Reflux baby 10 week old - feeding routine help needed!

[splat]

Can anyone help - my 10 week old DS feeds on average every 3
hours (have to wait for him to show signs that he is hungry
and wants it, as if too early will vomit it back up).
However just recently after he has his bath around 6-6.30pm -
ready for his last feed of night at 7 - 8ish - he has
fallen asleep and stayed asleep until 11ish at night, but
then wakes every 3-4 hours after that for next bottle. I
would like him to have his bottle at 7 so there is less
waking during night as he does go up to 6 hours between 4pm
ish feed and 11pm ish, but am scared in case he isnt ready
for it. Have never tried feeding him for dream feed as
again dont want same problem to happen. Cant take any more
formula in day - currently has 5.5 oz (weighs 12lbs 8.5
ozs). He usually starts his "day" (after waking around
5.30am to play for hour or so in cot) around 7am ish - which
would mean his last bottle falls around 7pm - but he doesnt
seem bothered..... any suggestions welcomed!!

Hiya
I had a reflux baby too, so I remember the endless puking too :-(

The DF worked really well with him -he definately seemed to have less puking with that than with other feeds.

We used to do a staggered bedtime bottle, with 1/2-3/4s a feed at 5.15pm and then another 1/2-3/4 feed at 7.00pm.

We basically fed at or around 7am, 9.30am, 12.00pm, 3pm, and then the split 5.15/7pm feed. Then we would DF at 11pm and he would wake once more around 2-3 am

Does DS take a dummy at all? I found that useful for 1. Aiding his reflux and 2. Eaking another half hour out of him when he was still in the 1.5-2 hourly feeding pattern.
Am amazed he plays alone for 1hour or so at 5.30 am -my DS would never have done that just screamed to be up and fed!!

HTH

Hi thanks for this. Am new to this game - both parenting and mumsnet. He has been really bad over last few days with vomiting hours after bottle, and crying immediately he gets bad taste in his mouth and whilst being fed - so going back to doctors to see if he can have something else other than gaviscon to help with the acid. Have timed it today so last bottle falls around 6.30pm - so will keep you posted! He usually wakes at 11pm anyway - so will see how tonight goes. He was really good last night - had 1.5oz at 7pm, woke at 10pm for 6oz(!) which he kept down, again at 2am for 4oz - before sleeping til 6.30.... He does really try for me - but is soo upsetting to see him in pain with after effects of a feed.
Gotta go - as screaming!

Hi again - he has just had bottle, wanted to sleep without it, but hunger got the better of him. Just wondered if you had medication prescribed and how well it worked - did it cure the heartburn and stop the excessive crying around feedtime? If so what was it? Were there any side effects? I really dread feeding and also (although it doesnt stop me) dread him puking forcefully out and about - I know it will happen sooner or later. Any other tips to combat reflux will be greatfully received.

Re playing - he is such a happy baby when stomach is settled, and more than happy to stay on activity gym or watching his mobile for sometimes 1.5 hours - he has done this for a few weeks now. I guess he is not woken up by hunger hence why he can wait. I do use dummie to sooth him when crying and also to manipulate him to fit in with longer feed times!! First thing he usually does when wakes is route around for food - which suprises me when he can then wait in morning. Could this be excess acid making him think he is hungry?

I really hope we can get this sorted, as I feel like im just wishing the days away and its spoiling the enjoyment of him being small - til he is on solids and upright....

Hi again

We had gaviscon and it worked well for him. The other thing (and I KNOW it sounds daft was seeing a cranial osteopath, which made a big difference to him.

My Sam used to suck a lot to keep his acid down, and often overeat and be sick :-( The dummy helped a lot with that. The other thing that helped a bit was moving up a teat size.

