Anti reflux milk

[ReubeN100]

My 3 month old had silent reflux and sometimes showed signs of Sandifers ( pain response associated with reflux). Also always constipated and straining to poo. doc prescribed Gaviscon for reflux which left him even more constipated so doc gave lactulose. 1 med to counteract the effects of another. Anyway started all this. Great to start off reflux had settled and he was managing to poo once per day. No more meds. After a few weeks symptoms came back and I’d read on here somewhere to try anti reflux milk Enfamil which you get under med supervision. Anyway in the mean time I’ve started aptamil ar (as he was on aptamil anyway) and is be able to buy it when it ran out. From the first bottle I’d noticed a difference. No milk coming back up and pooing! However since being on this milk for a week he poos after almost every feed not diarrhoea but slightly loose. And I’ve noticed he’s started to lose weight. However he seems happier in himself. Even has 7 oz as opposed to his normal 6. What do I do? Keep him on it as he’s a happier baby pooing and not spitting up or do I go back to normal aptamil as he’s losing weight??

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Is he actually losing weight? If so, he needs to be seen by a Paed pretty quickly or do you mean he’s just not gaining weight as quickly?

[ReubeN100]

Hmmmm....I’d say hes lost weight. Without having him weighed tbh. He’s just lost all his chubby ness I suppose. But yes a trip to the gp can’t harm. He was chubby last week whilst on aptamil plus Gaviscon. Maybe bloated a little too as wasn’t passing much wind Either. Wheras with this milk he’s passing wind smiling making lots of baby sounds and just more responsive I’d say. But I can’t hide from the fact that he has lost weight. Also lone I said he’s farting and pooing more.

[MrsFrTedCrilly]

Aptamil ar and regular aptamil have the same nutritional content, do the same amount of calories protein and vitamins and minerals in both milks. Your little one is obviously tolerating the aptamil ar better so I’d be inclined to continue with it. The only difference is that aptamil ar has a thickening agent added which helps keep it down and stops your little one from bringing it back up iyswim.
I’d be inclined to see a health visitor for a weight check if you have a drop in clinic available, usually easier to access than GP. You can’t really be sure that baby has lost weight until you’ve got an accurate measurement.
Hope your little one continues to feel better

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

A classic sign of Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) is a bloated tummy, another is being gassy. Are you sure he’s lost weight and it’s not just that the bloating has gone down?

Another vote for going to the baby clinic and getting him weighed.

[ReubeN100]

Yeah that’s what I think that the bloatiness has gone as opposed to actually lost weight. I have an appt next week so will Defo get him weighed and also going to drop in baby clinic again at my gps so will spk go the hv’s Too. Given that this is the same formula just with an added thickner added if he were CMPA...then wouldn’t he still be bloated on this milk?? Sorry for sounding dumb but just trying to get my head round things.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

The whey powder in this milk has been hydrolysed, meaning it’s been cooked more which results in the proteins becoming broken down thus making them easier to digest. It doesn’t rule out your baby having CMPA it just means it’s more likely to be the non-ige kind.

There’s some information here on CMPA including advice on how to talk to your GP and Allergy Uk also have a helpline.

HTH

[MrsFrTedCrilly]

To answer your question, there is exactly the same protein profile in both milks so I think it’s unlikely that he would be happy and improving on the thicker milk if it were CMPA. From your post I thought that he was doing well with the added thickness in the Aptamil ar and it had resolved the reflux issue.
My babies were windy little creatures I was astounded by the noise they could make so I wouldn’t be too concerned about that.
Hope everything goes well for you both with the appointment and btw you don’t sound dumb, perfectly reasonable question!

[ReubeN100]

Thankyou everyone. Yes I Defo think he’s doing better on this ar milk. For starters I’m not having to pump meds into him and he’s a different child. Very smiley and happy. My only concern is the weight loss which I will address at my next appt. Thanks