Just as we really started to get settled in with the breastfeeding Toby started to suffer badly from reflux. We saw a paediatrician at the hospital on Monday and he's been prescribed infant gaviscon but so far i am not impressed with the results.

For a start it is a faff. The pharmacist at the hospital said to give it after a feed as it will sit on top of the milk and prevent him throwing it back up...well she has obviously never tried to get a full and satisfied baby to open his mouth to take some disgusting medicine when he is sleepy and happy after a feed The doctor actually told us to give it before a feed so we've been sticking to that instead but that isn't without it's problems We mix it with cooled boiled water and tried offering it on a spoon but Toby just choked and screamed and ended up with it all down himself...so we have been offering him it in a bottle, which he will suck when he's hungry but once he realises it is disgusting gavsicon and not yummy booby milk he will scream and refuse the rest and so a great battle ensues with us trying to coax a heartbroken and hungry baby into drinking the rest of the (15mls) of gaviscon-water On top of that Toby feeds approx 8-9 times in 24 hours but gaviscon can be given no more than 6 times so there will always be feeds when he can't have it anyway.

Now all this would be slightly easier to bear if it actually seemed to be helping him but so far he is still bringing up feeds as normal and i feel it is causing more problems than it is fixing as he is now getting constipated. Instead of runny orange breastfeeding poos we are having semi-formed stool either dark orange or green which he is having difficulty in passing at times which gets him upset and even if he has managed to keep his feed down then when he is stuggling to poo he will often end up being sick at the same time

We have a follow up appointment at the hospital next week and i will of course bring all this up then, in fact i am keeping a note of feed times and how often he is sick so i can show them as i thought that might be helpful. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or even just some empathy would do as i am feeling at my wits end!

I don't think it helps that i have well-meaning relatives telling me breastmilk makes reflux worse (which i know is a load of baloney) and that it could be what i am eating that is causing it, and that maybe it's time to stop, and that babies need a routine...blah blah blah etc. I really do not want to give up yet by the way and in fact am determined not to be beaten by this!!!!!

OMG i'm sympathise with you! Having a reflux baby is such hard work (the constant screaming and everything covered with sick!!) Reggie tends to comfort feed to ease the acid too, so i'm with you on the feeding!!

Luckily (or unluckily lol) we combine feeds due to my low supply so we give him the Gav in his bottle after his booby feed.. trouble is with this is he usually has time to bring back up his breastmilk before we get chance to give him his bottle...Nightmare as thats the best bit!!! He also gags if we try and feed it to him before his feed..

I would suggest maybe expressing some milk and adding the Gav to that - we have done this before - its obviously time consuming but at least hes getting his full feed with the gaviscon? Maybe you could do this for maybe 4 feeds a day or whenever you have chance?

The only info i can find for help with Reflux babies points a lot to bottle fed babies..ie thicker milks ect so breast feeding with a baby with reflux there is very little support (as there is for breastfeeding in general, shocking really as they want people to do it so much!!)

Hope that helps

Xxx

Ok, I'm going to preface this by saying, you probably know more about this than me anyway, but I'm drawing on my work experience here. And even at work I have never found Gaviscon to be that good. We mainly use it to thicken feeds anyway. Do you think they'd consider at the next appointment trying Domperidone and Ranitidine instead? They both taste better anyway.

And I'm not sure where he's sleeping, but do you think cot blocks would help, so that he'd be elevated the way we do our reflux babies at work? And you already know this, I'm sure - but are you lying him on his left side or tummy (when you're there, obviously) after feeds?

Just wanted to add - Reg also gets constipated and we find if we give him a spoonful of gripe water - within an hour he has passed the poop! Might be coincidence but it has worked with us!!?


x

Sorry you're suffering too moomoo i feel for you as i know you've had more than your fair share of troubles anyway without adding reflux to the equation...god it is a nightmare isn't it? I think people just think reflux means a sicky baby end of story and don't realise how distressing it is not, just for baby but also for Mums and Dads to watch their LO's so distressed by it and with not much you can do to help

Thanks for the tips though hun, we do find gripe water helps him get going with the pooing too

Not at all hun, thanks for replying. I think it's hard when you're close to the situation to be able to take a step back and think hang on, what would I do if this were a baby I was looking after in work...kind of thing. I am just too emotionally involved so most of what i know seems to go out the window and i have my 'parent' head on so it's good to hear it from someone else.

