Reflux

Roesy

I've seen Enfamil in boots and pharmacies alright. How long does that stay down take to prepare?

amira

Well for what I've read it needs to be prepared with cold water, so u can prepare all the bottles in advanced with boiled water and keep them in the fridge, then add formula when needed. Guess u just need to warm them up a bit. So you're saving the 45 min wait after boiling the kettle with the aptamil.

amira

Actually you don't warm it up as it can thicken, needs to be at room temp.
This are the instructions on they're website:

SMA Staydown needs to be made up with chilled water that has been previously boiled.



Wash hands well. Sterilise all utensils according to manufacturers' instructions.


Boil kettle filled with fresh tap water. Allow boiled water to cool before measuring the required amount of water (see feeding guide on can) into the sterilised bottle, carefully - the water is hot. Do not use artificially softened water or repeatedly boiled water.


Place teat and cap on bottle and cool under running water, then refrigerate until chilled. WATER MUST BE CHILLED PRIOR TO ADDING POWDER TO MAKE FEED. Use water within 24 hours.


Prepare each feed as and when your baby needs it. Using the scoop provided in the can, add the correct number of scoops of powder (see feeding guide on can) to the refrigerated water, levelling off each scoop with the back of a clean dry knife. Replace plastic lid on can.


Replace the sterilised teat and cap on the bottle and mix the powder and water together by ROLLING THE BOTTLE VIGOROUSLY BETWEEN YOUR HANDS – DO NOT SHAKE.


This product is best fed at room temperature. DO NOT WARM FEED AS IT WILL CAUSE MILK TO THICKEN.

amira

Well, went back to the doctor yesterday.. Gaviscon seemed to work a bit, but made the baby super constipated!!! So much that i had to help her scooping it Out with a cotton bud. Doctor had told me to give lactulose if she was constipated and so I did but that gave her horrible griping pain so that was a no go! Yesterday doctor decided to change to Zantac so having to wait if that works I haven't been as to try the AR formula.
Well, I though it was working until today.. Baby is in agony.. Crying and really unsettled at every feed.. But they told me to give it at least 5 days see if it works.. I can't see myself waiting that long..
I feel like a failure as a mum as I can't keep calm and try to calm baby down when she's crying in pain.. Also feel like it's somehow my fault for keep going to gp and trying diff things when maybe should have been left alone? She didn't used to cry and now she does most of the time.. And I cry too trying to console her.. That hardly is going to work..
I just don't know what to do anymore!!

Roesy

amira wrote: »

Well, went back to the doctor yesterday.. Gaviscon seemed to work a bit, but made the baby super constipated!!! So much that i had to help her scooping it Out with a cotton bud. Doctor had told me to give lactulose if she was constipated and so I did but that gave her horrible griping pain so that was a no go! Yesterday doctor decided to change to Zantac so having to wait if that works I haven't been as to try the AR formula.
Well, I though it was working until today.. Baby is in agony.. Crying and really unsettled at every feed.. But they told me to give it at least 5 days see if it works.. I can't see myself waiting that long..
I feel like a failure as a mum as I can't keep calm and try to calm baby down when she's crying in pain.. Also feel like it's somehow my fault for keep going to gp and trying diff things when maybe should have been left alone? She didn't used to cry and now she does most of the time.. And I cry too trying to console her.. That hardly is going to work..
I just don't know what to do anymore!!

