Reflux - can a baby have it without sicking up milk?

[Utka]

DD2 is 2 weeks old, and has just started getting very distressed after a feed. She's feeding very well (breast), but if she doesn't remain upright for about half an hour afterwards, she screams and screams - seemingly in pain.

The keeping her upright bit is fine if she's not needing to sleep, but if she is (and of course she is sleeping masses at the moment), it's proving very hard. Short of carrying her round in my arms, or propping her up in her chair, I don't know what to do.

It happens at all times of the day, and seems to come on 10-15 mins after being laid on her back. quite often she settles well and falls asleep, only to wake up screaming a short time later. She winds well and easily, so we've ruled this out. She also doesn't sick up her feeds and only possets a bit.

Anyone got any ideas? Could it be reflux, if she's not being sick?

[LIZS]

Yes it could be as it is sort of like acid indigestion. You get stuff going back up the oesophagus because of weak stomach valve but not necessarily with enough force to be sick. It wasn't diagnosed in dd until she was 8 weeks old but the nights of her first few weeks were spent lying on dh's chest whilst he watched the aftermath of 9/11. She would not settle flat at all. Can you put rolled sheets or blankets under the head of her cot/pram/basket mattress or put her in an inclined pushchair or car seat, with head hugger for support if necessary. We put books under the feet of dd's cot later on too. When she was tiny I found a Chicco chair invaluable and dd preferred her sling to her pram for outings.

hth

[Utka]

Lizs

Thanks for your advice. Funnily enough, the chair we've got her in at the moment is a Chicco one - invaluable as it's so well padded, plus the head support is good too. We've raised one end of her carrycot (which is in the main cot at the moment) too.

What worries me though (apart from the pain she must be in), is that she needs to be spending time flat on her back, to ensure she develops well physically. I read somewhere that the most time a child should spend in a chair or car seat is 1.5 hours a day!

BTW - did your dd end up on medication at all, and did it help? Were you taken seriously by the GP, given that she wasn't being sick?

[LIZS]

We are in Switzerland and it was diagnosed pretty commonly by our then paediatrician. It was diagnosed at her 8 week check because it had caused an ear infection due to a build up of bacteria in the regurgitated milk reaching her throat and ear passages. She was breastfed so no medication but when we started to use formula he prescribed a thickener called "Thick and Easy" which is also used in UK hospitals for premmies. It is like cornflour and thickens the milk to hold it down longer. I think someone once mention a heavier formula a GP had suggested - try a search on Reflux - or sometimes Infant Gaviscon is mentioned but this doesn't cure it. She improved significantly between 9 and 13 months and was fine by 15 months but they all vary.

Our paediatrican had no problem suggesting sleeping her in the chair during the day and she used to go under the gym in it. We only started to put her flat on the floor when she started to wriggle and roll or propped her head up on a v- pillow. It in no way affected her development long term as she is now a very lively 2 and half year old.

hth and hope things improve for you both

[lalaa]

Utka
my dd (now 16 months) has reflux. she is sick, so can't help there, but just wanted to say as far as keeping your dd in her car seat is concerned, that, yes, most health professionals don't recommend keeping your child in there for too long, but we found that in the early days, sometimes she had to sleep in their all night, just to keep comfortable. dd is perfectly OK now, and doesn't seem to have suffered any side effects in terms of her physical development for spending a lot of time in the car seat when she was a tiny.

I have definitely read somewhere about babies with reflux that don't throw up, so it is possible. I'd go and see the doc if I were you. It's no fun for either of you if she has it and isn't on the medication!

good luck with sorting it out.

[LIZS]

Enfamil AR is mentioned on this thread here

[bunnyrabbit]

In case you don't have time to look through the thread that LIZs very kindly found, here's a link you may find useful link

BR