Formula Feeding, Acid Reflux and Constipation

Not sure I will make it through this post without crying so forgive me if I ramble and this makes no sense to you! Unfortunately, I was not able to continue to breastfeed Mason. After getting off to a rocky start, I thought things were going to work out but after 3 weeks of feeding Mason every hour and a half, we (the lactation consultant and I) decided that my body was not producing enough milk to keep Mason satisfied. He had lost weight in the beginning so we had already started supplementing with formula but just a week or so ago, we had to go completely to formula. We started out on Enfamil Premium Lipil and it seemed to agree with Mason. Things were going along pretty good then we started noticing Mason gagging every time we laid him down. We thought it was happening when he wouldn't burp very well so we spent more time burping him during feedings and at the end of the feeding to see if that made a difference. It really didn't so we kept him upright longer before putting him down to sleep. This added 30 - 45 minutes to the feedings but you do what you have to do, right?

Well, then things got worse. At 3:00am, I fed Mason, burped him, rocked / held him for 45 minutes or so then went to put him in his bassinet. I walked out of the room to turn off the kitchen light, then went back in to go to sleep. I heard him making funny noises so I grabbed the flash light and shined it on his face. That is when I discovered that he was choking. I quickly grabbed him up and rushed into the den where there was more light. His face was bright red and his mouth was wide open but nothing was coming out. He could not catch his breath. I turned him upside down and hit him on his back a couple of times and he finally cried out and caught his breath. Oh, my God I thought. What is going on here? I got myself together and rocked Mason back to sleep. There was no way I was putting him down or going back to sleep so I sat with him in the recliner for the rest of the night. We monitored him the next day to be sure there were no other incidents of choking. Things went pretty good for the next couple of days then it happened again. This time it was during the daylight and at a time when our pediatrician's office was open. I called them and explained what had been going on. They suggested that I bring him in to be checked. So I gladly took him in. The Dr. detemined that it was acid reflux and suggested that we switch his formula to Enfamil AR (Acid reflux). After a few days of being on that, the gagging / choking was much better.

About the time that I am starting to feel better about him not getting choked, we discovered that he is now constipated. If it isn't one thing, it is another I thought. What next? After an entire day of watching him strain and hearing him scream in pain, I called the pediatrician again. They are probably going to change their phone number so I can't call them so often. Of course, our Dr. wasn't in that day so the nurse suggested giving him an ounce of water tohelp put so fluid in him bowels. Well, that didn't work so what's next? I felt completely helpless and was so distraught because there was nothing I could do to help him pass his stool. By this time, I was so beside myself that all I could do was hold him close and cry. His little shirt was soaked with my tears. While I was having my meltdown, my lovely sister called to check on us. I answered the phone and the conversation went something like this:

Stacey - Hey what are you doing?
Me - I am sitting here crying (like she couldn't tell)
Stacey - what's wrong?
Me - I cannot seem to get anything right with this baby.
Stacey - what's going on?
Me - the new formula has him constipated and he is in so much pain. I called the pediatrician and all they told me was to give him an ounce of water. That has not helped and I don't know what to do. I am a bad momma and can't do anything right it seems.
Stacey - that's not true. It isn't anything that you are doing. These things happen.
Me - sobbing, jerking, crying more by this time. If I could have been able to breastfeed him, these things wouldn't be happening. I still feel so guilty that I could not breastfeed him.

The conversation continued for a little while longer with her then suggesting that I call our mom to find out the Karo syrup concoction. I told her I couldn't call mom because she would think that all I did was cry all day. For those of you that are concerned, I do not cry all day every day. I will admit that I do cry here and there but it is usually in the afternoons when I am so sleepy my hormones seem to be in overdrive. I will be so glad when they finally get straightened out.
I called mom and the crying and sobbing continued with her. After spending about an hour crying, I felt better but my baby still was in pain. Dawn finally got home and she took over to give me a break. Needless to say, we had a rough night until Mason was finally able to have a bowel movement. Today, he has been a different child. Not sure if he will go through the same thing next time he has to poop, but for now things seem better. He has been an angel all day today so maybe we won't experience that again for awhile.

Oh the joys of motherhood! I know there are many more things that we will endure. I know that I need to toughen up and not let things get to me so easily. I know that I am a good mom. I know that I have a healthy baby and things like constipation are going to happen to him. I know that I should relax and not be such a nervous nelly. I also know that I love this little guy more and more everyday and am so thankful that he is in our lives.

Until next time.....