Support thread for all parents with reflux babies...

[PosieParker]

Just thought a pooling of ideas would be useful. Any ideas about meds, symptoms, coping strategies, things to make a baby quiet!!


Symptoms:

Arched back and crying/screaming after feeding
Fussy on/off breast or bottle
Frequent feeding
Little sleep
Constant crying/screaming

(please add)

Meds:

My memory is a little rose on this and I can't remember

Coping

SWING,
pushchair walks
accepting help
Sometimes putting your baby somewhere you can't hear them whilst you have a large gin cup of tea.

[cardamomginger]

thanks so much for this thread! helped me work out on monday that 3 week old dc1 has reflux - confirmed by gp tuesday, started on ranitidine and consultant's appointment this friday. looks like may be lactose or cow's milk protein intolerant too.
so grateful for everyone's posts - will post more later
good luck everyone
xx

[Ladybiskybat]

I cant believe Ive only just found this thread! Ds is 17 weeks and was diagnosed with reflux at 10 days and have been looking all over the web for something just like this! He projectile vomited most feeds from birth and ended up in hospital as they presumed pyloric stenosis. When scans for that were clear we were told it was reflux and prescribed ranitadine and domperidone and discharged. He never had any of the classic reflux symptoms they told me he should have...arching his back,crying, refusing feeds etc(he gained just under 1lb a week until he was 10 weeks or so). I reckon he was one of these happy chuckers. We took him off both meds at about 6 weeks after chat with (fab)gp as he didn't seem in any pain with reflux but meds caused tummy ache and didn't stop the proj vom. He? stopped being sick about 4 weeks ago but since then he has been having all of the classic symptoms of silent reflux...pulling away and refusing feeds (he's ebf) and crying lots more than normal. Have noticed he wont feed properly lying on his right so have to rugby ball for left boob. Didn't know about foamy spit and tongue poking being reflux symptoms and he does both of those, also really wet, full body hiccups. He really seems in pain now poor little man. I just wondered if anyone else had ever had anything similar. Im off to hv tom and am sure she'll say to wean him but im not sure. I feel like Ive lived at my gp surgery since ds was born and although gp very good never trust answers as much as I do from other mums! Thank you all so much, katie x

[fiveisanawfullybignumber]

Ladybiskybat, sounds like he needs the ranetadine back. Domperidone only affects the speed at which their bodies process food/milk. Ranetadine helps to neutralise the acid, was never strong enough for my DD. She's on Omeprazole which prevents her body producing acid.

[gaelicsheep]

Oh dear, so after a week on IG DD has the constipation. Two days ago she cried amd cried to pass two little pellets of playdough, the same today for one. Her poos were so runny before this I've no idea if this is the extent of her solid waste or if its all sitting in her tummy. Several aborted attempts at giving cool boiled water (safe to say it's a good thing I don't have to be organised enough to bottle feed). I've pretty much stopped the IG but no change with the poo. I guess the poor thing's pretty bunged.

DD's symptoms seem to have changed since starting IG and haven't changed back on stopping. I guess I wonder if she's outgrowing the acid reflux naturally. She's not screaming so much, still won't sleep much (but IG didn't change that anyway), but now seems to chuck up milk immediately after a feed ie before I could get near with IG. Less chucking in between.

Has anyone else's DC got better by themselves at around 4 months, or is this still residual effects of the IG? ie should I keep giving it or not? I do not want to end up giving laxatives as well.

[Ladybiskybat]

Gaelicsheep-my ds was same with IG, he'd throw up either too soon before I could give it too him or if I did manage to give it he'd throw it right back up anyway. Needless to say it didn't make any difference to us so didn't get to affect his poo. Im bf too and found that the doseage seemed huge to give on it's own. I dont think you said how you're giving the water but have you tried by a syringe? That worked a treat for us when Ds was refusing feeds completely.

[fiveisanawfullybignumber]

We're BF here also, I give infant gaviscon in a bottle before a feed.
It helps to thicken the milk in baby's tummy and tries to keep a lid on the posseting. I found it used to thicken and slightly reduce the amount of sick, but didn't do much for the pain.

[gaelicsheep]

I was trying the water in a bottle, which she will take just fine. But the first time I noticed a piece of something (rice?) floating in the water that had survived dishwashing and sterilising (yuck). Then the next time I tried I discovered the teat on the bottle didn't work. I'm just not used to sterilising in bulk any more, so both of these resulted in aborted attempts! Anyhow she took 1 oz of water this morning, but I'm not sure if that's enough to make any difference? She's still very bunged. Would prescribed laxatives really be less harmful than a little diluted juice for a 4 monrh old?

[BollocksToThis]

Marking my point, may be back later.

[BollocksToThis]

OK quick cos she's crying, haven't time to read - can these symptoms start at a few weeks old, ie around a month of age, but the baby's been OK til then?

[TheUnmentioned]

can anyone help? dd is 5 weeks old, she is generally a pretty happy baby, good feeder (breast + bottle), ok sleeper, BUT she sometimes arches her back during feeds,wants the bottle but cries when given it, projectile vomits HUGE amounts every now and again - sometimes pure milk but more often than not curdled milk or mucussy looking stuff. She is gaining weight ok (isnt sick every feed).

