Reflux help!

[lem31]

Hi
My 4 week old baby has started arching his back, crying and coughing while feeding (exclusively breastfed up until last night when I needed a break so he had his first formula feed). He is often sick after eating, more and more in the last week. Also when changing his nappy and when he goes into his moses basket, even if its an hour after feeding. Does this sound like reflux to anyone? I have gp appointment tomorrow to discuss it.
Just been looking on old threads on this subject and can see that sleepless nights also a symptom...he goes into his basket brilliantly, sleeps for half an hour or so but then is awake again. Could this be related? During the day he will sleep on me or in his car seat but not in his Moses basket. Could this be because he likes to be upright???
Any advice would be appreciated from others with experience in this. What can I do to help him if it is reflux?

Thanks in advance.

[Petcat]

Hello, it does sound like reflux to me. My DD started showing similar symptoms at around 2 weeks of age. She vomits a lot and spends hours writhing in pain. GP prescribed ranitidine rather than gaviscon because I'm breastfeeding and it's easier to administer.

DD still vomits a lot but seems to be a little more comfortable when she's had the ranitidine. Best advice I received was to think of your baby as an open bottle of very expensive wine - your task is to not spill your baby! I keep DDs head higher than her tummy all the time, if she's ever laid flat she inevitability throws up. She naps in a sling or on me and sleeps in a cot with an elevated head. Also be sure to wind thoroughly after each feed. A trapped burp can act as additional propulsion for the stomach contents, leading to much more explosive vomiting!

[lem31]

Thanks for the advise. Gp has said he is gonna try not to give medication so to try and keep him upright...just hoping we can do something about the nights to help sleep better... Will try propping the cot up and see f it helps.

Thanks again. X

[SirBoobAlot]

Have you been to see a local breastfeeding group at all?

[lem31]

Not yet, but have had health visitor out and breastfeeding support lady who all say latch is fine and to just keep on going... Hoping to o to the bf group next week to see how others have dealt with it. Today was a bad day with him crying at every feed and really uncomfortable every time I put him down. Lots of sick too poor little mite. :(

[MrsMannie]

My DS has GORD. We were referred by the GP to a paed at the 6 week check as he was not gaining much wait. After a bit of a traumatic hospital admission, we did at least get a fast track to a consultant. He is on Omeprazole and domperidone and this has definitely sorted his pain. He is a much happier boy and now at 12 weeks in back on to the 25th centile, having dropped to 2nd. He still vomits a lot but that is now just a laundry issue! The reason I am posting is we recently had a sleep breakthrough. DS would fall asleep being fed but within ten mins of being put down he would start to gurgle and choke, thrash about and then wake up vrying. Propping the cot, wedges etc didn't work for us and he would only sleep in his pram after a long walk and then only for a few hours. In desperation I bought a Poco baby hammock to try. Well the first night he actually fell asleep in it with a bit of gentle rocking and stroking. 10 days on and we have finally been able to introduce a bedtime routine. Meds, bath, milk and then he will happily fall asleep in his hammock. He wakes at about 1am for a feed (ebf) but then will go back to sleep until about 5!!! DS is back in the marital bed and I now feel half human again! We have also got our evenings back. I can't recommend it enough.

[lem31]

Ooh, I may need to look a that!
His feeding s getting stupid so back to docs tomorrow. He will barely feed from me now, screaming after a minute ir two in pain. I've found though that he is fine on formula...tried breastmilk in a bottle and he screamed, formula immediately calmed him. It's obviously something to do with my milk this causing the problem. Keeping him upright, burping him, gripe water etc etc doesnt help. I'm wondering if its co the formula is thicker so stays down better...

[pugoff]

My son has this and its miserable, but go back to GPS. It's unfair for the doc to leave untreated when he's in so much pain. They usually start with infant Gaviscon which puts q thick layer intop of milk in stomach. Bit of a faff with BF but I just express 2 feeds a day and add Gav to that. There are solutions to make him more comfortable and you to continue to BF.

