Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Flip

Original poster

Best way to bf a baby with severe reflux.

19 replies

nickytwotimes · 02/08/2010 19:59

Yes, it is me again. Sorry. I am becoming A total bore...

FOr the 2 or 3 of you who haven't yet enjoyed one of my fun reflux threads yet, ds is almost 10 weeks and has severe silent reflux and alos suffers with wind. He is on meds, we have tried emlimination diets, etc.
Anyway, he is fed on demand as per usual but I am wondering if this is making matters worse. His feeding is very erratic, more so when he is having a bad day like today.
Feeding him is very difficult as it causes him pain, sothere is a hell of a lot of fussing, pulling, screaming, etc.

Can anyone help?

OP posts:

PosieParker · 02/08/2010 20:01

I just always fed, there's little else you can do. Do you have a swing? (saved dc4s life and mine) Ebay have lots and you can resell it again.

PosieParker · 02/08/2010 20:02

I also fed him alot lying down, which meant both he and I got a little sleep or I put things around him and let him sleep.

ib · 02/08/2010 20:08

I can understand how you feel, I used to feel the same with ds1 as he asked for it constantly but then it seemed to make things worse.

Bm is a mild antacid, so sometimes they ask for it when they are in pain but of course the milk then comes back up and they fuss...

What we learnt during ds1's ph probes was that sometimes when the acid was at its worst he wasn't fussing - just whimpering and asking for the breast. Having seen that, I would be reluctant to refuse him a feed when he asks for it.

Is he gaining weight OK?

Original poster

nickytwotimes · 02/08/2010 20:09

Yes, my 'instinct' is to feed him, but never sure if it is right or not, iyswim?
No swing yet, but thinking of getting one as motion really helps him.

OP posts:

Original poster

nickytwotimes · 02/08/2010 20:10

Yes, ib, he is following his percentile curve nicely - a real blessing. Probably because he is as stubborn as his mum!

OP posts:

PosieParker · 02/08/2010 20:11

Get one, Get one, Get one! Seriously gave me at least two hours a day without holding or feeding!! I really did feed, seemed awful not too, they are hungry because they vomit so much.

ib · 02/08/2010 20:22

Well at least that's one less worry. Also if he's following his percentile he's not over-using the breast as an antacid (some refluxy babies do this and shoot up the curves).

I really feel for you. It's really tough but I'd keep on bfing on demand if you can.

duende · 02/08/2010 20:24

I unfortunately stopped breastfeeding because of my DS's reflux. At the time, we didn't yet know it was reflux, but he was getting more and more fussy during feeds and it got to the stage where he pretty much refused to feed. I wish one of the BF consultants we saw realised what the problem was. Anyway, we started giving him formula and at first he was feeding much better but soon refused a bottle too. It was only after putting on meds when he started feeding again and by that time my lactation stopped :/

Anyway, in my DS's case feeding lying down didn't work very well. I fed on demand and initially he was feeding pretty much constantly. Hope it goes better for you. What medication is he on by the way?

NowWhatIsit · 02/08/2010 20:26

Feed,
wind religously
hold upright for hours!!

I found the wind made reflux much worse, early & regular winding made feeding better.

It is a miserable time, but does pass, hang in there.

Original poster

nickytwotimes · 02/08/2010 21:09

Glad I have been doing the right thing!
duende, I came close to giving up too, biut someone on mn mentioed it to me in the early days as a possibility and it hung around in the back of my mind whick was lucky. I think many peopple think the milk is the problem, not surprisingly.
he is on ranitadine and domperidon.

OP posts:

strawberrycake · 02/08/2010 21:13

Ah the magic swing gazes fondly at the magic swing

TaurielTest · 02/08/2010 21:14

No special advice, but hang in there - DS was very much like this and it all got so much better at about 14-15 weeks (after the ranitidine kicked in). Wearing him in a wrap sling in an upright position really helped us.

Original poster

nickytwotimes · 02/08/2010 21:17

lol at gazing!

yy, have a moby sling which has helped at times.

OP posts:

LaTristesse · 03/08/2010 10:23

I'd say keep going - imo breast milk is much easier on the gut than formula as it's tailor-made to the child. My DS used to want lots of milk as it eased his silent reflux, although we did then have more wind to contend with. It will get easier though, DS is now 22 weeks and acid is much better.

You could try feeding him in an upright position as he's still pretty small - sit him on your knee facing you, or get a sling - both of these worked wonders for me.

DorotheaPlenticlew · 03/08/2010 10:37

I tried a sitting-upright feed for the first time yesterday with dd (13 weeks) and it worked to calm her fussing -- had a good feed. Awkward and not remotely discreet if you have big breasts, but worth it, will try again today.

hildathebuilder · 03/08/2010 11:45

I second the swing, followed by vibrating chair DS loves them both and it is the only way I get some hands free time. I also feed on demand sometimes he goes 3-4 hours sometimes 90 mins. Problem if he goes longer is he then feeds for ages and the reflux gets worse for a bit. He is slowly getting better.

When it all gets to much dummies do help reflux babies, also I pump and sometimes have a bottle of ebm I give him to calm him by slowly giving 10 ml, then 20 etc.

I have stuck with bf and am now counting down to weaning (because ds was prem I'm being advised to only get to 5 months, the docs are all sure it will help... we'll see)

boardnbikemama · 03/08/2010 13:07

am with you in spirit and sick...yet another sleepless night with puke, squealing pain etc. swing sounds good. doc has just given us some lactolose to shift things at the other end too as constipation has now been added to the list! arghhhh when did you plan to wean your prem hildabuilder?!!! am likewise but only 7 weeks corrected so a way to go yet.

Original poster

nickytwotimes · 03/08/2010 21:04

Thanks guys.

Yy, wind is a nightmare too. If it's not acid, it's trapped wind and endless straining...

Hope for a good night for everyone tonight.

OP posts:

hildathebuilder · 04/08/2010 09:45

board My plan for weaning is probably the end of August beginning of September. I was told anytime from 5 months actual might be fine but they usually want 3 and a half months corrected. The 3 and a half months corrected take me to the end of August, DS will be 6 months actual on 9 Sept so the dates will be fairly close.

The fact he has the reflux is pointing the dieticians and health visitors to suggest earlier, and for a 29 weeker he's pretty strong and healthy. He has quite good head control which would help, and is making rapid progress on other things, I'm told he is beginning to be ready for weaning but as I said above we'll see. I think that depends on whether I ever get any sleep he ever stops being refluxy (I keep praying for that one) and how I feel in another month. I'm definitely in the do one more day school of feeding.

Nicky the trapped wind and straining was why we ditched gaviscon in a day. It just made it worse and we decided that DS was more settled with some reflux without as much trapped wind

Flip