Pressure to stop

[MissPoss]

Hi ladies, just wondering if anyone else is/has been in a similar situation to my own.

My DD is almost 3 months old and has been diagnosed with reflux. I've been on a dairy-free, egg-free diet for almost 6 weeks now, and that coupled with losec (and occasionally mylanta) has helped somewhat, but she's still struggling.

Sleeping is an issue, she will only catnap during the day. I've had someone come to the house to help with settling techniques, but she ended up saying the sleeping can't be 'fixed' until the reflux has gone. Screaming at night is also a major issue. The only thing that will calm her is to put her on the breast, but that in turn makes things worse later on. It's just turned into this horrible cycle and my paediatrician, partner, and my MIL all thing it's time for me to stop and put her on formula.

I REALLY don't want to do that, but I'm beginning to think I'm being selfish. I b/fed DD1 for 14 months, and she weaned herself. I wanted to do the same for DD2 but now I feel like I'm failing her. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep b/f'ing her, but maybe I have to bite the bullet and try the formula. I just feel so confused and was wanting some opinions.

Thanks in advance.

Oh, and I should probably mention that even though she quite often fusses at the breast, she feeds often (every 2-3 hours) and has gained weight. Infact she's gone from 2.4 kilos to 5 kilos in less than 3 months. It's more the screaming and the pain she seems to be in that's the issue.

[The Fox]

I have been in this position, and i still get told to stop BF, my DS wouldnt put on weight, maybe 20 grams a week and went from being on the 50th percentile at 10 weeks old to under the 3rd at 15 weeks old and i felt so guilty for wanting to keep breastfeeding but i did anyway

First i had to cut out dairy as it was obvious how bad this affected him and his reflux (he is a spewer) then i had to cut out soy, we saw a little improvement not much then the paed made me cut out dairy, soy, nuts and egg and still no more weight gain, finally she said i had to cut out wheat aswel and in two months he has put on 1kg, he also is not on losec anymore, previously he was on 4 mils a day

i got told by so many people that i shouldnt put up with limiting so much from my diet and all that but i stuck with it and now he is thriving

just a note on the formula, we tried a bottle on DS and all it did was make his reflux worse, or the same, it definately didnt help the problem at all, i dont know why people think that the formula helps
for my son it was food intolerances that triggered his refliux and made it worse so for us one i took them out of my diet he was fine, i knew all along his reflux was food related but no one believed me, it wasnt until i gave him a bottle of cows milk formula and he broke out in a rash all over his body did they jerry and say hrm maybe it is allergies

if i were you i would cut out all alergens from your diet for three weeks and see if it helps, it can be really hard but it worked for us

keep your chin up, your not being selfish at all and i wouldnt listen to anyone who tells you that formula makes reflux better if you want to keep bf then go for it

[BabyPaparazzi]

From what I understand reflux babies are better off being bf. My sister (had a severe reflux baby as well) was told by our gp (who is also an ob, a great dr and been ours for 21yrs, and a mother of 3 severe silent reflux babies herself) that reflux is higher in FF bubs, and to not change her over.

She will probably be fussy on a bottle to, it propably wont help her sleep better and reflux babies are notorious for catnapping.

I think that you need to find a really supportive GP who really understands reflux babies. If it gets bad she should go on regular medication. My niece was on Zantac three times a day, it worked wonders and sis wishes she had known to put her on it earlier.

I cant actually believe you had a paed tell you to change to formula. Its sounds like she is doing well besides the crying and pain, poor darling, she is regularly feeding and putting on good weight.

I would also suggest a swing to if you havent already got one, and propping the end of her cot up with the yellow pages so its on a tilt. They are happier being upright.

And I dont think you are being selfish, you are doing what you feel is best for your baby. I remember what it was like with my sister, she had PND as well and I spent countless nights with her so she could cope and looking after my niece. I hope it all goes well for you.

[chicken and eggs mum]

Hugs to you!!!
:hugs:
While I am not in a similar situation, I can fully understand the pressure to stop b/f.

I full time express and my dd is fed emb.. she still attempts to b/f but we have had issues since day dot....

So many ppl tell me it would be easier to switch to formula......!!!! I have told ppl to back off before that it is my decision........

Stick to your guns... if you believe what you are doing is the right thing for your bub then stick to it... mums intuition is usually right!!!!!!

Stay strong....!! I believe that even though what I am doing is not easy some days, it is the best for me and my dd!!!!

hth

Em

[Gabi]

I know some people who have found thick formula to help with reflux, my DS1's reflux began to improve when we started solids at 6 months - so I can see why the theory would work.

But my understanding is that BF is better for the gut of the reflux baby. :yes: I never tried formula for DS1 for a number of reasons and I'm really glad that I didn't. The lack of sleep and the obvious pain of the baby are really hard.:hugs:

[Jules16]

The thick formula didn't do anything for our little one except give him a belly ache!!

You are doing so well. DS would always fuss at the breast and feeding him was hard work and exhausting, but like you I was determined, and I kept feeding him until he was 11 months. I had to cut various foods out of my diet too. We also found tilting everything, ie. bassinet (including one in pram), cot, change table and play mat, really helped. And when you changed his nappy, don't lift up his legs, just roll him onto his side. And try and have a lot of upright time after each feed and make sure he has a good burp. We were advised to cut back DS's time on the breast though as his weight wasn't an issue (in fact he was putting on loads of weight and eating a bit too much I think), so at about ten weeks we limited his feed times to ten minutes each side, every three to four hours. And this actually did help. Prior to this I would be up for one to two hours at a time during the night while he suckled away.

Also we found the Reflux Infant Support Association (RISA) to be really helpful. PM me if you want their details.

Well done for being so strong and giving him the best you can.

[purplecat]

Formula generally makes reflux worse, so I am surprised as to why a paedeatrician would recommend that to you. It is more difficult to digest, and causes more irritation and inflammation to the babies digestive tract and gut than breastmilk does.

Do you have your baby on any medication for the reflux itself? A close friend had 2 reflux babies, and with her first it took a while to diagnose and by the time she got onto the medication the acid from the reflux had slightly burned her oesophagus, so it took some time for that to heal before they saw real improvement, even after they started the meds. With her second, she recognised it straight away, got him straight on meds, and had much better results.

Well done for getting this far - it sounds like a really tough situation, and sounds like you are doing a great job :)