Babies do not come with an instruction manual. This, I know to be true. Sometimes, they can pleasantly surprise you by falling asleep in your arms {see example above} without a fuss. And then other times they can have you scratching your head.
If you’ve dealt with a screamy, gassy, spitty, sad infant, you may {like this girl} have scoured the internet to find the magic cure. That golden ticket that you can turn in for the cure-all. And you’ve found lists upon lists upon lists of symptoms. And ideas for treatment.
You know what probably realllly works? Time. But if you’re a parent who’s dealt with a sad and sassy spitter, then you feel like time, well, time can suck it. And you know that you don’t want to be ignoring any permanent damage to the wee ones inner workings. And you just want to make that babe feel better. So the thought of just giving it time to blow over, in your mind, not an option.
I’m no medical professional. I’ve had just 3 children. Not seen thousands. Like most docs do. But I think I’ve finally figured out some tell-tale signs of the painful spitty mcspittertons. I’ve decoded a bit of the mystery. And so, to make sense of what is what in the reflux world, I’ve compiled my real mom list of anectdotal research on what reflux looks like from the trenches.
Without any medical background, here are 18 signs, situations, and revelations that could mean your infant might be suffering from reflux… Or, if you lived through it, are how you identified that you were in the thick of spit.
1. You spend feeding sessions wondering if there’s a way to invent a poncho that will allow access to the milkbags. Or you feel like you need to suit up in galoshes and a raincoat prior to giving a bottle. This would seemingly make the clean-up post-feeding a lot simpler if you could just sack your slicker in the shower for a good hose-down.
2. You think bibs are cute and functional. On other people’s children. Because you’ve realized that you can either wash 4 outfits a day or 4 outfits and 8 bibs. Easy choice.
3. You have considered playing Bohemian Rhapsody during feeds. This would at least make the head thrashing and screaming that happens a few times a day a little more entertaining.
4. You have wondered if your babe is strengthening its jaw for future gum chewing competitions due to the fact that he or she often appears to be chewing. The only thing you feed the babe is liquid. What could it possibly be chewing? Liquid fire.
5. You make jokes and disclaimers about your little one being akin to a camel. Before handing the babe off, you warn, be careful… he spits. {ala Aladdin}
6. You wonder why other people’s babies don’t grunt. Isn’t grunting the new cooing?
7. You know the difference between the acronyms H2 and PPI. And you know that a few ounces gained on these meds can mean the difference between a happy babe and a crappy babe. And you know what they smell like going in and coming back up.
8. You are starting to think that the scent of metal mixed with vomit might not be so bad. And that maybe you don’t mind that it is washed on every piece of baby paraphernalia and item you own. Because maybe it’s sort of refreshing. Especially right after a nice, hot shower.