Harrison has reflux. If that was not BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE BUT HIS MOTHER.
On Friday, I sat in Dr. Hottie’s office on a cold vinyl bench, running through a list of reflux symptoms as he cauterized Harrison’s belly button (because oozing gold funk is not attractive). We chatted about spit-up, coughing, the hours-long screaming post-bottle, & how at almost a month old, he still didn’t like to take more than 2 oz per feeding. The final kicker:
Dr. Hottie: “Does he ever arch his back during or after a feeding?”
Blair: “oh, he just stretches a bit. You know, like ‘oh what a wonderful bottle!’ & stretches with his arms over his head.”
Dr. Hottie: ::blank, pointed stare::
Blair: “OH. MY. GAWD.”
Dr. Hottie: ::bursts out laughing::
Blair: “Listen, I will slip you $5 and a Pumpkin Spice Latte if you don’t mention this to Nate. Because I will NEVER live this down.”
Needless to say, he immediately sent in a prescription for baby Zantac. It was food time, so I fed Harrison in the exam room quickly, but since we were tying up a room, I quickly burped him & unceremoniously plopped him in the carseat. Crossed my fingers, said a prayer, & braced myself. Just as expected, the hell-cat screaming of reflux began at the check-out line. I crouch down, rock the carseat & offer Harrison his paci. Just 5 minutes, I promise him in my mind.
p.s. I know, it looks like the SIDS risk from hell. But I promise, he’s buckled in & cannot slide under the blanket. & I do check on him. oh, & we put the bouncer in the crib to keep Tuck from licking him to death while he naps. Slobbery dog kisses do not bode well for long naps.
I think its great that you snapped at Trailer trash barbie, and Grandma. I hope once my baby gets here I'll have the balls to snap at people like them, who need to mind their own business! Way to go!
Does your bouncer have bunny ears? Hee hee! That's hilarious!I'm glad the Zantac is helping!
I fully intend to snap away at anyone who dares treat me like that whenever I have a baby. Bravo, Mama Blair, Bravo.
You've got mail! I sent you a quick note to the email address on your blog yesterday. I'm not sure if it's totally clogged with junk, but I sent a recommended book (Colic Solved) that helped us a lot with my son's reflux problems–and it helped me connect the dots on some of his behaviors that I didn't realize were reflux-related.I'm SOOOOOOO glad to hear the Zantac is relieving Harrison's symptoms at this point.
the bouncer in the crib is not absurd. I worked peds as a nurse and we did this all.the.time as it's impossible to hold 3 babies at once. glad the zantac is working!
Hope the Zantac works well for little H. Isla ended up needing Prevacid instead, and we just added Reglan today at the pedi. Our pedi said the bouncy seat is actually counter-productive. It props baby upright, but scrunches the stomach, which in turn pushes the acid up more. She suggested the wedge under the mattress or sleeping in the car seat in the crib. The wedge worked well for Isla. GL, it gets better once you get the meds all figured out. I too had a "DUH" moment when my pedi suggested reflux, even though she exuded all of the classic symptoms. Live and learn right?
You are my personal hero.
Wow, reading about you're snapping at those two really made my day. I'm two days from being 39 weeks and am really wanting to lose my shit on someone. I don't know why– oh right, cause I can't sleep, everything I eat makes me feel like I want to die and my boobs are heavy and hang to my belly button. Yep. So, thanks for losing it– I would have to and I would have enjoyed it– just sayin'.
You're doing a fantastic job! Screw grandma and Barbie, they both had it coming.
Go to Target and get the sleep position wedge, then lay Harrison on his side when he sleeps. He won't be able to roll over because there are sides on the wedge. Works like a charm for my 12 week old who has had reflux since 4 weeks. He stays sleeping longer too since he's not on his back gurgling all night.
Im sorry but the story was obv fictional….is the writer coming out in you or what!?Give it a rest….youre an idiot.
You go Blair! And looks like Anonymous needs you to go off on them too.
