Thickening milk?

[SilverDoe]

Hi, I hope this post isn't controversial as I'm just looking for advice/opinions and I can see the positives and negatives so just wanted to discuss so I can make a more informed decision.

My DS (second baby) is very, I think, refluxy, and has been formula fed since about 6 weeks. I have mentioned the reflux to the HV and all she advised was giving a bit of baby rice to help keep the feed in his tummy.

I was reluctant to use anything at all (including anti reflux milk) before he was at the very least 4 months old, because I didn't want anything starchy/foodlike in his tummy at all before it was even close to age appropriate. I also felt comfortable doing this because despite the mess and the concern about how much milk is constantly coming up, he has remained happily on the 50th centile since birth, and does not appear to have acid reflux or anything painful, and his poos are great and yellow so he doesn't seem to have any allergy issues.

However, since he is becoming more mobile, rolling etc, the reflux/constant sicking up feeds is only getting worse. Sometimes he will take down a feed and literally throw must of it straight back up. I have tried thorough burping, not burping, just sitting upright, sticking to newborn teats, and using faster teats over the last 5 months. It was last week that another HV suggested baby rice as well.

But, my mum finally convinced me to get a tub of anti reflux Aptamil, and it is working a dream! He has, apart from one small normal amount of spitup, not brought up any feed at all. This has been such a game changer. My only problem is, I'm not happy with the composition of the formula compared to the Aptamil Profutura I was using.

So finally here is the question! Can I add a bit of baby rice to the formula in order to thicken it, with the formula of my choice, instead of using a prethickened formula? Since he is pretty much of weaning age I would be much more comfortable using both his original formula, and regular food rather than the thickeners they use in the milk. I know advice is usually against this, but how much is based on discouraging ill practices such as rusks in bottles at 12 weeks, and how does thickened reflux milk really differ to milk thickened with baby rice?

I don't really believe choking is a risk as any lumps in his reflux milk simply block the teat. Has anyone done this or can explain something I'm missing as to why it might be a bad idea? Sorry for the long read... :)

I don't really believe choking is a risk do you know what to do if your baby does choke? Have you thought of using carobel instead?

Hiya yes luckily I am very paranoid as he was born with mucus in his lungs and also have a 2 year old so have learned all about that :)

I will google carobel, I don't know why but I would really like to keep it as close to food as possible, but maybe that is because I am ignorant to what these thickeners are made of. I just hate the idea of using gums etc, as it doesn't sound easily digestible.

He is very close to 26 weeks, do you think I should just put up with the reflux milk until he is of weaning age and then hope the baby rice before his regular milk does the trick?

Why are you fine with giving baby rice but not anti reflux milk? Genuine question.

No don’t. Your instincts are right about not giving food to a tiny baby. Don’t start now.

There is something called Carobel and you may be able to use that at this age. Good luck.

Jilted,

It's because the reflux formula lacks a few ingredients of the formula that I was previously using, I should have made that clearer, you're right.

3luckystars I think you're right, he is 23 weeks so I was thinking that would be okay to add some rice to milk, but I think I would prefer to wait until he is properly weaned and just use the anti reflux milk, then see if once he is eating solids I can get away with using the previous formula.

I will also look into these commercial thickeners, I see you can add them to any milk you like so if I can research them and they are okay digestibility wise then I've found my solution :)

SOrry I also meant to say that I don't know yet if I am comfortable giving gums etc to babies. I want to know the actual research behind it as I know organisations like First Steps Nutrition do not recommend anti reflux milks.

What ingredients are missing from the anti reflux milk and are you going to gain them by using baby rice, which is essentially a low nutrient filler?

I want to know the actual research behind it as I know organisations like First Steps Nutrition do not recommend anti reflux milks.

I have a lot of respect for the First Steps Nutrition trust but I strongly disagree with their views on anti reflux milk. Firstly, they question its effectiveness by referring to old studies from 1990s/early 2000s (while I know for a fact modern anti-reflux milk has worked wonders for at least one baby - my DD) and, secondly, they are concerned about preparation instructions (anti-reflux milk is normally prepared with cooler water which theoretically increases risk of contamination). However, this risk can be minimised if the baby has formula within 2 hours after its preparation.

I got pretty frustrated when I read the FSNT recommendation to make anti-reflux milk only available on prescription. Clearly, whoever came up with this bright idea has never tried to feed a screaming baby suffering from reflux.

In any case, I remember comparing the list of ingredients in normal Aptamil and Aptamil anti-reflux milk and getting comfortable with its composition. I have not used Aptamil Profutura so I am not sure what extra ingredients may be there but I assume they can be given as vitamin supplements (if needed).

From the formula campany’s own website OP they say Never add extra scoops or anything else to your baby’s feed.

I don’t know what the statistics are on babies choking when rice, dusks or other cereal is but I’m not sure that I’d be taking the risk. Certainly asking on here doesn’t seem relevant as the parents who have done it and sadly lost their babies are unlikely to be on a forum such as MN.

My baby has reflux. I was told by both two different doctors, a nurse, health visitor & two pharmacists never to put anything else in her milk than what I had been prescribed (carobel). This was without me saying I was - I never had any intention of doing so, they all just obviously wanted to warn me not to do it. One doctor even advised against me putting baby rice in her puréed fruit and using the carobel instead. It really is a choking risk - and if you think the lumps just won’t pass through the teat, then they won’t be doing much good thickening the milk anyway.

I understand being wary of using different things with a tiny baby. However, baby rice is hardly the most nutritional form of food. I wouldn’t imagine your baby is missing out on much not having it and having carobel instead.

23 weeks? I'd wean onto solids. Both of mine were starting with bits of food at 23 weeks. Actually my last baby was probably started slowly closer to 21 / 22 weeks. She had awful reflux and i was so tired of it all and also concerned about the massive pukes. Breastfed though. Anyway it will solve your problem almost immediately.

Otherwise could you just try doing one feed a day with the reflux milk and see if that makes a small difference for the few weeks?

Jilted

The point of the baby rice was not to replace any nutrients; I am aware it is a simple carb and nothing more. The point was that I would be able to use the original formula :)

Everyone else,

This is really useful advice, thank you so much. I did give DS a couple of feeds yesterday with his regular milk and HalfStar you are right the reflux milk does still make actually a pretty big difference. I will move him onto solids very soon to help further as simply the different textures seem to do the trick.

Was actually able to sit in a coffee shop with friends for 2 hours yesterday without any puking incidents! :D

The thickening agents are generally derived from the same things that cause stuff like rice to thicken milk.

Thanks for the info!

Well I'm going to skip it anyway and hope a bit of solids helps it; he has been on the anti reflux formula for a few days now and although he has stopped being sick, he now has terrible constipation... :(