goodbye, reflux. we won't miss you one bit.

As promised, this is the post that contains such a miracle that I feel almost superhuman to have the ability to make it. If you're a parent to a baby with reflux, this one is for you. If you're pregnant and have no idea if your baby will have reflux, this is still for you. If you don't have any kids but think you might want one ten or twenty years down the line, read this. If you simply know someone with a baby or someone who is pregnant, do yourself and everyone else a favor and absorb what I'm about tell you.

Our awesome pediatrician was all ready to write us a prescription for pediatric Zantac for Ethan's reflux. However, she said, there was something she wanted us to try first. She walked back into the room with two tiny little packets not unlike sugar packets. She explained that this was an all-natural, organic thickener used in Europe since the 1950's. A pediatric GI doctor in the building helped bring it over to the States. It could be mixed with breastmilk or formula and she wanted us to give it a try prior to starting the Zantac. I'm not opposed to medication by any means, but I do like to take the all-natural and organic route first, especially when dealing with my baby. I asked how long it'd take until we'd notice results and she said by the time the packets were gone (they were good for 1 1/2 feedings), we should notice a difference.

By the time we got home, it was time for a feeding. I used one of the little sample packets and sat down to feed Ethan. I don't even know how to put enough emphasis on the magic that happened next so I'll just say it and hope you pick up on the sheer miraculousness of it all. He didn't grunt, burp, arch, have gas, squeeze, cry, fuss, whine, spit-up or vomit. He simply sucked on the bottle silently, stopping every once in a while to coo and smile (and grab handfuls of my hair, which seems to be his new hobby. Isn't he too young for this?!) and then go back to silently and contently eating. It was unreal. It couldn't be happening. He hadn't eaten this peacefully at all since the moment he was born. When the sample packets were gone, my husband and I had no choice but to feed him without them. Cue in the grunting, burping, gas, squeezing, crying, fussing, whining, spit-up and all-out vomit. I was awake getting completely soaked in vomit until five in the morning when I couldn't see straight anymore and had to sleep.

I turned to the internet and learned that this wondersubstance can be ordered online in all 50 states, but I had to thank my (usually quite unlucky) lucky stars that out of the four pharmacies in the US to currently carry it, one was in Boca. So at 9:00 this morning, as soon as they opened, my husband was there to purchase a tub of it.

So what is this miracle, you ask?

World, meet Gelmix.

Gelmix is an all-natural, organic thickener to thicken breastmilk, formula and other liquids. It has virtually no calories. It has no color and no odor. It is hypoallergenic, gluten-free, casein free, soy free and whey free. It is derived from the seed of the carob tree. There are ready-to-feed thickeners on the market, but they don't let you work with any special dietary formulas (lactose free, soy free, hypoallergenic, etc.). Gelmix has virtually no calories (as opposed to rice cereal which adds 14 calories per ounce of baby formula), allowing your baby to properly digest the nutrients they need from their foodsource. Carob Bean Gum has been used in Europe since the 1950's as a formula and breastmilk thickener. However, many pediatric GI doctors here in the US are still unaware of Carob Bean Gum as a thickener.

I love Gelmix. As soon as we made Ethan a bottle of it this morning, the same miracles that occurred yesterday afternoon repeated themselves. He simply ate, content and comfortable. No gas, no arching, no fussing, no crying, no burping, no god-awful grunting noises or throat-clearing, no spit-up or vomit. None. My husband was feeding him and I had to keep asking "is he eating?" because the silence was such an unfamiliar feeding-time sound. When he was done eating? He simply took a nap. It's taking everything within me to not run to the kitchen, grab the container of Gelmix and kiss it for saving my son. 'Saving' may sound a bit extreme, but gone are the days of listening to him sob in pain from the burn of vomit from his throat and nose. Gone are the days of watching him writhe around in pain and discomfort from gas and indigestion. Here are the days of my son happily eating a bottle and his belly feeling full and settled.

Here's how it works:

• The measurements are one scoop of Gelmix for every 2 ounces of formula or breastmilk.
• Normally prepare your child's breastmilk bottle or formula.
• Heat up the prepared bottle to about 120 degrees.
• Cap bottle and shake well to dissolve any lumps.
• Wait about 5 minutes to let the bottle cool down prior to feeding.
• Shake a final time before feeding and check the flow.

Ethan is still taking his in his Dr. Brown's bottles with the level 1 slow-flow nipples, though it is noted you may have to move up a nipple size due to the thickness.

No one has asked me to review anything or make this post. I simply felt compelled to make it to share this secret miracle worker with other moms who are just as flustered and vomit-soaked as I was.

You can read more about Gelmix as well as order tubs (they come in two sizes) on their website. They offer a calculator on their website to let you know how much Gelmix you'll need to order. In addition, they offer free samples on their website for you to try.