Good for you for snapping at those mean women! I can't believe the nerve of some people! Girl, our son slept in his bouncer for the first two months of his life! It was the only way I could get him to sleep longer than 2 hours at a time.Glad things are getting better for ya'll.
Blair, DD had reflux, and it was exactly as you described. Zantac helped for awhile, and she's on Prevacid now which has been sent from the heavens. She also slept…in her bouncy…in her crib, just like little Harrison. For about 4 months. So don't be too worried about creating bad habits–she transitioned just fine, and we all got a lot better sleep with her more upright like that. You're right, follow your instincts. You know him best, and you have to trust your gut.
Anonymous, you are a JACKASS!
Reflux sucks trust me I know. I also found keeping him up for 20 mins after his bottle really helped too. Oh and gripe water was my friend but that was for the gas not the reflux. Hang in there, you are doing a great job!
Hey Blair – I found your blog through a friend of mine and I just wanted to tell you that my son, who is 9 weeks, also has reflux. The Zantac seemed to help, but he still wasn't able to sleep for long periods at night. We bought the wedge sleep positioner, but he would just slide to the bottom of it. Then, a friend of mine told me about the Nap Nanny. It's a large peice of foam that is made especially for babies with reflux – it keeps them at just the right angle in their sleep. So, I decided to give it a try (I will warn you, it is $129 and cannot be returned). BUT, it was worked miracles! We put it in his crib (even though it says not to) and he absolutely LOVES it. The night we started using it, he slept 5 hours straight and has been that way pretty much ever since! Anyway, just thought I'd share incase you'd like to give it a try! (www.napnanny.com) Good luck!
You go girl!!
People need to mind their own business. Glad you spoke up for yourself. We have done the bouncer in the crib as well. It's great for when they have a cold and are congested! Harrison is a beautiful little boy:)
Okay, I can understand someone getting annoyed by a baby screaming at a 5 star restaurant or something, but seriously- at a pediatrician's office?! WTF? I'm glad you put TTB in her place.
Ahhh, this is all so familiar! Zantac didn't work for my daughter but I'm glad it's helping Harrison and I hope he outgrows it quickly! I know exactly what you're going through, like a lot of moms. Good for you for snapping at grandma!
Hi Blair–My DD had reflux, but outgrew it at about 3-4 months. I used to stick her in her bouncer immediately after each meal. She would fuss for more food (just like Harrison, to soothe the burn) but after distracting her and insisting on giving her her paci, she would finally settle down. I too tried the sleep wedge, but she kept sliding down it. I have heard wonderful things about the Nap Nanny, but didn't end up needing it. GL!!
Oh, and she was on Zantac as well. Which worked at first, and then kinda stopped working…but by 2.5 weeks it was working fabulously.
I love you, I love you, I love you. Thank you for doing exactly what I would do and have done.Nuf said.
Hang in there! Harrison is going through what my little guy did just four weeks ago! He still struggles with the reflux, but the zantac works great and keeping them upright. I often put the bouncer in the crib as well and it works great. Keep up the good work!
Girl, I feel your pain. We had the same story going on at my house and reflux was the culprit! We didn't get medicine for 2 months b/c at 1 month when I insisted she had it, they didn't think so b/c she didn't spit up a lot … so we went through several different formulas trying to find a fix and finally after I pleaded to get the reflux medicine, life was great! Glad you found your fix! I've learned to follow my gut when I feel like something's wrong! I haven't been wrong yet!!
Zantac rocks. It has solved many of our problems! You should get a wedge pillow from BRU. It goes on top of the matress but under the sheet. Then the baby can sleep at an incline. It has certainly helped and it made me feel less on edge about SIDS. I was a nervous wreck when I had him sleeping on a boppy which someone else recommended to me. Glad you are figuring out how to make him more comfy!
