Teething/spitting up/ reflux

OK- since Ryans cold a few weeks ago, he has been spitting up alot! Its not necessarily ALOT of spit up, all the time...but def. not his usual...

When I brought him to the DR for his 2nd apt (for his cold) I told my ped. my concerns... He said to me, that since Ryan had never done this before he "thinks" it was from the nasal drip(because he was sick) but did through reflux in there as an option.

Well- Ryan is fully over his cold... and I did see a change in his "spit up" habits last week (for the good) but then this week...it seems to have gone back to its frequency...

Ryan is teething really badly....so my mom thinks it all links into his teeth (she blames everything on teething )

Now- when the DR had brought up Reflux...I had asked him...if we indeed found out this was the issue what he would do...He said there was different options... (meds, formula change, a little rice in his bottle) But again...he didnt think that was the problem...and put us on the wait and see program...

I was telling the infant teacher @ my job (shes been there 20+ yrs. and has 3 children and like 8 grandkids) and she said I should try putting a touch of cereal in his bottle (less than a teaspoon) to make it heavier so it will stay down..

Now- IMO I dont agree with cereal in the bottle, but I know when it comes to reflux babies sometimes its needed.... Plus since my ped. had put that into the mix...Im not totally against it.

Ryans not really cranky (its hard to tell...if its just his teeth or something else)...he's not uncomfortable when he's laying down, and he dosent wanna always be in an upright position (which I know are some qualities in a reflux baby)

So heres my questions:
1. Can teething really be associated with an increase in spit up?
2. Should I try putting a little cereal in his bottle...to thicken it, so it will stay down?
3. Ryan isnt on cereal yet... so if I do this how will it effect him? Since its such a minor amount...its not gonna effect us when we go to reg. feeding from a spoon...right?

Reflux moms...are there any specifics I should be looking for? Again- we had a bad 2 weeks...than a fine week, and a rough week again... does this sound normal?

He has an apt. on the 31st...so I am gonna discuss with my ped. then...unless he gets uncomfortable before then! TIA

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

Katie is much younger then Ryan, but she has reflux. She cries while she is eating, arches her back, spits up a lot, and it is difficult to lie her down because she gets so uncomfortable.

I don't think adding cereal is such a big deal because Katie is only 7 weeks and the ped told us to start adding a tsp of rice cereal to her bottle. (a tsp to every 4 oz). We just started 2 days ago, I will let you know how it works out!

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

I just made the hole in the newborn nipple a little bigger.

I do put it in every bottle. As far as it affecting him eating from a spoon, I really don't know. But I would guess that it wouldn't, because the texture will be so different.

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

He's on formula, right? I would try the enfamil AR first...it's thicker for babies w/ reflux. My pedi said absolutely no cereal in the bottle.

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

teething and colds worsen reflux, there is more saliva which upsets the Ph balance of the GI tract, my daughter had severe reflux as a baby and to this day (she is almost 3) when she has a cold I see her reflux every once in a while but it never comes outm she just learned to swallow it .

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

Posted by emilain

teething and colds worsen reflux, there is more saliva which upsets the Ph balance of the GI tract, my daughter had severe reflux as a baby and to this day (she is almost 3) when she has a cold I see her reflux every once in a while but it never comes outm she just learned to swallow it .

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

Posted by Princessmaris

Posted by emilain

teething and colds worsen reflux, there is more saliva which upsets the Ph balance of the GI tract, my daughter had severe reflux as a baby and to this day (she is almost 3) when she has a cold I see her reflux every once in a while but it never comes outm she just learned to swallow it .

Hmmm... see I dont know if Ryan has reflux...because there are weeks when he spits up such a min. amount...if any! But then there are weeks...that it seems so bad...


As I said my ped. didnt think it was since...we never had a problem like this before, and he though it was all part of his cold... but now that his colds over...??? The teething and saliva thing makes sense...

Do you think thats all it is?

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

Posted by emilain

Posted by Princessmaris

Posted by emilain

teething and colds worsen reflux, there is more saliva which upsets the Ph balance of the GI tract, my daughter had severe reflux as a baby and to this day (she is almost 3) when she has a cold I see her reflux every once in a while but it never comes outm she just learned to swallow it .

Hmmm... see I dont know if Ryan has reflux...because there are weeks when he spits up such a min. amount...if any! But then there are weeks...that it seems so bad...


As I said my ped. didnt think it was since...we never had a problem like this before, and he though it was all part of his cold... but now that his colds over...??? The teething and saliva thing makes sense...

Do you think thats all it is?

lots of saliva also affects a baby's gag reflex, so it may just be lots of extra saliva hat is causing him to gag and spit up.

Re: Teething/spitting up/ reflux

I noticed when Hayley is munching on her fist & fingers, she has more saliva and if she doesn't swallow she will gag a big and spit up.