How I Solved Infant Reflux with Homeopathy…

Okay, baby is soundly asleep now. Back to what I was saying about homeopathy: in order to figure out which remedy to use, you just match the symptoms in the repertory with the symptoms in the sick person. A repertory is like an encyclopedia containing all the symptoms and the remedies that solve them – you write each symptom down, and next to each symptom you write the remedies that are indicated. The remedy that shows up the most times is usually the remedy that will cure the symptoms. Here is a good online repertory, in case you want to see one.

In my daughter’s case, she was crying constantly as if in pain, she was worse after burping, she arched her back and neck and went rigid along the spine, and was worse when doubling over (we tried to get her to sit and bend forward, and this would just result in heightened crying). When I looked these symptoms up in my repertory, the remedy Dioscorea villosa (wild yam) matched them most closely. However, I didn’t have Dioscorea in my home remedy kit, but I DID have a screaming baby who needed help immediately. I’m sure many of you Moms out there know what THAT’s like.

So here were the remedies I DID have in my kit: Chamomilla 30C and Nux Vomica 30C. Neither of them were perfect, but I had to do something. Chamomilla’s symptoms include being irritable, inconsolable, and better from being carried. These were definitely true of Aria, although being carried did not necessarily help. So, I diluted 3 pellets of Chamomilla 30C in 3 ounces of water, put the dilution in a syringe, and then gave her 3-4 drops. Within 5 minutes of doing this on the first night, she fell asleep. I assumed this meant that the remedy was working…and I guess it did, until the symptoms repeated themselves at the same time the next night (around 10pm). I gave Chamomilla again, and she fell asleep again. By the third night, however, Chamomilla wasn’t working anymore – she was still crying and irritable after her dose, and giving her extra doses was not having any effect. (Meanwhile, I had ordered Dioscorea on-line the very first night, but it still had not come in).

So, I turned to Nux Vomica. Nux Vomica is a good remedy for abdominal pain – griping or abdominal pain – cutting…but it’s not like the baby could tell me that was what she was experiencing. Nux-v is also indicated for overindulgence – usually over-eating or over-drinking (alcohol). One of my theories was that I had over-indulged in coffee and it had come into my breastmilk, thereby affecting her. Yes, I know, I shouldn’t drink coffee while breastfeeding, but it was decaf and so I thought I was safe. I diluted 3 pellets of Nux-v 30c in 3 ounces of water, and once again gave her a few drops. The effect was like a miracle – 2 minutes later, she stopped crying and went back to her happy self. I did this for the next 3 nights, and before I knew it, we had gone a week without Zantac.

By the time the Dioscorea arrived, her attacks were almost completely gone. About a week after I got the Dioscorea in the mail, she had another session of colicky behavior, so I had the chance to use it. The remedy also solved her crying and arching after about 5 minutes. She had another episode a few nights after, and once again I gave Dioscorea, and once again, it relieved her symptoms. So I while I don’t know exactly which remedy – Nux vomica or Dioscorea – worked better, I DO know that Aria will be 16 weeks tomorrow, and it’s been at least 10 weeks since her last episode of reflux symptoms. So, hallelujah for Homeopathy!