MSE Newborn to 1 year Baby Club 1

Fredula

I'm going grocery shopping with Harry for the first time today. I'm really worried about it...the whole trolley situation and what do I do...etc. Eep. Wish me luck!

sunshine_1988

Good morning all

Gilly - I have now been to the Docs. He was so lovely about everything, he asked me to explain a typical day with Aiden and when he becomes most tearful and how he sleeps etc, he diagnosed him with a reflux. He said from what I described he isnt sure whether it is a silent or acid reflux as he shows symptoms of both, he prescribed the Infant Gaviscon to try first.

I did say I was aprehensive about it as I heard there can be constipation as a side effect and I have only just god rid of his bout of constipation from changing his milk. He said that he hasnt personally had any babies who have had that side effect, and that all babies are different so what works for one might not for another - he said the only way we will know is to try it and see.

He made us an appointment for next Monday and only prescribed enough Gaviscon for the week. He wants to see him even if it works or not to either do a repeat prescription or prescribe something else. He said to keep perservering and that he will get better on the right treatment. He spoke about the various things which he can try for him and said there are plenty of options if this doesnt work.

I feel alot better now and I am glad he didnt just fob us off with he is gaining weight or send me off to spend more money on formula!! He did say that if the reflux settles down then we could switch back to SMA Gold if we wanted to and see if it agrees with him then - I'm not sure if we will though. Intrestingly he said there is a really big increase in reflux babies over the last few years - he doesnt know why though.

Thanks for all your advice Gilly - hopefully the Gaviscon works for him.

xx

Gillyx

No problem I personally found the Gaviscon quite crap, it didn't constipate my Aaron but with maximum dosage being 6 a day and my LO feeding perhaps 8-10 times a day at the time, there was quite a few feeds he couldn't get it if that makes sense? Also my Pedatrician actually turned around and said to me "Gaviscon - Sh!te, it's what GP's give you to fob you off" how true that is though I don't know

I also found it worked for a few days and then it tailed off and the reflux was as bad as ever. I don't get how the doctor couldn't tell if it was one or the other, surely if your LO is being sick it's just "reflux" and if there is no sickness its "silent reflux" or babies can sometimes have both too, some doctors honestly (although mine aren't much better)

All gaviscon does really is thickens the feed, so if you find he's taking more than 6 feeds a day, you should try the formula that thickens itself in the stomach, I feel like I'm going on but I know so many people it's helped combined with Ranitidine, which is so much easier to give, a wee syringe 2 or 3 times a day and you're done.

We're on a tablet now which has to be disolved and then goes into little pellets and we have to give LO that it's horrible because he hates it.

I think the increase in reflux babies is down to there just being better diagnosis tbh. I think years ago it was just put down to "colic" and told to get on with it basically. My OH's mum said he had the worse colic ever and looking back now with what she could see of Aaron, he was the exact same. It breaks my heart that there are mums out there whos babies may have reflux and they put it down to bad wind or colic and don't seek the medical help because it is soul destroying.

Anyway, I hope the Gaviscon works for you, but if not, carobel or ranitidine, would be your best bet.

As always with the NHS it's all down to cost, you won't be given the best thing for the job to start with, you'l be given the cheapest!

sunshine_1988

Thanks, I'll wait and see if it does any good. My sister had it for her LO who had a very bad reflux and she found it worked really well, so fingers crossed it works for him too. The GP did say that if it doesnt work we can try something else - we go back in a weeks time.

Your poor little one, sounds like he has had a really bad time with it tablets sound very difficult.

Just been to get mine weighed, and he peed all over me....twice

koalamummy

Hello hope everybody is well

Been missing for a while as life has been a bit insane recently and haven't had time to read or post. Lots to deal with with my children, and lots of personal drama which was not good at all On the plus side my OH is due home in about 8 weeks so will finally get to stop being a single parent

Sunshine sorry you are having such a rubbish time just now with your little one. I have been through the same firstly with my younger son, and currently going through it with my baby girl. Only advice I can give you is not to waste time trying different formulas as in my experience this won't help any. Also be very wary of going from antacid to antacid as well as I did this with both my son and then my daughter, and it achieved nothing.

