Baby reflux help

[Lemonsandlemonade]

Am a newish mum to a 8 week old.

Since my milk came in DS has struggled with reflux quite bad sicking up ours after a feed, fine one min then distressed all of a sudden.

Went to the doctor ( who I find rude and condescending)at three weeks told me to get chemist and buy anti colic stuff which I did. He said it wasn’t reflux. I was convinced it was. He also had horrible wet poop nappies almost every single change.

By last week I’d had enough no sign of things improving but getting worse and booked in with another doctor in the practice who has a good reputation.

Dr was lovely checked ds thoroughly said deffo reflux with a small touch of wind. Put him on baby gavisgon.

All good after one lot of it he for first time smiled and laughed after a feed as opposed to being inconsolable.

The doctor also booked DS in to check his weight as he had maintained his weight and not gained.

Now here is problem. DS is constipated and now on low dose of lactulose. Thing is it gives him terrible stomach pain.

Feel like I have swapped one problem with another.

I should add am breastfeeding but would happily switch to bottle if it would help DS.

How can I help DS? Am seeing doctor Monday what should I ask? Are there other medicine to help with reflux?

Sorry for ramble am v tired

Is the gaviscon making him constipated?
Bf babies don't usually get constipated. Going a few days between pooing doesn't mean constipation unless the poo is dry and hard. Bf babies can go a week or more without pooing without being constipated as long as the poo is soft when it arrives

This brings back so many memories as eldest daughter suffered very much with reflux. Long story short we lived in South Africa when she was born and a friend got me into the la leche league which basically looked on anything but breast feeding would do untold damage to your baby and it’s future development - boy did I get sucked in! But breast feeding was horrendous for both of us to the point where I had to dose her with merbentyl (sp) medication before a feed and feeding took absolutely ages. She always regurgitated after a feed and on one priceless occasion over her christening dress! We returned to the UK when she was 4 months old and the first doc appointment we had he said why are you carrying on with this feeding method when it’s not working for you or baby? Oh it was a revelation for me, no I wasn’t a bad mother and my baby wasn’t ‘unusual’ for want of a better word. So we switched to bottle feeding and omg the change was unbelievable so all I can say from my experience is to listen to sound advice and not think that breast is best is the only way to go you.
When second daughter came along I tried breast again for 2 whole weeks then switched to bottle - result one extremely contented baby and a happy mama.

Gaviscon gave my son rock solid poops.
It also did nothing to help.
Eventually started on carobel and omeprazole.
This worked wonders

I'd ask for Ranitidine instead of Gaviscon and children's Movicol instead of lactulose.. I've been exactly where you are. These two changes sorted everything out for my little one

I have had 3, and they all had these problems, with my third I swapped her on to lactose free baby milk (couldn't feed her myself) and that helped loads. Wish I had known such a thing existed over the counter with my first two. Not saying that would solve your babies problem OP, just my experience.

To add to my post I did also go lactose free diet for about three months and that helped too.

Yes Gavison must be making DS constipated but before he would have watery nappies after every feed then nothing then very thick poo after having lactulose which I would prefer not to give.

He was in pain before having lactulose nd grunting trying to poo but couldn’t otherwise would have left it longer. His tummy felt hard too.

I do enjoy breastfeeding (now!) but if bottle helped I’d give it a whirl.

Thanks for the the advice all.

Have a look into CMPA. Both mine have it, it’s different to lactose free.
Could be causing reflux. You don’t have to stop BF, dairy free diet is easy these days if you want to.
There are very good Facebook groups for support.

A bottle is unlikely to help. Formula is a little harder to digest than breastmilk, and bottle feeding means your baby is more likely to ingest air while feeding. Both of those things can make reflux worse. Some people have success with anti-reflux milk, but the benefits of breastfeeding hugely outweigh any advantage from giving your baby thicker milk.

My baby had awful reflux which he has now thankfully grown out of. The thing that made an enormous difference to us was omeprazole. It really revolutionised him. He was still sick a lot even on the omeprazole, but he stopped being in pain very quickly.

Most babies grow out of reflux by the time they’re 6 months old. As you’re enjoying breastfeeding and it’s working for you, I’d be very reluctant to throw that away for a bottle when it’s likely to make things worse rather than better.

@AnnaSW1

I'd ask for Ranitidine instead of Gaviscon and children's Movicol instead of lactulose.. I've been exactly where you are. These two changes sorted everything out for my little one

Ranitidine was recalled and I don't think you can get it again yet

Maybe try the omeprazole that a pp suggested