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August 26, 2005 You Know You're a Reflux Baby Veteran If: 
1. You anxiously examine your baby's face after every burp to see if it is wet or dry. I wish this would end for her. When she was a baby, the constant vomiting hurt her but it didn't bother her, if that makes sense. She screamed from pain but she wasn't sad. But now, the worst part isn't the smelly lumps of milk solids on everything or the laundry; it's when she looks at me, covered in vomit, and her big blue eyes fill with tears and her little lips start quivering. It's seeing how much she hates this, how sad it makes her, and there's nothing I can do. When she was a baby it was all the time. Every feeding. I'd nurse her, burp her, nurse her, burp her, offer her a supplemental bottle of expressed milk, burp her, and carry her upright for at least 45 minutes, with her little legs straight so her tummy wouldn't be crimped or bent; and she'd still spit up. I had a whole ranking system, from trickles to gushers, and I got used to vomit pretty fast--used to having to change her outfit several times a day, and my own; used to wiping it off the floor and the bed; used to watching a volcanic torrent of smelly chunky white spew from her mouth and her nose to cover herself from face to feet. I never got used to the screaming that followed. It got better as she got older. By four months it was noticeably less; by eight, when she was sitting unassisted, it was rare. I was hoping that by the time she walked it would be practically never; but we seem to be stuck at "rare" even with all of our reflux rituals. She sits when she drinks. She has to drink properly, tilting the cup or bottle far enough that she is not getting air. If she drinks a few ounces, we take the cup or bottle away until she burps. She tries hard, too, screwing up her little face and making little grunting noises, trying to coax the air out and leave the fluid in. But even when we do all that, it still overloads her little tummy from time to time and comes back to cover everything. You would not believe how much territory three ounces of partially digested milk can cover. But the worst of it is how it makes her cry. Posted by Andrea at August 26, 2005 7:47 AM under Doctors, Geneticists and Other Charlatans EMAIL this entry (comments fields are below this section) Comments Am I a horrible person for laughing at this: "You would not believe how much territory three ounces of partially digested milk can cover."? Sorry honey, give that sweet thing a hug for me, okay? Posted by: liz at August 26, 2005 8:58 AM
I will never eat cottage cheese again (as a veteran of 1 year of constant reflux with my first daughter). I remember those days. Not wating to leave the house, having 10 dish towels always handy. Ugh. You made me smile. Posted by: Running2Ks at August 26, 2005 8:59 AM
And, it was sad, too. I remember a lot of that. I just wanted to add, I am sorry you had to go through this. I remember those days. I also remember realizing that a mother's love is so deep you can get puked on (in your mouth) and still just love that baby so much. Posted by: Running2Ks at August 26, 2005 9:01 AM
So sorry to hear that it's still stuck at "rare." Maybe it will get more and more rare, and Frances will go months and months without reflux. (Here's to hoping at any rate...) Like R2Ks said, the thought of vomit normally makes one ill, but it's amazing what mommies will go through for our babies. Kissies for Frances! Posted by: KLee at August 26, 2005 4:09 PM
Liz--no, we've all been there at least once, I think. But geez. It's still rare to go three weeks without a big puke. R2K & KLee--thanks. I'm sure it will be almost-never someday. It's getting there. You know? Posted by: Andrea at August 26, 2005 5:37 PM
Oh, no, you're making Aunt YT cry. The thought of those poor eyes filling with tears and the lips quivering is too much for my old soul. Poor angel. And poor Mummy. Posted by: yankee transplant at August 27, 2005 9:22 AM
Ugh. I'm sorry to read that Frances is still dealing with this. Somehow, I thought she was over this. I certainly do understand the feeling that, in some ways anyway, dealing with stuff like this gets harder as they get older. Posted by: moreena at August 27, 2005 10:57 PM
So true! As a Mom of 18mth old twins with reflux I am definitely a veteran. Simultaneous projectile vomiting, feeding, changing & refeeding 24hrs a day. Not to mention the laundry! Posted by: Debbie at May 17, 2007 6:54 PM
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