Colief - do we really have to wait half an hour!?

[PurpleLostPrincess]

Might have to dash off soon as DD2 is due a feed...!

We suspect DD2 either has colic, acid reflux or is just out of sorts with a cold. We were giving her infacol but she was really sick on it so we tried gripe water. The gripe water seemed to work for a few days but the she was being sick nearly every feed and seemed to have terrible tummy ache all the time. She is putting on weight well... So, we have tried colief but I'm all confused about the way in which is is administered! She really doesn't like bottles at 'room temperature', she likes them nice and warm, especially as I am mixed feeding so she is used to having it at my body temperature. The instructions say that the drops are to be put in when it isn't too hot or they won't work and to wait half an hour before feeding. If I wait for half an hour, the milk will be cold before giving it to her. Also, if we're not meant to make up bottles in advance, how can we possibly achieve this as we're feeding on demand!?

Thank you in advance, sorry to babble...

PLP xxx

I should add that we are trying colief on the advice of her surgical nurse - she had a colostomy at 3 days old and is due an operation in a few weeks time as she has an imperforate anus. The stoma bag has been fine bar a few leaks so I'm sure its not that causing the pain.

When I spoke with the surgical nurse yesterday, I told her that I suspected she has acid reflux and she suggested using the colief. They are watching her weight closely because she also has a heart condition - she has managed to put on lots which is great!

We keep her upright as much as possible after a feed and haven't had any bouts of vomiting since yesterday morning but she is still crying in pain inbetween feeds in the daytime - she sleeps through the night fine too. Its all so confusing!

Colief is an enzyme - lactase - which helps break down lactose. Inability to digest lactose is thought to be a factor in colic in some babies. If you heat enzymes then they denature and stop working, so yes, putting colief in hot milk would stop it working.

I'm not sure how colief would help with reflux though which is caused by acid from the stomach being regurgitated not lactose intolerance AFAIK. If it really is reflux then she'd be better with medication specifically for reflux. Perhaps it's worth seeing your GP/paedeatrician and asking them to for advice and perhaps a prescription for reflux meds?

I thought that too tbh! I can understand advising me to use it for colic but not if it could be reflux!?

At the moment, I'm just observing her as I don't want to assume its one particular thing. Can babies suffer from colic in the daytime?

She has had a cold and does seem a little bunged up in the daytime - if she feels anything like we have with this cold, it could just be that she feels yukky!

I'm considering making up a few bottles in advance so we can put the colief into them in advance then just warm them up when she needs feeding instead of waiting around for half an hour while she screams, by which time it has cooled down too much and she is annoyed because she likes it really warm!

OK, so I think its working but I guess its too early to tell. We've not had any bouts of vomiting for over 24 hours so far...

What I don't understand is that it helps with lactose/lactase etc and breaking it down for her but how does it help with wind?

She takes in just as much air as before and is really uncomfortable with it - she has always seemed to hold her wind. Do you think I can try using gripe water with it too to help her get her wind up?

Oh Bollox!!

I heated her bottle up too much and had to wait for it to cool down before I could feed her - that means the colief won't work now doesn't it? Does anybody know exactly what 'too hot' means?

She was screaming so I had to give it to her...

Is it quiet here because its the weekend or is nobody interested?

PLP xxx

No idea about colief, can't help you there, just saying there is life here on mn, it's just a little quiet!

I used to do a colic massage on my lo which seemed to really help, poss speak to your hv who may point you in the right direction of a local baby massage person?

Good luck, she will grow out of it!

Different enzymes denature at different temperatures - some it will be above 40C, others are more resistant. I don't know about lactase specifically I'm afraid.

If it is lactose intolerance, then it will help because an inability to digest it can cause wind and gassiness.

I have to admit I'm a little sceptical as to whether lactose intolerance is really a cause of colic, but if it's working then that's the main thing! Would be interesting to see whether she's sick after having the over-heated bottle

Thank you so much, have just read my post back to myself and I've come across with a bit of an attitude there which wasn't my intention - sorry!

We seem to have defeated the sickiness (hopefully) and she seemed much happier today but this evening she has gone downhill rapidly (hence not getting back on here so quickly!). I've spoken with the stoma nurse and we're seeing her tomorrow just to eliminate anything there. I'm worried all this crying might affect her heart too but we're not seeing the cardiologist for a few weeks yet - they've told me to look out for blue lips which she definitely hasn't had so I might be reading too much into that.

We've also got our 6 week check first thing in the morning so I'm going to write a list of things so I don't forget anything...

My mum popped round earlier and said she definitely isn't 100% so I'm getting worried now. I was fine with DS and DD1 but given DD2's eventful life so far, I seem to get quite paranoid to say the least!

Thank you again, PLP xxx

Thanks absandme, I'll ask the hv on Weds when I see her - I'll try anything!

Sounds as though you've been through a lot with her. I hope you get to the bottom of what's going on - don't be afraid to insist on a second opinion if you don't feel reassured and come back and let us know how you get on tomorrow.

Thanks DaisyWhoooo, I will do

if it is a problem with lactose then why not see about trying a lactose free formula e.g. SMA LF - you should be able to get it on prescription. It means you wouldnt have to faff about with the colief as they lactose wouldnt be there in the first place.

Thanks Seona but I'm not convinced its a problem with lactose and I'm not sure why the nurse suggested using it. Saying that, how would I know if it is a problem with lactose? I'm 90% sure its wind...

Didn't manage to do the 6 week check due to 'baby brain' I'm afraid! I thought the appointment was 10.30am but it turns out it was 10am and the doctor wouldn't see me so we've rescheduled for next week. We had an emergency bag change to do so we would have been late anyways!

In the meantime, we've come off the colief (over the course of yesterday we cut down to every other bottle). Today, we went back onto the infacol which seems to be helping so far. No vomiting for two days now and we've even had a few proper burps today!! She still has awful wind though - maybe there's no cure and its one of those things that we have to go through...

Cheers!

PLP xxx