Acid Reflux Causing Nursing Problems

[neworleansmommy]

I am brand new to this site and very sad that I never heard of it before! I had my second child in November and my second round with bf. I figured I was a pro and everything was going perfect until my daughter developed "hidden" acid reflux. She doesn't spit up, the acids just burn her esophagus so she stops eating. The medicines aren't working very well and she much prefers the swiftness of the bottle to nursing. Sometimes when she eats she cries as the fluid goes down her throat. My problem is that my milk supply isn't very strong (not a problem at all with my first child). I am a full time working mother and pump while I am at work. However, after being away from her for 11 hours there is little milk left and she has to work hard to feed. The acid reflux only allows her to eat small amounts so at 3 months she is still up every 2 hours at night. I have added a wedge to her crib and that seems to help at night. I don't have much support because where I am from I am in the minority with bf. So all I hear is if she prefers the bottle then just switch to formula. This is not going to happen unless she forces me to give up the fight. I strongly believe in bf. If anyone has any hints on for babies with acid reflux or increasing the milk supply please let me know.

For a little information, I am already using Brewer's Yeast, I have increased the number of times I pump a day, and I drink at least a gallon of water everyday.

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Not a breastfeeding guru but do have a baby with reflux. One thing I would reccomend, as well as tilting the cot, is keeping your baby as uupright as possible when feeding. I know that it is possible to latch on with baby very upright (saw a piccie somewhere, but perhaps one of our BF experts can assist with this.

Also try this link for more info on reflux.

BR

Meant to add, don't listen to anyone who tells you to switch from BF to formula without speaking to our BF mumsnetters first. They know their stuff....

BR

Hi NOM

Sorry no advice to give re feeding, but do have DS2 with hidden reflux. Unfortunately not diagnosed until 9 months following many months of illness which was put down to everything from viruses to asthma. Breast fed DS2 for 8 months with no problems. He did vomit whole meals frequently due to uncontrollable coughing though. Situation seems to be under control now, we use an acid supressing tablet dissolved in his breakfast as and when needed. Hope he will have grown out of it by age 2. We only use the medication now when he has a cold as the reflux seems to make it much worse. (Acid swells the lining of the throat and he produces much more mucus). Really hope the situation improves for you, at least you have an early diagnosis, I think our GP thought we were making it up. It was only when referred to an ear nose and throat specialist that we discovered the cause, DS2 was transformed within 4 weeks of taking medication.

Good luck with the feeding, breast was certainly the best for us.

Have had two out of three sons with reflux. First was the normal type, second was 'silent' reflux (guess that is the same as hidden) and was only diagnosed when he was having tests for something else. With first I stopped feeding at the breast fairly early on but express fed for 5 or 6 months (and worked 3 days a week). With second, he fed at breast a bit longer but then express fed for about 4 months (again working 3 days pw). With both, I found they did not take to having their medicine separate from the milk (ie mixed with milk and given by spoon/syringe) and as I did not want to give up b/f, I expressed and mixed it in bottle. It worked, but was hard work! I did know other b/f mums who managed to continue feeding at the breast because the medicine given by spoon/syringe worked fine for them.

I suppose what I am saying is different ways work for different mums/babies. None is less right. If you want to continue b/f either at the breast or expressed, then do so. I was like daisy the cow with number one and could have expressed for two or three, with second it was harder.

First son spent most of his first three or four months sleeping in his car seat as that was the only thing in addition to the medicine that lessened the discomfort of the acid. Raising the cot is helpful but we found the car seat to be more effective. He didn't seem to mind in the least and was not overly wakeful overnight.

Increasing milk supply - no suggestions other than sometimes you can drink too much water and this can reduce supply. Also, if the whole situation is making you uptight, this can also effect supply.

You seem to know what you want. Try to relax, plan as much as you can the b/f or expressing. Sometimes a change of position when baby is latched on can also help lessen the effects of reflux (can't remember exactly what now - something to do with reducing the speed of the intake, if that makes sense).

It is possible to get through the problems you are facing and you should get lots of support (and heaps more useful info) from mums on this site.

Be strong, take on board what advice you think will work for you and well....go for it!

Best wishes.

butterfly

(oops, sorry reply turned out long)

Sorry to hear what sounds like a very demanding and distressing situation, NOM.....I am afraid I don't know what to suggest. I have never heard of hidden acid reflux. How was this diagnosed?

The only sure way to increase milk supply is to remove the milk more often - that might mean expressing more often at work (you don't say how often you do so). No need to drink as much water - a gallon is a huge amount - and what research there is indicates that excessive water is likely to decrease supply.

11 hours away from your baby, and your baby is still so young.....that must be very hard for you.

I bf both my children and my second had "hidden" reflux. None of the usual tricks of sitting up etc. helped. My paediatrician in los angeles recommended over the phone (after hearing me describe the symptoms) that I give her a bottle a day (in addition to the bfing) of a special staydown formula (called ENFAMIL AR) . Unlike the normal english staydown formulas, this one has rice starch instead of corn starch. It was an absolute lifesaver. My dd was 5 mo. at this point and I was back at work and having trouble expressing enough anyway, so not only did it help me, but it totally cured her reflux. I kept up the one bottle a day along with bfing until my ds was 11 mo. (started solids at 6 mo.) AND I got my gp in the uk to presribe it so I got it for free. You don't actually need a prescription for it, but you won't find it on the normal formula shelves in the uk. You have to ask the pharmacist to order it in (occasionally they have it in stock behind the counter).

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I wonder if adding probiotics to her diet would help, too, robinw....in fact, I wonder how on earth they could get into the milk

Thank you all for all the warm wishes and advice.

Tiktok: I brought her to a chidren's hospital because she refused to eat and the site of my breast made her scream and cry uncontrollably. The doctor asked to see her try and nurse and they saw the reaction she had to the sight of my breast. After about 20 hours she decided to eat and cried as she sucked for about 3 minutes. She then cried uncontrollably for about 10 minutes following. The doctors witnessed all of this and after about 4 hours of "powowing" (to pow wow is basically the term for the American Indians meeting of the minds) they came up with this diagnosis. I have heard there are gastric tests that will show definitively...but the medecine helps so I see no need to put her through it. She is perfectly healthy otherwise and growing with leaps and bounds.

Sofia: I had heard about that formula...I was very interested to read from you that it helped with the acid reflux. Thanks!!

Being away from her 11 hours a day is very difficult for me. I guess I try to make up for the time away from my kids by spending every other available moment with them. I hug and kiss them more than is probably healthy for my 3 year old...but I guess that will just be one of those things that I screw up at as a mom! Just kidding...all it has done is made him a very huggy and kissy child and i think that's ok.

I absolutely love the communication of this site and I am amazed at the community feeling I have already received. THANKS A LOT.

Thought I'd write a note to sypathise. I also have ds with hidden reflux. He is 15 mnths old and it was only diagnosed when he was 7 mnths and he and I had gone through hell. In the end he was prescribed an acid suppressing tablet that I have to crush and give to him in his breakfast. Every 8 weeks he comes off it to see if he has grown out of it but the symptoms return i.e. loss of appetite and irratibility. I like Joley hope he will have grown out of it by the time he is two.

Good luck with your little one and the breastfeeding.