Gassy newborns, Acid Reflux, Zantac?

Hello. My daughter is 4 weeks old and she has been having gas problems from the begining. But for the last two days it seems like gas has gotten worse. I can hear the bubles in her stomach and she has been fussier. She also spits up a lot. I took her to doctor and they gave her Zantac. From what I was describing, doctor said it sounds like Acid Reflux. I have not given her the Zantac yet. Do you think having Acid Reflux can cause so much gas? Has anyone used Zantac for their newborns? Any side effects?

Thank you

[tiredbuthappy]

My little one started zantac at 4 weeks. BUT it was not for gas and does not help with gas. Zantac is for reflux. A classic sign of reflux is the baby arching her back in pain. Burps and spitting up would make her scream in discomfort. Just because a baby spits up does not mean she has reflux.
Zantac is considered to be relatively safe, although I wouldn't give it if the baby didn't show signs of acid reflux. Or, you could do a trial and see if it helps at all. If it makes a difference, you know it was probably reflux. I was told that this is how they generally diagnose reflux in infants these days because it is less invasive than traditional tests. However, there are many doctors that are too quick to prescribe it.

Reflux can't cause gas, although crying from reflux can cause the infant to swallow air. Most newborns are gassy to a certain extent. My LC told me it is very normal and generally they start to outgrow it after 2 months as their digestive tracts mature. When they are so tiny, the intestines are crammed into a tiny place, making the bends tighter and more likely to trap gas bubbles. Simethicone (brand name is Mylicon, although generic is fine) is a safe otc remedy for gas in infants. If you have trouble finding it on the shelf, you can ask the pharmacist. I recommend you try that before trying prescription meds. You can also try pumping her legs and massaging her tummy to help move some of the gas along. If you are using formula, you can try a different type.

Google symptoms of reflux in infants. You will also find many interventions you can try before meds like sleeping the baby on an incline, smaller and more frequent feeds, feeding baby upright, more frequent burping, etc... Actually, that's another thought- try burping her more frequently to see if you can get some of that gas out.