Infant reflux or cmpa

[Brittiny]

We had an appointment yesterday with a midwife who suspected dc2 might have reflux or cmpa.
he has a lot of symptoms reflux/spitting up , wet burps , congestion, cough breathing heavy, sleepy , he’s feeding every 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours.
dc1 had severe reflux and was left unmediated as she was gaining weight and a “happy baby” which lead to a feeding aversion at 8 weeks old and I fear we are in the same path again.

gp said dc2 is too young to give infant gavison and doesn’t think he has cmpa. Her suggestion was to reduce feed volume (I did do that and he was looking to feed hourly or still was hungry after his feed) he has maybe 3/4oz mostly 3oz. And that just cause he’s crying doesn’t mean I have to feed him ..

any suggestions please I need help 😫

My daughter had both and still does age nearly 5. We had symptoms from before 10 days, we started on reflux treatment at 6 weeks for physical reflux but the GP missed the silent reflux which was more severe it was 17 weeks when we started on the allergy route at the same time. We had feeding aversions too caused both by the allergies and the reflux. My daughter was breastfeed and reacted to foods I was eating, the feeding aversions became one of our earliest signs of a reaction.
Our initial GP wasn't the best and just kept telling me that reflux is a washing issue. I wish I had tried to see a different GP.
Could the midwife push for a trial of a hypoallergenic formula?

@Superscientist it’s so hard when the dr won’t listen to you I’m so sorry you went through the same x

my gp kept telling me all baby’s have reflux which i do not agree with , all baby’s do spit up a little bit yes but not vomit big volume 1-2 ft away 🥲

my first lo’s feeding aversion was the most difficult thing I’ve ever went through and it lead to me being severely depressed and I can’t do it again 😭

what symptoms did your dc have?

i don’t think that the midwife can prescribe anything without a gp signing off on it 😫 which honestly I don’t see what harm it is giving an allergy formula to trail as it would still have all the nutrients in it , I can see the hesitation to the gaviscon at a young age with constipation ect 😭

The first symptoms were feeding aversions it started with the 3 am feed around 7 days then it spread to all feeds.
Reflux
Screaming and just generally never being settled. This didn't start until 3 weeks and by about 10 weeks it was 16h a day.
She came up in a rash but it was dismissed as viral
Retrospectively she also had problematic stools she was at one point doing about 20 a day but it was only once they improved I realised how bad they were.

I was thinking they might be able to speak to the GP to say it's beyond what they would normally see and exploring cmpa might be worth considering. My HV offered to speak to my GP at one point when we were struggling to make progress but we ended up seeing a different GP and the paediatrician for something else and they sorted us out for her reflux and allergies too.

The midwives might also be able to communicate with the maternity ward and get advice from the drs there too.

My 12yo got Gaviscon at 1-2 weeks old. Had silent reflux symptoms from being in the womb and showed all the signs as a baby. Had reflux medication till he was almost 3. My nephew has CMPA and reflux

The congestion would make me think CMPA rather than reflux! That DDs first sign, though we didn’t realise until a few weeks later when the reflux and rash started. GPs seem really reluctant to diagnose CMPA, I was very lucky that ours was good from the start.

You can buy the allergy formula on Amazon if you wanted to give it a try, though obviously if baby has reflux too it may not totally clear the symptoms

My poor baby has been crying and wriggling in pain since he’s had his bottle 2 hours ago which he was crying taking he didn’t want it 😭

oh love! I personally would ask to see a new GP - ive been fobbed off for six months on various meds for reflux that was getting progressively worse, started weaning and baby got mega poorly. Got an urgent dietician appointment after, immediately gave us hypoallergenic formula and carobel - honestly ive got a new child, even with teeth coming through. Reflux is often a symptom, and GPs like to pop a sticking plaster on.

We did get on well with omeprazole between 8 weeks and 4 months, gaviscon did absolutely nothing as a newborn (increased the discomfort due to constipation).

keep an eye (well, nose) on the smell of babies poos - vinegar or rotting fish were the red flags for the dietician. It will get better - sending cuddles x

On symptoms - a very stuffy newborn, thought constant colds, wheezing, colic (5 hours screaming every night), mega reflux, sort of just had milk leaking out of mouth all the time, hard to feed, lots of thick curdled claggy sick, gargles clear liquid and choking. Hatred for breastfeeding and powder formula, only just tolerated ready made. Would only sleep upright, and the horrendous nappies. Omeprazole did get us so far x

Thankyou all for your responses❤️

my lo seems to have very similar symptoms to what you all have commented. He seems to be constipated (gp said it’s normal for newborns not to poop every day , we’re on day two of no poo, and that if it was cmpa he’d have diarrhoea) but the last poop he done was very smelly (I can’t remember do newborns poo smell ) and he’s doing very smelly farts tmi sorry

going to make contact with the midwife we seen tomorrow and also the health visitor and hopefully get somewhere , and I definitely won’t be seeing that doctor again she was unfortunately the only one available today 😫

Another thing to look out for is mucus in nappies, I didn’t realise DD had it until HV told me to google image it as it can just be small shiny flecks. Agree that if you can get referred to a dietitian they’re much more helpful than a GP

went to a different gp who prescribed infant gaviscon and we have been on it almost a week but lo is still bringing up feeds and is crying and arching on the bottle.
how long does it normally take to work :( ?
theh are also extremely unsettled all the time unless there asleep, and cry inconsolably for 3+ hours every evening :(

Oh love! Id go back, gaviscon didnt work for us but omeprazole has been fab. Hows the other symptoms? X

Gaviscon is pretty instant as in it thickens the stomach contents as soon as it's mixed and the theory is that this will make it harder to reflux. Its often not entin it's own. I'd go back and ask for omperazole