When did your baby grow out of infant reflux/GER?

Question

My son is eleven months old and just started walking. He spits up alot less then before. He spits up about 3 times a day. Reflux can be very stressful to baby and mommy. THANKS, Amanda

Answer 1

My GERDling is only 2 months. So I don't know when e'll outgrow it. But 6 months to 2 years is average. My guess is mine will be closer to 2 years considering the severity of his.

Many doctors don't see it as a problem. For some babies no medication is needed, but for some, it is. I tried EVERYTHING to help my son's reflux without medication but his is just too severe to treat without medication. :(

Here is some info on GERD/Reflux I give my clients. You might learn something else to help your baby even if he has already been diagnosised.

Reflux/GERD
If you suspect or have been told that your baby has colic, you may want to consider the possibility that your baby may have reflux. This may not be the answer for all colicky babies, but in my experience and based on my conversations with other mothers, reflux is very common and is very often misdiagnosed as colic.

Symptoms

These are some of the more common symptoms of reflux. Your baby may only have some of them, and may have other symptoms that are not listed. (I'll * the ones my son had)
Spitting up frequently
Vomiting
*Unexplained crying-colicky behavior
*Poor sleep; frequent waking
*Fighting/crying during feeding
*Arching neck or back during feeding
*Frequent hiccups
*Congestion
*Wheezing
*Coughing
Hoarseness
Strange odor on breath
Poor weight gain
Frequent choking episodes
*Fusses when legs are lifted during diaper change.
*Fusses when in sitting position, like in a car seat.
*Chewing or smacking of lips after feedings
Apnea-spells of not breathing
Bradycardia-spells of slow heartrate
*Wet Burps
*Curdled spit up

Important: There are a couple of common misconceptions about reflux:

First, your baby does not have to be losing weight to have reflux. On the contrary, many reflux babies actually overeat because eating eases the pain.

Second, your baby does not have to be spitting up to have reflux. This is known as "silent reflux" and can actually be harder on your baby because their esophagus is getting burned by the acid on the way up and again when it goes back down. It's also a lot harder to recognize as reflux.

Talking to your pediatrician

If your baby is exhibiting signs of reflux, you should talk to your pediatrician about it. Be forewarned though that many pediatricians only consider reflux to be a problem if the baby isn't gaining weight properly. Beyond that, many seem to think it's merely a laundry problem for an overreacting parent and will tell you that your baby will grow out of it and send you on your way. Yes, your baby will grow out of it, but if your baby is experiencing pain and discomfort from reflux, there's no reason why he should have to suffer while he's growing out of it! You need to make sure that your doctor understands that your baby is in pain and that you're not complaining about the laundry. And if he still doesn't listen, find another doctor.

What you can do to relieve symptoms

If you’re Breastfeeding:
Cutting certain foods out of mom’s diet can relive some symptoms and lessen others.
If your child is experiencing colic, reflux or GERD, it may be something in your diet that is passing through your breastmilk. Here is a list of common foods that may cause problems..

I suggest you eliminate all foods at once, for 2 weeks (it can take up to two weeks for a food to get out of your system) Then reintroduce one at a time to confirm it is an allergen. (Remember it takes just minutes to 24+ hours to pass into your breastmilk)

I’ve * the foods I’ve had to cut out for my son
(I have more info on hidden allergens if you need it feel free to email me)

*Dairy products
*Caffeine – coffee, tea, soda, chocolate
Soy products
Peanuts
Shellfish
*Chocolate (sorry!)
*Citrus fruits
*Wheat
Chicken
Beef
*Eggs
Nuts
*Corn
*Prenatal vitamins (The iron may be irritating to baby. Ask your OB for an alternative if this is the culprit.)
*Broccoli
*Cauliflower
*Cabbage
*Onions
*Green peppers
*Tomatoes
*carbonated beverages



If you’re Formula Feeding
Reflux is sometimes due to protein sensitivity, allergy or other intolerance. Your baby may do better on a soy formula, but many babies who don't tolerate milk well are also sensitive to soy proteins as well. Talk to your pediatrician about formula options. There are hypoallergenic formulas such as Alimentum and Nutramigen that may help. They're expensive, (around $25/can!) but if they help, it's worth every penny. And some insurance companies will cover these specialized formulas if prescribed by a doctor.

You can use a pre-thickened formula like Enfamil AR.

Some doctors will still tell you to add rice cereal to the bottle a treatment option. This is not a good idea. 1st, babies under 6 months are not developmentally ready for solids (yes rice cereal is a solid!) They don’t have the digestive enzymes needed to process anything other than breastmilk or to a lesser extent, formula. So it is hard on their little tummies. Why would you add something to a GREDling’s diet that would be even harder on their tummy!?!?

Also, did you know one of the treatment options for GERD is a class of drugs that make the stomach empty faster? It is a miracle treatment for many formula fed GERD babies. Now why would you add rice cereal to the bottle which makes it stay in the stomach longer!?!?! Doesn’t make much sense dooes it!???


Hold infants upright
Keep infants upright during feedings, and for at least 30 minutes after feedings. This will decrease the amount of gastric reflux. Placing them in a swing, bouncer, car seat (as stated below) will put a bend in their tummy area which will put pressure and could cause reflux to worsen.

Laying infant down while awake
If you lay the infant down after feeding, place the baby on his/her stomach (prone position) on an incline of at least 30 degrees. This can reduce regurgitation. But only place the infant in this position if he/she is awake. Laying on the stomach is not recommended during sleep for infants from birth to 12 months because of the link between this position and sudden infant death syndrome. Based on guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics, positioning the infant on his/her back (supine position) during sleep is generally recommended. In infants with GERD, the risk of SIDS generally outweighs the potential benefits of prone sleeping. Prone positioning during sleep is only considered in unusual cases where the risk of death from complications of GER outweighs the potential increased risk of SIDS. It is very important to discuss this with the infant's doctor before undertaking any changes in sleeping positions.

