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Original poster

Severe reflux - subsequent babies?

16 replies

Liland · 21/05/2019 10:08

Hi all,

My LO (now 4 months) has severe (mostly) silent reflux - takes omeprazole and nutramigen formula for possible CMPA, and has developed a feeding aversion from the pain.

What I'm wondering is, if we were to have another baby, what are the chances of having another LO with such severe feeding issues? I guess there's probably no real statistics out there, but personal anecdotes? Did anyone have a first baby with problems and a second baby who was fine, or had more minor problems? I have no idea if the reflux has a hereditary aspect to it.

We're going to see how things are with LO in a year or so and then decide (so many other factors of course, including a potential second section as I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try VBAC), but other peoples' experiences would be invaluable to me.

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DippyAvocado · 21/05/2019 10:15

DC1 had bad reflux although we didn't need omeprazole as it was controlled by ranitidine (although that did nothing to reduce the vomiting!). Diagnosed at 5 months with CMPI.

DC2 had silent reflux. It wasn't as severe as DC1 although she also ended up on medication. It was much easier to deal with second time round as I knew what to expect and found medical professionals listened to me more readily. She also had CMPI but because I knew that was a possibility I breastfed for much longer as it was more manageable to have me go dairy-free than to try to get formula in prescription.

Both grew out of reflux by about 9 months to a year and out of CMPI by age two.

Myotherbagisgucci · 21/05/2019 10:23

DD1 had silent reflux and used to refuse feeds, which was thankfully resolved by switching to MAM bottles, SMA anti reflux milk and Ranitidine. She fully grew out of it by the time she was 7 months.

DD2 has colic (quite badly) but otherwise, she likes her milk and is a very hungry baby.

Spanneroo · 21/05/2019 10:36

DD1 had reflux. DD2 didn't have any issues whatsoever. Not even colic. Completely different newborn experience. Hopefully you'll get the same.

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soontobefour4 · 21/05/2019 10:51

Other way round for me - DS1 didn't suffer, DS2 has reflux which we're managing with Gaviscon and ranitidine

GrasswillbeGreener · 21/05/2019 10:53

My husband was pretty bad as a baby I assume reflux probably part of it, his brother was very much easier. Didn't hear about that until after our eldest was born ... She was pretty bad but not treated as I kept getting fobbed off. When her brother was born the GP made a point of telling me that their thinking on reflux had moved on and if he had any similar problems they would support treating him Of course, he was fine.

As teenagers they're ok. Eldest though probably went up to age 10 with significant unacknowledged reflux symptoms thinking they were "normal" as she described them to me once when ill age 11 but "it hardly ever happens now mummy". I felt bad at that point! She'd started keeping food down better once she was upright at a year, and started gain weight properly, so I'd stopped worrying so much.

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 21/05/2019 10:55

Dc1 no reflux.
Dc2 had awful awful reflux (still suffers occasionally now, at 8).
Dc3 had silent reflux (all but going by 14/15 months).
Dc4 no reflux.
Dc5 no reflux.
I think it was just coincidence that dc3 had silent reflux following dc2’s bad case.

Original poster

Liland · 21/05/2019 11:16

Looks a bit like luck of the draw then. That makes me feel a bit more hopeful if we do decide to try for another! Thanks :)

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UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 21/05/2019 11:34

DC1 had reflux, managed by Gaviscon. It didn't bother her much.
DC2 was way worse. The consultant who did his barium swallow described it as the worst case of silent reflux he'd ever seen. He was on an NG tube for the first month because he wouldn't feed at all, and we essentially had to force feed him or feed him in his sleep for the first 18 months, even with meds and thickener. He's 7 now and still has reflux issues every day, though it doesn't hurt, thankfully.

sleepysleepy19 · 21/05/2019 21:40

I hope it isn’t genetic, as I really don’t fancy going through that again!

Anecdotally, I was apparently a horrific baby who all but refused milk, screamed for the first nine months of my life and would only sleep for two hours at a time being driven around in the car. Learning to walk apparently solved this. My sister, 18 months younger and very much an accident, was apparently an angel.

My MIL tells me that my OH screamed whenever he was laid down flat for months, and was a very ‘sicky’ baby. His sister, three years younger, was a very easy baby with no issues.

Obviously reflux wasn’t really diagnosed in the 70s and 80s, but these stories give me hope.....

DippyAvocado · 22/05/2019 01:37

Also in the 70s, I was a "colicky" baby who vomited everywhere. Apparently patches of my vomit turned the furniture white so it was obviously undiagnosed reflux. Both my DC had reflux as I mentioned above. My DB didn't have it though.

elliejjtiny · 22/05/2019 01:49

I have 5 dc. Dc3 had severe reflux, was on domperidone, ranitidine and Davison and was in and out of hospital with it. Dc1 and dc5 didn't have any reflux. Dc2 and dc4 had it very mildly and it was gone before 3 months. Dc3 is now 8 and still pukes whenever he has a cough.

Slippersandacuppa · 22/05/2019 01:52

DC1 - no reflux
DC2 - severe silent reflux, hospital stay, drugs etc. More or less gone by the time he turned one. Still the fussiest eater by far and I think the reflux is to blame. Also he’s tiny.
DC3 - no reflux
DC4 - no reflux

So no link in my house, thank goodness. It’s heartbreaking to go through, isn’t it

edgeofheaven · 22/05/2019 02:44

DC1 - reflux and colic
DC2 - neither!

redbirdblackbird · 22/05/2019 02:48

My second baby has awful reflux. Ranitidine with omeprazole controlled it. Number 3 is perfectly fine.
Also remember that second time around you’d be more on the ball with it and know what to look for

Original poster

Liland · 22/05/2019 11:54

Thanks all who've responded :) Yes, I'd hope that if a new baby had the same problems, the Drs would at least listen to me more and wouldn't treat me like a hysterical first time mother before it got so bad we were rushed to hospital as an emergency for his breathing (reflux pain).

It is hard. Nice to know I'm not alone, but also sad for all those other babies and families going through it.

OP posts:

MummyBear2352 · 22/05/2019 14:27

As far as I know reflux has no genetic link, is purely chance.

But allergies like CMPA do have a genetic link. My daughter and my husband have it, which made it about 70% likely that another child would also have it. With just 1 sibling chance would be around 30%.

Our second is 5 days old and developed a rash from formula and would not latch to breastfeed, so has been put straight onto Pepti 1 by our very helpful GP on a trial basis.

We discussed our concerns with the GP and our daughters dietician prior to trying for a second to get their opinions and ensure we had their support and wouldn't have to fight for help in same way we had to with our daughter, maybe do this too?

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