[lem31]

Thanks pugoff. Now got infant gaviscon.
Did doc tell you twice a day to give it? He just said to me with feed so I wasn't sure how often to give it. I've given him formula overnight as it seems to help so hoping it'll give him a good kick start to getting better. It says on leaflet to mix in with formula ( we are on half a sachet) so I assumed it was every feed as it gives no indication of how often on the info I've been given.
Thanks.
X

[pugoff]

This is what I do / was told to do - depending on his size (over 10lbs) then he needs 2 sachets twice a day (or 3 times a day if he needs more but start out with less and work your way up til he's comfortable). If less than 10lbs then 1 sachet. If BF you have a choice of either doing half a feed, then mixing the sachet with some water (or a bit of expressed B milk) and giving in a syringe then carrying on with feed. Or expressing that whole feed and put sachet into that bottle and mix and feed (I do this as DS sneakily spits out the stringed stuff and who can blame him, its ghastly tasting). If using formula you just mix into bottle. It's a bit trial and error as my DS was only having 1 sachet twice a day when around 9lbs but was still uncomfortable and had v explosive watery and mucousy poo so all signs of poorly tummy stil. So upped to two sachets in feed twice a day. Three times a day made him too constipated. Also remember Gaviscon is first treatment - if this doesn't work go back and try something else from docs.

I felt guilty about weight gain (dropped to 2nd %) and asked docs if I should be supplementibg with formula and he said B milk was easier on the gut so continue EBF if I can / want to, tho if your DS if fine with formula and it helps you have a break then do whatever is best. Reflux is truly knackering and you just have to get thro it as best you can and work thro treatments til you find solution.

[lem31]

Thanks pugoff. Having a mare with it! Can't stand the extra screaming now when I try to give him meds too. Just no way to win...

[pugoff]

That's why I expressed the feed twice a day and put it in there. That way he got fed when hungry and didn't have to stop for Gaviscon. Total pain I agreebut 3 weeks in and mine is a totally different v happy baby - that I can lie down!!

[lem31]

Wow, good to hear success!
I've been told to give 1/2 sachet 6 times a day. I tried mixing with a little bm but he screamed so I guess it still tasted foul. Have decided to combination feed so I can just get the meds down him. Screaming in pain every mealtime isn't good for either if us. Will hopefully be able to gradually increase bm again when his tummy has calmed down.
Fingers crossed it works...

[Twinklestarstwinklestars]

My ds2 had reflux and sma staydowb was fab and he was like a different baby straight away, food then brought it back so he had ranitidine, hope he's better soon.

[atrcts]

Infant Gaviscon comes in a green packet with clear instructions. The dose should be printed on the white label as prescribed by your GP (saying one or two sachets - depending on baby's weight).

The box has double sachets which, if you're having a single dose, you will have to cut in half.

Direction
How to use Gaviscon Infant Sachets: Breast-fed infants: Under 4.5kg (10lb) one dose. Over 4.5kg (10lb), two doses. Add 5ml of cooled, boiled water to the powder in a glass. Mix to a smooth paste and add another 10ml water to the mix. Give after each feed, using a spoon or feeding bottle.

Bottle-fed infants: Under 4.5kg (10lb), one dose to be mixed into not less than 115ml of each feed in the bottle and shaken well. Over 4.5kg (10lb) two doses to be mixed into not less than 225ml of each feed in the bottle and shaken well.

Click here for Gaviscon Information

[atrcts]

More importantly, The box also says MAXIMUM 6 doses in 24 hours.

[lem31]

Thanks atrcts. As doc gave me strange amount the pharmacist gave it to me loose with the label for instructions that says 1/2 sachet but not how many feeds!
Ill do 1/2 sachets a max 6 feeds and see how we get on.

Thanks!

[atrcts]

You're welcome - I am glad it helps because although Gaviscon is a safe prescription, it's not safe to over use (in extreme cases it has it congealed and block a baby's digestive system if it is over used, and that's not safe practice!).

Good luck with it, I hope it works. It's Supposed to be trailed for a good few days or even weeks, and remember if it doesn't work there are other drugs to try instead.

My first baby used Gaviscon and it worked on him. My second had reflux but he needed ranitidine as well because Gaviscon didn't help. So you can never tell til you try it!