4 months old with reflux

[roman959]

Hello!
My 4 months old has reflux, she can't sleep on her back, she has been sleeping on her mother's chest for 2 months now and recently she is sleeping the whole night in her car seat, but the reason for my post is Nexium... She is a happy baby she barely cries anymore and is doing much better, but the doctor said we can't stop nexium yet and she sleeps in her car seat, we can start solids only for lunch... I'm just worried that she's been so long on nexium... Anybody else experience this with their baby? When did u stop nexium? Did u wean off? And how did it happen and when

Thank you

 

[davey83god]

@roman959 Just here to say your baby should not be sleeping in a car seat all night long.

 

[roman959]

@davey83god Yes u r right... But since she can't be on her back at all, that's what the doctor recommended, i read that the baby shouldn't be in a car seat for too long but i don't know why, what's the reason?

 

[davey83god]

@roman959 I’m confused why she can’t be on her back... My daughter also has reflux and our doctor never mentioned she can’t be on her back. We just have to hold her upright after feedings for a longer stretch so she can digest.

The baby can easily suffocate while sleeping in a car seat because their chins are tucked to their chest. It’s different when baby is in the car seat with the base because it’s angled. But on the ground or elsewhere, the baby shouldn’t sleep in the car seat for very long and definitely not overnight for several hours.

 

[roman959]

@davey83god She was about to suffocate twice, she needs to be upright, he said to try in her crib during the day but we need to watch her, actually we do watch her at night too, we got her a nurse, but the nurse is leaving mid September and plus we can't really afford her any longer even if she wanted to stay, but yes apparently her reflux is pretty serious, yes we also hold her for 30 mins after each feeding ( she still spits a bit after), did you give your nexium?

 

[katrina2017]

@davey83god Depending on how bad the reflux is flat on their back can cause asprirating on vomit. My son couldn't lay flat for months. It just depends on the severity of reflux. There were several nights we had to watch him bc he would vomit through his mouth and nose and not breath unless we flipped him on his belly and used the nose freda to clear his air way. So no the car seat isn't safe but in our case and I'd assume op's if this was recommended as it was for us, there really isn't a "safe" option either way you look at it.

We never used the car seat but we did use the swing. We also took shifts during the night to have him sleep on us up right. Eventually we had to buy a bouncer chair when he was older to feed him in and leave him in for over 20-30 minutes. Usually an hour. It was a long phase filled with anxiety bc nothing you're doing is "safe" but when you're baby is losing weight and vomiting out their nose and mouth like something out of a horror movie, you risk assess and do your best.

 

[katrina2017]

@roman959 My ped suggested this too. The reason is bc of the angle of her neck once she's in deep sleep can restrict her air way. We didn't put our son in his carsest we used his swing which ik isn't any better or recommended but only true severe reflux parents get the struggle.

Our son was literally choking in his sleep if we didn't. He would vomit in his mouth and not turn hus head. He'd also projectile vomit out his nose and mouth so he literally couldnt breath until we flipped him over. It was bad. There were many close calls. We eventually had to take shifts to sleep with him up right on our chest. God that was a nightmare of a phase.

There isn't many "safe" options for us. We do our best.

My son is on nexium, he's 9 months old. We just started weaning and are on day 7 out of 10. The concern of getting her off is valid but if it's done too soon then you're just going to set her back. My son just started showing signs of being ready to wean. I'd wait until you reach the point of solids being sustainable. When we started purees around 5 months his reflux got worse before it got better. We were told to wean abd test it out but if he showed any signs of regression to put him back on. Reflux meds work bc they are consistently in their system.

 

[davey83god]

@katrina2017 Wow! I had no idea it could be that severe. That must have been absolutely terrifying, I’m so sorry!

 

[katrina2017]

@davey83god It was terrible tbh. Lol I'm glad we seem to be past it! I assume op's is severe bc nexium is the highest level of infant reflux medication. Being so young on it too is scary bc long term it's not amazing to be on.

But I think severe reflux is a bit rare so its understandable not everyone knows just how bad it can be. Many sleepless nights that's for sure. Definitely felt shame and guilty for unsafe sleep habits. Lots of anxiety about it, but it's just one of those things.. like there was no good answer for us. We had to do what we had to do and just try and make it as "safe" as possible which will never be safe. Ya know?

 

[jusarg]

@roman959 Also don't have advice about Nexium, but what does your doc say about sleeping bub on an incline in their cot, on their tummy. That might be a safer option? My bub routinely spits up at night, and this is the approach we have taken. He wakes up with spew in his hair, but I just change the sheet, give him a bath and all good.

 

[roman959]

@jusarg Oh she slept at night on her mum's chest, on her tummy for 2 months i think, we put her in the car seat around 9 and at 11ish when we go to bed she puts her on her chest till morning, it's been just a month that we leave her in the car seat all night, but as i said we watch her.
So on her tummy might be a good idea, what if she rolls over?

 

[jusarg]

@roman959 Is she rolling yet? Tummy to back rolling is pretty hard. Normally they do back to tummy first I think. So if she isn't rolling yet, I wouldnt worry.

Once she is rolling actively, the problem is actually solved (check with your doc of course), but my LO#1 would roll onto his side after/before spewing - he wouldnt stay on his back just choking.

There might be an issue at that mid point when bub is sometimes rolling, sometimes not. But you're watching her now, so you'd just have to keep watching her in her cot?

I'd still run this all by your doc. I don't know the particulars of your bub

Good luck to you and your sleep!!

 

[jusarg]

@roman959 Just adding, what kind of cot set up do you have? I've got my second bub at the moment (3m) and we have a sidecar/cosleeper bassinet. It has been a game changer for sleep. Bub can be in his bassinet, and I can lay in bed patting him if I need. I just have to open my eyes to check on him, rather than look at a monitor or go into a different room (like with LO#1). Also, the bassinet lets me set the two sides at different heights, so we can quickly/easily go from flat to different levels of incline.