Is this reflux? (heartburn)

[ExcitedMum2Be]

We have had weeks and week of screaming and crying constantly. Even on the boob he will scream and cry as if in pain sometimes, even if I feed him expressed milk in a bottle. I even tried him on formula and it didn't change much.

We went to the doctor thinking it was colic, he's tried infacol, dentinox and colief... it didnt help. The health visitor said take him to the doctor again but she couldnt find anything wrong with him.

Now the health visitor is thinking it could be reflux, but i dont want to go back to the doctors to be sent home again grrr.

He kicks his feet out as if frustrated when he eats. He gulps his food and coughs alot as my flow is fast. I burp him after every feed, and he trumps alot while feeding aswell.

Sometimes he is starving, but will not eat... he crys to go on the boob... takes one mouthful then crys and lets go.. and repeats this over and over.

Any suggestions? x

 

[Serene123]

Caitlyn does that when she's being a lazy moo and can't be bothered to wait for the hind milk.. I have to bring it through for her!

 

[ExcitedMum2Be]

Does she cry and make frustrated noises? How do I know if hes waiting for the hind milk hunni? Some feeds he is perfect, and others he is terrible lol x

 

[1st_baby]

Max did this at first when i had too much milk (ahh the good old days) I used to take some out for him before each feed this way he wouldnt choke ..he also Trumped allot and would get off the boob each time ..not much we can do about that ..

 

[ExcitedMum2Be]

ive tried that and it didnt help lol. im picking up some infant gaviscon tomorrow so will see if that helps. he fed perfectly after his jabs (prob cos was being soothed more than anything lol). its just strange how some feeds he is fussy and others he is fine x

 

[creamcakes]

HI,

Poor you and poor your babe. It sounds very much like reflux to me - that pulling off and screaming, going back on, pulling off pattern is absolutely classic. As is the choking, coughing, and having wind. It could be caused by fast letdown, but is probably more likely due to your babe having an immature digestive system which means the valve at the top of the stomach doesn't close properly and the contents come back up, along with acid (most babes have this to some degree, but some more than others, and some are more bothered by it than others...)

I would say, go to another doctor if you don't have confidence in your regular one. Don't let them fob you off with tales of colic etc. You might have to be quite assertive, which is hard when you are a new mum! Been there myself:many doctors don't see it as a serious problem. However, IMHO, reflux needs to be effectively treated, as it can cause problems with sleep, settling, mood (both yours and babe's!), weight gain, etc. We had them all. YOu may find you have a completely different babe when effectively treated! If the gaviscon doesn't work, then go back again as there are other things that can be given including baby antacids and things that help the tummy empty more quickly.

Let us know how you get on, and best of luck.

Lucy

 

[creamcakes]

PS it is normal for reflux babies to be fine for some feeds - especially at night.
Also, I should have said that in a small proportion of babes, reflux is due to intolerance to cows' milk protein in the mother's diet, if BF, or the same in infant formula if bottle feeding.
I've finished now!

 

[sonny]

Bear with me on this....... Tabs has severe reflux and has been on domperidone and ranitidine since day one of being born as she also has a flappy larynx too to violently chokes.

To be honest are you sure LO isnt just tired.....Tabs did this and i thought it was to do with her reflux but she was just trying to soothe herself to sleep by sucking but then milk came out and thats not what she wanted.
She used to fling herself backwards and rigid straight (sleeping position i guess) anyway what i did was write down her feeds etc and if it was just an hour since the last i gave her a dummy and sure enough it was that she was just tired and self soothing.
Try raising her matress,moses basket whatever they are in during the day to 30 degrees and put LO in if it shouldnt be a feed time then put dummy in mouth and tuck in with a blanket. If it is tiredness they may turn head left and right as if searching for boobie but that is them just trying to block out stimulation/noise/light etc.
Anyway just watch for 2 mins.If she spits out dummy initially put it back in once only then if they spit it out again leave it out and wait another minute just watching and see what happens as what you have described sounds very much like Tabs when she was really tired and wanted to self soothe/dummy.
Try it and see.

