Is this Reflux?

[Ngala]

Hello,

I was hoping to get some expert opinions as to whether you think DD has reflux or just colic/wind?

Since day one, DD has had trouble getting her wind up. There was screaming in the hospital from her and the m/w's had to take her away to try and help her out as I was just in tears cause I didnt know what to do. Things seemed to have gotten better when my milk came through and we had the most happiest and content baby.

When DD got to around 1 week old, she stopped sleeping during the day. I thought it was strange as I thought newborns would just feed and sleep. I mentioned it to the child health nurse and she didnt seem to concerned and DD just looked happy and alert during the day so I thought it was all OK. Then the unsettledness started and the grunting and grizzling and the blue around the mouth. So I knew that it was wind that she couldnt get up causing her to be in pain.

At 2 weeks old I decided to go and get the famous colic mixture from Padbury Pharmacy. I was told to start at 0.7mls and if needed to put her up to 1.2mls. I got no burps out of her at 0.7mls so I increased the dosage to 1.2mls and we started to get some real good burps out of her and I thought that everything would all be better. But it wasnt... DD still didnt sleep during the day, the only time she slept was when myself or her dad were holding her. She was still really unsettled during the night so I started co-sleeping with her, so we could both get some sleep.

For the past few days, she has started vomiting. The other night she vomited pretty much her whole feed out and pretty much for the past few days, she does vomit with every feed.

I've had a look at a website about reflux (RISA) and she has a few things that the website says:

Irritability/crying/screaming
Vomiting, posseting or regurgitation;
Recurrent hiccups;
‘Wet’ burp or hiccups
Feeding problems - comfort feeding, wanting to feed frequently, pulling away and arching their back, crying during or after feeds, gagging/spluttering
Sleeping issues - catnapping during the day, frequent night waking, easily disturbed from sleep
Snuffling
Wheezing/coughing
Choking

Do you think that she could have reflux or is it just wind/colic as I think I have read that they are similar.... I am planning to go and see my doctor this week to see what he says but would like to hear what other people think.

Thanks!

[blue daisy]

Hey Ngala

all babies have some degree of reflux (regurgitating stomach contents)...due to an immature cardiac sphinctre at birth (at the entrance to our stomach). Colic is build up of painful wind in the gut (intestines), however some paediatricians are theorising that it does not exsist!

A babe with painful reflux will vomit after a feed, cry if placed flat on their back/improve if held upright, cry is pained and distressed

A babe with colic will cry in any position, draw knees to the belly, gut may be distended and the cry will also be pained and distressed.

if your baby is not happy it is best to see a Dr...but if not happy with the first consult then perhaps seek a second opinion until you find a kind and sympathetic Dr

I highly recommend infant massage as a means of alleviating the symptoms of colic, wind, reflux. Search the web for some reputable courses, and ensure that the instructor is qualified

hope this helps...some mums also find that Bowen therapy helps

xx yogababy

[nelly]

Hi Ngala,

The symptoms you describe are very similar to Jake except he never vomited and he used to pull off during feeds and after feeds screaming. Would only sleep on us - all the same as you. When I started reading the blue around the mouth bit I felt like I was reading my feed log - exactly the same!

Having said that I am no expert and although your symptoms are very very similar to Jakes, and he has silent reflux, I would recommend you go to your doctor.

In the meantime try elevating the head of the cot / bassinet on an angle, hold her upright after a feed for at least 30mins, try feeding her in a more upright position - I used to have Jake straddle my leg and basically be tummy to tummy sitting upright - and for wind bicycle her legs. Another good wind pos'n is have her on her back and bend her knees up and down so her knees firmly press her abdomen - worked a treat for us! We also used infacol - tried ALL of the other chemist mixes and brands and remedies for wind - this worked best for us.

Good luck and feel free to PM me, or I might see you in the chat room.

Take care

nelly x

[scarlet121]

I agree that the symptoms sounds like reflux to me, if she is only 2 weeks old (sorry I can't see your ticker at the moment) and all these things are happenning, I would get to the doctor for some opinions, as to me it sounds like it is getting worse quite quickly which is what happenned with my son.