Nighttime
As noted above, position the infant on his/her back, and elevate the head of the bed 30 degrees. Gravity will help keep stomach contents where they belong.

Smaller, more frequent feedings
Feedings every two to three hours when the infant is awake will reduce the occurrence of gastric reflux. Overfeeding can increase abdominal pressure, which can lead to gastric reflux.

Diet modifications for mothers who breast-feed
Certain foods, such as dairy, caffeine, chocolate, and garlic can promote reflux, so if you breast-feed your infant, you should consider cutting these foods out of your diet.

Burping the infant.
Burping the infant several times during the feeding will help minimize gastric pressure, and the reflux it can cause. Waiting to burp the infant after he/she has a full stomach can increase the chances of regurgitation.

Loose clothing.
Avoid tight elastic around the waist, and keep diapers loose.

Avoid certain beverages
Don't give your infant caffeinated beverages, orange juice or other citrus juices.

Positioning in infant seats and car seats
The way the infant is positioned in the car seat can cause regurgitation to increase. If the infant slouches over, it causes abdominal compression, increasing the risk of reflux. Using simple supports to keep the infant upright will prevent this.


Positioning

Let gravity help your baby whenever possible. Keeping your baby upright during feeding and for 30-45 minutes afterwards will help a lot. Also, many reflux babies have a really hard time laying flat to sleep. My baby was always very restless, noisy, and constantly squirming and grunting. It took me a while to figure out why. Finding a sleeping position that will be comfortable for your baby can be quite a challenge.

Here are a few suggestions:
Let him sleep in a bouncy seat
Elevate the head end of the crib by placing books under the legs
Elevate the head end of the crib mattress by placing a pillow or quilt underneath
Use a crib wedge
Use a Tucker Sling

Medications

It's always preferable if you can relieve your baby's symptoms just by making changes in his feeding and positioning, but if you've tried all that and your baby is still suffering, there are a few medications that you might want to ask your pediatrician about. Many are only willing to prescribe Zantac and Reglan. To get a prescription for Prilosec or Prevacid, you will probably have to get a referral to a pediatric GI.
OTC antacids such as Maalox and Mylanta (the adult strength liquid); Mylanta Supreme is cherry flavored. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what the proper dosage is for your baby's weight. (should not be used with in 2 hours of Zantac.
Zantac (Rx) - neutralizes the acid so that it doesn't "burn" as much; well tolerated by most babies, few side effects
Reglan (Rx) - a motility drug (helps empty stomach faster); miracle drug for some, but many babies don't tolerate it well at all, and there are some VERY scary side effects--I would suggest this as a last resort and please research it 1st. If you do decide to put your baby on Reglan, know the side effects and keep a close eye on baby!
Prilosec or Prevacid (Rx) - acid blockers (PPI-Proton Pump Inhibitor); greatly reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach

Answer 2

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Answer 3

This book is probably the most informative and practical guide on the subject of acid reflux and heartburn that I have ever read https://tr.im/acidrefluxguide
I was prescribed Lansoprazole which was brilliant but after two years of aching joints, extreme muscle pain which the doc gave me cortisone jags for, with some research I discovered the drug Lansoprazole was causing these rare side effects but it was I who diagnosed it NOT my doctor, I came off the drug 2 months ago, changed my diet and discovered just eating an apple stops any acid reflux, I eat an apple before bed, brilliant no acid, any time I feel the slightest sign of reflux I simply eat an apple. Apple juice is not that good nor is anything else I have tried including honey at stopping reflux.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
When did your baby grow out of infant reflux/GER?
My son is eleven months old and just started walking. He spits up alot less then before. He spits up about 3 times a day. Reflux can be very stressful to baby and mommy. THANKS, Amanda

Answer 5

I have a 3 going on 4 year old and her reflux is still not resolved. She is on medicine for it but certain things do set it off. Smell of the lunchroom at school or if she gets upset. I know how stressful it can be and we always keep extra clothing with us when we go somewhere just in case an accident happens. You may want to ask his dr. about putting him on zantac or some other reflux medicine.

Answer 6

My son did it very badly until he was about a year old. He was tongue tied and had his tongue clipped the day before his first birthday, he stopped spitting up that day. He also gave up the bottle on his first birthday and went entirely to the cup, but before the surgery, he would throw up even if he drank from a cup. The doctor's say that the tongue tied part had nothing to do with the fact that he threw up all the time but I don't think they understood the magnitude of his barf. He would vomit all over the floor, all over his clothes, all over our clothes, all over the furniture, the dog, everything. It was terrible. The doctors said as long as he was thriving, it wasn't a problem, I disagree. We tried everything, burping every 1/2 ounce to an ounce elevating his head, giving him a cup instead of the bottle. We thought when he started getting more food it would get better, it didn't, it was just as bad, only more gross because all the food would come up. I guess my question is: Is he tongue tied? I had never heard of this but both of my sons were, I couldn't nurse either of them because it hurt like heck and they would nurse a long time and it would seem like they got nothing. With my second son, I would pump and give it to him with a nursing cup or a bottle. He got his done when he was about 3 weeks old because he wasn't thriving. After his operation, he didn't do it anymore either.

Answer 7

Mylanta Cherry Supreme

Answer 8

Well my daughter had it. She ended up having to see a specialist and was put on meds. Around a year to a year and a half things Begin to improve. At 2 she was over it. So I know how stressfull it is just hang in there your baby will get through this and so will you.