Our newborn girl has a condition known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), or simply known as “acid reflux”.
This is how our days play out.
1. We feed her
2. Hold her for 30 minutes to prevent reflux
3. Doesn’t work, she vomits
4. We clean her
5. She’s hungry because she didn’t keep her food down
6. We feed her again.
7. She vomits again.
8. We clean her again.
9. She’s hungry, but now she’s too tired to eat.
10. She sleeps for maybe 30 minutes…
11. The acid reflux wakes her up
12. She vomits yet again.
13. Go back to step 1
This hour long cycle is endless. There are many days when we are up 24-hours to play out this endless cycle.
People who don’t understand this problem thinks we are just stupid parents.
“All baby spit up” they say.
“You have to burp your baby” they say.
“Just put your baby down and let her sleep” they say.
Blah blah blah blah blah…
I will gladly accept that I am a stupid parent, and wear a dunce cap and a t-shirt that says I am stupid idiot, if it means my baby can be properly fed and can sleep more than an hour without waking up crying in pain.