Using pure rice cereal to thicken milk at 8 weeks? - reflux

[Jayneypops]

Hi,

Our LO has always suffered with reflux. We have tried Gaviscon in the past but it has always made her constipated (even though we have adjusted amounts etc - hearing her scream in pain is worse than the reflux!)

I have been told by a few people about Pure Baby Rice from Cow & Gate to thicken formula. A few of the moms I have met have used it from roughly 4 weeks old to help their babies in a number of ways (stay full longer, satisfy their hunger, help with reflux, help sleep longer etc) and Im wondering whether it will help my LO keep her milk down? Has anyone got any experiences with using rice in formula?
We do have some variflow teats which we dont use at the moment but Im assuming would need with the thickened milk?

How much have you used to begin with - I dont want to constipate her again!

Her reflux seems to be getting worse and we currently have to keep her upright for over an hour after a feed (honestly!) and even then she often brings some back up.

Thanks x

Any advice appreciated please

 

[skunkpixie]

Heya. Its really not advised to use baby rice to thicken formula as its not made for this purpose and is potentially a chocking hazard. Cow and Gate do a product called Carobel which is a formula thickener. You used to be able to buy it, but Ive just had a look now and its only available on prescription. Maybe ask your HV if she can sort out a prescription for you.

I know its one of those things that other people do and say "oh my baby was fine" but I think you should seek professional advise first before adding baby rice to your babies bottles. Any good doctor/ HV would strongly advise against it. xxx

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

Hi

Like the PP said it isn't advised to put baby rice in a bottle as it can be very dangerous due to it being a choking hazard. Also her digestive system is very immature and will struggle to digest the baby rice which could cause more problems than it solves. Reflux is horrible I know but I would talk to your HV and see what she suggests before giving her baby rice x

 

[sophxx]

She's very young to be adding things to her milk could you not go to the doctors there's different milk you can try on prescription before you start adding anything to hers x

 

[katiekittykat]

Have you tried the Cow & Gate comfort milk? Or if you want a thicker milk, the Hungry Baby formula?

Baby rice is a thickener but only after 17 weeks (and more to thicken fruit and veg purees), and off a spoon rather than in a bottle x

 

[Frooty]

What is it with rice and putting it in bottles these days? Theres a thing called carobel made by cow and gate to thicken formula for reflux babies.

 

[Jayneypops]

Hi thanks for the replies. Apparently it's called rice by its actually powdered rice not actually grains of rice?? So just thickens the milk.

I have tried comfort but she is lacrose intolerant so is only suited to SMA LF (we have tried lots of others)

Lots of family members have advised putting a little bit of a rusk in to thicken it? Half a rusk? Apparently my SIL, MIL, Grandmothet and my mom all did it at around 2 months and said it was great as more satisfying? I'm so confused.

I don't want to do anything I shouldn't but my friend actually was recommended either rusk or rice for her 6 week olds reflux by her HV?

I was thinking maybe giving her a small spoon full AFTER her bottle instead of in the bottle?

 

[katiekittykat]

Well, if you're going to do it (which personally I wouldn't so early on) then it would be better off a spoon than in the bottle. And go for the low sugar rusks as well - the normal ones are a bit much for such a teeny baby. You won't know until you try, but I have a strong suspicion your LO will just bring it straight back up.

There are other things that the doctor can give you for reflux - I can't see that baby rice or a rusk would help if I'm honest. I'm lucky, Gaviscon worked for my little boy, but as soon as he was 17 weeks I started weaning and it has made the world of difference.

I know 17 weeks seems like a lifetime away, but hang on with the baby rice if you can. If you get some and look on the box, it's from 4-6 months.

 

[Frooty]

Sorry to be rude but i wouldnt listen to your family or friends if theyre suggesting sillyness like that.

 

[skunkpixie]

I think its definately best to get your advice from health professionals first hand. Its easy for people to say "oh my HV said it was fine" and they could be exaggerating the truth or just have a crappy health visitor! Rusks, baby rice, porridge are food and are supposed to be eaten not drunk. They are not ment to be used as thickeners and they are not constituted to dissolve fully enough to flow evenly through teat holes.
Its really up to you but I personally think you are getting bad advice form your family (even though Im sure their intentions are good) and that you should speak to your health visitor about your intentions to put baby rice in you young babies bottle and im sure she will advise against it and help with an alternative solution.

