Reflux and wind, mylanta qu

[becca7]

Hi there. My son was recently diagnosed by the paed as "probably having reflux" after I described his symptoms from 4 weeks. He had the chunky vomits and crying an hour or so after feeding, painful cries, gagging etc. I thought it was bad wind, which he certainlt suffers from, and also often has trapped wind or a burp that only comes up after being asleep for a while after feeding. And now he wants to feed all the time and has taking to sucking his fists furiously before and after feeding. The Dr advised Mylanta with losec as the next step.
Re wind and burping, is Wind associated at all with reflux, or just a bonus for us! And if I need to burp him after feeding, is just sitting him upright and waiting the safest option? Is pressure on the stomach incl putting him on my shoulder a bad idea?
His reflux seems to be worse as the day progresses, sleeping less soundly until he collapses to sleep at about midnight.
With the mylanta, when should i give it - before or after feeding? Perhaps losec would be easier if i don't need to give it every feed? What does it actually do?

lots of qu's, sorry! Daniel is only 7wks so this is all new to me. My daughter (2.5) never had reflux. Thanks for the tips, I am going to employ those too.

Rebecca

[RISA]

Hi Rebecca

It certainly does sound suspiciously like reflux with what you describe, though of course we can't say for sure. It is up to the doctors, so if you have any concerns about it, please discuss it with them. It isn't unusual for babies to reflux approx an hour after a feed- we were told taht is the time taht they are more likely to be refluxing as it is when the stomach is the most actively digesting the meal. It is effectively sloshing the food and acid around in the stomach then, and that's why you may be noticing the vomiting and crying at that time. Constant feeding, and sucking on fists can be more signs too. Will he take a dummy at all, as that may be soothing for him.

We have more tips on our website (www.reflux.org.au) if you haven't already been there. Caring for a child with reflux can be really tough, and they can be really high needs babies (as it sounds like you’ve discovered).

Have you started to use the Mylanta, or Losec? Each doctor has a different view on when to give Mylanta, so to be on the safe side, you should contact him again and find out how much they recommend you use, and when to give it (and what the limit is in a 24 hour period). Some people find giving before a feed works best, while others find after a feed. It may entail some trial and error as well, til you find what works best for him.

Administering Losec isn’t always easy to give either, but you may find it works more effectively than Mylanta. It is generally given once or twice a day. It reduces the amount of stomach acid the body makes. It won’t stop your child from refluxing (or vomiting), but can help him feel a lot more comfortable.

Please don’t apologise for asking a lot of questions, by the way. We are happy to help out if we can, and so many people have heard of reflux, but don’t really understand it, so there is also lots of misinformation out there too.

A lot of reflux babies suffer from a lot of wind. It may be part of their reflux; they may swallow a lot of air when they cry a lot, or when they gulp feeds, or they may swallow a lot just to wash out any acid out of their oesophagus. They may also have food sensitivities, which can create wind too.

It sounds like you have done some research too, as you know that reflux babies often don’t like much pressure on their tummies. It’s often okay to rest them on your shoulder as you try to burp them, but if your bub objects to that position, it may be best to find another. Just be careful when you are burping him, that he doesn’t slump over. Sitting him upright on your lap can sometimes cause more problems because they tend to slump, which adds extra pressure as well. It all comes down to you doing what is right for you and your bub, and finding what works. If you find a way of burping him that is effective, then use it! You may find stopping to burp him quite frequently during a feed is the best way of handling it. There really is no right or wrong way, but just ways that work for you.

It’s not uncommon for babies to be worse as the days progress. They often don’t sleep particularly well, and just get more exhausted as the day goes by. Some will sleep remarkably well all night, while others continue with their difficulties all night as well.

They really are all different, and what works for one may not work for another. Please trust your instincts so you can try to work out what’s best for your bub. If you have any concerns, please discuss them with your doctor or child health nurse as well, and please ask us more questions as you like.

I hope that helps,

Glenda