She's developmentally on target, again age NOT ADJUSTED!!
Unfortunately, she suspects Morgan has reflux. I admit, I've seen the signs but didn't really know for sure even though Jack had pretty severe reflux for the first 10 months and was on Reglan and Zantac. Anyway, she gave us an rx for Zantac and told us to thicken her feeds with rice cereal 1 tsp per 2 oz of formula. We never did this with Jack -- does anyone know of a good cereal feeding bottle? I really want to get a new bottle vs. cutting the nipples we have because I don't like that one could be different than the other plus, I am afraid a piece would break off...any advice on cereal feeding through a bottle would be appreciated! I remember reading that putting the cereal flakes in a food processor helps to make it smoother -- any truth to that? Makes sense to me.
I filled her rx last night and she had her second dose this morning. I hope it kicks in soon so she can get some relief. I did not start the cereal yet -- since it was late when I got home with the supplies and didn't want to make such a major change at night. I purchased the avent bottle with a fast flow nipple -- just one incase she hates it, don't want to go buying a bunch until I know which one works.
I swear at one point we had Jack at the ped every week for a zantac weight check! Our ped is new (as of 2007 our old one retired) and she calls Morgan "our baby" and is very attached to her! She said she joked with the ladies in the office and said she wanted Morgan to come for weekly check ups so they could all ooh and ahh over her! lol -- I declined with a smile, now it looks like we may be in more frequently anyway.
Thanks again and I will keep you all posted!
I filled her rx last night and she had her second dose this morning. I hope it kicks in soon so she can get some relief. I did not start the cereal yet -- since it was late when I got home with the supplies and didn't want to make such a major change at night. I purchased the avent bottle with a fast flow nipple -- just one incase she hates it, don't want to go buying a bunch until I know which one works.
I swear at one point we had Jack at the ped every week for a zantac weight check! Our ped is new (as of 2007 our old one retired) and she calls Morgan "our baby" and is very attached to her! She said she joked with the ladies in the office and said she wanted Morgan to come for weekly check ups so they could all ooh and ahh over her! lol -- I declined with a smile, now it looks like we may be in more frequently anyway.
Thanks again and I will keep you all posted!
I've heard Playtex makes a triple cut nipple and dr. brown's a y-cut nipple.
ReplyDeleteI see Morgan loves her car seat. ;)
ReplyDeleteDoes her ped suspect that she's aspirating her formula? If not, reflux alone is not cause for thickening it. I would try the Zantac (sp?) first and see if it provides relief. Rice cereal at her age is just empty calories, and if she does not need it to keep from aspirating, I would try to avoid that route.
More often than not, the reflux meds provide the needed relief.
Good luck! I hope Morgan (and mommy! find some relief soon.
No, Morgan isn't aspirating -- or at least she's not showing any signs of it at all.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how different doctors have different opinions on thickening feeds. Our old ped didn't mention it, so we never thickened Jack's feeds because his suck/swallow was too weak/uncoordinated and he needed every precious calorie (and still does) that he could get.
Morgan, on the other hand is not suffering weight wise in any way. I did thicken her feeds today and she seems much happier. I believe I will continue with the ped's orders for a week or two and then I will see how she does with just the Zantac.
Thanks so much for your input! :) :)
Way to go Ms. Morgan! Good to hear you're feeling better. See, you're just a natural Wilhelm, they all like to eat!!! Years ago, when mine was a little one, they gave babies cereal around 8-10 weeks, especially if they were not satisfied with formula. AND--she's still living, so I guess it's not that bad of an idea!!! Hey, when you're hungry, you're hungry and when you can't talk yet, it must really be frustrating!!!
ReplyDeleteHope you all had a wonderful 4th of July, eben if it is storming(we have a tornado watch here).
See you soon, love,
Grammie
HI Angela,
ReplyDeleteI used a bottle by Dr. Brown's when I had to add cereal to the formula. I thought it worked great. I bought mine at Babies-R-Us, but I'm sure they are sold elsewhere.
Poor little cutie pie. I hope something helps! It's so hard to see a baby "suffering."
Hey Angela,
ReplyDeleteWe are adding cereal to W's bottles for reflux. Right now we are using Dr. Brown's bottles (what we were using before) and just went up a flow level with the nipples. It seems to be working just fine. I know they also used to make a Y cut nipple for Dr. Browns bottles but I think it may have been discontinued and replaced with a "level 4" nipple. At least in my part of the world, that is what has happened. We are using their level 3 nipples for William but he has a very strong suck.
I also have found that using whole grain rice cereal doesn't work very well for us... so we just use the regular Gerber and it does fine.
Hope that helps some.
Hi Angela - just catching up on your blog. I am so sorry to hear that Morgan has reflux. You probably already know from Jack about propping up the bed so it's on a slight angle - might help her sleep if you aren't already doing it. Ellie spent hours on a wedge when she was really little because if we lay her flat she would vomit from reflux.
ReplyDeleteI hope minimal meds work for Morgan and that she will grow out of it!
It's great that she is gaining weight none the less. What a sweetheart!
Oh, my goodness! That picture of Morgan hollering in the carseat is way too cute!! I'm sorry to hear she has reflux, and I'm hoping you've been able to find relief.
ReplyDeleteHi Angela,
ReplyDeleteWe used enfamil AR for Hallie and Dr Brown's with the number 3 nipple; they also make a number 4. And if Morgan bites on the nipple, they make a Y-cut. This seemed to work better for her than adding rice cereal to her bottle, but adding rice or oatmeal is okay, too (just less consistent texture wise). Beware, though, that if you have breast milk in the mix, the milk will break down the rice or oatmeal and thin it up, which makes mixing up bottles ahead of time hard.
I know you guys are in the philly area and we have leftover Enfamil AR that we'd be happy to give you if you want to try this... just email me at abbyschrad at earthlink dot net