We only use gaviscon as a feed thickener at work also, and normally alongside ranitidine and domperidone, so i am hopeful that if we don't have any success with the gaviscon over the coming week that maybe the paediatrician next week will be willing to let Toby try those, as although i'd really rather him not be on any medication, i would also really rather he not be suffering so much with this nasty reflux We've had a typical day here with it, lots of gagging and back arching during feeds and a fair bit of sick on us all, the sofa included He was only sick a tiny bit after his feed at 8pm though and is still asleep now, so i am glad for him and feeling a bit happier than i was earlier.

I just keep thinking that we're lucky really, as this is his only problem, and even then luckily his weight gain has never been an issue, even over the past 3 weeks with the reflux untreated he has gone from 9lb 9oz to 12lb 2oz so at least that is one thing we don't have to worry about right now!

Thanks ladies

Nothing new to add, just wanted to send Sid has reflux and i have just given in and put him on bottles as it was stressing us both out. He seems a bit better, but not as content as i'd like him to be as i didnt want to give up breastfeeding at all

Was just wondering if anyone has any tips on how to get a reflux baby to sleep without being held... I have been sleeping on the sofa holdin sid for the past 5 or 6 weeks now as that seems to be the only way we both get a good nights sleep. I NEED my bed! lol

Also going to try the tip for using gripe water, as sids stools have been causing him some distress i think

xxx

The only advice i can give you is:

leave bottle for slightly longer with gaviscon in as it will thicken it more before feeding...

Leave your LO a few mins in semi reclined position before winding him so his food settles and you dont slosh the milk around in his belly.

When he finishes feeding, keep him as upright as possible for about 20 mins after feed.

Prop us your moses basket so it is higher on the top end - you only need about 45 degree angle for it to work..I am yet to try this with pram, but it would probably work in the same way.

We found if we change his nappy mid-feed, any milk he throws up (usually a lot) we can give him in second half of the feed.

Hope this helps

Xxx

Will definitely try that! Thanks x

We're also having problems with gavison and constipation. Keira was prescribed gaviscon by the Dr because since she was about 3 weeks old she has had bad reflux which has caused her to thrash about straining and grunting all night long and cry a lot during the day (she's 6 weeks now).

I tried to give her the gavison in a bottle after a feed but she wouldn't take it. Dr said to give it before a feed instead and she takes it just fine. She's been on it a few days now and it's definitely helping with the thrashing about etc, although not getting rid of it completely, but it's also causing her to get badly constipated. I have tried giving her some water each day and massaging her tummy, both of which seem to help a little bit but not enough. Dr recommended diluting some freshly squeezed orange juice and giving her that, but I'm not sure about giving orange juice to a baby with reflux.

I don't want to stop using the gavison as it's so upsetting seeing her thrashing about all night and it's the first time in 3 weeks that I have actually managed to get any sleep, but I can't bear the thought of her being constipated long term. Has anyone else tried the gripe water? Did it help at all? Any other suggestions would be great.

I have discovered that the best way to get Keira to sleep without being held is by putting her in a swaddle blanket, which she can't wriggle out of like she can with a normal swaddle, then rocking her either upright or on her side for a few minutes until she settles and then putting her down. We bought a 'miracle blanket' about a week before seeing Dr and it worked wonders for settling her and also helps reduce the thrashing. But it would be no good for an older baby.

xx

Sorry you and your LO are suffering with this problem too I'm afraid i can't really help with regards to long term solutions to the constipation issue as we gave up on the gaviscon after 5 days as it wasn't helping him at all His poo was back to normal within about 24-48 hours and he is now on ranitidine 3x a day for the reflux.

He still brings back milk (although not after every feed) and does occasionally struggle and get upset during feeds but i have to say he is a million times better than he was a few weeks ago and life is much easier and happier for us all as a result

It sounds like the gaviscon is helping your LO so i understand you not wanting to give up on it, and i don't think i'd like to give our LO orange juice either so i get where you are coming from with that. All i can suggest then is stuff you've already mentioned like extra water or seeing if the gripe water helps Also maybe asking your GP if they'd prescribe your LO lactulose alongside the gaviscon as it's a stool softener and might help.

Good luck, i know it isn't easy!