Reflux and Breastfeeding

[kkaz]

Hi There,

First of all, thank you for this wonderful resource! I have spent some time reading through the previous posts and have found lots of useful information there.

I am beginning to think that my 3 week old DD may have reflux. Initially I thought it was just a sleep/settling issue and I tried to work through this with success on and off. But now I am beginning to think that some of the settling problems are related to reflux. I am due to see my Dr this week for a possible diagnosis and further advice. My DD has the following symptoms:

* Hiccups - at least twice a day

* Vomiting - sometimes huge amounts (which at least makes me believe that my breast milk supply is adequate!!), and sometimes smaller amounts up to 1-2 hours after feeds

* Grunting and groaning in her sleep at night time - the noises that come out of that little body are unbelievable!

* Wriggling - she squirms and wriggles like she is fighting for her life every time she is put down

* Coughing, spluttering - either with feeds or at times after a feed

* Swallowing - she looks like she is swallowing something even a long time after being fed.

I have raised the head of the cot and am trying to keep her upright for 20 mins after feeds to see if this makes any difference. It hasn't so far - this morning she vomited a huge amount about 30 mins after her feed despite this- but I have only been doing this for a couple of days.

I was wondering - do some of these things sound like reflux to you? And I was also interested in something you mentioned in another post - about giving your dtr a thickener after breastfeeding. Could you please tell me what type of thickener this was and how you administered it?

Thank you so much for your response in advance!!

[RISA]

Hi,
Thank you so much for your feedback. It is great to hear that our responses are so helpful, and it makes our efforts so worthwhile to know they can make a difference.

With response to your question, yes it is possible for reflux to be a cause of your bub's symptoms. I cannot tell you though whether your bub does have relfux or not, and it is really important that you talk to your doctor about your suspicions. There are other conditions that can present similarly, and it's best to confirm it with your doctor.

We have recently learnt that elevating the head of the bed may not be helpful, so unless you have been specifically told to do that, it may not be owrth the effort. Medical studies have shown that it may not be effective, and apart from that, it can be tough to keep your baby in the right position- they often squirm around and can sometimes end up sideways or even upside down in the bed.

There are other management suggestions listed on our website too- www.reflux.org.au/management.php
that you may like to read.

With using a thickener, what I did was use a thickened formula, but just made up enough on a spoon. I gave that to my bub after a feed, and while it didnt stop the reflux, it did help. You woudln't need to use thickened formula though, there are things like food thickener you can buy from a pharmacy.

I would advise you to talk to your doctor though before you try using a thickener, or trying another reflux strategy, as it is important you are treating the right condition. For example, it makes no sense if you are giving a thickener and it turns out to be an infection of some kind.

Be aware too, that thickeners can be really helpful for some babies, and it may be the only treatment they need. Unfortunately though, it isn't the answer for all babies, and it can sometimes make them worse. They are all different, and it is often a matter of trial and error until you find something that works for you.

I hope that helps. Please listen to your instincts as you have obviously been doing, and talk to your doctor about your concerns.

Glenda

[kkaz]

Thankyou Glenda,

I am going to see my doctor tomorrow so I will see what she says. In the meantime I think I will lower the bed again - I don't want her accidentally ending up upside down if we don't even have a diagnosis yet. :no: Thanks also for the link. The best piece of advice I found was to change bubs BEFORE a feed, which i have been doing. It seems to have made things a bit better already.

Cheers!
Kaz

[RISA]

Hi,
I am glad you are going to talk to your doctor. It is so important to confirm that diagnosis before doing anything else. I'm glad though, that you have found that changing the nappy before a feed is making a big difference.

It's good to know that it's helping- I'll make sure I let other families know that too, so thank you for that feedback too.
:thumbsup:
Glenda