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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Should I take 7wo ds2 to the GP for a suspected case of reflux?

19 replies

beansprout · 17/03/2008 07:53

He possets a lot and about once a day we have a huge vomit, sometimes of the projectile variety; he fusses quite a lot when feeding and is very prone to hiccups. He also screams pretty much constantly for about 3 hours every evening and often does this gurning/grimacing thing as if he has something nasty in his mouth, which I think is acid. All in all, I think this is a case of reflux.

Is there any point in going to see the GP i.e. is there anything they can actually do or should I just stay at home and keep feeding the washing machine?
Weight gain and nappies are fine btw.

OP posts:

SheherazadetheGoat · 17/03/2008 07:56

dd was like this. health visiter doctors etc just made soothing noises. i think if weight gain is fine it shouldn't be a worry.

but it is horrible. dd got alot better as soon as she could sit up.

Original poster

beansprout · 17/03/2008 08:38

Would baby gaviscon help or is that for cases a lot worse than this?

OP posts:

SheherazadetheGoat · 17/03/2008 08:43

i didn't bother with gaviscon as i really didn't liket he idea of giving dd anything at such a young age. but ask your gp. the screamy stage does end i promise.

i used to carry dd in a sling as she hated lying in a pushchair. i was accompanied by the sound of splashing as she merrily puked her way round town.

Original poster

beansprout · 17/03/2008 08:56

I'm a bit averse to it myself but he just looks so distressed sometimes. He does like the sling though so will use that a bit more. That feeling of someone puking in your cleavage is not a great one though, is it?!!

Thanks for your replies Goaty.

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SheherazadetheGoat · 17/03/2008 09:07

ah yes teh pukey bosom. just stuff lots of cloths down there. i remember my friend picking up dd and saying 'ah lovely sicky baby' cos her ds had been sicky adn it made her all broody!

Original poster

beansprout · 17/03/2008 09:07

Cor, hormones eh?!

OP posts:

FloriaTosca · 17/03/2008 09:33

Beansprout; no experience myself but one of the girls on my antenatal thread has had a bad case with her dd (about 5 months old now). I believe she uses baby gaviscon, bfs her sitting up as much as possible and has her sleeping with the cot tilted...I think....I'll try to link this to bring it to her attention...hope things improve for you soon

BellaBear · 17/03/2008 09:40

See my thread in sleep re reflux - ds has been prescribed ranitidine and it has helped with the throwing up A LOT (it suppresses the over-production of stomach acid). There comes a point where is stops just being a laundry problem and starts being a worry. And ds has been putting on loads of weight - which can be a symptom of reflux. Does yours cry when he lies on his back?
We now have a huuuge sleeping problem instead! (And a little laundry problem)

BellaBear · 17/03/2008 09:42

also ranitidine is a hell of a lots easier to give than gaviscon if you are bf. GP said gaviscon is what they prescribe to start with to weed out the minor cases and ranitidine is what treats proper reflux. DS HATED teh gavison and it was a total PITA to administer.

Original poster

beansprout · 17/03/2008 10:11

Sorry, have just had another major puke!!

He does cry when he is laying down during the day and naps are a real problem but he tends to be ok at night.

OP posts:

fettleandbabyfettle · 17/03/2008 10:43

Beany - Hello!!! Hope you are well other than this?

anyway, just wanted to say that my DD did this - was in and out of the GP and finally taken to hospital for a check over, but noone could tell me what the problem was!

when I had DS this time around, I explained all the symptoms DD had had and my HV immediately said that it sounded like reflux to her! Great a diagnosis about 4 years too late!!!!

Anyway, she did suddenly improve one day around 16 weeks, I seem to remember, but she still was sick very easily up until about 6 months ago! Crying, coughing, choking you name it, if it made her wretch she'd be sick! Thankfully all grown out of it now (touch-wood!).

