Ped has told us to stop feeding LO at night because of the risk of him aspirating on his reflux, but he relies on the nighttime feeds to make up for what he's not getting during the day through projectile vomiting and not wanting to eat. I get her reasoning since he is coughing up his reflux, but he's obviously screaming from hunger and I wouldn't sleep train a hungry baby. Any ideas?
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Oh gosh that is so hard. Could you feed a small amount and use a crib wedge? Not much advice, sorry you're going through this!
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What about feeding, then holding upright for half hour? Do you think that would do the trick? We used to do that for my kids and it sucked because it lengthened MOTN wake ups, but it prevented spitting up in the crib.
If that doesn't work, I would try loading him up in the last couple hours before bed with a steady stream of very small amounts in an attempt to fill up his tummy but not overfill to the point of vomiting. Does he take meds before bed? Blake takes his in the morning, but when he had a cold and he was having reflux issues at night because of all the mucus, our ped recommended giving him his med before bed and it worked wonders!
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I would try to get a second opinion. It definitely seems like a safety issue, but if you can tell he's reverse-cycling because his nutrition needs aren't being met, it seems like you will need some professional advice to help make sure he's getting enough to eat. I'm wondering if not feeding him might not also pose a risk if he might get upset enough to vomit. A hard situation, for sure. I don't know that I would be able to follow the doctor's advice and not feed! Have you spoken to any other doctors or specialists about this issue?
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That sounds so hard. Can you feed just a little and hold upright for about 15 mins?
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I'd do two things, feed in the night/cosleep so I could be right there and get a second opinion.
What did your ped suggest about the night waking, just ignore it? I would hope not, but sometimes, peds aren't the most sensitive on this topic.
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That sounds crazy! Have you tried a pacifier?
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I'd go for a second opinion, that doesn't sound right.. E has reflux and is on meds a at night. I was also told to wake him to eat in the middle of the night.
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That doesn't sound like a viable plan to me. His risk of aspirating shouldn't be any higher at any particular point in the day as long as you take reflux precautions and he needs nutrition to grow. I'd go back to the drawing board on this one!
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We still fed at night with reflux-did the ped offer a plan?? I don't know how old your LO is, but when we dropped night bottles, it was a gradual process. First 6 oz, then 4, then 2, then 1, then just a pacifier or a few sips
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@Mrs. Twine: Can you explain what reverse cycling is? I've seen the term around here but don't know what it means! And yeah, he does get pretty worked up enough to start coughing...only when he's hungry crying.
@looch: I think when she mentioned it I wasn't thinking about how much he relies on the night bottles so I just nodded.
We can't offer a pacifier because his gag reflex is so sensitive that he gags on his thumb.
And the way his vomit cycle works, you can sit him up for 15, 30 minutes but it's at the 1 hour mark that he often pukes so go figure! There is never a good time to feed him honestly. @twodoghouse: @Mrs.Someone: Have you ever been told to split the doses? I've been wondering about that because it always seems like as he gets about 10 hours from his dose he starts to fall apart.
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@spaniellove: Reverse cycling just means that they are feeding more at night rather than during the day, so basically they are on a reverse, or opposite, feeding schedule. It can be common for nursing babies with moms who work during the day, babies with feeding issues that make drowsy feeding less problematic for them, or infants who get distractible enough during the day to mean they need to get some extra calories at night.
I know some babies in the hospital have mattresses that are slightly elevated; could you give the doctor a call and see if there are any physical options like this to make choking less likely but allow him to feed when he's hungry?
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@spaniellove: We've never talked about splitting the doses, but it sounds like Blake's reflux is much less severe than J's. I hope you can discuss this with his doctor and figure out a solution that keeps him safe, but also keeps him healthy and growing with enough nutrition.
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Could you use a tucker sling to help keep him upright at night?
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@spaniellove: your LOs reflex sounds on the level that my daughter's was when she was a baby. Her vomiting was also projectile and happened later on. I haven't seen, but have you done a scope/upper GI to make sure that it's nothing more? My daughter was diagnosed with EE around 8 months old, and took another medicine besides her PPI to find comfort, it was the liquid usually used in a breathing treatment, but we just gave it to her like normal. Once we got on that, it was seriously night and day, she stopped vomiting around 12 months old & started to gain weight (finally doubling her birth weight.) I know how tough this can be, people assume it's just a "little spit up" but as moms we know we are taking 5 outfits with you and they spit up pretty much everything they eat, on themselves, others, you it is so tough.
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@LuLu Mom: Our ped wanted a scope and upper GI but the GI specialist just said milk allergy and to hurry up and restart solids so he doesn't develop more of an oral aversion. I think it may not have been the Prilosec that was helping but being totally off solids, because now he's arching and screaming like when he was a newborn. He shouldn't be getting worse. And I'm with you on still going through multiple outfits, bringing out lots of blankets to protect everything from the vomit.
@ShootingStar: @Mrs. Twine: Our pediatrician mentioned options that would have worked if he were younger and immobile but might be more of a hazard now that he's rolling around.
I think we're going to go with something like what @blackbird: mentioned for now since I actually counted today and he had 23oz so totally not STTN. And calling the GI to rethink the plan tomorrow.
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@spaniellove: I second the looking into EE. My cousin's son has a very severe case and he was a lot like your LO.
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I'm not sure how old your LO is but I had my daughters sleep in a swing until they were 6 months old. I wouldn't swing them constantly but it did help with night wAkings and spit up
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It sucks but I would stay up to that one hour mark. We did that a lot. And then he slept in the swing until he started cobedding with us. It's a rough life with allergies etc.
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@spaniellove: how old is your LO? 23 oz sounds about average for 1-3 month old.
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@Pumpkin Pie: He'll be 7 months next week.
@brownie: I hate hate hate taking this step back with his sleep. That was the only thing that was easy with him.
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@spaniellove: I hope you find resolution soon. For now I would just stay up for at least an hour after I feed him.
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Gosh, it's hard staying up for an hour in the middle of the night after a feeding, but I would do it temporarily until I found another solution.
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@spaniellove: Sorry I'm just now getting back to you on this! No, we haven't talked about splitting the dosage. E's reflux is definitely less severe than J's, though he has been having a rough time BFing due to it. I think the meds helped him be willing to eat though.
And the way his vomit cycle works, you can sit him up for 15, 30 minutes but it's at the 1 hour mark that he often pukes so go figure! There is never a good time to feed him honestly. 
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