Tabs' main reflux symptom is the sounds..... from in her tummy you can hear a glunk glunk glunk sound from across the room then follow the wail.


Have a go at the first bit if you want to rule out tiredness and see if it could be
xxxxx
lots of hugs hun as i know how hard it is

 

[Lauz_1601]

I can really relate to this and reflux never crossed my mind! I was thinking it was colic.

Kaitlin was feeding really well, until about 4 or 5 days ago when this started. She is hungry and crying for food and rooting, she will latch on, suck, then come straight off crying and fussing and it can carry on for a good few hours sometimes! until she tires herself out and sleeps. Some feeds are fine......and like creamcakes said...espcially at night she feeds fine then.....but then other times this happens, and I feel really sorry for her becuase I can tell she's in pain, she does the leg kicking out thing aswell......also just realsied she always settles after one of these episodes when upright on ym sholdur...........I suffered with reflux when pg so can sympathise with these poor babies .....im going to keep an eye on her and see how it goes.

excitedmum2be.....go the docs and perservere....keep us updated xxxx

 

[leedsforever]

courtney has reflux.. which is when she vomits and awful lot...!! Up to 3hours after a feed! Its often just water that comes up too!! Infant gaviscon sorts it out no problems

 

[ExcitedMum2Be]

hi girls sorry ive been away and only just read this thread again. i only gave him 1 infant gaviscon and it made him so constipated that i didnt give him anymore. it also didnt help in the slightest. i have my postnatal appointment tomorrow (even though my boy is now 11 weeks old) so will see if he can do anything or shed any light.

he isnt as bad as he is. and does it alot less. but still has times when he crys while eating. i do think it is fast flow of let down... maybe that is causing him pain.

also we keep having latching problems, not sure why as i have tried allsorts of positions etc. but yet at night he can feed really well and fall back to sleep straight away.

when he crys really badly.. as in screaming and having a little tantrum... he will then have a big trump or too... and then he can be fine again. if its wind causing it what can help? ive tried him on gripe water lately and thats not helping either.

hes worse at the moment as he has a cold the poor lad... so now aswell as the normal problems he now has the problem of a blocked nose while trying to feed ~

thanks for all your replys xx

 

[sonny]

Try doing baby cycling with his legs and i swear by boots own brand gripe water....forget infacol and gaviscon as that can make it worse xxx

 

[Lauz_1601]

Does infant gaviscon have to be prescribed by the doctor ?

Sonny iv only just read your earlier reply about tabitha being tired and crying as she didnt want the milk! thanks for that Im gonig to bear it in mind becuase Kaitlin does her crying episodes about an hour after shes already been fed and when shes been awake for a bit so im wondering if thats it! Becuase she does fall asleep eventually....without a feed becuase she fusses that much I stick a dummy in and she will take that!

xxx

 

[leedsforever]

Does infant gaviscon have to be prescribed by the doctor ?

xxx

Yes for under 1 year olds.... !!

 

[sonny]

Does infant gaviscon have to be prescribed by the doctor ?

Sonny iv only just read your earlier reply about tabitha being tired and crying as she didnt want the milk! thanks for that Im gonig to bear it in mind becuase Kaitlin does her crying episodes about an hour after shes already been fed and when shes been awake for a bit so im wondering if thats it! Becuase she does fall asleep eventually....without a feed becuase she fusses that much I stick a dummy in and she will take that!

xxx

The 'cues' for tiredness and hungry are very simlar....sort of eating own hand etc but when you work out which is which its gets easier hun just write down when you feed and when she eats so you can track it that way which it could be, at that age Tabs would go maximum 1 and a half hours before the 'meltdown!' now i can see the signs and catch it before...settle her down,tuck in blanket wherever she is and pop dummy in and she is away.

Bear with it xxx

 

[sonny]

Also look like they are rooting,turning head side to side....take them somewhere where there are no visuals/low noise etc until they get used to it.