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Constant feeding and acid reflux

Betsy - posted on 12/17/2009 ( 2 moms have responded )

50

40

I'm curious why I've read on many websites and in many books that you should feed your baby when he cries, even if it's just an hour after he's eaten. My son is 5 weeks old and I had been feeding him when he seemed hungry because I was told it would build up my milk supply. Well, my little guy has been coughing and choking, so I took him to the doctor yesterday. He told me that he is suffering from acid reflux due to overfeeding.

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2 Comments

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Rebecca - posted on 12/17/2009

595

37

Your Dr is likely mistaken, alot of times oversupply (or foremilk/hindmilk imbalance) can be diagnosed as acid reflux as it mimics the same symptoms. Coughing, choking, arching, and vomiting are some of the symptoms a baby can have with too much too fast. What you can do to remedy this is block feed, which is nursing the baby on one breast for at least 3-4 feedings before switching to the other breast. ( you may become engourged on the other breast but this should even out in a few days and is normal) you can also lean back to nurse which makes baby work against gravity as well as try other holds like the football or side lying. Also you can let baby nurse until let down occurs and then take baby off and let the milk spray into a recieving blanket until the spraying stops then put baby back on the breast.



Here are some sites that have great info on this:



http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbrea...,,94kctqn6,00.html



http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-l...



http://www.llli.org/FAQ/oversupply.html



I recomend to try these tactics first and see if they change your babys behavior, if it does then it was just a supply issue and not reflux. Because the last thing you want to do is put your baby on medication if it is not needed! Take care!!

Rebecca - posted on 12/17/2009

595

37

Your Dr is likely mistaken, alot of times oversupply (or foremilk/hindmilk imbalance) can be diagnosed as acid reflux as it mimics the same symptoms. Coughing, choking, arching, and vomiting are some of the symptoms a baby can have with too much too fast. What you can do to remedy this is block feed, which is nursing the baby on one breast for at least 3-4 feedings before switching to the other breast. ( you may become engourged on the other breast but this should even out in a few days and is normal) you can also lean back to nurse which makes baby work against gravity as well as try other holds like the football or side lying. Also you can let baby nurse until let down occurs and then take baby off and let the milk spray into a recieving blanket until the spraying stops then put baby back on the breast.



Here are some sites that have great info on this:



http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbrea...,,94kctqn6,00.html



http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-l...



http://www.llli.org/FAQ/oversupply.html



I recomend to try these tactics first and see if they change your babys behavior, if it does then it was just a supply issue and not reflux. Because the last thing you want to do is put your baby on medication if it is not needed! Take care!!

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