experts on refluxy babies please

[bethylou]

DS2,aged 12 weeks, has reflux. DS1 had it (though of the silent variety) and I thought I would know most of the answers this time round, but I don't!

The sickness is irritating, but more worryingly DS2 retches repeatedly after feeds and struggles to breathe during these episodes (so I don't dare leave him with anyone except DH).

He is on ranitidine but it is not the wonder drug that it was for DS1. DS2 is now struggling to feed from me due to discomfort (which causes 10 mins of feeding to take an hour to complete - not easy with DS1 around) He won't take a bottle so I can't just give up breast feeding but I am sitting here weepy, weary and very frustrated. I have a sympathetic GP who I will see again tomorrow but I don't know what to ask him really. Omeprazole maybe? (DH takes this - it's a fmaily issue!)

DS2 also wakes at approx 4 or 5a.m with terrible bottom wind which takes him about half an hour to an hour to shift. I'm sure this is linked to being difficult to wind after feeds but if anyone has any suggestions on this front I'd be really grateful too. He doesn't feed in the night now so it's frustrating to have to be up for winding!

It's been a bad day today and I'd be grateful of any advice/experiences as I'd currently try anything. Have already seen a chiropractor and this has helped a bit. Thanks in advance.

It may take couple of days. Meanwhile, you could give your son Gaviscon to help with the acids.
Which is the dosage at the moment? That's the only key to improvement. Doctors tend to start with a very low one and ask you to wait a month, but in my experience, if you don't see major changes in one week, you have to go back and pretend a new dosage. Don't wait a month.
Can't you feed your DS in another room at the toddler group ?

We found that dd2 was worse for a week and exceptionally windy. I was on the verge of marching into the gps when there was a sudden improvement.

I would say maybe worse for first few days and improvement after 2-4 weeks. I was expecting/hoping for 100% better but it was about 40-50% improvement in the irritability, the reflux remained the same. The only thing that helped us was time and when he was old enough to crawl/play and take his mind of the reflux. Don't want to be negative but just realistic as I read things about miracle cures etc and wondered why DS wasn't better.

Thanks. GP said 5mg (half a tablet) as he was going on his weight from 3 weeks ago (6kg). However, as DS is now 7.2kg, I am giving him two thirds (do shout if this sounds wrong! I hoped to speak to the GP to check today but couldn't get through).

I went to playgroup with a bottle of expressed milk which he had enough of to keep him going till we got home. There is no other room to use unfortunately.

He seems better today but don't know if that's just a coincidence (and don't want to jinx things.

Ranitidine did seem to provide an almost miraculous cure for DS1 which is why we have been a bit surprised that it hasn't done the trick for DS2, although he is much worse.

Good to hear you had a better day!