I was eventually pushed into trying my son with domperidone greatly against my better judgement, and could write a book on this experience! :mad: There are sound clinical reasons why it is not prescribed for breastfeeding mothers so quite why I agreed to give it to my baby boy, especially with his family medical history is still an issue for me. I have absolutely refused to even consider it for my daughter. Instead insist on being referred to a paediatrician.

Also don't be fobbed off with the commonly held belief that your baby will outgrow reflux by 12 months...many don't. My boy is almost 4 now and his consultant has advised me that realistically he will suffer from it indefinitely. My daughter is nearly 10 months old and it is currently looking like it may be the same for her. They are both dairy intolerant too.

Out of all the medications, and combinations of medication they have been prescribed oddly enough gaviscon seems to work best for both of them despite the slating it seems to get.

emmylou83_2

My DD1 (9 now) was on gaviscon with her normal milk (farleys!), before finally realising that she was infact dairy intolerant so changing her to Soya milk at 5 months. Reflux went almost overnight! DD2 was straight onto soya from birth (now know thats not advised at all!) and DD3 went straight onto Nutramigen. She had to have gaviscon with that as it is just such a thin milk anyway, she was always hungry! DS1 is now on lactofree milk, as we tried him with SMA 1st milk when he was born and he was just so so sick We also tried Aptamil comfort, which again made him sick and made him poo 15 times a day and it was really really watery. Lactofree suits him fine now we are past the constipation we had the first week or so. We are waiting to see someone at the hospital, called them today for an appointment and was told there was a 14 week wait! She said it states on Flynns notes he needs to be seen within 4 weeks so will call me back 2moro after speaking to the consultant.

Gilly, is ur DH dairy intolerant? Just a thought as it can be hereditary, and if ur MIL says ur DH was similar when he was a baby, that could be why ur lil man is like it? I always thought my girls intolerance was from DH side as they r all animal fat/dairy/meat intolerant. Wasnt until i saw a specialist whilst preg with DD3, and he told me to up my dairy intake to try to give DD3 some sort of natural defence against it, that we realised it was me that had the dairy intolerance! I came ou in ezcema all over my thighs, and was having terrible stomach cramps! I`ve never had dairy in my diet. I dont like milk, cant stand cheese and hate yoghurts!

Hope u get it sorted soon sunshine xx

koalamummy

Emmylou I had huge dairy intolerance during pregnancy with my two youngest, who are both now diagnosed as dairy intolerant, but have not suffered from it at any other point in my life? I did not suffer from it during my first pregnancy with my oldest boy and he is also not dairy intolerant. Not sure if there is a link or if my experience is just a quirk.

sunshine_1988

Hi All

Thanks for the responses. I really hope that Gaviscon works for Aiden too, he has had 3 doses so far and was sick on 2 of them, still been just as teary though and crying for at least an hour until he settled.

Theres no history of dairy intolerance in either of our families so touch wood it isnt that and that the Gaviscon kicks in. My Dr was fairly positive that if it didnt we can try something else.

I'd rather not though, just because I cant bear to see him in pain Fingers crossed.

Hope everyone elses little people are okay xxx

Kira000

sunshine_1988 wrote: »

Hi All

Thanks for the responses. I really hope that Gaviscon works for Aiden too, he has had 3 doses so far and was sick on 2 of them, still been just as teary though and crying for at least an hour until he settled.

Theres no history of dairy intolerance in either of our families so touch wood it isnt that and that the Gaviscon kicks in. My Dr was fairly positive that if it didnt we can try something else.

I'd rather not though, just because I cant bear to see him in pain Fingers crossed.

Hope everyone elses little people are okay xxx

Our LO improved no end once we had a crib wedge and sling for her at night. The propping the mattress up had helped before, but the proper thing was a whole different story. We bought ours, but Gilly said she managed to get hers from the docs.. Definately worth investigating, whether its reflux or silent reflux.

Doglover

Yes I forgot about the wedge. I agree.