reflux in newborn vs normal spit up?

How would I know if my 6 week old has reflux vs normal spit up?  She's big, gaining weight fine but spits up a lot, both during, immediately after and up to 2 hrs after a feeding.  She's using Enfamil gentelese formula.  She seems to have a horse cough often, trouble falling asleep though she sleeps well once asleep, fusses for the bottle but then screams if i take it out to burp her during a feed.  USed to be pretty mellow, but past few days has been a little fussy for no reason and having trouble setting to sleep. thanks in advance.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

projectile spit up is usually one of the first indicators.  Sometimes switching to a soy formula helps.  Also, keep her upright for approximately 30 minutes after feeding and make sure she is up at an angle during feedings.  You can also try mixing a SMALL amount of rice cereal in with the formula to make it just a bit thicker.  If those don't help, perhaps talk to your doctor, they prescribe something such as zantac to help.  All 3 of my kids had reflux...but they all outgrew it before a year old.  

[ponderousmom]

another helpful thing is to avoid pants--stick with one piece outfits, you have to try and keep all the pressure off their stomachs.  laying them on their left side also helps. swings, carriers, and carseats can all make it worse.  you need to keep their bed at an angle too, it helps protect their esophagus while they sleep.  and as long as you follow all the guidelines, you dont need the zantac.  it doesnt stop reflux, it only limits the acid.

[kcs08]

My baby had really bad reflux and nothing helped!  She is 8 mo and just grew out of it a month ago.  I mostly breastfeed but the only formula that she didnt projectile vomit was Alimentum.  Keeping her upright is a good idea after she eats.  Zantac wasnt strong enough for her so she was on prilosec and then prevacid.  She was also not gaining enough weight her first month. (only 4 lbs 14 oz at birth) Reflux is HORRIBLE!!!  My baby was miserable most of the time-until we got on prilosec...then she was a new baby!

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I agree with ponderous mom, do try all the other "tricks" before the medicine.  My oldest has Gerd.  She was on two types of meds...one of them is now linked to problems but she doesn't have any.  They did an upper GI on her at 2 mos old.  The muscle that closes off the esophagus from the stomach wasn't fully developed yet and would pop right open at the slightest bit of pressure.  That couple with the fact that the sphincter muscle going from the stomach to the intestines would spasm didn't help.  So basically, she would eat, the muscle would spasm, the flap would open and out it went.  Luckily my last two were so bad.  With my oldest she had to have one medicine 2 times a day and one a half hour before every meal.  She outgrew it at 10 mos tho.

[hopefulmommie]

My son has horrible reflux and was in terrible pain always. He didnt stop crying for hours and hours. He was also gaining weight fine, but he was a "silent refluxer" so He didnt always spit up, he would just swallow it back... and I could see him do that. He would also have a cronic (chronic) cough, arch his back, refuse the bottle, scream in the middle of feedings, and inconsoble crying.He would spit up sometime and do the projectile vomiting. Allbabies spit up but some babies have reflux and are worse than others. I agree that not all babies need medicine, and all other options should be tried first but in my son's case nothing worked except for Prevacid. We tried everything before medicine and nothing helped we tried zantac and reglan both were aweful. After my son was on Prevacid for about one week he was a totally different baby.

[lilypad143]

Im going throught the exact thing with my 6 week old son. When they have reflux its usually projectile and its alot of it, make sure you pay attention to the color as well (it should just look like formula and nothing else). Changing to the soy version (Prosobe) usually helps out. The doctor will not be too concerned with it as long as the baby is gaining the proper weight. My son wasn't gaining weight and he was throwing up alot so he had to go to the hospital for a week. But as long as their gaining weight their not too concerned with the throwing up. If you keep the baby up right for awhile after feeding that should help. And if she does get a fussing, try burping her again. I realized that was part of the problem with my son.... he would have delayed burps (like an hour later).

[xxemmaclarexx]

hiya
all 3 kids had reflux
my youongest son is very bad with it though ,it causes him to stop breathing in his sleep and when he is feeding [he is now 19 months old]
he also has great wieght gain and is healthy and happy
try some gaviscvon in a bottle
if that fails then go to your doctor and ask then to see if he would be better on some domperidon to reduce it coming back up
even with vomit.
my kids were all fussy and wingy and couldnt get comfy
so i also used to raise the top end of the cot with a few books the fluid isnt resting on there chest and causing them pain

hope this helps you
xx good luck xx

[Flikwerks]

My 11 week DD has reflux as well. She had all of the same symptoms. She spit up, screamed while she was on the breast or bottle, etc. She is on prevacid which has helped. She still spits up but is not in pain like she was. We have a bad day here and there but she is gaining weight rapidly so my Dr. is not worried. I too keep her upright although at 5am it is difficult. Everyone says it will get better!!!