Reflux, Nutramigen, possible CMP allergy... and explosive poo - help!

[lucy101]

Hi there - we have been through the mill with our lovely little boy who is 8 weeks today with tongue tie, BF problems the lot.

He also has lots of reflux symptoms (arching back, endless screaming, hiccups, throwing up etc.) and I took him to the GP yesterday who suggested that it could be a cows milk intolerance (my husband has this) although no rashes, eczema etc.

So... she suggested we try Nutramigen (and taking dairy out of my diet which I have been doing anyway) which we started yesterday morning but in the last 24 hours he has done 3 explosive poos (leaking through nappy, into chair etc.).

He was mixed fed before: BM and Aptimal and was only doing a poo every 5/6 days (although still quite explosive) so now I am breastfeeding and then mixing the Nutramigen with expressed breast milk so he is only having around 30ml of the Nutramigen 6 times a day.

I am worried that even although he hasn't been sick since he started the Nutramigen and the reflux symptoms seem to somewhat better already... I am sure he shouldn't be pooing like this (and am worried in case he gets dehydrated etc.)... or could it be his body just getting used to it?

Has anyone else experienced this/could advise?

Hi there

We have a similar tale to tell with my daughter, she is 18 weeks now and we have been having lots of problems with her.

I had to stop BF her at 7 weeks (due to various factors) and it was heartbreaking and then she was diagnosed with reflux and subsequently CMP allergy.

She is on nutramigen, carobel, ranitidine and may start with liquid gaviscon too. Have to go just now but will be back later if you want to talk.

In terms of the poo..... I would contact your HV ASAP for advice.

Is the nutramigen hydrolysed or completely cow's milk free? Apparently some babies are so sensitive to cow's milk protein that they can't even tolerate the hydrolysed version.

Hi there again

DD was screaming but am back now.

Nutramigen is partially hydrolysed, there is another formula Neocate which is totally synthetic.... another option but Nutramigen is for CMP allergy so theoretically it should be OK.

But as rita says some babies are super intolerant and have major reactions so worth a try if DC unsettled.

My DD has been in and out of hospital as an emergency admission so we have a consultant and our GP is on board too... we are very lucky.

DD has screaming/rigid bouts a couple of times a day and I think her allergy is entirely separate from her reflux as we recently took her off the Nutramigen to see what happened and she was mucusy, had a rash and very unsettled. She is now settled back on the formula but her reflux has become unmanaged and we are taking her to the GP tomorrow.

She has been in hospital under observation for feeding worries, suspected pyloric stenosis and gastroenteritis.

We have to find the right food, make it thick enough to stay in her stomach and make it so that when it does come up it doesn't burn her hence all the meds.

It is an exhausting and fraught road to travel but there is a lot of support on MN.

I would perhaps (as you say the allergy symptoms are not hugely apparent) ask the GP or your HV about stalling with the Nutramigen and trying to treat the reflux seperately as it may not be linked in to an allergy?

Hope that makes sense and HTH a bit.

Is being mucusy a possible indicator for CMP allergy? My EBF daughter suffers from mild reflux, but is REALLY mucusy - especially on waking. If it could resolve it, I'd happily give up dairy while I BF.

Hi Ana it can be...... I am not a huge expert on this but have done a fair bit of reading up! I would try to cut out dairy to see if it helped. Good luck

My DD, now 23 weeks was put on Nutramigen at 11 weeks and a "cold" she'd had for 8 weeks at that point, cleared up within days so IME, yes being mucusy was an indicator of her CMP intolerance.
She has thrived on Nutramigen, I call it miracle milk.

Good luck OP. I didn't notice my DD's poo changing much apart from it going green, which the doctor told me would happen. She had been very constipated on Gaviscon before we tried Nutramigen though so it was a relief for her bowels to be back to normal. But she is fully FF so as yours is mix fed, it may be different.

Another one with nutramigen here. We have the explosive poos for the first few days too. I too was worried about dehydration because at first he was only taking 2oz each feed. He was put on it at 12 weeks after 12 weeks of sheer exhaustion.

I have noticed a HUGE difference in him, he is still on gaviscon after initially stopping it to see if milk would do the job. He is piling on the weight now thankfully!

That is so good to hear Julez do you use the sachets of gaviscon? Does anyone have experience of the liquid gaviscon with babies?

We do use sachets. We too have been back n forth to hospital with weight loss, poor weight gan, he was failure to thrive, even though he was born 5 weeks arly weighing a whopping 7lb 3! by 14 days he had dropped to 5lb 8 but hes not really a sicky baby at all... he baffled us all.

It is hard isn't it?

(sorry OP feel like I am hijacking a bit!)

Hi everyone - I just wanted to thank you for your replies - and apologies for not being back (so very happy to be hijacked Munkii!).

Just to let everyone know that I spoke to the HV and my GP and both said it was fine and that the Nutramigen could cause more and loose stools etc. (and actually it does say this on the tin I realise...).

He is happier on it as we have had a significant reduction in his screaming which was really the most important thing.However he is starting to reject the breast since I upped his top ups as he wasn't putting on enough weight.

I am just feeling pretty low about the breastfeeding just not working out (and I have thrown everything at it.... I have never yet been able to exclusively breastfeed) and the Nutramigen just seems like the opposite of my hopes to breastfeed him, it just seems so chemical and it smells awful.

lucy you are totally describing how I felt, it is not your fault about the BF please do not go down that road.

I sat in the doctors crying saying all I had wanted to do was EBF my child and that her being on all these meds was the opposite of what I had wanted.

And yet there were those who kept telling me it wasn't too late and I could do it but despite everything and I do mean everything, it was not to be.

Do NOT beat yourself up, please PM if you want to.

And yes it does smell horrible but my baby is thriving and that is all anyone wants

Good luck