sleeping with acid reflux

[ernmack28]

My 4 week old son has just been diagnosed with acid reflux. It was as if a light switch went on around 3 1/2 weeks. He began spitting up and screaming nonstop, especially when we would put him to sleep on his back. The pediatrician has given us Zantac which seems to be helping. We are also using mylicon (gas drops) before each feeding. However, I still can't get him to go to sleep in his cradle or basinett. He screams constantly, even after we took the advice of our pediatrician to prop his mattress on an angle. The only place he will sleep is in his bouncy seat. I feel awful letting him sleep there, but it is the only place he will sleep peacefully. I am worried once he gets a bit bigger and we do put him to sleep on his back that he will not want to go to sleep that way because he is so used to sleeping upright. Has anyone else experienced this with their newborn? Should I worry about him sleeping in a bouncy seat even at night? Help?!

[COElizabeth]

James also has reflux and slept in his car seat until he was about 3 months old. He started wriggling out then, and I moved him to a PNP (we were on a trip at the time), and he had no trouble with the transition. Lots of babies (even ones without reflux problems) prefer to sleep in a bouncy seat, car seat, or swing in the newborn stage, so I wouldn't feel bad or worry that you are creating a problem for later on. Chances are he'll make the switch easily, and even if it's a bit tricky, it won't be any harder on you than trying to force him to sleep flat now. As you know, that's a really uncomfortable position for babies with reflux. I hope he's feeling better soon!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

[Marisa6826]

Sophie had reflux and was on Zantac.

She, too, would often only sleep in her swing or bouncy.

We finally resorted to putting her in her bouncy, and then putting the bouncy in her Pack and Play in our room!

As your son gets older, the esophogeal sphincter will get stronger. He's still very, very young yet. I wouldn't worry in the least about how he sleeps for now. Sophie napped in her bouncy seat till she was about seven MONTHS old. You have a ways to go yet ;)

Good luck and glad that you found out what was wrong with your little guy!

-m

[hobey]

Nathan also has reflux but will not sleep in his bouncy or even his car seat if it's not in the car. What we did was buy a few universal wedges from BRU and we put one under his bassinet mattress and one under his crib mattress.

I second what the PPs said and I wouldn't worry about him sleeping in the bouncy.

Raquel
Nathan's Mom 12/19/03

[ernmack28]

Thanks. It just helps to know I am not the only one. My mom says he really is too young for this to create a problem. Nice to hear it from someone else too! He definitely does not like being on his back, and I am not about to make him sleep like that if he is uncomfortable. Thanks for the advice. :)

[ernmack28]

I am glad we found out what was wrong too. He has been on the Zantac since Saturday, and I can see tremendous improvement already. Last night was his best night yet! Thanks for the advice.

[PattiB]

This happened with my DD too and most nights I resorted to letting her sleep in her infant carseat in her crib. I was so worried that I would never get her used to lying flat in the crib. Then at 8-1/2 weeks I bought the "Amazing Miracle Blanket" and she slept beautifully in the crib for the first time with no problems!!! I know I sound like a commercial and I swear I have nothing to do with this company but it was such a miracle..I had been swaddling her here and there but was afraid to do it because she always got free and I'd find the blanket up around her face, so I had given up. The miracle blanket is designed to keep her arms at her side so she can't break out, and she loves the tight feeling...her dr. said we could keep swaddling her in it as long as she doesn't break out, and I'm worried about how she'll sleep without it now!

[Rachels]

Let him sleep sitting up! Lying down hurts him and will cause you more trouble in the long run, both because he'll have worse esophogitis and because he'll associate his bed with pain. Here's something I really wish I had found when Abby was struggling with reflux as an infant:

http://tuckersling.com/

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[papal]

Arrin, if the baby is sleeping well in the bouncer then that is fine. Leela has reflux too and she did not like the bouncy.. she sleeps best on her left side and swaddled. Here is a link to read more about it:
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/reflux.html
--
Positioning:

* Baby is most likely to reflux when lying flat on his back.
* Recent research has compared different types of positioning to determine which is best for babies with reflux. The positions which have been shown to significantly reduce reflux include lying on the left side and prone (baby on his tummy). Prone positioning is rarely recommended, even for babies with reflux, due to its association with SIDS. [Secker 2002]
* Elevating baby's head elevation did not make a significant difference in these studies [Carroll 2002, Secker 2002].
* Recent research does not support traditional recommendations to keep baby in a semi-upright position for at least 30-45 minutes after a feeding, elevate the head of baby's bed and changing table, etc. In fact, positioning at a 60° elevation in an infant seat has been found to increase reflux compared with the prone position [Carroll 2002, Secker 2002].

--