A 'touch' of reflux???

[KayQ77]

Hi there,

My little girl is now 11 weeks and was diagnosed on Monday that she has a 'touch' of reflux (it doesnt appear that bad that she needs medication at this stage). After reading some other posts, I realise her case is nowhere near as bad as some.

I breast feed quite successfully though she often cries loudly and pulls offf (as though in pain).
She hiccups after every feed.
During the day, unless she is in her swing, she will not sleep for any longer than 45 mins (sometimes I am lucky if she goes down for even 20 mins).
I keep her upright after every feed and even when settling for a sleep. When she is dozing in this position she often pulls a face (like she is in pain), gags a bit and chews and swallows.

On the positive side, she never refuses a feed. She has been sleeping through (usually goes down around 8 or 9pm and wakes anytime between 5 and 8am) and wakes up very happy.
She doesnt spill at all. :)

I can cope no worries with all of the above. My issues at present is I was also diagnosed with mastitis whilst at the doctor and still feel quite ill even though I have been feeding and using cold packs etc. I chose not to take antibiotics.

So I am not feeling as happy about bf as I was in the past. I am considering putting my daughter on the bottle and would like to know what formula you would recommend based on how she is with feeding at present with the reflux symptoms.

I express once every 2 days and try to feed her with the bottle to get her used to it. Sometimes she takes it, sometimes she doesnt.

The reason why I am considering formula is because I am contemplating going back to work for 1 to 2 days a week and Nanna will be taking care of her.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Kay

[RISA]

Hi Kay

Thanks for contacting our organization. Congratulations on the birth of your daughter, and also for doing a great job with dealing with her reflux. You sound as though you have done a lot of research and have been able to help with some of the management strategies.

I’m sorry to hear you are sick, and mastitis can have a nasty kick, I know!!!! I hope you feel better soon! I’m wondering if perhaps it would be better if you waited until you were feeling better to make a decision like that? Could it be influencing you now since you still feel so rotten? Just wondering whether it may also be worth talking to a lactation consultant about it all. I don’t want to pressure you, and I know it is a very personal decision whether you continue breastfeeding or not. (and I’m sure you have had a lot of opinions on that already, as people are so apt to do!!!)

If you wanted to continue breastfeeding as well, and perhaps expressing, or supplementing with formula while you are at work, perhaps you can figure out some way of making that happen? (if you are interested, of course)

Just so that you are aware of all the facts, did you know that babies tend to reflux less on breastmilk? – I think mainly because it is much easier to digest. It is still the recommended option for refluxers… BUT you do need to do what feels right for your family, and what’s right for you.

If you still wish to choose formula feeding, there may be a few things you can consider. It is actually difficult to say which formula would be best, as it is often a case of trial and error. Every baby is different, and they may do better on one formula over another- for no apparent reason.

Given that she doesn’t vomit, then I probably wouldn’t suggest using a thickened formula. They don’t tend to help with the reflux, but can help reduce the amount of vomiting they do. Because she isn’t vomiting, then it may not be terribly helpful. (of course that doesn’t mean it wont be as it still can help- my son, also a silent refluxer, did have a spoonful of thickened formula after a breastfeed and it did seem to help him feel more comfortable)- hence why trial and error can help.

The formula you choose may depend on whether there are any allergies you are concerned about. If so, you may like to look into the HA (hypoallergenic) formulas or formulas that are broken down even further. You don’t mention allergies though, so I presume it isn’t a factor.

I have heard that whey based formulas are easier to digest, as opposed to casein based, so you might want to try one of those first. Some of those may be Karicare, Nan or S26, but check with the pharmacist or child health nurse perhaps.

I don’t know if that information helps or not, but I hope you feel better soon, and good luck with making a decision about feeding, and returning to work. I’m sure it can’t be easy on you,

Glenda