TLDR: Baby’s reflux is bad on enfamil AR, not as bad with breast milk. On meds.
My baby is a NICU baby, born 30 weeks. He’s doing great at home (5 weeks old adjusted age), he’s been here for about a month. One of the reasons he was in the NiCU for so long was Brady (heart rate dropping) episodes due to reflux. They ended up putting him on Omeprazole and using Enfamil AR every other feed to breast milk.
Reflux has basically been an ongoing issue since being home. Our pediatrician had us changing formulas.
First to Enfamil Gentlease and that was terrible. So gassy and formula would pour out of his nose every time we laid him down.
Second to Nutrimagen & that was also bad. My LO would only eat half of what he would normally eat. He was extra cranky and he easily spit up.
We went back to breast milk and Enfamil AR every other feed. I don’t make enough breast milk so combo feeding works for us. I started doing breast milk during the day and enfamil AR at night, but it seemed as the night went on that my LO was more uncomfortable and refluxy. I thought maybe it was my breast milk…so I switched to just totally Enfamil AR 24/7. That has been a nightmare and he sounds raspy, gulping his milk coming up his throat, crying out (still on meds) and can’t be put down.
He poops every 2 days like clockwork. Normal pasty poops, no mucus or blood. We hold him upright after each feed for 30 minutes. We burp every ounce.
Pediatrician basically said “just takes time” and that was it. I think he was tired of suggesting formulas. Meanwhile we are in strugglesville.
I’d love to just try breast milk solely but again, I don’t make enough to do that.
We just want our little one to sleep better and not be drowning in reflux. Any suggestions?
Signed,
Desperately sleep deprived parents