Reflux-need advice

[pippi]

Hi Girls,

My bub is 6 weeks old and was diagnosed with reflux about a week and a half ago. I have had her on Zantac .5ml 3 times a day but I don't think its doing much. I am breastfeeding and trying all the recommendations of feeding upright, burping during and after feeding, trying to keep her sitting up after feeding, using dummy to help with swallowing, you name it!

But she is still so distressed. The poor thing screams the house down after feeds and spews like a hose! Nothing seems to be working and I just want so advice from other Mums. She is my first bub and although I feel like I am coping really well, my heart just breaks seeing her is so much pain! I just want her to feel better and be happy!

I am considering trying AR formula to see if that is better than breastmilk, thats how desparate I am. I would like to continue breastfeeding but its sooo hard when she feeds so frequently. Sometimes she will drink heaps and other times hardly anything. Sometimes spews more than other times. Does anyone think going to bottle might be better? breastfeeding makes it very hard to get any decent sleep for me and her when I am feeding every 2-3 hours and its takes ages because of spewing and screaming. At least on bottle DH and I could share the feeds...

Oh thank god for bub hub! I have been reading other posts on reflux and what to do and have once again realised I am not alone! Any advice welcome, me and Rhiannon would really appreciate it!!!:goodvibes:

pippi

[Just*Ace]

Hi my 8 week old DD was diagnosed with reflux 2 weeks ago. She was prescribed Losec twice a day and mylanta before feeds and she is such a different baby now. The improvement was so quick and so amazing! I would really see if you could get Losec for her (although I dont know anything about zantac) She has gone from screaming constantly all night to sleeping almost all night (still waking for a few feeds though) I am breastfeeding also

[TripleTime]

Your def not alone, ive been dealing with DS & his reflux for over 12 months.

Nothing will 100% say FF will help, you can BF & give her thickener. Karicare make it, $20 a tin, will last ages. There is instructions on the tin to make a gel up for BF bubs.

You need to give the Zantac time to work, could take 3 days or could take up to 3 weeks. Just give it time. You may find you need to go back to her Pead to have her dose increased or try something else.
There is other medication options.

Untill her Zantac fully kicks in, you can give her 1ml of liquid mlylanta before or after a feed just make sure its an hour either side of Zantac.

Little info for you, Zantac & Losec are the same active drug. Losec works from the inside of the gut out dulling the stomach acid. Zantac works from the gut lining inwards.

[DoneAndDusted]

The first thing I would suggest is if you wish to continue breastfeeding, over formula, than to consider cutting Dairy from your diet (A large amount of reflux bubs are CMPI, Cows Milk Protein Intolerant), and possibly soy it will take a little time for the protein to exit your system and hence the breast milk, but if it is CMPI related you will notice a HUGE improvement! Especially with the amount and frequency of vomiting and discomfort!

As PP have mentioned there are other meds and others doses with the medication, so there is hope and it will get easier, hang in there :hugs:

[delirium]

Just a few thoughts. We found the AR formula did work. Reflux meds take around 2 weeks to work, don't ask me why but they do. Zantac is the lightest of all reflux meds and your child may need something else. Normally I'm not an advocate of medicating small children but being the mother of a child with severe reflux, it's about the child's pain.

The usual meds for reflux beyond zantac are losec and zoton the latter DS was on. They work by changing the PH of the stomach contents so it doesn't burn so much. There are a couple of others. Can I suggest you see a paed? DS's paed said a big part of his work was with reflux children so he was not only an expert in kids but in reflux.

Do you have your bub's mattress propped up? Another suggestion is to give smaller feeds more often.

Good luck :hugs:

[gizmoduckus]

Unfortunately what works for one reflux bub doesn't work for others. It is really just a matter of trial and error to see what will work best for your little one.

Everyone else has given some great advice. You could up the medication, try a different medication, give mylanta and take dairy out of your diet. Some other people would swear by taking their child to see a chiropractor. It didn't work for us but I understand how hard it is and feeling like you will try anything to fix it so it won't hurt to give it a go.

Good luck! Even though it seems like it's never going to end, there is light at the end of the tunnel and things do get better. :hugs: