in Oct. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO after all this - do I have worries or is this normal? Does it sound like reflux or just normal baby stuff? The coughing/cry really sorta gets me (or is it just "his" cry and he perhaps is just a fussy 'lil guy in general?)

BTW - they are gaining weight just fine - the unofficial weight checks have them at least 9 lbs (you know - the "get on the scale, then get on scale w/ baby :lol: )

Thanks in advance for any advice - I know I have to talk to pedi - but it's hard soemtimes to not sound like a whiner/overworrisome mommy

 

When one of mine was having trouble with poos the nurse told me to add more water to the formula I dont know if that will help but if fixed my little ones problem from then on I always made it that way for that one! Dont remember which one it was LOL must be pregnancy brain! About the spitting up Im afraid some are just experts at it. Good luck. I hope to hear how it goes with the doctor next time.

 

When in doubt, don't be afraid to call your pedi. They are there to answer any questions you have and put your mind at ease. I was always glad I did no matter how silly it sounded.

We had dry clay pellet poop on several formulas, too. Switching made a day and night difference. Sounds like the Good Start is working really well for you guys.

It isn't unusal for babies to be fussy in the first 3 months (with or without colic). Nor is it unusual for babies to spit and sometimes spit every time you turn around. Though most of the time when they spit it looks like way more than it typically is. Full bottle projectile vomiting is a whole other story. One of mine was a major spitter, but happy spitter for the first few months. As long as they aren't screaming in pain, and still gaining weight most pedis will tell you not to worry about it. For us, the happy spitter turned into a screaming spitter who then started refusing to eat, arching his back, and screaming bloody murder. The other had already been diagnosed with reflux and was on meds for it, so it didn't come as too much of a suprise to us. At the pedis direction we changed formulas a few times to rule out any lactose issues (first a Gentleease/Sensitive type, and then onto Soy (which was an absolute nightmare disaster) and then Nutramigen/Allimentum). Still had problems, so by process of elimination we started reflux meds - first Axid - no change. Then onto Prevacid which worked like a charm (as long as we waited at least 15 minutes after giving it before giving them food).

Hopefully it is all perfectly normal baby stuff, but definately talk to your pedi about all of your concerns.

 

your twins sound just like mine I was told to start on the enfamil with iron and I had the same trouble it made my DS fussy and he would poop pellets so we switched to the nutramagen cause someone gave us 2 cans to try and he didn't seem to like it and the Ped suggested the gentlease and I too think my little guy is more gasy than ever so I don't know what to try next I might talk to my ped about the good start and My DD she is on the enfamil AR cause she throws up the whole bottle of everything else but she's fussy to so I'm still in the game of trial and error...

 

GentleEase worked for mine... I put DS on that and DD on soy as she had really bad reflux.

It might be reflux you're dealing with, but there is often not too much to do about it unless it's painful I think... if he's doing good on Good Start, just stick to that. On a side note, I was always told that it takes one week to really see a difference when you switch formulas... not sure how accurate it is though. Either way, it will get better as they get older. Mine still spit up after meals, but they don't seem to care...

 

QUOTE(Brown Eyed Gurl @ Sep 19 2008, 12:13 PM) [snapback]987737[/snapback]
your twins sound just like mine I was told to start on the enfamil with iron and I had the same trouble it made my DS fussy and he would poop pellets so we switched to the nutramagen cause someone gave us 2 cans to try and he didn't seem to like it and the Ped suggested the gentlease and I too think my little guy is more gasy than ever so I don't know what to try next I might talk to my ped about the good start and My DD she is on the enfamil AR cause she throws up the whole bottle of everything else but she's fussy to so I'm still in the game of trial and error...


Sounds like we are in the same boat. I do like the Good Start. They seem to like it and will eat it just as well as the other stuff. It also doesn't smell as terrible (going down or coming up :bad: ) and doesn't stain at all. From other post, happy spitter son has a swollen eye, so to the pedi we go anyway today. I'm going to make a list and see what he says. I'll let you know.

 

ethan sounds just like sean did at the beginning. same pooping issues, we switched to alimentum and everything calmed down and he was fairly happy. we took him off that and started good start (cheaper) and then he wouldnt eat, cries, stiffens body, etc. went to the doc a few times, and a specialist. now we're on nutramigen, mylanta 4x/day, and prevacid. we'll see how it goes, good luck with your lil guys! maybe see if you can go earlier for their check up?