Oh Amira, sounds like you are having a tough time. Be kind to yourself, you are doing everything you can to help your baby. We are going through quite a bad patch at the moment. Finding it difficult to sleep during the day with the acid then becoming majorly overtired too so between that and the pain we've been having a lot of screaming too. Went back to the gp myself with her yesterday. They don't prescribe medication for infant reflux there so we've been referred on to a paediatrician. She also reminded me that it's unusual for reflux to last beyond 16 weeks. That's poor consolation(well it was to me anyway!), in our case that's 5 weeks away and she seems to worsening instead of improving. It would be just our luck and we'd be one of the unusual ones in which it did last. I already feel terrible that the poor mite has had to put up with this blasted reflux for over 9 weeks already. Probably a silly question but is the anti reflux formula a no go with the medication? Would be slightly nervous about taking her off it even though it doesn't seem as effective lately.

yellow hen

amira wrote: »

Well, went back to the doctor yesterday.. Gaviscon seemed to work a bit, but made the baby super constipated!!! So much that i had to help her scooping it Out with a cotton bud. Doctor had told me to give lactulose if she was constipated and so I did but that gave her horrible griping pain so that was a no go! Yesterday doctor decided to change to Zantac so having to wait if that works I haven't been as to try the AR formula.
Well, I though it was working until today.. Baby is in agony.. Crying and really unsettled at every feed.. But they told me to give it at least 5 days see if it works.. I can't see myself waiting that long..
I feel like a failure as a mum as I can't keep calm and try to calm baby down when she's crying in pain.. Also feel like it's somehow my fault for keep going to gp and trying diff things when maybe should have been left alone? She didn't used to cry and now she does most of the time.. And I cry too trying to console her.. That hardly is going to work..
I just don't know what to do anymore!!

Oh amira, I could have written this 7 months ago. I cried at least once a day with the stress of it all. I can only tell you what worked for us so here goes:
1. Lactulose was useless. I stuck to my mothers suggestion of some brown sugar and water....it almost never failed to work.
2. Gaviscon only worked for a few days for us. We continued to give it but we also went on zantac. It took about 3 days to see a change.
3. Unfortunately the constipation continued and was accompanied by chronic wind so we, on the recommendation of our gp, changed to a lactose free formula (SMA lactose free) and it made a dramatic change.

We're now unsure if the little fella ever had reflux or if he was always just lactose sensitive or maybe he had a touch of both.

The best and most honest thing I can say to you is this: Keep a diary of her food intake, medication, bowel movements and general form each day. Sometimes you might spot a trend that a gp cannot. Bare with the zantac for a few more days and if you dont see enough of a change, speak to your go about a formula change. She will improve with time so try not to think longterm. Just deal with each day as it comes. It's a truly awful time but it's very common and it'll pass. Cuddle and comfort her as much as possible and just be her mammy. Let us know how you go.

amira

Hey rosey, sorry to hear you're lil mite is suffering badly from this too..
I really hope we reach the 16 week mark and all our troubles fade away.. By then they'll start teething and we'll start all over again!!

The thing is that they want me to try one thing at a time and give each at least a week to see what's working and what not.. It kinda makes sense but while you wait for something to make effect your waiting on desperation that there's nothing else you can do! Just try to soothe the baby with tears in your eyes.. Feeling your a bad mum for not being able to do more and wishing she grows fast so she can get over it instead of enjoying the tiny mites.. Not fair!!

I was thinking if going to the pharmacist today and ask if I can give the AR formula with the Zantac.. Then if things don't change by the weekend start this.. Was also thinking if getting referred to the paed.. My GP has mentioned to the last couple of times that I can go see another dr if I want to.. I think she doesn't know what to do anymore and wants to get rid of me.. Ha! Can't blame her tho.. She must be tired of seeing me there with the same issue every week!!

amira

Yellow hen: so did you give Zantac and gaviscon together? That was another q for the pharmacist I planned on asking today..

Thing is my baby only poops every 3 days.. They told me this was normal, but before I knew this was ok for some babies, or that's what phn said.. I tried the water and sugar and never saw a difference.. How Many oz you gave her and how often?

I also thought of the lactose free formula.. Is just that would be yet another change.. And they keep telling me is bad to keep chopping and changing formulas but sure you have to keep trying until u find something that works??

