Gas and reflux pains - I'm running out of ideas

[december2020]

DS 6weeks (came 4 weeks before due date) has developed really bad reflux (where it comes out like a water fountain at times) and gas pains and I can hear him squeak in pain when it happens. It's come to the point that it'll interrupt his sleep and he struggles to go back to sleep from the discomfort even though he's yawning and tired.

So far I've done all the obvious things like held him upright while feeding, keeping him upright after feeds, winding him often (just aggravates the reflux more), I bought infalcol but haven't used it yet as heard it could make reflux even worse, done the tummy massages and bicycle kicks, feeding him smaller portions less often etc. He is FF.

He's doing loads of wet and dirty nappies so it doesn't seem to be affecting his weight gain in that sense (and therefore I've waited till my next HV appointment).

The HV is coming on Tuesday so will ask for her professional opinion or course but in the meantime would anyone have any tips or suggestions on how I could make his little life a little more bearable?
What has worked for you?

You might need reflux meds

@dementedpixie you're most likely right! Wasn't sure if it was something that could be helped with anti reflux formula but didn't want to change to that without speaking to HV/GP.
We'll just need to tough it out till Tuesday - poor little dude.

You don't need to wait til Tuesday - the HV can't prescribe anything so call your GP tomorrow.

@Aquicknamechange2019 will do thank you! I have a small niggly feeling they may just tell me to wait it out as when he's not refluxing and gassy he's totally happy and he's still gaining weight. But maybe they'll tell me what formula to try that could help him.

Updating incase anyone is in a similar position and finds this thread.

We saw the GP on Monday who was going to prescribe gaviscon for infants but wanted to rule a thing out so we got sent to the hospital. It was ruled out and I was told the reason for him vomiting is him over eating and was told to put him on a very restricted diet for 3-4 days to rule it out and said demand feeding was bad and it shouldn't be done.

I questioned this and it went against my instincts but they were adamant. So we tried that for the next 20 hours - no change.

Then the health visitor arrived and she was furious at their diagnosis (she's got over 30 years experience, including paediatrics and A&E). She's put a plan in place and will get involved with the GP to make sure they know the papers back from the hospital are wrong.

First step now is to give him anti reflux formula and to continue to demand feed to see what happens. It's been about 9-10 hours since she left and he's a totally different baby! So happy, relaxed, no vomiting and probably catching up on weeks of needed sleep and food as he's chugging milk and sleeping like no other!

I'm getting her some wine and chocolates next time we see her!

Ffs can't believe they told you to put a 6 week old on a diet - idiots!

Ludicrous isn't it!!
I did question them a few times but they fobbed me off and stood by their 'diagnosis'.

A further update if anyone does stumble across this thread but also as a place to be able to offload.

Little one did so well for the first few days on the anti reflux formula but now it seems to have got worse. He's keeping the anti reflux formula down but now is in severe crying pain when he passes gas or poos (poos are soft).

He's in so much pain and after each feed I can sometimes hear his stomach churning while he arches and cries from it. The poos I think have some acid or something in them that are giving him an awful nappy rash.

I called the extended hours GP on Sunday and they suspect a milk allergy and have a prescription but the pharmacy won't have it in until Tuesday (tomorrow).

I don't know how to make him feel better till then and what if that doesn't work work either? 🥲 it just breaks my heart that I can't help him.

Perhaps speak to gp about meds for reflux? Infant gaviscon with every feed,and omeprazole were the winning combination for us after baby was hospitalised with reflux. Baby is 5 months old now.

@SpinningBob I was going to test the milk allergy formula to see if that would work first but you're right - it's probably worth calling the GP again today to see what else they could do - especially if the milk allergy formula doesn't work.

I’ve been through this recently as baby was hospitalised with reflux, I really feel how stressful this is for you. I felt that it would be best to start with what was quickest/easiest to help baby first, and thankfully my gp was very good. We started with a small dose of each and within 2 weeks were on full dosage of both gaviscon and omeprazole which made a huge(!) difference, we could all breathe again. He was choking so badly that we weren’t sleeping at all,just taking it in turns to stay awake and watch him all night-which was hard as husband was working from home and 2 older kids at home to so no relief through the day. We started weaning at just around 5 months (well 21 weeks if you want to look at it that way) and 4 weeks later he is now happily munching away on porridge for breakfast, and 2 courses for lunch and dinner, and hadn’t been really sick for weeks! Hang in there,it won’t last forever

@SpinningBob that sounds super tough!, both the hospitalisation and trying to juggle everything at home! I'm so happy he's got much better and loving 2 course meals now
I called the GP but sadly couldn't get a telephone appointment (or other appointment today) so calling again tomorrow first thing. I'll take a leaf out of your book and try get what the easiest thing to get is and start with that.
Did you try anti reflux formula too? I think the gaviscon does the same thing? So maybe we get omeprazole. Thankfully my HV is solid gold, she's just on annual leave this week and my GP has been good too. Hopefully tomorrow we'll have something new to try and help him! It really is heartbreaking trying to figure out what will be the magic combination for him.

Luckily a friend of a friend is a paediatrician,and I had an hours call with her for advice(thankfully as my health visitor this time round was , and still is ,dreadful) and my g.p referral to our local paediatric dept at big hospital had a 10 week wait for a non-urgent case-anyway she said to avoid the anti reflux milk as it sits like cement in the babies tummy. She did actually say about reducing the amount of milk in each feed as well(also formula fed baby)-more of a little and often approach, as obviously if the tummy is less full,less likely to reflux. It sounds like what they said to you about a restricted diet, and on more of a schedule as well-but said with a better beside manner than how it was said to you! My older two were breastfed so this is all new to me as well, and felt like going against my instinct to demand feed-however after a few days we really settled into it. I wrote down the feed amounts and timings on a big sheet of paper beside the Perfect Prep machine, and we more or less managed to stick to it,within 30/60mins. I would say the combination of both gaviscon and omeprazole took about 2weeks to get the right doseage, and then another week or so after that to see a huge difference. I’ve basically lives and breathed how to manage a refluxy baby for the last 5 months! Usually if you say on the phone the appointment is for a baby so young you would be given a same day appointment,so I would ask and ask again tomorrow morning. Good luck x

Have you considered the Cocoonababy? It elevates the baby about 15 degrees (rather than lying completely flat) and has this tummy band that puts slight pressure/comfort around the middle. My sister's two babies had horrendous reflux and someone recommended the cocoonababy to her and she claims it's a miracle worker for the first 6 months. My mum was adamant that she shouldn't use it, SIDS risk of not lying 100% horizontal, but DS couldn't go on for months with literally zero sleep. Both bubs are now gorgeous happy campers. Hang in there, I hope you get the support you need

@SpinningBob thank you so much for your support and also sharing your experience!! It's really helpful! And how handy to have as a friend of a friend! Totally agree with the little and often feeding, we were trying that before the first GP appointment, but he couldn't even keep an oz down. The hospital diagnosis was based on overfeeding and she said it wasn't reflux (because we kept feeding him to make sure he had something in him and didn't get dehydrated from all the vomiting).
Oh god, that sounds scary with the reflux formula! It was something our HV recommended (and the only thing he's managing to keep down) but maybe it's the cement-ness that's giving him all the tummy problems. Definitely will persist tomorrow morning, can't wait for this all to be over and a distant memory, it's my first child so he's definitely put me through my paces xx

@Growingyou aww thank you so much!! I'm going to look into that as I think the slight pressure around his tummy could really be something good! Tummy time lying on my tummy is one of the only things giving him relief when it hurts. So glad it worked and everyone managed to get some well deserved sleep!!