Well done YOU!!On all accounts, I must say.We slept my daughter upright after she got croup- we just stuck a pillow under her crib mattress to 'bump' it up a little…but she was much older than your gorgeous little man.I thoroughly enjoy stalking your blog. Keep me laughing, lady. It's sanity on a computer screen:)
Good for you. People need to mind their own business. And ditto on the going with your instinct. I did that with my little guy this weekend and lo and behold he had the flu! I never even considered that his congestion and cough could be the flu! Sometimes that new mama brain just doesn't work the way it's supposed to. The most obvious things are no longer obvious.
1) I'm glad you got the reflux figured out2) Good for you for shutting up Grandma & T.T. Barbie& 3) I always feel like I need to defend my photos too from looking like a SIDS risk
As always love the blog!
I rarely comment, but I always read your blog. So glad you lost, I would have lost it too. I'm so glad you figured out what was wrong with Harrison. My son had reflux and slept in his bouncy chair for months. That's what worked for us. He eventually grew out of the reflux I hope Harrison does too!
YEA for you with the medicine and the strangers minding YOUR business! I used a wedge under the crib sheet. I think I bought it from A Step Ahead catalog. It props them up just enough to help with reflux. Good luck
those seahorses DO rock your socks, huh?
Your blog came highly recommended, so I stopped by and took a peek. I have a two year old and one of his favorite embarrassing public games is to go limp in parking lots while I get frustrated and sweat like a caveman. he thinks this is immensely funny. Meanwhile, my "village" tells me that I'm a horrible mother and ever so intelligently offer me tips on how to rear my gorgeous little hellion. Glad to see you're steps ahead of the game and defending yourself…I'm about 6 stranger tips away from a Colorado Springs murderous rampage. And PS – my son also has a GI problem, only his comes with projectile vomiting at least once a week. I feel your pain.
a tucker sling is really safe for sleeping with reflux, if interested. but my kids slept in their carseats in their cribs for two months. yeah, im a great parent.
Zantac worked for my DD for a few days, then it was back to hell. I learned from another mom of a reflux baby, you have to be agressive in getting proper treatment. My DD has been on Prevacid the past month and it has been wonderful. If Zantac stops working speak up right away! Having a reflux baby is not easy. Hang in there!
I hope the Zantac works, that was our first try but it did no good. We did Prilosec and Prevacid, which finally helped a bit. We had to prop him up for half an hour after eating, prop him up to sleep and burp him after every ounce. Coupled with the colic and all the other issues we went through -HELL. And if the bouncer in the crib works for you, then do it. Do what you need to do for everyone to be happy and get some sleep.
"Im sorry but the story was obv fictional….is the writer coming out in you or what!?"I'm glad another BS detector went off with this one. Wake up Sheeple!Blair – All we're asking is for you to keep it real.
I was there. She speaks the truth. Granny and Trailer Trash Barbie got the Blair Verbal Bitch Slap.
I only skimmed the other comments, because I am a lazy whore, but I second the sleep positioner. Side sleeping saved our sleep-deprived asses.Another reflux tip: don't burp! My daughter had wicked reflux, and everyone always said to burp her extra to avoid bubbles. But burping seemed to make the burn worse.Also? Zantac tends to be a bit of a…twat. Sorry, that's exactly the word that comes to mind. It will work, and if he gains any weight at all, his dose will need increased. And eventually, it may not work at all. Not to be the asshole who craps on your happy Zantac parade, but you seem to like to hear it how it is. Don't feel bad about telling your hot doctor that you want a proton pump inhibitor like Prevacid (which is like magic in the form of solutab) if Zantac stops working.
um…the joys of formula. wouldn't have happenned if you at least tried BF.
Um, Anonymous, I breastfed for 21 months. My son had reflux too. Breastfeeding is no guarantee, and it's also a personal decision. To be made by the parents. Let it go.
Hey Anonymous… not everyone can breastfeed. I was diagnosed with a heart condition post-preg that kept me from bfing. Back off Blair if you know what's good for ya.