Reflux?

[Jellybean2010]

Our baby girl, 10 days old, first child, has started to develop symptoms (listed below) which seem to indicate reflux. Breastfeeding. Anyone any advice on whether it might be this or something else, whether it might be mild or strong, whether we should wait for health visitor to come(hopefully within the next week) or go straight to doctor? She had mild tongue-tie already and NHS and doctor were not very helpful or sympathetic, we had to get it sorted privately in the end. I'm worried the same story will happen with the reflux, especially if it is only technically mild (even though it feels terrible cos she is so upset).
Symtoms:

• She has been very windy from day one, but for first few days found it hard to get wind out. Now can get burp or two out after feed, but she always still has more trapped wind which works its way out eventually
• In past few days, she has started to do more than possett after a feed, more of a small vomit. Initially we'd put her down after feeding and she'd "puke" a little about an hour later and this would wake her up. Now after burping her, wait 5 or 10 mins and the "puke" arrives. Not every feed, but the majority of them. Also now and again still doing a small "puke" in her sleep.
• Feeding pattern a bit erratic, about 3 hours between feeds during night and early day, but evening can be troublesome, lots of small feeds often
• Weeing okay, but poo has become very skittery and wet, lots of small farty poos rather than one or two big poos, if you know what I mean
• Can sound wheezy and panty, sometimes sounds like she is wheezing as if she had trapped muccus. Also has had lots of hiccups from day one, and in the womb.
• Has started to protest about being put down onto her back, both when nappy changing and sleeping. When she cries about it, about the only thing that will settle her is to put her over your shoulder quite high up.

Any pointers would be very much appreciated. Thanks so much.

Jelly - my DS had reflux from a very early age and it went on until he was about 2 - it wasn't particularly bad reflux but it took a long time for his system to mature enough to deal with the food!

It does sound like you and DD are having a bit of a tough time but I would say that in my experience if it is reflux you tend to know about it - the stuff comes hurtling out at a rate of knots and is often described as projectile - an example - when changing DS was on the changing table (which was at the end of the bath)I would hear his tummy start to make noises and out would come the vomit and it would travel right to the top end of the bath without any difficulty at all fun fun fun!

The other thing is that your DD is only 10 days old - her digestive system is only teeny and brand spanking new and so maybe a bit immature and finding it tough to deal with things at the mo? My DD (my first born and also breastfed) had this problem from when she was a few days old - she was very windy and found it really difficult to expel air either upwards or downwards and was only really comfortable - like your DD - when placed over our shoulder - otherwise she cried a lot. Very distressing for everyone! When she did try to get air up she threw up as well -certainly a lot more than just posseting! The problem resolved itself gradually after she was about 8 weeks (if I remember rightly) as her system matured, she found it easier to feed without swallowing air and also her system was better at expelling the air - also helped with her poo (which was a bit erratic)! However I spent many many nights in those early days holding her upright over my shoulder after feeds - pacing the floor - exhausting!

However, I am not a doctor and this is just the experiences I had with my children - if you are worried call the HV or take DD to a HV clinic if you have one nearby - do you have a choice of HV? - maybe try and find one more sympathetic or understanding?

Oooh the other thing you might try is popping her crib/cot up on a couple of books or something at one end - getting her head raised higher than her feet might help alleviate symptoms if it is indeed reflux developing. We had cot blocks (quite high ones in the end) for DS and although it didn't always stop the reflux it made him a little more comfortable

HTH and best of luck with helping your DD - hopefully this will be one of those things that eases as she develops - but as I say if you are worried you should defs go and see the HV or doctor.

thanks beagle, your story sounds very like ours, so maybe it is a case of wait and see for a few weeks. Thanks for your words of assurance.