I’m just getting around to posting this because we were at the doctor from 3:30 to 6:30 tonight! They fit us into the schedule last minute and even though we were the last patients in the office, the doctor took her time with us and did not rush us out.

Dr. M asked when Sweet Pea starts having pain. She wanted to know if it was during a feed or after a feed.

I told her that Sweet Pea eats her formula just fine, but then, after she eats she becomes restless, uncomfortable, fussy and has to be held upright for a while.

I made it clear that I wanted a prescription for a reflux med!

Then she explained to me that theoretically speaking it sounded like Sweet Pea’s issues are intestinal (sensitivity issues) and not from acid because (again theoretically speaking) babies who are having acid reflux cry in pain while eating.

Dr M suggested I put her on probiotics. I’ve had Sweet Pea on probiotics since leaving the NICU, but with her being in the hospital and on antibiotics, Dr M said all those probiotics were washed away with those antibiotics.

So, when we started probiotics again after being discharged Tuesday, it’s like we are starting over from the very beginning.

Dr. M did give me a prescription for Zantac (I asked for a different one but she said she would not give that).

When we left the office tonight at 6:30 the plan was for Sweet Pea to be on the probiotics for about a week and see if that made any difference for her. If I did not see a difference, then Dr. M said I should try the Zantac for a week.

I felt good about this plan however, around 10pm (ish) tonight Sweet Pea started what we thought was another “reflux spell”. Dave brought her to me and we started talking more about the doctor visit. We decided to go ahead and get that prescription filled.

Dr M said if we do probiotics and Zantac all at once we won’t be able to see what makes the difference, which is why she wanted me to try the probiotics first and then, if there are no changes after a week, add in Zantac.

However, we are so tired of seeing our baby in pain and I figured since the probiotics haven’t had time to build up yet from her being on antibiotics, we could go ahead and try the Zantac.

If there is improvement, we know she needs Zantac. If there is no improvement after a week or so, then we will turn to the probiotics.

BUT, then while Dave was at the 24-hour pharmacy I got to thinking maybe Sweet Pea was just hungry and ready to eat. Because of the doctor visit and other things that happened today, her feeds were not right at the 3 hour mark (several feeds were 3.5 hours apart) all day today, so I got to thinking that maybe she was wanting to cluster feed right before bedtime so that she can go longer between feeds through the night.

So I went and got a bottle ready and she took it after only 2 hours since the last bottle.

Dave took her out into the living room to finish the bottle, hold her upright for about half an hour and then he is going to lay her in the bouncy seat to sleep for the first time tonight.

We’ve come to the conclusion that the cradle put on an incline is just not comfortable for her at night. I LOVE this clever invention…

Fisher Price Newborn Rock and Play

…but instead of spending the money on that, we are going to try her out in the bouncy seat first and see if that helps her sleep more comfortably at night.

So far…all is quiet out in the living room. Maybe she was just hungry and we can give probiotics a shot before calling in the big guns.

So, that’s the reflux update. Definitely not cut and dry, but is ANYTHING cut and dry with a baby??!

Moral of this post??

Babies are complicated, but I do feel confident we will get to the bottom of this and bring Sweet Pea relief soon.

And, praise God, tonight a little bottle of Zantac sits in my house.

I think I feel better just knowing I have the option now to give it to her should I feel we need to go that route before trying probiotics first.

I really do trust my pediatrician, so I really would like to give probiotics a shot first.

However, I trust my instincts even more and I will not hesitate to use the little bottle that now sits in my house should I feel we should go ahead and use it.

For anyone choosing to follow this reflux sage, I’ll update again when there is any new development.

For now, I am going to bed while Dave holds down the fort out there.

And so far all is still quiet out there…

- Elaine