4 month old with reflux and can't increase formula please help

Hello everyone.  I have a four month old.  She has slight reflux, meaning she is a "happy spitter".  When she was born she would cry alot after and during bottles, I think she was a little colic also.  So after many trials of formulas, she has been on alimentuim.  The doctor sadi she doesn't need it, she will spit up anyway, but she had stopped the crying , and to me that is a sign that this formula was working for her.  So we got used to her spit ups, and she was and still is gaining weight, that is why she is only a mild reflux case.  But now at 4 months old, I can't get her to take more then 4.5 ounces at a time.  I feed her every 2-3 hours.  So she is getting about 36 ounces in 24 hours.  She sleeps through the nights so one morning I decided to try and start her out with a 5 ounce bottle and let her go 3-4 hours...it worked but she gets very crampy in her belly...moans, very egg like gas(sorry), and has 3 bms a day, where as now she goes 1 a day.  I am concerned that there maybe something wrong with her belly?  Or can it just be the reflux?  We go to  the doctor on Sat. but any help would be great.  thank you

[surprisebaby]

my dd was a terrible eater.  Everytime she ate she PUKED!!! She soaked receiving blankets constantly.  She continued to gain weight, and the doctor wasn't terribly concerned.  Certainly discuss your concerns with your Doctor on Sat., but I am sure she is fine.  

[energy_train]

Try the pediatric GERD forum here on med help.  My little guy too had reflux. He was to the point where he had ulcers, esophagitis, etc. and was on Nexium. Have you seen a gastroenterologist (or GI DOC)  This might be a place to start.  Reflux can cause all sorts of problems with the belly.  Try feeding her and then waiting an hour until you lay her down.  The reflux may be getting worse which is why she is only taking a  small amount at a time.  Is she on any meds?  Usually the docs start with Zantac and for a lot of kiddos, it works. If you don't see results, the next step is Prilosec, then Prevacid, then Nexium.  Worth asking about. My little guy was on adult Nexium for over 3 years and no problems. My daughter was on Zantac for 13 months and no problems now either.  Usually, they outgrow it around 1 year of age. My daughter did but my little guy is a separate case. Good luck.

[2ndBaby]

With reflux, it is better to feed them smaller, more frequent meals anyway.  My DS only drank 4 oz every 2-3 hours and it helped his reflux.  It wasn't until 7 mos or so that he worked his way up to 6 oz.  Now at 10 mos he still tops out at 7 oz, but usually will stop before that is all gone.  (and he's a big boy-27 pounds!)

[mary345]

my last daughter had reflux really bad when she was 8 weeks old she was put in the hospital because she had gotten down to 5 lbs and she was born 7lbs 11 oz the drs thought at first that she might have had pyloric stenosis but it turned out it was just reflux and they put her on zantac and on a soy formula because no matter what i did she was not holding down the breast milk also at 12 months old she was only drinking 6 oz at a time . now my new baby who is almost 6 wks old is also spitting up real bad so i am sure it is reflux she has not lost weight and we are trying different formulas right now and the dr said small frequent feedings should help as well so we'll wait and see i don't want to have to put her on meds