Reflux & Choking

[rebeccamum]

Girls, just wanted to know if anyone knows whether reflux is associated with choking at all. My DD has reflux (she's not been diagnosed yet but i'm pretty sure that it's reflux). She fusses and cries during feeding (bottlefeeding) , sometimes arches her back and the whole body becomes tense. She doesn't like to be held flat on my lap for feeding (probably because she's uncomfortable in that position?) , she will trash around and moves vigorously and ends up puking. So I sit her up straight on my lap and feed her. She also drinks quite little , 60-90ml per feed and she's already 10 wks old. Feeding is tiring and it takes so long, I also have to feed her very frequently (once every 40-50 mins) because she takes so little at time.

To make it all worse, she has been choking during feeds for 2 weeks. I don't know how it happened , I think it just did. Somebody told me about using wrong teats but I already use newborn size. Nothing's changed with the bottles, teats, or the way I feed her since she was born. I don't understand why she suddenly chokes. She also chokes during sleep sometimes. Once she brought out very sticky mucous...looks like phlegm or those stuff we have when our throats get very itchy if you know what I mean. Is reflux have anything to do with this choking issue? I'll see her paed of Thursday but just wanted to hear if anyone has useful advice.

[rebeccamum]

Hi TanUch, how could I get sick of you?!? ;) Thank you so much for your advice. I tried Prima teat like you suggested but my DD wouldn't take it, she must like the Avent teats a lot as she has been sucking them since she was born.

I certainly will talk to her paed about anti-reflux formula and thickener. Have you used HA Karicare before? I'm a bit hesitant to switch formula as it's such a big hassle. My DD had Nan Gold but got very bad poo from it, the nurse thought she was lactose intolerant so she suggested S26 Lactose-free and that improved everything. We switched to S26 Gold after we're quite sure she seems to agree with S26 and she has been taking it for almost 2 months now. I'm just worried we'll have problem again if we change formula...

I'm temped to give her a dummy but not very sure when I should give it to her, after feed or when she asleeps? And is it difficult to wean? I was raised up to believe that dummies are bad and it's just hard to change that attitude. Everytime I see kids with dummies I just cringe..I know it's unreasonable.Anyway, if it does help to make the reflux thing better, what the heck! i'll prop it in her mouth and make peace with it.

As for propping up the mattress, I've heard of that and been doing it for long. Yes, it seems to make her more comfortable. That explains why she loves to be held upright and enjoys being in a pram and car seat.

I have a feeling that her paed will suggest anti-reflux medicine, is it ok to give it to babies? Some people suggested me to see a homeopath/osteopath/chiro, are those better approaches? Western & traditional medical practitioners seem object to them so I'm not sure if I should bring up this issue with the paed..

Anyway, thanks so much for your advice, you're such a doll :D I'm sure it'll be better soon. My mother put up with my reflux until I was 4 months so I should be all right with my baby too.

[Caitlin's Mum]

Hi Rebecca, my little bub is on medication for reflux - it is called Zantac. You will need to get a prescription from your doctor though. This has made a big difference with the pain. Unfortunately it doesn't stop the throwing up though :) Not sure about the choking issue though. Oh I have also tried the anti reflux formulas - they are just really to settle the throwing up down a little bit - you could also try some infant Gaviscon in bub's bottle - this helps with the pain also. Good luck.

[catnapjack]

Hi Rebeccamum, me again too although havent written for a long time. Your bub is sounding more and more like Jack especially when he was 10 weeks (he is now 20 weeks). Jack was on Zantac but it didnt really do much except give him a belly ache, so the paed tried a stronger and better medication called Losec. I know heaps of mums that swear by it. It supresses the acid production in the tummy so that when she does reflux it doesnt burn which causes the pain and arching (and nap type sleeps in the day) Unfortunately Jack got diarrhoea and tummy pains with that too so we had to stop it but while he was on it, he was a different baby.

Choking sounds are common with reflux, sometimes the reflux of the acid can cause a condition called oesophagitis which is inflammation of the gullet caused by the acid burning it. This makes swallowing painful,and while initially bub may over drink (ie heaps of milk guzzled) to sooth the throat, the increase of feeds causes increased reflux and the worsening of the oesophagitis.

This then leads to fussy feeding and eventually not drinking at all (unfortunately we spent 1 week with Jack in hospital with this) The fussy feeding was helped by giving him Mylanta before each feed and thickening his formula with gaviscon powder.

Before you do anything though, talk to your paed, as my comments are things that worked for us but may not be the right thing for Rebecca.

You wont believe me (I didnt believe anyone) but they DO grow out of it. Jack was 4 months before he settled down (by then with only infacol for wind) Give her lots of cuddles and love in the meantime (like Im sure you are doing) to let her know you are doing everything you can to help her.

