My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

Reflux

7 replies

Burtrix7 · 27/01/2016 22:26

My little boy is 16 weeks old and has had reflux issues since birth. We suspected it was mainly silent reflux as he spent hours swallowing acidic bile and screamed each time he did so. At 7 weeks he was put on infant gaviscon and this made for a much happier little chappy.
However, this has changed in the last week. He either does two things:-
Either holds on to his milk that needs to come up and repeatedly swallows it back down. This results on him choking on his reflux hours after a feed. He then cries each time he's put on his back. Eventually after a long time winding him or bouncing him on my knee large chunks of milk come out that has obviously sat on his stomach for a few hours and he's s much happier baby.
Or he brings up the majority of his milk during winding mid and at the end of his feed. It's projectile and goes everywhere!
He's obviously distressed by all of this and actually cried when I put the bottle in his mouth earlier even though he was hungry.

Anybody got any experience of this? He's had a cold for the last week do you think it's related?
Thanks

OP posts:
Report
TheGreatSnafu · 28/01/2016 10:16

Yes! We had reflux here and colds always made it so much worse. Every time he would have a cold, I would forget that it had been worse but then finally put it together.

I don't know why the colds made his reflux so much worse but they did.

I wouldn't put him on his back ever if he has reflux - can you get a cot wedge so that when he's on his back he's at least on an incline.

Can you feed little and often?

If he's puking up rancid milk then he may need a motility drug to help him empty the contents of his stomach faster (such as Domperidone).

Is he gaining weight ok?

Sorry you are going through this, it's so stressful. DH and I became expert vomit catchers, I think every surface in our house has been vomited on during our DS's reflux.

Report
Eminado · 28/01/2016 10:18

I think you need to go back to the docs and get the next stage of meds eg Domperidone as originally mentioned.

Is it the Gaviscon thickened milk that he is now throwing up?

Report
TheGreatSnafu · 28/01/2016 10:21

If he is starting to develop a negative association with feeding - i.e. turning his head and getting agitated when he is hungry then be sure to mention this.

They may prescribe Omeprazole to reduce the acid in his stomach so that he doesn't feel in such discomfort when he does reflux.

Report
Burtrix7 · 28/01/2016 14:21

Thanks for the advice guys. It's good to know others have been through it, although I'm sorry you have.
We used to raise his Moses basket at the head end but it didn't seem to make much difference. He's outgrown that though so will look into a reflux wedge for his cot. The main problems seem to be during the day. He mostly sleeps through it at night although I can hear it going up and down his throat most of the night. Last night it woke him up twice and he was very distressed. During the day though he hates being put down on his back at the moment but isn't much happier on my lap as he has some very painful sounding wet burps, although rarely brings anything up, which upset him.
5 out of 7 feeds are gaviscon feeds and I think it may be these feeds that stay in him for hours and eventually come out later. The other 2 feeds are without gaviscon and these are the ones that are thrown back up straight away. Oddly enough the ready made milk, rather than the powder, sits much better with him but is very expensive as a long term use.
I have a doctors appointment booked for next week. If his cold clears up and it improves before then I will cancel it.
Thanks again

OP posts:
Report
Burtrix7 · 28/01/2016 14:23

Oh forgot to say he's s big boy for his age and has been putting on weight well. It's only since the latest reflux issues that his feeding has gone to pot!

OP posts:
Report
TheGreatSnafu · 28/01/2016 14:26

It's great he is gaining weight, that is one positive.

I'd look into a cot wedge as even though he isn't waking, the acid coming up will irritate his oesophagus.

You might look into an elemental formula if he will take it. They are very easily digested so might make it out of his stomach faster.

Hope he's better soon.

Report
LeonoraFlorence · 28/01/2016 21:32

Poor thing. I'd go back to doctor and see about medications. My DD4 was on gaviscon and ranitidine and it made a huge difference once she was on the correct dose. She was gaining weight and a happy soul but found taking milk very difficult (a few ounces could easily take over an hour to drink), projectile vomitting and bringing up yellow acid.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.