GERD

Our GERD baby

 In general, newborns cry a lot and have some really rough moments in combination with waking often in the night, so that makes for just a tough phase overall. But Kaylee definitely did not make the turn for the better at six weeks like some do. She got worse, and although she was only undiagnosed for about a 2 months, I would have to say the last two or three weeks of it were some of the more trying weeks of my life. It just really does something to a mama's brain and nerves and heart when her little one doesn't sleep and screams much of the time. After making many phone calls, when she just kept getting worse, to the point where she really wasn't sleeping, we finally got an appointment where they suggested that she had acid reflux and prescribed her Zantac. It truly was NIGHT AND DAY difference when she got on medication. Within a week, she wasn't spitting up near as much, she was better about lying on her back, and the crying SIGNIFICANTLY decreased. She smiled more and started putting on some weight. In the worse 2 weeks, she only gained 1 ounce in 14 days, because she hated eating. I know many, many babies (and parents) experience much worse symptoms of acid reflux and other health issues, but, as for me, I am just so thankful for a WONDERFUL pediatric nurse practitioner who was so kind and helpful and even more thankful that her little sphincter is now fully developed. We tried a couple times to take her off Zantac but symptoms quickly reappeared, until about 8 months, and at that point, she seemed to be just fine! Like I said, we are thankful!

The faces of GERD

(To save ourselves, we didn't take any screaming shots. These photos are difficult enough for me to look at. It's seriously is kind of painful. Not only does it bring back some rough memories, but it also breaks my heart. I knew she wasn't a happy baby at the time, but I didn't take these photos knowing something was wrong. Although they aren't extreme, looking back at them, I can see a look in her eyes.) 

About one week after being on Zantac...

(She started to plump up quickly and became all smiles)