One Mom's Story: Frency and Baby Azarya

Motherly instinct--nature gave it to moms for a reason. No matter what everyone tells you--from professionals to grandmothers to well-meaning friends, sometimes you know that something is just not right, and you need to rely on that instinct to get the help your baby needs. As in new mom Frency's case, she knew something wasn't quite right with her son, Azarya. Azarya was exclusively breastfed, but everything he ate came back up. And in saying everything, I mean everything. Though everyone told Frency spit-up was normal, she didn't believe that the amount that was coming back up from Azarya was normal, and she persisted in looking for an answer that would help him. . . Frency tells us her story: "When my son started spitting up between 2-3 months of age, I started to wonder if it was actually reflux. I spoke with my pediatricians office, a lactation consultant, as well as the nurse hotline with my Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance company. They all said that it is common for babies to spit up. It was happening more often so I started to think that it was NOT normal. I may be a new mom but my motherly instincts were telling me that even though my son is not losing weight, he still seemed to spit everything back up. I couldn't get any satisfactory help from the three sources I asked so I did my own research. I Googled infant reflux and started reading up on it. Yes, I know in the medical field people tend to read up on certain diseases or problems and start LOOKING for the symptoms. In my son's case,

I didn't have to look for it, the signs and symptoms had already been present for months. He would spit up anywhere from immediately after feeding, during feeding, or hours after feeding. He wakes up from a nap or at night crying as if he is uncomfortable and he would arch his back by leaning back. In my research, I stumbled upon the Colic Calm website and read from top to bottom. I immediately wanted to try our luck and planned on buying a bottle. Before I could buy that bottle, I noticed a change in my son's voice. His voice sounded hoarse or raspy and he didn't seem like himself. When I took my son in for his three month checkup, I explained to his pediatrician in great detail everything I was observing in my son during and after feedings. I'm so glad my son did not make a liar out of me during that visit because after doing his usual assessment, my son started to make gurgling sounds while the doctor was looking in his nose and mouth. He asked me when the last feeding was and I told him it was an hour before we came into the office. That was when he finally said, "I would like to order an x-ray/upper GI studies to take a look at his esophagus." Long story short, I made the appointment and took my son into the hospital to have it done. Sure enough, the study showed that my son had SEVERE reflux. He refluxed the liquid they made him drink more than three times in less than a minute. The doctor that did the study immediately advised us to feed him upright, keep him upright for 20-30 minutes after feeding, and burping Azarya 5-10 minutes into feeding and before offering the other breast. I received a call from the pediatrician's office later that day and was told that they would send a prescription to our local Walmart for Zantac. His orders were to give 1mL two times a day. Before I got off the phone with the nurse, I asked if I could try Colic Calm first, before I started the Zantac. They researched it before calling me back and told me I could use Colic Calm. I went out that day and bought a bottle from our local CVS. Initially, I used the Colic Calm for Azarya's reflux before starting his Zantac. I couldn't really tell the difference at first and I started to feel guilty for withholding the medicine from my son. I didn't want him to be in pain all because mommy wasn't giving him his medicine. So I kind of experimented by giving strictly Colic Calm one day and and Zantac another day. I discovered that with the Zantac, he wasn't as fussy but he still refluxed occasionally. At the same time, he also wasn't as fussy with Colic Calm, but he refluxed less. I wasn't quite sure how to interpret my observations. I then started giving the Zantac once in the morning and once at night. Throughout the day, if he started to get fussy, I would give him 1/4tsp of the Colic Calm. For a month, we were managing, so I thought the two together was working. However, for the past two weeks [from day of interview], I started to notice that he was getting fussy again and that I was having to use the Colic Calm more often than before. What convinced me to call [Azarya's doctor] was a day when someone from a community group called Parent's As Teachers was visiting us for our monthly visit and my son went from playful and laughing to suddenly bursting out crying. We were both shocked and surprised because he went from happy to crying in seconds. I tried carrying him and consoling him but nothing worked. While we both tried to carry him, he just kept leaning back and arching his back. She said that his actions didn't seem normal to her and that I should contact his pediatrician. I called Azarya's pediatrician and was able to bring him in right away. Since the visit was a squeeze in, we had to see a different doctor within the practice instead of the one we have been seeing since Azarya was born. They asked me the usual questions and then the doctor started to assess him by listening to his stomach. He told me that my son did, in fact, have a lot of gas and asked me if he was an easy burper. I explained that he burps right away when I burp him often during feedings. He said that Reglan is another medicine that he often prescribes for reflux and gas and wanted to put my son on it. I am to give 8 drops (it turns out to be around 0.3mL) after EACH feeding. I am still observing the use of the Reglan but right now I am still sticking to the Colic Calm on his times of fussiness and hiccups. I love using it when he gets really fussy and cranky; especially right before naptimes." Today, Frency is still using Colic Calm, combined with Azarya's medications, to help soothe him. She says, "I have given it [Colic Calm] before or after feeding (depending on if he is fussy before feeding or after), before bed, before naps when he is fussy, or when he has hiccups." We're so glad that we're able to provide Azarya with relief in so many different ways! Are you a Colic Calm user and would like to share your story? Just let us know by leaving a comment below and we’ll be in touch! As a thank you, Colic Calm will send you one bottle when your story goes live.