Reflux - what helped your baby?

[SweetLittleBee]

My little boy was diagnosed with reflux at 3 weeks and prescribed Gaviscon by our GP. We tried the Gaviscon for a few weeks and it didn't seem to improve the situation, just added constipation to the mix. He's now 8 weeks and it seems to be getting worse. He cries pretty much all day when he's not feeding (he's ebf) and can hardly sleep as he wakes himself up coughing and spluttering and bringing up clear acidy sick. We've been referred to the paed but warned it could take up to 8 weeks to be seen. I'm feeling pretty desperate now as it's just horrible seeing him so unhappy and not being able to console him. I've just started excluding dairy from my diet in the hope that it might help. Would do anything really as I'm feeling like a pretty rubbish mum at the moment.

Just wanted to hear how other mums coped with reflux. Should I think about seeing someone privately? What medications etc helped your little one? How did you stay sane?!

Thanks so much!

My dd was in hospital with reflux, she was very very poorly.

We were given ranitadine and domperidone as a first step

then omoprozole which helped a bit, they also changed her milk in case of cmpi which has turned out not to be a issue.

When feeding do in small batches, so little and often at one point dd fed every hour, the less that goes in means theres less to come back up, after feeding keep as up right as possible and when sleeping pop on front at a slant.

When dd was in intensive care the nurses put her on her front which stopped her choking on the fluids it made a big difference.

Ranitidine.

DS was on gaviscon by 8 weeks but it made him horribly constipated. After a battle I did manage to get a GP to give him ranitidine (apparently only consultant GPs are allowed to prescribe it).

By 4 months though he had eczema and we were seeing a dermatologist and allergist as he also has a cows milk protein allergy.

He's just turned 2 and is still on ranitidine. He had a brief stint on omeprazole about a year ago.

Ranitidine is generally the next step and after that omeprazole. It can be related to a cmpa.

Oh, if you think it's a cmpa you have to exclude soya from your diet too when they're little as they can be allergic to both. Which is why soya and goats milk isn't recommended as an alternative.

Do you wind regularly? Tilt the mattress in the cot too and hold upright for 20 mins after every feed.

It's a horrible time, I sympathise. DS just used to scream.

Gaviscon worked nicer for us, but I know it doesn't for everyone. I used to feed on one side, give gaviscon, then feed on the other - I don't know if this made a difference to constipation?

There are non-medical things you can do to ease the pain a bit - keep him upright as much as possible (a stretchy wrap was good for this), no waistbands round his tummy (so he wore either babygros or dungarees until I weaned him), you can give them a dummy (which I didn't want to do and actually he wouldn't take when I gave in and tried it, but has worked for friends), and I changed the way I burped him - I'd been slinging him over my shoulder and rubbing his back, but realising that brought everything back up I tried the one where you sit them on your lap and lean them around in a circle, that was a bit gentler on his tummy.

8 weeks is absurd, is there nothing else your GP can try? Ranitidine is usually the next step after Gaviscon and they should be able to prescribe that. The other thing I was told is that you need the full amount of doses of gaviscon for it to be making a difference, so six a day or it's not worth giving any.

On a practical level, you just might end up feeding a lot and having to get changed often. Lots and lots of muslins, always bring a change of clothes with you, and get used to feeding in public! My boy was never off the boob. That's not ideal though!

"worked nicer"?? I think autocorrect snuck that nicer in there, I definitely didn't type that!

We were eventually given Domperidone for DD, having tried infacol and ranitidine from the GP. This seemed to give her the most relief. Also feeding Omneo Comfort formula (I'd had to stop bf at 7 weeks as she was very jaundiced and that was when her reflux began in earnest - before that she'd been very windy and colicky though so it was probably a coincidence) was recommended.

I took her to baby massage classes and found that rubbing the heel of the hand very gently in a clockwise motion around her tummy button helped ease her discomfort.

You have my deepest sympathy though, she's 9 this week and I still vividly recall having to hold her bolt upright against me, walking up and down the living room every day from 4pm to 6pm when it was worst, as it was the only thing that stopped her crying til we got the Domperidone...

Sadly the only thing that seems to be helping my Ds is time, the more upright he has become and the more solids he has the better.
Trying to go dairy free is a good idea. We use carobel to thicken milk instead of gaviscon as it doesn't constipate, not sure it would work for bf though. My DS is badly affected by eating tomatoes/carrots/apples anything acidic really, not sure if you cutting those out would help though. Has he been checked for tongue tie? That can apparently make reflux symptoms worse, DSs wasn't spotted until he was 9 months.

Ranitidine and Domperidone helped. Time helped.

Gaviscon was an utter waste of time, and constipated her to boot.

