Infant Gaviscon - advice please

[lostindubai]

How do you give this to a 5 week old without feeling like you're torturing them?

And how come it doesn't mix to a paste like it says it should?

[lostindubai]

Hopeful bump.

[TheCrumpettyTree]

Depends how you're feeding. I added it to my DS's bottles. But then had to buy the bigger teats as it won't flow through the hole. It can make them constipated as it thickens everything so watch out for that. We ended up with ranitidine instead.

I've never mixed it into a paste, you can mix it with water and use a syringe to give it.

[lostindubai]

Sorry yes I'm mixing with cooled boiled water. She is breastfed.

The instructions describe a paste. With the amount if water involved I'd say it's much runnier than that. Doctor said it would be too thick for a syringe, certainly doesn't look like it.

She hates it regardless.

Thanks for replying.

[Pastaagain78]

Go back to the Dr and ask for ranitidine. They give gaviscon as a first step, i found it impossible for breastfed babies and nearly sent me insane with DS1. By DS3 I knew to push for something different. Good luck.

[lostindubai]

Thanks Pasta. Did yours prefer the taste of ranitidine?

[Pastaagain78]

Well it's pretty rank BUT it is such a small amount, the starting dose was 0.33 of a ml, then he went up to 0.66ml. So much less to get in!

[TheCrumpettyTree]

The good thing about ranitidine is that it's only a very tiny amount. The dose increases as your baby gains weight.

[AugustRose]

Ranitidine didn't work for us, it actually made DS worse for some strange reason.

Can you express a little milk to add to the Gaviscon, it makes it more palatable. If you can get you DC to take a bottle and express a larger amount it's so much easier and they keep the Gaviscon down.

[Pastaagain78]

And it is given 3 times a day so you don't have to try and coordinate it with feeds. You may have to push, but gaviscon sets breastfeeding up for stress!

[Sandsnake]

Echo Pasta in going and asking for Ranitidine - especially if you're BF. IMO Gaviscon shouldn't be prescribed if you're BF as it's so difficult to administer. Ranitidine is also far more effective.

It's a very strong flavour but we were lucky as DS is so greedy that he thinks that everything given orally is automatically a good thing. He is now six months and gets excited when he sees the medicine bottle and opens his mouth like a little sparrow as soon as he sees the syringe... strange baby.

[Pastaagain78]

We are on omeprazole now. Again, small amount and tastes ok. It's another option. Good luck. I really feel Gaviscon shouldn't be given to breastfed babies unless the mother is already expressing happily.

Dealing with a refluxy baby, trying to mix the damn stuff, trying to predict when the baby wants to feed. It is a bloody recipe for PND.

[lostindubai]

Thank you so much ladies. You're right about the stress we've had a lot of tears (dd's and mine) since starting this and I'm really wondering if it's worth it. Might give the docs a call today to discuss it.

August in the meantime I'll see if I can hand express some milk for the next dose. Thanks for the suggestion.

[fraggle84]

Is there a chance of a dairy intolerance?

[piesoclock]

We bf and ours never mixed to a paste. We just made up as directed and gave in a bottle. If yours wont take a bottle how about syringe or spoon?

[lostindubai]

Fraggle, possible I suppose, her brother is lactose intolerant.

Spoke to the doctor who agreed we can stop the meds. I'm so relieved. We'll keep going as we were and see what happens.

Thanks to everyone who replied. It really helped

[fraggle84]

Dd was on gaviscon, onepramzole and ranitidine before it was suggested to try dairy free. A week later she was so much better id definitely give it a try

[TheCrumpettyTree]

Mine had severe reflux and was allergic to dairy as a baby. Milk protein though, which is different from being lactose intolerant.