Reflux and weaning, your experiences?

[MamaPingu]

I'm just looking for some stories of what went on for you really!

My little boy is 8 weeks old and having trouble with reflux. Obviously I'm not thinking of weaning any time soon just gathering information for when I do.
I have heard babies with reflux improve usually when weaned and that it is sometimes medically advised to start earlier (I'm guessing 4months instead of 6?) to help improve their symptoms

Please could you give me a brief description of your babies reflux?
When you weaned and what foods you started them on?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Its good that you are after information now. Are you under a Paed for the reflux Pingu? Your Paed may advise you on weaning nearer the time.

Reflux was suspected with my DS at that age but it turned out to be tongue tie and early weaning just made things worse! not better, so it might be worth getting him checked too

[Patilla]

Weaning made it worse with DS and markedly better with DD.

Our paed wasn't that helpful with DD but we decided to wean a shade early in case it took longer, as it can do. It gave us a little less pressure before she started needing to be taking in protein and as it is, once she started taking in more substantial stuff we were able to dramatically drop her meds.

But it's horses for courses as it made her elder brother vomit much much more.

Good luck though and it will most likely pass eventually and be just a memory.

[sharond101]

Weaning made DS reflux much better. Paediatrician reccommended early weaning but by that time he was 22wks so we started right away.

[SteamWisher]

Made it worse. They both had silent reflux though and were intolerant to dairy. They also reacted to other foods eg tomatoes gave contact rashes etc and they got constipated almost as soon as I started solids. So didn't get onto three meals until 9 months old.

[NowFourSpuds]

My twins suffered with terrible reflux, and we weaned at around 5 months actual age (1 month corrected). It made a huge difference to my DD's reflux, and we were able to reduce her reflux meds (domperidone & omeprazole).

Unfortunately it didn't make such a difference for to DS. It is better than it used to be but they are now almost one & reflux still causes him to vomit up at least one whole meal a day

Lots of other parents I have spoken to said it helped, so perhaps DS is the odd one out! Good luck

[MamaPingu]

It is silent reflux my DS has too.
It does sound like it's the luck of the draw whether it'll help him, but fingers crossed!

My HV gave me a book to read that had a section on weaning reflux babies and it said babies that are sick a lot can find it harder because their gag reflex becomes extra sensitive. So I'm hoping the fact he's rarely sick may help him, it's interesting to see it made it worse for a silent refluxer too though!

Thanks for the replies
It's lovely to hear it helped a lot of you and your little ones, it isn't half a stressful condition for everyone involved!

[Patilla]

DD is silent refluxer and is amazing with lumps and solids and it improved her reflux. I know this because when she got a cold and went off solids and back yo just milk it got worse, much worse.

DS was a vomiter and got worse with weaning and really struggled with any lumps or texture.

[TwelveLeggedWalk]

DS had awful reflux and weaning really helped him, BUT he was always very tricksy with new textures and still is very fussy at 2yo.

(Better than feeding bras full of milk vomit though, if we're looking for a bright side!)

[TwelveLeggedWalk]

What was the book from your HV pingu, sounds interesting?

[KatOD]

We weaned dd at about 5 months a s it helped a lot, no magic cure but a definite improvement.

[Liara]

We weaned ds1 (under paed guidance) at 17 weeks. He also went on meds at that point and improved dramatically. Went from off the scale underweight to 95th percentile in just a few months.

Ds2 was also refluxy but not underweight, so we did not medicate. He was much fussier with food and really refused all solids until after 6mo (we offered, but didn't insist too much).

[Sunnysummer]

We tried weaning on paed advice at 4.5 months but DS just wasn't ready and tongue-thrusted out anything we put in. From 5 months he's really taken to solids, but hasn't made any difference to the reflux, unfortunately!

[Barbeasty]

It was messy to start with. Strawberry sick..... nice!

But over about 3 months DS's reflux went and he came off the medication. But as a pp said, if DS goes off solids for any reason and just has milk then he'll be sick again, but nothing like he was.