Some breastfeeding advice for baby with possible silent reflux

[hollymonster]

Hi all

Sorry in advance for long post!

My little girl (almost 4 weeks) possibly has silent reflux. Although her symptoms aren't severe obviously I want to help ease her as much as poss.

My girl was feeding for hours at a time the last few days (for comfort as well) and I suspect was causing herself MORE pain as she wasn't able to digest properly. My health visitor said it can help babies with reflux if you feed from one breast for 2 feeds and then the other for the next 2 feeds, etc, so they're getting more of the hind milk. She explainsed it as 3 courses - soup, meat and veg, chocolate cake - if you keep doing short feeds from each breast all she is getting is soup. Made sense! Anyone have any experience with this?

My only problem with this is my breasts are becoming engorged one at a time and if I express after she feeds surely I'm then expressing out the hind milk?!

I have also given her a dummy - yes I firmly fell into the 'dummies are awful' group but it has helped her settle tremendously and I can see how much better it makes her feel. My question is will I miss genuine hunger cues or will she definitely let me know?! Currently just making sure she doesn't go for longer than 3 hours.

Thanks for reading x

[hollymonster]

Anyone?

[Cakescakescakes]

Dummy is great. Sucking will help suppress the acid. I fed my refluxer one from one side per feed which really helped. But to be honest he just cried constantly (hours at a time) and the only thing that helped was omeprazole which he was on for over a year. He was just so miserable :(

[Cakescakescakes]

And don't express. Just ride out the engorgement otherwise your supply will never settle into a new pattern.

[Autumnsunshinebaby]

Speak to someone at the La Leche League (Google them in your area). They helped me loads with my silent reflux baby.

[littledinaco]

Have your tried feeding baby in a more upright position (google images for biological nursing) and try and keep her there after she's finished feeding.

Breastfed babies with reflux do suffer less so well done for feeding her, it will be making a big difference.

Some people find certain foods you eat can be a trigger for the reflux so may be worth looking into.

I have no advice on feeding from one side for two feeds, sorry. The breastfeeding helplines (la leche etc) are usually really good and they might be able to advise.

This is good for explaining the fore/hind milk
kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/basics/foremilk-hindmilk/