Which milk are you using? We used SMA Gold and were fine with it, but I know some flk same Omneo is better for refluxers.
You might get some extra advice on the bottle and breast feeding boards too

Good luck with tonight Let me know how you get on

Hi

Off to see doctor this morning. He was brilliant last night, just had 5ozs at 12.30 - but did wake at 3.30 and 5.30 for some reason , but had his dummy and mobile on and went back to sleep. I think the benefits of gaviscon seem to be wearing off as he gets bigger and takes more. Did your dr refer you to cranial osteopath? Will try posting some messages on other board ..... thanks so much for your help in meantime!

Hi Splat

My dd was diagnosed with reflux at 10 weeks old and we were refered to a consultant who put her on gaviscon, one sachet with each feed, ranitidine and domperidone, both of which had to be taken three times a day. Within a couple of days of taking these the vomiting stopped, she became much calmer and no longer threw herself around screaming in pain. We also changed milk from SMA to Aptimel. The consultant also recommended keeping upright after meals (not so good during night feeds) but also said if dd was really difficult to settle let her sleep in car seat and this did work on the occassions nothing else would. We also raised the head of her cot so that she slept at an angle. I totally sympathise with you my dd is now 11 months and she is still on the medication! I spent weeks covered in vomit, we vomitted on people whereever we went! I also found that dd liked to lie on her front (a no no I know) but it helped. Most babies do grow out of it relatively soon after they start sitting up so fingers crossed for you

Hi splat
No dr didnt refer to CO, I took myself. Found her at cranial.org.uk and the link on top left "find us"
Just make sure they are qualified and experienced with babies. Sam fist went at 6 weeks and it made ahuge difference to him.

DontDoThat DS was also a front sleeper, seems to be a common thing in reflux babies. He also still has 2 next directories under each leg of his cot now :-)

Hi both

Thanks so much for both your responses...its soo horrible to see them suffer especially if there are things that can help. Having said that we have now been prescribed the ranitidine medicine, first feed this afternoon with it was brilliant - zero crying and wriggling, not even a small bit of sick! - not sure if it was a fluke or as a result of medicine. Next feed, without - he puked up big time - 4 projectiles in a row after only 4ozs and loads of burps - so not sure if doesnt agree with his stomach. He did the same thing when we tried colief after HV recommended it.

Dontdothat - did you find it made your dd worse before she got better with medicine? Really reluctant to try it again, but not sure if it just takes a bit of getting use to. I wonder if it has to go with domperidone to really work properly. Going to try it again tomorrow - 3 times over the day.

Dreamteamgirl - will be getting DB to make a big fat wooden wedge for cotbed mattress soon - as he is still in moses basket but prop. I cant believe no-one has thought to make cots or change mats that can be put at an angle safely - there is defo a niche in the market for products specifically for refluxers! :->

I wish there were local groups - its seems that all my friends have such an easy life compared to ours - even my friend with 20 week old twins!!!

my nephew had reflux problem. mum thought it would never end, doctors kept telling her it was caused by immature tubes etc and he would grow out of it by 18 months old. He grew out of it at approx 13 mth but it was very tough during that time.
As for feeding routines, firm believer in go with the flow, baby will feed at better times when he's ready

hi, my babies had bad reflux and projectile vomited every feed.i was recommended omneo by cow and gate or theres an sma staydown formula.i think they're thicker but i think gaviscon does that to the milk? there is a wedge ive seen somewhere tha you put ontop of the mattress then cover it all with the sheet.i'll try to find it on the internet.i put pillows under the matress end so that the end was higher where his head was.same thing as books under the cot feet.

shop.com.uk
babyworld shop
jojo mamam bebe

all these places do the cot wedges at different prices.if you type in cot wedge into google it will bring these up with their websites.id certainly recommend one, especially to help after the night feeds.
good luck

Thanks mumandlovingit and frazzledbutcalm - your advice/support is great. Think my DS is more of a silent refluxer, when comparing number of projectiles.... Id be a nervous wreck if happened anymore than it does already. Just not sure if you would add gaviscon to the thickened formulas or leave it out. If you dont add, then doubt these would help anymore than gaviscon. Plus not sure if it helps with heartburn symptons.