Rose35

My baby was diagnosed as lactose intolerant at 7 months but his issue was the opposite regarding the stools, he was soiling everytime he finished his bottles and it was runny yellow/green, sorry if TMI but sounds like you have the opposite problem Amira

Roesy

The trying one thing at a time makes sense alright. How old is your baby? Ours is 11 weeks today. To be honest I'm glad we're being referred on. We've only had her at the gp twice with and with 9 weeks between the 2 visits and both times she said 'you know she won't remember any of this' and the thing about the 16 weeks. Her attitude seemed to be ride it out. I'm coping okay with it. It is very upsetting but I feel that at this stage having tried gaviscon, raising the head of her basket, moving from breast feeding to formula and then to anti reflux formula, keeping her upright for at least 20 mins after each feed, infacol, baby massage and carrying her in the sling on bad days I'm starting to get sick of 'riding it out' and seeing my poor baby miserable so much.

amira

I know exactly the feeling. My GP prescribed the medicines but basically keeps hinting that the reflux is in My imagination coz the baby doesn't get sick.. Cant believe she hasn't heard of silent reflux or doesn't know much about it. She also told me that she'll grow Out of it.. Of course they dont have to see the baby in pain and suffering all day long..

My baby is 8 weeks old so half way there!!

If you dont mind me asking, how does the paed referral work? Does the doc get an appt for you or just give you a letter? And if so, what do u do with it? Do you need to get an appt in hospital yourself? How long until Your baby will be seen?

yellow hen

amira wrote: »

Yellow hen: so did you give Zantac and gaviscon together? That was another q for the pharmacist I planned on asking today..

Thing is my baby only poops every 3 days.. They told me this was normal, but before I knew this was ok for some babies, or that's what phn said.. I tried the water and sugar and never saw a difference.. How Many oz you gave her and how often?

I also thought of the lactose free formula.. Is just that would be yet another change.. And they keep telling me is bad to keep chopping and changing formulas but sure you have to keep trying until u find something that works??

Yes we continued to give gaviscon with the Zantac. At the start we were ignored as well so one Friday night after a particularly bad day we took the baby into crumlin. As he hasn't yet had his vaccines we were put into a room and seen within an hour. Little man had one of his episodes there so they got to witness what it was like. They agreed it was reflux and put him on the Zantac. It was weeks later that my gp suggested lactose sendivity. We knew he wasn't intolerant as he never had runny nappies. Like amira, it was one poo every few days. You could get a Paeds referral amira (although i feel theres nothing they can do) or else just try the SMa lactose free. It's quiet light so not have a big heavy gluppy formula like some of the lactose free ones. Although constantly changing formula is not recommended, in this case it's one change and I think the benefits might be worth it. But talk to your gp first if you're uncomfortable.

Oh re the brown sugar, I think it was a half or full teaspoon per 4oz of cool boiled water. I usually gave him an ounce of it. Sometimes it might take two ounces. My public health nurse told me not to do it but my gp told it was fine and there was as much sugar in the lactulose so I should do whatever worked best.

amira

Yeah, that's another thing i noticed, gp tells me something is totally fine to do, and phn totally frowns upon it, like changing formulas, give meds and go even told me to dilute feeds.. Phn nearly had a heart attack!

Will keep on trying.. Not much else we can do..

yellow hen

amira wrote: »

Yeah, that's another thing i noticed, gp tells me something is totally fine to do, and phn totally frowns upon it, like changing formulas, give meds and go even told me to dilute feeds.. Phn nearly had a heart attack!

Will keep on trying.. Not much else we can do..

I think i'd take the advice of the gp to be honest. I still add extra water to lil mans feeds. Public health totally frowned upon it. I wouldn't pay them much heed.

LegacyUser

Hi my little one is suffering too. HV told to try aptamil comfort which I have for four days but she is still suffering and cries whole time she is awake. I am thinking of changing to aptamil anti reflux it seems a lot of fuss to prepare but anything to help her pain and my sanity! I will let you know how I get on. I am suffering with you just keep telling myself it wont go on forever.