Mild reflux

Hey guys,

I'm thinking that my little one has mild reflux. She doesn't chuck up a lot, just spits up now and again, but she has ALL of the other symptoms - arching her back, crying when we put her down, she loves to be held upright, she ALWAYS has hiccups which really get to her, she only has 20 minute sleeps in the day time as she wakes frequently and I am sure it's because she has heartburn. Is it worth taking her to the Dr or should I just manage it myself? As I say, I don't think that it's severe but it's bad enough to upset her at times - and that is enough to upset me - I hate seeing my little one in pain.

How do you all manage?
Sue xxx

My DD2 had mild reflux & colic. I had her looked over coz I was loosing my mind with her up crying til 3am every night, but he didn't suggest anything other than holding her up, slinging & a rolled up towel in her cot so she's tilted up. So my guess is that there wasn't much that could be done. You can buy reflux formula as far as I know, but that all depends on if you breast or formula feed :dunno:

Best thing is to keep her upright as much as possible. You can also try elevating one end of the cot/bassinet or wherever she's sleeping.
DS had silent reflux which was quite bad from roughly 3-9 weeks and then gradually improved. I slept sitting up in bed holding him upright for several weeks as it was the only way he'd settle - he was so uncomfortable when lying down.
Hopefully it'll sort itself out in the next couple of months

I undestand what you are going through with your byb at the moment. We are still struggling with my DD's reflux and she is 8 months. I would take her to a doc as the meds are what has helped ( I tired all the other more natural thing with NO success). I have also had a stay at tresillian (which I highly recommend when you have a reflux bub).

I think its important for you to see a doc as I feel that if my baby had her reflux controlled better from an earlier age then we would have avoided alot of other problems. She was put on zantac first which was not very effective at all and is now on losec. because she was in pain for so long she now has
1.pain association with feeding ( I breastfed till she was 6.5 months and found it extremely diffcult as she was constantly coming off screaming, crying, arching her back etc) It got to the point where she was refusing to feed and was losing weight and I had mastitis and blocked ducts numerous times as she was not draining me. I am not saying stop breastfeeding if you are as I am glad that I stuck with it and she would have just had pain assoctiaon with the bottle, however it is important to get it under control NOW or their could be pain association behaviour problems later on.

2. bad sleep habits - was very difficult to get DD into any sort of routine or to sleep throgh a sleep cycle.

3. Muscle problems. She is seeing a physion now as the reflux has caused her to build strong back muscles (arching her back) but she does not put her weight forward and cannot relax her muscles easily as she is so used to being rigid and in pain.

I am not telling you this to scare you, as your DD doesnt sound like their reflux is severe, but I do think its important to have the medical side of things looked at to try and prevent problems later on.

Goodluck hun!

Thanks so much for all of your replies.

It turns out that it wasn't such a mild case after all - took her to the Dr today and she had a wee look down her throat and it is quite red. We have been prescribed Losec so am hoping that this helps at least a little. Poor bubby!

Sue xx

Good to hear, I hope she can get some relief from the pain!

Hmmm, I hope so too - but we are struggling to get her to take the nasty tasting suspension - I tried what the nurse said (put the dropper in the side of her mouth all the way to the back and with the other hand rub under her chin to encourage swallowing) but most of the medicine came back out. I rang them to ask if I could give it to her in some EBM and they said that would be ok but I didn't think that meds should be given with milk.

Does anyone know if that is correct? And any ideas as to how I can get her to take it?
I need her to take the meds because she is in such a lot of discomfort.

Thanks guys
Sue xx