There's no harm in going to the GP, just for reassurance if nothing else. I took DS as he had similar symptoms but nowhere near as bad as DD ( no vomiting!) and was prescribed Gaviscon, which did help him a bit, but was a nightmare to feed as he was BF! But after a few days treatment, he seemed to settle down - whether he would have done without the gaviscon, I'll never know!

HTH
xxx

Original poster

beansprout · 17/03/2008 10:47

Fettle - hello!!!

Everything's good thanks, as long as the washing machine doesn't pack up!! Am adjusting to having two kids. Feel like I have turned professional!

Everyone keeps saying that gaviscon is hard to get down them... does the usual syringe thing not work? Is there something I don't know?!!

OP posts:

BellaBear · 17/03/2008 11:34

I think it is because it is so much (15ml) and because it tastes horrible and because you are meant to give it after a feed by which point the baby is either not very interested in having more liquid, or is too busy throwing up already. And because you are meant to make it up as you need it which is a lot easier if you are already making a bottle of formula which you add it to. Plus reflux babies feed often and you aren't meant to give it more than six times a day. So many reasons!

Ranitidine is 0.5ml or so, given three times a day, doen't need to be given at a feed (although I give it beofre to make sure it goes down)

Original poster

beansprout · 17/03/2008 15:08

Blimey - that sounds quite involved!!

OP posts:

emma1977 · 17/03/2008 16:11

Hi beansprout- I'm a GP and mum to a 13wo babe with severe reflux.

I would say definitely take your lo to the GP. Sounds classically refluxy from what you describe. It is not true to say that if the weight gain is normal, that there's no point in treating- your baby is in pain and that's not pleasant for either of you.

Gaviscon is first-line treatment. It is a bit of a nuisance to give if baby is BF. What I do is add 6 sachets to 30ml of EBM or formula each day and draw up 5ml in a syringe to give half-way through each feed. Easier than having to make it up with each feed, it provides the same dose but in smaller volume and tastes nicer than in water. If that doesn't help after a few weeks, then a trial of ranitidine/domperidone or omeprazole may work better instead or in combination.

Remember all the other non-medical things like smaller feeds more often, propping upright after feeds, raising the cot head and put to sleep on left side can also really make a difference.

Good luck. But with a bit of trial and error, you may have to have the washing machine on less.

PeckaRolloverAgain · 17/03/2008 17:51

Gaviscon has helped us and also cranial osteopathy has definitely helped LOADS

in fact it elimnated our evening screamers and she sleeps all evening from 7pm now

ejt1764 · 17/03/2008 18:16

Hi beansprout - I'm the one with the reflux-y 5 month old that Floria told you about ... she has never had a problem with her weight gain - it's not necessarily always linked - in our case, dd feeds little and often (still), as the milk going down seems to soothe her oesophagus.

We took her to the doc at exactly this stage you're at now (7 weeks) - and had the baby gaviscon - it has made a real difference - dd is ex. bf, so I mix it with some ebm and spoon-feed it to her about 5 times a day ...

She's also been propped a great deal - we put a series of pillows under her mattress, and various wedges go everywhere with us to put her on an incline whenever she's lying down.

There's some good advice on kellymom - I'd also suggest you contact your local La Leche League group, as their bf counsellors have leaflets and advice on positioning when feeding a baby with reflux.

Just a warning that you may need to be quite stroppy with your gp - some are quite reluctant to diagnose reflux.

HTH - it doesn't last forever ... although it feels like it at times!

ejt1764 · 17/03/2008 18:17

just re-read my first sentence - I meant that DD doesn't have a problem with her weight gain, obviously!

CorrieDale · 17/03/2008 18:22

I found infant gaviscon to be helpful with DD. She was diagnosed at 6 weeks - she didn't seem to be in pain, but she wasn't gaining weight - throwing up at least 2 out of 3 feeds. The Gaviscon helped. i gave it at the beginning of the feed in a syringe. Took a week or so for her to get used to it, but then she took it like a lamb.

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