What is the best formula for a baby with silent reflux?

[Hopeysgirlwasntbig]

Hi, I have a 15 week old daughter and from birth she has suffered from dreadful acid. At 6 weeks old I found out about silent reflux, so I took her to the doctors and she was prescribed Infant Gaviscon. This did improve her symptoms, she was much happier. But she still brings up a small amount of milk when she burps and it smells SO acidic.

I have booked an appointment with my GP today and am going to ask if she should be put on Ranitidine.

With regards to formulas....

She started off on Cow and Gate, she's been on Aptamil now for 7/8 weeks, and yesterday I tried some Sma Gold. There doesn't seem to be all that much difference in how much acid she brings up.

I do get the impression she doesn't enjoy her feeds, she's fusses and squirms quite a bit, especially for the last half of her bottle.

Can anyone offer any advice?

[DanJARMouse]

what bottles are you using?

Ive found that Dr Browns are by far the best for reducing wind and aiding reflux. DD2 suffered badly, and within 24hrs on Dr Brown bottles she was a different baby.

Have just switched 5 week old DS from avent to Dr browns (yesterday) and I can see the difference already.

Also, holding baby up on your shoulder for 15-20mins after a feed often helps too.

[maltloafeater]

As your GP to prescribe on of the formula that thicken on contact with stomach acid making them harder to bring up. SMA stay down or Enfamil AR. I he won't cooperate you can buy them over the counter.
Good luck.

[lulumama]

AFAIK, there is no real difference between each brand .. but my nephew had reflux and was given a much thicker milk on prescription that helped, along with domperidone and gaviscon , IIRC.

[Lisa3SSJ]

I would ask your GP if you could try a medicine called ranitidine (Zantac) for the acid (recommended to me by another mumsnetter). My DS has been on this for about 4 weeks. It takes a few days to kick in but we've seen a huge improvement in him. Thicker formulas tend not to help as they are to prevent vomiting which you don't get with silent reflux.

[moocowme]

i found mov9ng to queensland helped but not everyone can do this.

thickened formula helped as did getting them to take it slowly with feeding so stomach has time to empty a bit. fast gulping made it really bad.

[Nemoandthefishes]

We got enfamil ar from the gp on prescription. Worked wonders for dd1 who had tried everything else. DD2s reflux wasnt as bad so we used aptamil for her.

Tell gp oyu have tried gaviscon but its not changed symptoms as she is still sick and that you have tried all different formulas and would enfamil ar help at all?

[ReverseThePolarity]

One of the ladies on our postnatal thread, her ff baby had silent reflux, I will see if I can find her & get her to come here.

[ellies1983]

Just wanted to add for anyone searching for answers as I was recently. My baby is 5months and showing all the classic signs of silent reflux - grazing with his milk, lots of night wakings, arching his back, etc. so I switched to Aptamil Anti-Reflux and he is a different baby! From taking 100ml maximum, he now chugs down 240ml happily! He is also waking less at night. It's kind of a pain to make up this formula as you always have to use boiling water so need to think ahead, cool it down, etc. but so worth it! Hope this helps.

[CultureSucksDownWords]

Your post is slightly surprising as the Aptamil website says that their "anti-reflux" formula is best made up with hand hot water eg freshly boiled water that has been left to cool for about 45 mins. Normal first infant formula should be made up with water of at least 70 degrees, ie freshly boiled water left to cool for no longer than 30 mins.

Surely that's as pretty much as inconvenient as each other? Waiting 30 or 45 mins before mixing the powder?