Reflux - any tips on how to deal with it? Thanks

[gossifairyonthexmastree]

Title says it all really. A good friends' 4 week old has it and all the docs/hv have said is Gaviscon.
Anyone have any tips?
Thanks

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Message deleted

thanks giddy1, but yes she's bf

she's doing a lot of carrying her dd around in a sling
bouncy chair sounds like a good idea
just wondered if there were any slightly more 'natural' things that she could give her dd?

sorry bethron, meant to say thanks!

Agree with Bethron's advice , keeping them more upright is the most helpful thing as lying flat can make them miserable, even raising the head end of the cot with rolled sheets or towels under the mattress. She may also be comfortable in the sling, which would at least enable your friend to do things around the house or get out. If she wants to express then she could add a prescribed thickener to ebm (we had Thick and Easy) although the trouble is a refluxy baby can be so time consuming that fitting expressing in too can be a challenge but she may find it useful later on.

4 weeks is quite early for it to be diagnosed and there is always the possibility that she will outgrow it. In the meantime your friend needs to be careful with coughs and colds as the regurgitated milk can breed bacteria causing ear and throat infections, especially at this time of year. Again keeping her upright would help avoid the worst of this.

Thick and Easy is like cornflour , not a medicine like Gaviscon, but you can only use it with ebm. She could also try a herbal tea - taking it herself or dilute for the baby - Fennel is good for digestion, for example. Feeding little and often helps avoid some sickiness too.

Hi Gossifairy

My ds had suffered with reflux since he was 6 weeks old. At first he used to just scream at each feed and arch his back which we mistook for colic. Then he started throwing up his entire feeds at least 3 times a day. He is bottlefed and is now 18 weeks old. I tried SMA staydown which he not only hated the taste of but wouldn't "staydown" plus made him severelly constipated. He's on Cow and Gate Omneo Confort 1 (there are 2 stages, Comfort 2 is follow up milk) and seems to be settling on that. But, as some of the the others have posted, its a thicker feed so your friend needs a fast flow teat to be able to use it. Gaviscon didn't work for us but there are other medications out there you can try on prescription. Anything is worth a try as what doesn't work for one baby may work for another. Plus your friend can still use gaviscon and breast feed too.

Keeping baby is upright is paramount. Mine can still throw up 3 hours after feeding (luckily ds doesn't mind a wet bum!). So is making sure you get all the wind out. There was a "baby wisperer" episode on reflux. She bought a special wedge mattress (with straps so baby doesn't fall out) and wedged up the changing mat. It depends how severe the reflux is and if baby screams all day or just when feeding.

Dr said that it could last a while as its the muscle at the top of the stomach not closing properly and letting acid out. When baby starts to try and sit then it should ease a bit. I wish your friend the best of luck, I know how hard it is.

So is reflux something that can start after a few weeks. I always assumed if they had it they would have it straight away.

I'm asking because ds has suddenly starting crying/screaming after feeds and throwing a load up straight after too. It started suddenly yesterday, he had been fine uptil then.

forgot to add, he is 9 weeks

I think it is there from birth (it is casued by a physical immaturity of the stomach valve) but perhaps the increase in milk intake/regurgitation and persistent unsettled behaviour , which is more acceptable in a newborn, mean it often isn't recognised until later on. dd was diagnosed at 8 weeks but had definitely shown symptoms from birth (refusal to settle in carrycot flat, needing to be held in middle of night in a chair, sickiness for example).

thanks to you all for your hints and kind thoughts, didn't even know about the immature stomach muscle!
will pass this on