Infant gaviscon Vs Carobel for bottle feeding

[Passmethecrisps]

I read a good thread on this same topic but it was to do with BF - I am looking for thoughts on bottle feeding.

My DD is 14 weeks old. She has silent reflux and CMPI. Following a spell of food refusal she was hospitalised and was placed on rinitidine, domperidone and infant gaviscon as well as nutramigen.

I saw a dietician today to discuss long term issues such as weaning but the conversation turned to poo. As it tends to do.

My DD does one play doh type poo a day with my help. By that I mean that she strains and heaves out a sort of solid plug. I then take off her nappy, hold her legs and she finishes off. It doesn't cause her massive discomfort as far as I can see - it is hard work though.

Because of this she has suggested I try mixing carobel with her milk rather than the IG. I am just not sure.

The dosage is confusing me. DD has bottles of 150ml. How much carobel should I mix?

Why would carobel make her poo less solid than IG?

Really, what I am looking for is other people's experiences.

Thanks

[blonderedhead]

Pass we are on Nutramigen and have exactly the poos you describe (well, DS has them. Mine are ok ). I had read on another forum that Carobel would help with this even though it was a thickener. Was thinking of asking my GP as DS constantly strains and grumbles.

Sorry that's prob not much help but will be interested to see if anyone else has tried it.

[Passmethecrisps]

I knicked that description from you as it is so perfect.

It would be nice for her to have proper baby poo for a change.

[GraceGrape]

I've used both Carobel and Gaviscon and found Carobel much better in terms of both thickening the milk and preventing constipation. DD1 always did "stiff" poos with Gaviscon but not at all with Carobel. The current dosage on the box is one scoop of carobel (use the scoop provided - much smaller than a formula scoop) per 3oz (90ml) of formula to create a "thick" liquid. I use it with neocate though, which is a thinner formula so you might need to use slightly less. For a 150ml feed, I would suggest trying maybe 1 1/2 scoops? It makes the formula noticeably thicker in the bottle so you may need to use a wider teat. I found the variflo ones work best.
Word of warning - I've heard Carobel can have the opposite effect to Gaviscon and make the poos a little runny!

[Passmethecrisps]

Thank you grace. That was really helpful. After weeks of being unsettled I was pretty reluctant to change anything. Did you phase out IG or just move straight to carobel?

[GraceGrape]

I think I just started straight away on the Carobel. I got it on the advice of the paediatrician, if that's of any help, who thinks it's much better than Gaviscon. I think you can get it on prescription, but I just buy it from the pharmacy. Hope it works out for you!

[Passmethecrisps]

Thank you grace!