Health visitor says it cant be reflux because it isnt every feed.

Also what do you all do when youre feeding in cafes / at people's houses? I am so nervous when out as for example this mroning she was sick and it went about 2 feet in distance, if that had been all over someone's house Id feel awful!!

[wannabeglam]

bump

[gaelicsheep]

Bollocks - yes

TheUnmentioned - your HV is not correct. It sounds very much like reflux. I should go to your GP, especially to check that the projectile vomiting isn't a symptom of anything else.

Well I guess we have our answer re DD. 10 days after stopping IG, her bowels are back to normal and all her symptoms have returned. So that's the screaming sessions (though not as often), refusing to be put down in her cot, curdled vomit etc but now she is throwing up milk immediately after feeds as well. I'm not sure this isn't just her overeating, so I've started giving just one side, but I am suspicious that it's more than that.

My HV mentioned there might be something else we can get that's gentler on the stomach than IG (why not give that to start with I wonder?). I've forgotten the name but it was 3 syllables starting with C. Anyone know?

[wannabeglam]

bump

[TheUnmentioned]

Thanks, I might mention it again to the HV as Im seeing her on Monday anyways. We have had 2 lots of projectile vomiting so far this weekend...

[bethylou]

Can't believe I've only just found you all as have been replying to refluxy threads for months. I'm on our second refluxer (first one 'silent' and second one 'typical' and he's now 8 months (with sleep apnoea too).

Will keep popping back but for now:
Bollockstothis Reflux can definitely kick in after an initially quiet few weeks.

To an older question, I've been told that 'typical' reflux is 'better' because the acid comes up once and goes out, whereas for 'silent refluxers' it goes up and down, thus burning twice .

Theunmentioned when I'm strong enough (and I'm sorry to say for those of you a bit behind me, I'm not quite there yet, but more because of the sleep apnoea and a paediatric consultant who still doesn't believe me that my baby holds his breath for 30 seconds at a time in his sleep), I fully intend to start some kind of reflux awareness raising campaign for medics, including health visitors, as the support we get as parents varies sooo much. I think between us on here we could make a real difference. I've even offered to go and talk at my GP's practice about the experience of being a parent to refluxers. In the meantime, let's keep an eye open on the actvie threads and bring the OPs to this thread. Well done Posie for doing what I'd intended to do and never quite found the strength and mental capacity!!

p.s. my terribly refluxy, full of meds, 8 month old finally slept through the night twice this week. Thank goodness! Does this mean I have to stop napping when the DS do now?!!

[bethylou]

p.s. Nicky I replied to your original threads and was concerned when I heard no more so it's lovely to find you and hear that you are making progress (and,sadly, have joined the reflux expert club!)

[TheUnmentioned]

Given that dd sleeps well (ish) , and is gaining weight and is happy enough is there really any point in going for a diagnosis? What would it achieve? Im nervous of meds for obvious reasons esp for constipation as she already only goes once every 2/3 days.

I do worry that the sickness is getting worse though....

[TheUnmentioned]

Oh and can I repeat my question please

What do you all do when youre feeding in cafes / at people's houses? I am so nervous when out as for example this mroning she was sick and it went about 2 feet in distance, if that had been all over someone's house Id feel awful!!

[gaelicsheep]

The Unmentioned - it's the projectile vomiting in particular that you should get checked out. There are other more serious conditions where that can be a symptom. Pretty rare, but they should be ruled out.

Bethylou - my DD used to hold her breath in her sleep. I'm not sure it was for 30 secs though, that must be terrifying! I mentioned it to the HV and she said it was normal for a newborn. I was a little . Is it normal do you know? How long does it have to be to become sleep apnoea? Thankfully I think she's outgrown it, as far as I can tell.

[gaelicsheep]

Sorry I posted too soon. TheUnmentioned - pyloric stenosis is one of the conditions your GP would want to rule out. See here. Not to frighten you though, it's rare.

[BollocksToThis]

I'm sure this is our problem now, last 24hrs much worse, begged Gaviscon from pharmacist today but not touching it. On my chest crying her poor wee heart out now, been like this for hour, dreading next feed :( Going to see GP monday and beg for help. Much worse than DS ever was.

[gaelicsheep]

Bollocks - do you mean she's not taking it or it isn't working? It will take a few days for the effects of the IG to kick in.

[BollocksToThis]

getting it into her, just. But each feed is worse than the last, it.s just become really awful really quickly. I qualify that by pointing out that DS had "colic" until 6 months and cried 4pm til the early hours every night. This is shaping up to be worse.

[gaelicsheep]

Oh poor you, and poor wee thing. Yes definitely see your GP - this sounds much worse than my DD. I'm probably stating the obvious, but are you sure she doesn't have a bug?

[BollocksToThis]

Quite sure, yes, she's hungry, nappies normal, fontanelles ok etc. Just really shrieking and wrestling during feeds now and beside herself afterwards, and of course exhausted after hours of being unable to settle last night. Surely if Gaviscon's a feed thickener it should work pretty quickly ...? It has no antacid in it. Just got to ride out today then we go to GP. Poor wee mite :(