Sorry to hijack this thread but how long ago were people being prescribed Rantidine?! My dd has been suffering awful and I'm now waiting for a 3rd opinion as no doctor will prescribe anything but gaviscon (which made her worse and she was like the girl out of the exorcist) they are saying that nothing is licensed for under 3 so the system won't allow them to prescribe it! My dd is now 16 weeks old and this has been going on for over 10 weeks. We have had ultrasounds to check no blockages, but could see the trapped wind though, and allergy tests and we are waiting to hear from the paediatrician but been waiting for 10weeks now which i follow up on. We have been in the hospital countless times but they don't prescribe anything just send letters to the GP.
I am at the end of my tether, she will not go in her pram, bouncer or sling. She is only happy sitting still on my lap with me rubbing her belly.
I think this is an area issue for me (I'm in the north west) as family members in other areas of the country get medication.
Apologies for the hijack and I hope you get sorted OP and you dont have the messing round I have had.

laura ours was last year so quite recent.

Ranitidine here too

Dd is on Ranitidine and Domperidone she was in special care and prescribed these at 3 days old.

She sleeps with a wedge in her cot so on an incline, we wind her every 30 ml, and keep her as upright as possible after feeding - at least 30 minutes.

She was on EBM but I had to thicken it as it was just too runny and she kept bringing it up.

I couldn't keep the expressing up and she's now on Apitimil anti reflux formula.

Fingers crossed it seems to be managed by a combo if these measures.

My ds was on ranitidine for over a year.

laura the GP wouldn't prescribe anything else, but I badgered her for a referral to paeds. Luckily (as it turned out) dd was admitted for one night with suspected second-time bronchoilitis (was a cold) and she got checked and seen and was prescribed the right meds on the spot.

I was not happy with my otherwise lovely GP and totally understand what you're saying. I'd go back and ask for a referral to a paediatrician, if its bad.

sorry, just seen you have been in hospital already. Grrrr on your behalf, you may be right about location?? Any way you could get a one off private appointment, if its not too expensive??

DS has been on ranitine for two years.

Our GP prescribed it but it had to be a GP consultant as its not licensed for children. It sounds like you are having a terrible time. Can you chase up your referral? There's no reason why you shouldn't be prescribed ranitidine??

Thanks for your helpful advice everyone. Nice to not feel so alone.

My little boy was checked for tongue tie and given the all clear but I know his latch still isn't great as he never opens quite wide enough even though we've had lots of support. Might have to rethink BF? Would hate to stop but don't want to make it worse for him.

I'm so at the end of my tether that we've decided to see a paed privately next week as our gp won't prescribe anything more than gaviscon. As my little boy is still putting on weight they won't bring forward our NHS appointment as urgent. Poor little man - feel so sad to see him so uncomfy and the constant crying is really bringing me down. Really feel for you too laura - so frustrating! Our experience of GPS and HV has been pretty poor too. My HV told me off for holding my son too much and that I should put him own in his cot and leave him to cry. :(

Thanks again for the advice ladies x

Hi,

I've commented on various reflux threads. GPS view it as laundry issue. Cheeky wotsits.

Our dd grew out of it at a year. When newborn she could vomit length of sofa. Was awful. Ranitidine and domperidone were game changers. Great advice off here.

Vomit (or not if silent) only half an issue. It's blooming hard to cope with far beyond fecking laundry. Look after yourself as it can be v depressing.

Wedges in cot also help

Xxxx

OP the GP said to lower her feeds she only has 4 bottles a day I deman feed so it's what she wants. They don't seem to be bothered as she's gaining weight though she's on the 9 centile!
Just been back the Drs (for me this time) and I enquired about a consultant GP apparently they don't exist! I can't afford to go privately for the paediatrician or I would, I'm number 90 on the list! After 10 weeks!
Hope u get sorted OP it's awful x

laura have you tried taking her to a&e when she is having a bad episode?

Yes and they just send recommendations for meds to the GP, and this is a children's hospital! On her hospital admission forms the reason for admitting is "nervous mum"! Am really angry and upset. They've seen what she's like and have videoed her and they do nothing! X

Dairy and soya free diet.
Omeprazole.

Nothing else touched it.

So why is the GP ignoring the hospitals recommendations? And why aren't the hospital giving you a prescription?

I think the service you've had is shocking. Can you not see a different GP?

Some GPs just fob reflux off with, oh they'll grow out of it, they're putting on weight. It's bollocks. DS always put on weight and was still miserable. He's still on ranitidine aged 2.

Agreed pobble. Sodding colic gave me pnd. Reflux for a year weren't much better. Whilst dd could vom 7ft at longest and also require five clothes changes before leaving the house at our worst it was purely purely mental tenacity thAt kept me going. And frankly that felt like luck every day. It was bloody luck every day!

Reflux is more issues than vomit.

Going strictly dairy and soy free here too, along with ranitidine.

DS has more issues with soy than diary reflux wise. It's tough as soy lectithins are in everything but we manage.

Keeping him upright for 30 mins after every feed helped too, as fud propping the cot up.

Hi. Our DD suffered with reflux. She was bf (with a formula top up at last feed) and seemed to feed or cry - she was a very unhappy, unsettled baby. Gaviscon didn't do anything and we were referred to the hospital who prescribed ranitidine.

We had a long wait for the referral and while we were waiting we introduced c&g anti reflux formula. Last thing at night and once in the day. It made a massive difference. She was able to sleep comfortably. We also raised her mattress.

By the time we had the appointment at the hospital her reflux was much improved. The ranitidine helped her as well. She's 1 now and only occasionally leaky and has been pain free for a while