Reflux- paediatrician recommends weaning at 18 weeks

[violetcuriosity]

Hi,

Just looking for experiences on this as it's not something I've done/considered before. My DD is 4 months and has suffered from severe silent reflux since around 7 weeks. It was so bad that she was investigated by neurology for seizures but it turns out it was just the shock of the acid causing the symptoms, luckily. It's been really stressful and as parents of reflux babies know, Gaviscon just causes other issues and unfortunately Omeprazole hasn't really made too much difference either, despite trying different dosages.

We saw the paediatrician for a follow up this week and he has said that the next step is to wean her early to put something heavier in the stomach to anchor down the milk, effectively.

With my other children, I have been a vigilant 6 month (actually later to be honest) weaning Mum but I just want my baby to be pain free. He said to start with a couple of spoonfuls of very thin porridge in the morning and then at dinner time too, nothing too extreme, I won't be putting her on the ham sandwiches just yet 😂.

Thoughts/experiences/suggestions even opinions welcome please. As I say, I do know the guidance and have followed it for my other children so please be kind.

Thank you.

I would do as the medical professional suggested.

Don't stress. I was weaned at 6 weeks and my children were weaned around 16 weeks. All of us are very healthy.

I've heard about this and if the paediatrician has recommended it I'd follow their advice.

4 months was the norm before the current guidance, and most of us are now adults without digestive problems.

This is a genuine question, but what are you worried will happen? If you address that it might make you feel more confident

I would get a second opinion. I would specifically look for a pediatrician with additional breastfeeding training.

Have you considered allergies?

Yes I had to do this with one of mine on advice re reflux. It did really help him and the projectile vomiting finally stopped!

There is actually a lot more evidence that for allergies slightly earlier intro to potential to allegens is better too. So I think the very strict 6m before any food may well be gone in 5years.

Regardless, you are following medical advice.

Current medical advice in France suggests beginning weaning at 4 months and no later than 6 months. Apparently starting earlier than 6 months might help prevent allergies.
If your paediatrician is recommending 18 weeks I’d go with their advice.

I wouldn’t. Their guts can’t handle solids at such a young age; their digestive systems aren’t built for it and it can cause IBS and Crohn’s, diabetes and increase the chance of allergies.

^ sorry, didn’t mean to add allergies into that last part as the evidence goes the other way on that one.

But I couldn’t knowingly put my baby at risk of IBS, Crohn’s or diabetes.

Until 2003 weaning was at 4 months ( and as a poster said above caused the majority of the population no issues and indeed France are moving back to this model ) weaning at four months was the answer to my daughter’s Colin and reflux and she turned from a screaming infant into a happier baby over the next months

I think there's a part of me that worries it was just the paediatrician being a bit old school and just saying the easier next thing if that makes sense.

My partner has bought the porridge because he says he can't see her like this any longer. I've said I'm going out for a wine and if the porridge has been opened by the time I get back then so be it 🤣🙈

It was common to introduce solids at three months when my children were babies. Mine had rusk mashed up in breast milk. They are now healthy adults with no digestive issues, like most of their contemporaries. Take the paediatrician’s advice.

We did this for DD for exactly the same reason, we did not know at the time that her older brother would develop so many allergies.

Thankfully weaning early didn't coincide with her developing any, she's now 16 and no hay fever or any allergies. The weaning didn't really help though, I think it was when she hit about 8/9 months and became more upright. We do all have terrible hypermobility causing reflyx still now though, just cos our bodies are leaky.

Please follow the doctor's advice 💐

Back in the late 90s the advice was to wean babies onto solids at 12 weeks. My baby wouldn't take solids until about 6 months and I worried about it so much. All her peers from baby group etc were weaned onto solids by 16 weeks with no ill effects.

@SunnySaturdayMorning can you please provide links to evidence to your claims

What qualifications do you possess that make you so confident a paediatrician who has reviewed and is clinically responsible for this child knows less than you?

I assume you are at least a research scientist but surely more likely a paediatrician yourself. Either way it’s unusual for a professional who hasn’t reviewed the patient to express an opinion like this.

We were advised baby rice only no wheat or products that contain gluten at four months for the sane reasons but I can't remember if the no wheat was because I'm intolerant 😅 all I can say is baby rice worked like a charm kept the milk in he was a more settled and happier baby

There is a very thorough review of the available evidence of timing on weaning available here : efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5780 .
I think you'll find it very reassuring - they conclude there is no convincing evidence for adverse outcomes associated with introducing solids at 4 months rather than 6. The WHO guidance for 6 months (on which the NHS recommendation is based) reflects the fact that in less developed countries, hygiene conditions and water quality may give rise to increased risk of gastroenteritis and other problems.

Was told the same thing when my daughter was a baby by the paediatrician as she had severe reflux and we followed. She was like a different baby pretty much straightaway, sickness reduced, screaming pretty much stopped. I would follow the medical advice, why would you let your child continue to suffer when they don’t need to?
Also our generation were all weaned at 3/4 months and I don’t know anybody with digestive issues.
Try not to overthink it.

Current science suggests waiting til 6 months can be harmful. Also 6 months was only introduced for the benefit of babies in third world and impoverished countries where earlier weaning risked spread of hygiene related diseases

Do it, two teens here weaned at 17 weeks. Big reflux issues but not as extreme as seizures. It was standard not many years ago. Only changed due to WHO recommendations due too third world as others have said.
If be more worried that if you didn't the seizures could start to have adverse effects

We started with gentle weaning around this time while still breastfeeding. It helped massively with her reflux and there has more recently been a lot of scientific studies showing it to be healthier than late weaning . She's now around 2 , eats wonderfully and has no allergies (which she was at high risk for) , digestive issues or reflux 😀

Thank you all, really appreciate you taking the time to reply. Really reassuring replies. Luckily they weren't seizures, it was just the shock and pain was causing rigidity and she would literally stop breathing until it passed 😫.

The reflux really flares around her jabs so I've delayed the 16 week ones for a couple of weeks while we were working out what to do, I'm going to go for the weaning and hope she doesn't suffer so much with these jabs as a result 🤞🏻