Reflux and a nursing strike

Editor's Note: This post is going to mention the topic of breast feeding. You've been warned.


Jack was officially diagnosed with reflux at the pediatrician yesterday. I mention this just because I feel like since he was born I've been second guessing so many things and always suspected he might have reflux but wasn't sure if it was just systematic of my overactive letdown problem. (ie. I have major oversupply and it causes the milk to spray for too long out during a nursing session, which can cause a multitude of problems including spitting up, excess gas and worst of all lot's of dirty diapers.)

However, his reflux symptoms were getting even worse lately and causing him major congestion, a silent reflux symptom. At his 4-month well check the other day his pediatrician prescribed him some nose drops to help with the swelling of his adenoids, which seemed to help but he was still having issues. Like waking up multiple times a night unable to sleep and worst of all, a nursing strike.

I had been thinking he was refusing to nurse because he's developed a bottle preference since he takes bottles while at the sitter's on the weekdays. I then took a bunch of steps to alleviate bottle preference, bought the slowest flow nipples I could find, taught my SIL about pace feeding, etc. Well that didn't seem to help. It got to the point where for a few days in a row I ended up having to feed him bottles of my expressed milk, which kinda made me super sad just because I've loved nursing.

Unfortunately he still had reflux symptoms, and after a night of screaming by my poor baby boy, I took him yesterday into the pediatrician on call. He agreed that it is likely reflux and prescribed him Zantac so I guess at this point we'll just see how it goes. Jack still nurses at night or when he is first waking up from a nap, so I am hoping I can get him back on full-time nursing because seriously nursing strikes suck.

Pumping is HARD and I hate doing it at work, but hate doing it even more when I have to take time away from my boy to sit there and pump. I just can't picture having to do that for the next eight or so months. Not that I wouldn't if I needed to, but I'd definitely like to get back on track.

For now I am going to enjoy my day off work with my boy and offer a Happy Pioneer Day to my fellow Utahans!