INFANT GAVISCON CAUSING CONSTIPATION - ADVICE PLEASE...

[wilkie50]

My 8 week old DS has quite bad reflux and dr has prescribed infant Gaviscon - 1 sachet into every 5oz bottle. It works brilliantly at stopping him being sick but problem is, it makes him constipated.

Have tried cutting it down to half a sachet just in his daytime bottles but it doesn't stop the reflux and I am scared to increase in case he gets constipated again.

Anyone else found this and what did you do?

hi - ds2 had reflux quite badly as a baby & got really constipated. The effort of pooing used to make him puke even more (sorry if thats tmi)! I used to give him sips of cooled boiled water which seemed to help. He used to make really pathetic gasps when he was trying to go & more often than not would bleed. The HV did suggest I try massaging his back passage with some vaseline as this can help as it stimulates them into going but I was too much of a wuss!

Massage tummy, and also 1 tsp freshly sqeezed orange juice in an oz of water.

You can get lactulose on prescrip if needed

cooled boiled water and baby massage should help

I always find a dose of calpol does it, I know theres alot being said about colours and additives at the moment regarding calpol and others but it eases the pain & discomfort and bingo! Release!

go back to the doc and tell them

(there are other medicines they can try)

gaviscon did that to dd and we had to stop using it

We stopped using this with both our sons with reflux-instead used enfamil ar formula milk. Some constipation still occurred but not as bad. HV then said we could wean the boys on fruit first rather than baby rice to alleviate the problem when they were at the right age

Thanks for the advice. Fizzbuzz, I have been giving 1tsp fresh orange in 4oz water, didn't realise you could give it in 1oz. Will try that as this seems to work. If not, will try other suggestions.

I used to syringe it in, dd's mouth would clamp shut at the prospect of it in a bottle

My DS Was diagnosed with reflux for a very young age and carried on till he was about 14 months old.
Gaviscon was also prescribed and made my LO very constipated and Ill.

We went onto carobel, a feed thickener by Cow and Gate. We were prescribed it by the GP (after asking for it) and within one feed it was like having a different baby. It is natural too- just carob seed flour.

IIRC, you used one scoop to an ounce of milk (although we used less, you need to tweak the dose to your baby- ie if they puke or not)

I would definately say its worth a try!

HTH
Novax

Carobel made my dd ill at 2 weeks old. Very bad diaorreah....enough to phone emergency doctor..........

Also you have to make teat holes bigger to allow the stuff through. I found it a real PITA TBH!