My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Infant gaviscon... losing my mind, can anyone help?

6 replies

emeraldgirl1 · 21/04/2013 04:31

DD is six weeks old with silent reflux.
GP prescribed infant gaviscon. It is def helping a certain amount with the acid reflux pain. But it is giving her constipation and (maybe this is just side effect of the constipation?) also seems to be giving her generalised tummy pain as she is uncomfortable and crying/griping ALL the time. Without a dummy to suck on she cries pretty much non stop. A few wonderful minutes of smiles and calm. Then crying again. I don't think that is reflux pain as the reflux makes her really howl and arch her back etc.

Due to the griping she won't sleep. It is making me a nervous wreck. She won't sleep at ALL in the daytime unless on me, putting her down in (tilted) cot or pram just wakes her up crying after two minutes.

Dread night time, she does at least go down into (tilted!) cot and will sleep a few hours usually but wakes in pain/discomfort, either writhing with constipation/tummy ache or 'coughing' with reflux.

I hate the gaviscon but it des seem to be helping the acid.

She has been on it four full days now.

Can anyone offer advice? Does gaviscon make them generally miserable???

What are the alternatives and are they any better?

We are tilting her cot/ changing table and her pram is already on a tilt. We hold her upright for 20 mins minimum after feeding. We are giving quite small feeds but more of them IYSWIM.

But right now she just seems in general pain and discomfort and don't know what to do. She looks exhausted from lack of sleep. I certainly am!!! I am at the end of my tether :( and can't bear seeing her like this.

OP posts:
Report
OrangeFootedScrubfowl · 21/04/2013 04:44

Yes there are other things they can give you, zantac probably, or domperidone. I would ask for zantac.

I do truly sympathise. It's awfully hard. Sorry for brief reply, phone battery about to go!

Flowers

Report
OrangeFootedScrubfowl · 21/04/2013 04:47

Oh and where is omeprazole which some people really rate too!

Report
OrangeFootedScrubfowl · 21/04/2013 04:49

And ask Dr about risks/benefits of putting baby on left side to sleep.

Report
adagio · 21/04/2013 05:39

No experience of gaviscon, but would a sling help to allow you to doze a bit sat up in the middle of the bed keeping the baby upright on you safely? To be honest, even without reflux I think I spent a lot of time with baby propped on my chest as she didn't like laying down. If I did get her down (nights) it was in moses basket wedged on her side with rolled up blankets for the first ten weeks or so.

Hang in there x

Report
emeraldgirl1 · 21/04/2013 05:48

Thanks so much everyone!
Will ask about Zantac... Was so relieved when GP prescribed gaviscon but it just seems to have created more of a problem than it has solved.
Left side sleeping would help I think... Nervous about doing anything other than back sleeping but she is always happier on her side or (in daytime) when we soothe her on her tummy on top of our duvet.

OP posts:
Report
humptynumptyfall · 21/04/2013 06:23

I am going to send u a private message, we have just been through 13 weeks of hell with dd and silent reflux.

Report
Please create an account

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