Gaviscon question - advice please!

[ladypop]

I think, as does our bf councillor, that 6 week old DS has mild silent reflux; compared to lots if posts I have read, we really don't have it too bad! He started crying and pulling away from the boob as if in pain and generally fussing alot and is sick if not held upright for a while after each feed.. However, it isn't at every feed and I can't see much pattern. Dr agreed to baby gaviscon but suggested just giving about 3 doses out of the 7/8 feeds that he has in a 24 hour period as it isn't severe and he is gaining weight well. What to do? Does it have a cumulative effect or only help on the feed it is given at? I also want to avoid constipation so don't want to over do it either. Thanks! Ps he is 90% bf and 10% formula xx

I'm in a similar position with DD. getting it down her is a PITA to be honest! 15ml is the standard dose which is a lot to take. I'd stagger it if I were you, you can put it in a bottle so I'd try one dose in with his formula and the other doses in the day. I'm not even trying to give it at night!

Has Lo been checked for tongue tie too? Just wondering as it can often present as reflux

I put it in every feed and ended up with a very constipated and grump 6 wo baby....

I weaned down to every other, then every 3 feeds over a week or so.

I had to use gaviscon and was very sceptical as i had read on mn that it has no antacid and is just a thickener which i had already tried. However hv told me to persevere as it is builds up and becomes more effective. She was right as although dd seemed to be even worse initially, after just a couple of days of doing it in every feed there was a big improvement. After 7 days i did half dosage in each feed and then went to half dosage for morning feed and full dosage for evening feed and it is still keeping reflux pain at bay. She still vomits frequently but no crying like before.

A big long tale there but you get my point. My DD had v v v loose bowels for a ff baby and gav actually helped me out that way too. Nappies are now normal

I think you should give it as gp advised but expect results in about a week as it took my dd 2-3 days of 6 x full dosage to make diff.

My lo has bin of gaviscon since she was 4weeks as the drs think she has refux but I'm not convinced it helped with the projectile and screaming for the first week but now she isn't sick as much but the screamin like she's in pain is awfull and lasts nearly all day she might sleep for ten mins then bk up screamin. My hv told me to try the anti reflux milk which jst made thing ten times worse. I'm maybe thinkin it could b an intolorance as the reflux milk has more protein and on the normal milk once she has bin sick
(Quite an amount) she settles better. Any advice would b helpful if any one has any? First time mum

My DS has silent reflux. We just give him 3-4 doses per day of one sachet as anymore makes him constipated. I've found it works brilliantly. You can mix the sachet in just 5 mls of water rather than 15 which is far easier for a breast fed baby (my friend is a SCBU nurse and that's what they do) Also my DS has a bottle in the evening but we still give the gaviscon via a syringe afterwards as it thickens the milk in the bottle and kept blocking the teat!

The patient information in the box says it "stabilises" the stomach contents. I looked further into this and basically gasviscon is like algae, once mixed with liquid it turns into a film that lies on top of the milk in the stomach to help prevent it moving back up the food pipe. Ds had reflux and was on omeprazole, 11 week dd has gaviscon for 3 feeds a day, she is bf and takes gaviscon in bottle. She does struggle with pooing though and I stopped it for one week but she dropped a centile in weight!

jilted how does it present like tongue tie? ie how does tongue tie cause the wind and possetting? or did I miss understand?
my 8wo has serious tongue tie - he feeds well but I'd v collicy and or had reflux ... or at least struggles with trapped wind and possetting at least an hour after feeds, st more

Just meant that lip tie can have the same effect on feeding as tongue tie. If your Lo has tongue tie it is worth getting upper lip tie checked too. I'm not trained but how I understand it is that tongue tie is more common, if a baby has lip tie they usually have tongue tie, but not necessarily the other way around and a baby can have one without the other. I'd google pictures of upper lip tie and see what you think.

You might want to speak to a BFC on how tongue tie effects feeding but I think it is to do with the fact that they can't feed properly. So take in more air or if bfing never get the fatty milk so just never feel full. Like I say though, I'd talk to a BFC, have you got the helpline numbers?

Bekki, it sounds like you need to go back to your dr - I would suggest you ask to be prescribed ranitidine as a first step.

You could also try buying a tin of nutrimagen (anti allergy formula) and see if it makes a difference. if it does, you then have some evidence that there is a dairy intolerance/allergy and you can ask for a prescription for nutrimagen and a referral to a paediatrician.

And yes tongue tie can look like reflux because tongue tie means the baby can't get a proper seal so swallows a lot more air. That air then comes back up later, bringing stomach contents with it.

Thanks Jilted and Mini. GP has referred DS for cut. Annoying as I pointed out tie in hospital day after born and was made to feel was making a fuss while GP says is "serious" and suggested referral, and HV quite surprised he can feed. Infacol helping in meantime if not solved.
OP apologies for hijack...will clear out and watch. Thank you for sharing advice.