Keep up the fabulous work :)

[rebeccamum]

Thanks girls, boy I love bubhub as there're tons of very lovely mums here :D

I keep all information all of you gave me, wrote it down on a piece of paper and will bring it with me to the paed tomorrow. The poor guy's gonna be bombarded with tons of questions :D

CatnapJack, you make me feel heaps better for providing me useful tips to deal with reflux. Compare with your Jack, my daugther Rebecca has very mild reflux but it still bothers me to see her in pain. I feel for you and really admire your patience and strenght for trying to help your son. By the way, he looks very adorable with the dog :)

TanUch, I printed out this page so I can keep the advice you gave me hehe :) Yeah, I was thinking the dummy might be a bit late for her as she's already 10 weeks old. She might be able to stick her own fingers for self-soothe soon, right?
Anyway, I'll keep you posted about my daugther and what the paed suggests tomorrow.

[rebeccamum]

Ok, I'm back from my paed this afternoon. Rebecca's diagnosed with mild refulx and been given either Gaviscon or Mylanta (it's my option to choose which one). Since she gains weight well, the paed didn't think she needs Zantac just yet. He's very satisfied with her health over all and her spitting up is not very serious. I got the feeling that he didn't think she actually has reflux (my hubby seems to agree with that too) as she sleeps really well at night (5-6 hrs straight then wake for a feed and goes to sleep for another 4-5 hrs).

What he told me wasa bit surprising though. He said it's because the way I've been feeding her that causes the problem :eek: See, she's a snacker and I'm aware of that. She's fed almost every hour during the day and takes only about 60ml each feed. I try to give her more milk and do less feeds but she just resists it. So the doctor said that erratic feedings stops her from developing her digestive system properly and she ends up being in pain.... :(

I know the way I've been feeding her is not right and I don't want to do it like that. I probably got myself into what Tracy Hogg called "Accidental parenting." Whatever it is, now I want to break her habit and restructure everything. I'll try to prolong her feedings even if she'll be upset and crying (and hungry as well), but it has to be changed... :(

The doctor also said he doubts if she'll take a dummy (as she's already 10 wks old) but I can give it a try if I want (I might not). I'm just not sure what I can do if she gets hungry and cries before her next feed. Any suggestion?

I'll also try to thicken her formula, I don't think Gaviscon does that, doesn't it? The paed said to give him a call if Gaviscon doesn't help after 2 weeks.

Wish me luck, girls :p

[Michele Crocker]

Hi,

I have a four week old baby and she has been diagnose with reflux. She has all the symptoms, like choking when feeding, irritability, projectile vomitting etc. Anyway in four weeks we are up to our third different formula. First I was on Karicare Gold, then the AR and now we are on the Karicare Soya formula. Ashleigh's paedaetrician is trying to rule out the possibility that the reflux is due to intolerance to that formula. She has only been on this formula for a day or so and she seems to be a lot calmer but she has reverted back to the projectile vomitting and choking that she did not do as much while she was on the AR. The paedaetrician also has her on zantac and I find that helps her a lot.

I would be asking your paedaetrican whether she could be lactose intolerant and whether a change to a soya based formula would help your baby.

Michele
Mother of Christopher, Luke, Melissa, Jayden and Ashleigh(4 weeks old)

[catnapjack]

Hi Rebeccamum,

You can but the Gaviscon in liquid or powder. You need to ask for the powder. There are instructions on each sachet about how much to add according to how much milk in the bottle. Shake it in the bottle to mix it well then give ! I tried it and I couldnt taste anything yucky so she should be okay with it. The Gaviscon thickens when it is in the tummy. If you leave a bottle with milk mixed with Gaviscon to settle, you will notice after a while that the bottom of the bottle sets to a jelly.

Mylanta I give even now when Jack gets unsettled for long periods and I can smell vomit on his breath. It doesnt thicken the feed at all, in fact it is given in a 2 ml syringe directly. It coats the gullet and relieves the heartburn (exactly like it works for us) Do you have another appointment to see the paed ?

Keep in touch and feel free to PM me at anytime.

[rebeccamum]

Hi reflux mummies :D A week has gone by and believe it or not, things get better! They're not the best but they're better than they were - no screaming during feeds, no more pain in tummy. She still pukes a bit but I don't mind that as long as she's not in pain, although she did projectile vomitting twice in a week and a half :(

Michele Crocker, I tried S26 Lactose-free but it makes no difference. I don't think my daugther is lactose intolerant as her poo is very normal.

Catnapjack, so that's what Gaviscon does...so how often should I give it to her? I can't follow the instructions exactly as she never drinks the amount of milk according to the guideline. The paed says give her twice a day (I think...she screamed so loudly while he's explaining to me and I couldn't really hear him well) I give her 2 doses a day when I think she'll be drinking a lot (120ml), am I doing this right? Choking is also common in reflux babies, eh?

TanUch, I know you want me to try AR formula but my DH doesn't want me to do it. He's worried she'll get constipated or have other problems, so told me not to muck around with formula :o Since she seems to be better, I'll just stick to the one we use. I'll try the AR once I get very desperate though :D