My dd had reflux and she went onto an anti-reflux formula. This was in South Africa so don't know what the equivalent formula is in the UK. From the time she went onto the thicker formula I never had a problem. She was never sick again. Def worth trying.

Just remember that you have to enlarge the hole of a normal teat otherwise the milk won't go through. I used a large sterilised needle which did the trick. Just don't make the hole too big or they'll choke on the fast flow.

hi splat Come and join us on the July post-natal thread, there are a couple of babies there with reflux. You are more than welcome, everyone is really friendly and helpful

Hi Splat, DS had appalling reflux for about the first 5 months. He ws breastfed which aggravated things because breastmilk is thinner than formula and doesn't stay down as well. He vomited everywhere, and I mean everywhere. When he started combination feeding (around 4 months) we tried the Omneo formula but he hated it; however, I swear by Aptimel AR (Anti-Reflux). The problem is I don't even know if you can buy it here - we bought it on a trip to Germany and the difference was immediate. You may be able to buy it online, or it may be available here soon as it was a new product there back in June. DS is much better now (7 months) so hang in there.

One more thing - if you can get hold of the Aptimel AR you'll need to use variable flow teats because it's much thicker.

Thanks guys - this is all really helpful. Have not tried Ranitidine again - as for some reason doesnt seem quite so uncomfortable today, so maybe he was still getting over cold (lasted 2 weeks or more?). He was brill again last night - despite being really ill earlier, he still managed to go from 5pm (bed at 7pm ish) til 10.30pm, and then 3am til 6.45am. I suppose I am luckier than I prob realise.

Hi Splat

Yes, I use Ranitidine with the Domperidone. if I remember rightly the Domperidone pushes the feed through the system whilst the Ranitidine controls the acid burning. Feeding improved virtually straight away. And yes, I also had to enlarge the hole in the teat for the Gaviscon as it makes the milk slightly thicker. Like the others I used to look at my friends feeding their babies and think "why me" but in the great scale of things its not such a huge problem. Just make sure your ds is putting on weight and the problem will go away eventually! I'm not sure if this will make you feel any better (or not) but my dd (11 months) is still only taking relatively small amounts of milk and we are still having one or two feeds a night!

Thanks dontdothat.

Things seem to have improved over last few days - so keeping fingers crossed. Is it possible to have good days and bad days with reflux or do you think its the same no matter wot?

This is where everyone realises that I am as old as the hills. My first baby who is now 27 year old, shock horror and I am still posting on Mums Net, but I do have a 9 year old to, vomitted back his bottles for the first two years of his life as well as projectile vomiting. He was pretty good at extinguishing our gas fire and once had a direct hit on womans hat from four rows back on a bus. Oooops. I was terrified that he was going to waste away but of course he did not. We tried everything including Gaviscon but nothing really worked. I was also told that once he started solids it would stop - er no it didn't it was then wonderful coloured vomit. Maybe I should not be telling you this because I don't want you to worry. I think I did everyones worrying on this subject when he was a baby.

My son grew into a great big strapping bloke built like a Rugby Player. The good news is that my other two sons did not vomit like their brother - who at 27 can still empty the contents of his stomache if he so much as smells something he does not like. Don't ever open a can of Tuna Fish while he is in smelling distance.

Oracle

Hi splat haven't read all the posts yet, but there was a thread on this a few weeks ago.

My youngest who is now 3, had reflux and i had a lovely health visitor, who, at the time had heard about a new baby milk for babies with reflux.

It's called SMA STAYDOWN.

Comes in a tin with a purple/lilac lid.

The milk has a thicker consistency.

Do not use it with Gaviscon as it'll be too thick for baby.

We were also advised to give smaller more frequent feeds, as her tummy wouldn't be able to take much.

Also, with reflux babies, you have to keep them as upright as you can, for up to an hour after each feed!!!!!!

I found the best way was to sit her in her baby chair.

Or if placing in moses basket/cot then i'd put a blanket under the head of the mattress to keep the head raised higher than the stomach.

Hope this helps.

Good luck as i really know how much extra work you'll have.