Reflux woes - early weaning?

[mamablondie33]

I posted recently about my baby having signs of CMPA, we have since been referred but no appts because of covid.

Basically I’m at my wits end with reflux now and just need some ‘what has worked for you’ type advice. DD is 4 months old, very sicky and it’s interfering with stuff like tummy time. She is an extremely unhappy baby - she never naps without having to be resettled and don’t even get me started on night times.

We have tried everything - making her smaller bottles, infant gaviscon, numerous chats with the gp. The only thing I haven’t tried is early weaning but I’m so reluctant if it’s not going to make a difference.

Would appreciate any experience of this!

Have you tried a milk thickener e.g. carobel or similar?

@dementedpixie no I haven’t heard of these. How do they work and what’s the benefit please? :)

www.chemist-4-u.com/cow-gate-instant-carobel-135g supposed to help reflux

Hi! I have just replied to another poster with similar issues might be worth a look. Unfortunately if your dd has a true cows milk allergy then trying other remedies for standard reflux wont fully alleviate her symptoms.
We went through hell with screaming all day/night everyday until I eventually broke down at hospital with him, we got an appt with dietician and paediatrician very quickly (who described my ds as the angriest baby she had ever met), I can't imagine how you have managed to 4 months like that with no rest.
Once his formula was changed to Neocate (completely cows milk free), prescribed a milk thickener and an anti reflux medication (lanzoprazole) everything changed and we now have a happy smiley baby! We were told that it can take 4 weeks for the cow protein to leave the system and for it to repair, this was so true!

Also I should add that the one thing I feel has helped the most is the medication he was given as although it does not stop the reflux (which hopefully the thickener would do) , the medication prevents the awful burning from the stomach acid which causes the majority of the pain for the little one, so although my son will still occasionally bring up feed, he is not in pain from the acid burning his throat anymore

@Dugi3 she doesn’t always scream but she is so fussy, it’s just constant and she never seems content no matter what try. She is my second and I never had any of this with my eldest (my eldest was a little sicky but nothing like this).

Is it worth trying one of these ‘anti reflux’ formulas on the open market? Or are they just marketing? I’m really reluctant to medicate her without speaking to a doctor but that’s incredibly difficult right now.

Sounds exactly like my DD. She’s 8 months now and the paediatrician told me to start weaning at 5 months - it didn’t help.

Only thing that’s helped is time. She’s still quite sicky but no where near as bad as she used to be but it did get worse around the 4 month mark. She is still on gaviscon now and whilst I never thought it worked; when I tried to stop using it recently she started projectile vomiting and refusing feeds so it must do something. I tried carobel as well but found it made her more windy but it makes the milk thicker so they’re less likely to bring it up.

No harm in trying an anti-reflux formula to see how she gets on.

@Vicky1989x thank you! Yes this is the thing I’m a bit worried about adding things to her milk without speaking to someone first. I feel for you still having these battles at 7 months!

My other question is around sleep. Have looked at reflex wedges but can’t decide if they’re safe/likely to work? I just feel like if I can nail sleep I will have more energy to crack the rest of it. I feel like I’m not really able to make decisions right now x

I weaned first child at 4 months on advice of health visitor. It was nothing short of miraculous. The reflux didn't go away bit she was much less distressed and started to put on more weight.

O goodness no I would never medicate without the advice of a paediatrician, everything that my little boy is on has been prescribed by the doctor/dietician at the hospital.

Ds1 was refluxy too however not nearly as severe and changing him onto aptamil reflux milk worked for him as it is a lot thicker and kept down in his stomach.

I agree with the above poster that carobel only made ds2 more windy and constipated. We tried a wedge under mattress (wedgehog) but it didnt seem comfortable so we then just tilted his cot/moses basket at one end using books and it worked a treat, he still sleeps like that.

Time is definitely a big factor too, I hated hearing that but it was true.

You could try putting something under the mattress to prop the head end up a bit. Or you can get blocks you put under the legs of the cot.

Anti reflux milks are probably cows milk based and have thickeners in them already

Also totally understand about lack of sleep, it always makes the situation seem so much worse and then you feel too emotional to put thoughts together to the doctor.

I only got the help we did so quickly because I took him to A&E in a complete sleep deprived state after he had screamed and vomited for 24hrs. If you believe the root cause is cows milk allergy it may be worth insisting on a gp call and explaining how badly it is affecting your health too and ask to trial a CMP free formula whilst waiting on referral

@HelplessProcrastinator can I ask what you weaned baby with - baby rice? Veggies?

@Dugi3 I’m honestly at breaking point with it. She isn’t screaming which makes me doubt if it is CMPA but she is very fussy and discontent. Never completes a 2 hour nap without needing to be resettled, wakes a lot at night just fussing, and during the day it’s hard to actually do anything with her - even sitting her in a bouncer doesn’t last more than a few minutes. She’s just really not happy at all.

It is so awful when they just seem unhappy being awake, I honestly thought my son would never smile and my husband and I were having to take it in shifts to sit up with him holding him upright as he would instantly waken from reflux when put down. I felt like it was pushing me to PND, I can only imagine how you feel with it going on so long now but just know that there is a happy little bundle inside her just waiting to get out once she gets the right combination for her. I really hope you get the help you need soon!

www.mamasandpapas.com/en-gb/babyplay-octopus-textured-playmat-and-baby-gym/p/759482771

Not sure if that link will post properly, I know they are sold out online but maybe worth a shot on ebay or something. This is only thing my ds would settle on during the day, it is on a tilt but super soft and meant he could be put down long enough for a cup of tea as his head was raised