 

[Jayneypops]

there is so much conflicting info isnt there? and you would think that if GPs and HVs are suggested rice/rusks in some cases that it must be ok but obviously not.

We had bad experiences with gaviscon (terrible constipation) and the HV said that the idea of rice/rusk is to thicken the milk with something more natural (especially in the case of the rice) to prevent it coming easily back up. The SMA lactose free is quite watery compared to the comfort milk so when LO burps a lot comes back up

she isnt in pain but it does mean he is hungry a lot and never very satisfied. Im just looking for a way to keep her milk down basically Im not hoping to get her sleeping through the night until shes naturally ready herself. I think thickening milk for that reason is pretty selfish (sorry to anyone who does this)

Is carobel lactose free does anyone know?

 

[katiekittykat]

Not sue - can your GP not prescribe something?

I hear many stories of HVs saying stupid things, but this is up there with the best. Baby rice and rusks are more natural....? Really?

I would see your GP - if your LO is putting on weight and not poorly, then it might just have to run it's course until she is 17 weeks xx

 

[sophxx]

Cow and gate have a powder that thickens the milk for reflex baby's its called carobel its £4 a box I know nothing about it but my friend did had it on prescription. X

 

[skunkpixie]

I just had a quick look and it appears to be gluten and lactose free, but I would double check when you ask your doc/HV for a prescription. xx

 

[andella95]

In the US, this is one of the preferred ways of treating reflux. It is a very small amount, but it helps. I did it under the advice and guidance of my son's pediatrician when he was a baby with severe reflux. Other thickening agents are not used. The only way it would be a choking hazard is if too much rice was added- but it's really such a small amount that its not an issue. I know it sounds bad to those of you who've only heard the warnings about how dangerous it is, but if done correctly, its fine. I'd never recommend it to anyone on here, simply because I know it goes against "guidelines" but done correctly, it's not the horrible thing that people are led to believe by governmental guidelines.

And it definitely helped!!!

 

[Jayneypops]

thanks for all the replies - andella95 - its good to hear another perspective. I was wondering how it was a choking hazard as Ive seen my friends use it and the pure rice powder just dissolves into the milk making a thicker liquid. There have been no lumps or anything.

 

[Frooty]

Its not so much a choking hazard its the fact that your baby may not be able to digest it properly.

 

[x Michelle x]

We had Carobel prescribed for my little man and it really helped him.. he was vomiting with such force it was shooting out of his nose and wasn't even coming via his mouth
he was prescribed Carobel and ranitidine and we were using Aptamil comfort milk too.. his milk was soooooo thick and gloopy but he was keeping it down, not shooting it out his nose and then choking on it
I would ask your doctor Janeypops, definitely better to use carobel than baby rice IMO
The box i have says: Milk free, Gluten free, sucrose free
Oh, he grew out of his reflux at 10weeks old and is now on normal Aptamil first milk. Hopefully your LO will grow out of it soon too

 

[HellBunny]

My little boy had reflux and it was awful for him i wouldn't use babyrice yet hun as she is still so young, could your gp maybe prescribe her ranitidine for reflux? Jayden used to scream after every feed and throw up alot, then need feeding soon after, he got better by 7 months, we weaned him at 5.5 months which made no difference to his reflux xxxx

 

[Huskyluv]

My daughter has pretty bad reflux (she's exclusively breastfed so far) and her Pediatrician recommended that we add a tablespoon of infant rice cereal (powder) to her bottle at her night feeding. I was initially against trying this but at 11 weeks I decided just to put a little pinch (well under the advised tablespoon) of infant rice cereal in her night bottle of breastmilk to see what would happen. She did great and not only calmed down more because she felt fuller, but also didn't have any spit up either which was really common before. the rice cereal dissolves completely in her bottle so there is no choking risk. So while I wouldn't go around recommending such a method, I have to say just a tiny bit did seem to help our daughter and it was recommended by my Pediatrician who wanted us to try that as a more natural approach to dealing with her reflux instead of turning to prescriptions.