Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER)

Big words... for a little one. This has been (and still is) one of our greatest nightmare for both Baby Kristabelle and I.

Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) is a condition where food and stomach acid flow back up into the esophagus. A ring of muscles at the bottom of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens and closes to allow food to enter the stomach. The LES normally opens to release gas after meals. With infants, when the LES opens, stomach contents often reflux into the esophagus and out the mouth, resulting in regurgitation, or spitting up, and vomiting.

GER is apparently quite common amongst healthy infants and more than half of all babies experience reflux in the first 3 months of life. Most stop spitting up by the age of 12 - 18 months (Oh no!!!! That's still quite a long way to go)

Because I breastfed exclusively, I could no longer do so in view of this condition. Baby Kristabelle needed a thicker feeding in order for the milk to stay in her stomach and avoid regurgitation. I had to add Anti Reflux Formula to my expressed breast milk for each feeding. It wasn't a 100% treatment, to be honest. She still vomitted at times, but lesser.

And because Baby Kristabelle wails and fuss so much, I had no choice but to introduce the dummy so that she stays calm and least get some rest.

A fridge load of expressed breast milk. I suspect there's going to be a surge in supply since Baby Kristabelle is feeding on very low doses of my milk! Anyone needing fresh milk, please message me. Hehe!

My produce each time I expressed. Approximately 14 ounces (420ml) per pump. And I express 4 times a day. That's a total of 56 ounces (1680ml) a day!