Is this reflux???

[Jenjen85]

Not sure if my DD who is 3weeks old has reflux? She has been a bit sicky for the past couple of days and last night screamed once she had a feed (I had winded her before I put her down) which isn't usually like her. She has been the same today too. She has also been blowing small bubbles for the past couple of days too and iv read that can be a sign of reflux too. Any help/advice welcome.

Oh dear.

Two of my three had reflux and it started at about three weeks. how are you feeding her? I would try to find a health visitor who has experience in this.

I'm bottle feeding her, been trying to keep her upright after a feed which seems to help. Will the health visitor give me anything to help?

Reflux is when the stomach contents ? food (milk) and acid - come back up into the gullet or into the mouth. Most babies have a degree of reflux because the muscular valve at the end of their food pipe, which acts to keep food in the stomach, hasn?t developed properly yet. This means that when your baby?s stomach is full, milk can come back up. If he brings up small amounts of milk it?s called posseting. Babies often 'posset' a bit when burping.

If your baby shows discomfort when feeding, such as arching away, refusing to feed and crying, it can be a sign of reflux. She may also frequently vomit or spit up (more than normal posseting, which is only about a teaspoon) and cough or hiccup a lot.

Reflux is one of those things that eases with time but there are some things you can do to help ease it:

• Raise the head end of the Moses basket ever so slightly using a small towel or blanket - just helps gravity to encourage the milk to stay down.

• Frequent, small feeds may help prevent her stomach getting too full.

• Keeping her upright during and for at least half an hour after a feed can help to reduce reflux by using gravity to keep the milk down. Formula fed babies may require longer periods to settle because formula is digested at a slower rate than breastmilk.

• Avoid tight clothing, particularly clothing that is tightp around your baby?s stomach, as it can make reflux worse.

• Don't have her in a car seat for long periods - Most car seats have a deep ?well? where the baby can be slumped in an uncomfortable position. When baby slumps and slouches over like this added pressure is placed on their tummy and the baby will feel the pain of rising acid.

• Gentle movements, perhaps being worn in a sling or being pushed in a buggy, may work well too. If you can find a sling you like, it's a good idea to try carrying her around as much as possible throughout the day. Carried babies tend to cry less and crying will make reflux worse, plus, it keeps her upright.

• Some parents have found that baby massage and cranial osteopathy have helped or treating it with Infacol or Infant Gaviscon but speak to your health visitor and/or doctor about this first.

Hope this helps a bit - all I can say is hang in there because it really will get better soon especially when she starts solids x

Yes and remeber to talk about it. It's easy to get so tired that you forget when you see the health visitor. Talk about it every time until it stops. Infant gaviscon worked really well for my friend (you add it to the bottle), but you'd need to talk to a health visitor or GP about it.

For me, the advice about keeping them upright and moving helped most. I forever carried my son up and down the stairs as that seemed to gove him some relief.

Oh and although it may seem a long way off: it finishes as soon as they can sit up, because then the muscles are developed