reflux

[gem1984]

what are the symptoms for reflux and how do you know if ur baby has it.

i have 9 wk old who is sick a lot after feeds and seems to have belly ache a lot.

ive tried colic deops etc in case it was that but no avail.

Thanks Bonkerz
The gaviscon definately seems to help with the posseting which was really starting to get us down as most of our ds feed seemed to be coming back! He does still have difficulty getting wind up tho' and sometimes i think the feed that comes back is happening because it is sitting on top of wind - if that makes sense?! I thought the infacol might help? What do you (& others) think?

Have you thought about cranio sacral therapy or cranial osteopathy? My ds had silent reflux and it really has helped. There are loads of threads about reflux where people have tried it with positive results. I didn't know he had reflux till I took him to see the therapist when he was about 9 weeks old; I took him to see him because he cried all day and I couldn't put him down at all. Friends suggested I try this as it had helped them. If I have a 3rd baby, I will take it along much much sooner just to be checked out.

Elsie - if the gaviscon is working it's worth going back to the GP and asking for enfamil AR. It's a bit like sma staydown but you can get it on prescription. We used this with great success. Trouble with infacol and gripe water with reflux is the burp can encourage more sickness so be a bit careful. Gaviscon forms and congealed layer on top of the milk which can trap wind but enfamil doesn't and we found DS to be much less windy on it. Enfamil costs the same for your GP to prescribe as gaviscon so shouldn't be a problem for him/her.

With a reflux baby only try and wind them for a few minutes after the feed is over and don't stop/start the feed to wind if it upsets them - getting upset will make thewind and reflux worse. Wind does come up eventually so don't get stressed over it. If you haven't already you could try wearing baby in and upright position in a sling/wrap/papoose, the position is great for reflux and they find it soothing which in turn helps the reflux - just don't forget to stuff a teatowel in between you both!

just to let you know that you can actually get SNA staydown on prescription. DS2 had quite bad reflux & when I'd bought about my 3rd tin the chemist told me to speak to my gp to get a prescription. GP had to ring the chemist as I dont think its been available all that long but chemist was right.

My ds had HIDDEN reflux so was diagnosed quite late.I changed milk to OMNEO comfort by Cow and Gate.I called Cow and gate and they were helpful than any doctor or HV.You must never lie baby flat!Put a towel under everything you can ie mattress(pillows though),changing mat.Dont lay flat ever.You cannot apparently cure reflux but you can prevent.Little feeds as the milk spashes up and comes in contact with the muscle(cant remember what its called)and thus causes vomitting.The levels of acid are diff in the tummy than the throat.Good luck.

Hi
I wondered if it was ok to use infacol and infant gaviscon, not at the same time obviously. i have a 12 week old whose wind seems to be getting worse, and who is now chucking up two hours after a feed, which to me seems to be some kind of reflux.doctor prescribed infant gaviscon but he said the baby is very windy. so im tempted to start using infacol again, which i found quite useful when he was smaller
thanks

Oh god, is giving me nightmares just reading all of this. My DD1 was said to have reflux and gaviscon sorted it. DD2 was much worse, screaming in pain during and after feeds, chucking up, not sleeping, arching, etc. so again said reflux. Gaviscon made no difference, so then got ranitidine and omeprazole, no real difference either. told to start weaning and she then got worse!!!!! Was breastfeeding which is meant to be easiest for them to digest anyway, so wasnt prescribed any different type of formula. She is now 8 months and symptoms have changed, not puking or screaming at feeds, but still incredibly windy and now has stomach pains and constipation. Now told to try dairy free diet. Anyway, dont mean to scare you but if it doesnt improve, you might want to look for other reasons too!!! Sometimes is v.straightforward, sometimes not!!!! Am praying for a miracle for our LO soon!!!

Liquidclocks, just read back over your comment and you seem to know quite a bit about it. My LO still v.windy and we have gone back to trying infacol and gripe water as gripe water did sometimes help bring up wind before. If it is reflux, could that make them more uncomfortable??? We'll never know for sure if was reflux, as meds no great success and we tried a ph probe in hospital twice and she pulled it out each time. We took her off meds as symptoms no longer seemed such classic reflux, but could constipation and wind still be a part of it? Paediatrician doesnt seem to think so, he said, most reflux babies just grow out of it so we probably have something else as well. Bummer!!!