The one thing I would keep a good eye on is the vomitting, if this persists and becomes forceful and projectile then you should definately get to your doctor, a quite common condition in babies is called pyloric stenosis, and this should be ruled out if the vomiting becomes projectile all the time.

Good luck, like a previous poster said, sometimes you have to go to a doctor or two before they will listen and do something about it.

Where in Perth do you live?

[scarlet121]

Thanks Caro, I haven't been checking in as much, the whole house has been sick over the last couple of weeks, Now to top it off, we all have the flu, not so much fun with a refluxer.

Ngala, just re reading, if she is 4 weeks and is getting progressively worse, then I would definately get her to a doctor and ask to try some zantac, which is usually the first med they will prescibe and works for a lot of refluxers, sometimes though it isn't enough and you will need to try a different medication, but try the zantac first. I hope it helps.

The other things you can try is raising the cot or basinette, holding upright after feeds for an hour, use a baby carrier, using a hypoallergenic formula (like the Nan HA) or if you are breasfeeding, taking dairy and soy out of your diet can make a big difference.

Good luck, I know how hard this time is, but it will get better, it just takes a bit of sorting out.

[Ngala]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I will call up my doctor tomorrow and get in to see him asap. Hopefully he will take what I am saying seriously and get DD on to something to get this sorted.

Scarlet - thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate it. The vomiting hasnt been as bad since that first projectile vomit but she does vomit a bit every feed. And I live up in the northern suburbs, all the way up in Merriwa.

Is there anything else I should try and take out of my diet?? I read yesterday to try and avoid chocolate and chocolate is my biggest downfall at the moment! And I dont really have much dairy in my diet, just in the mornings with my cereal...

[Ngala]

DD threw up most of her feed this afternoon If she does this and then is searching for food again, do I feed her again?? I did feed her again afterwards but then she came off crying but still looking for more. I decided to give her her dummy instead, whicj helped settle her..

[nelly]

Ngala I was always told not to feed them again straight away but give them a little while before offering another feed. Something else you can try is small feeds more often - initially I used to do only 1 side per feed but he would feed 2hrly. I also used Infant Gaviscon for the first few weeks, then when the losec kicked in (he's on 20mg tablet per day) he went back to feeding normally. When he had a growth spurt we also used the gaviscon particularly for his night feed. However you need to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using gaviscon or mylanta or something similar.

Good luck and :hugs: to you, I know you probably need one!

[Ngala]

Thanks, I will remember not to feed her again afterwards but she did only feed for a moment before coming off again. And I actually have noticed that DD is feeding a lot less than what she did and more often (every 2.5 - 3 hrs) I think before she would feed off one breat and I would need to give her the other!!

First thing I am doing tomorrow morning is calling my doctor to make an appointment.

And thanks for the hug Nelly Things are actually OK. DD is not screaming and crying all the time, which I am very happy about - only really screams at feeding time

[Schmickers]

The blue around the mouth is sometimes a sign of cardiac problems, so I'd deffinitely see a GP on this one and ask them to listen for a heart murmur. But otherwise, yes, sounds pretty reflux-y to me.

An alternative to Zantac straight away is Slippery Elm powder, which you can get from a homeopath, and sometimes works well for babies who are suffering with reflux. But after that, options are zantac (ranitidine) or losec (omeprazole).

Olivia's been on zantac for almost two months, and the difference is quite remarkable!

[Ngala]

Well we have just come back from seeing my doctor and he says that DD has reflux but because she is only 4 weeks old, he doesnt want to put her on anything. Which I am OK with this. He says if things get worse, then he will refer me to a paed. So if things havent improved by our 6 wk check up, I will ask to go and see one. So from now until then, just gotta keep doing what I am doing!!

The dr did tell me to change my breastfeeding position. He wants me to lay on my back while DD is laying on top of me. Hmmm interesting!! We will see how that goes..

[nelly]

We were told to try that it helps if you have a really fast flow and let down so that they aren't gulping it, and rather than gravity pouring the milk into their mouths they have to work for it if they are hungry. It works - and when my flow settled we used the pos'n where he sits upright so the milk has a chance to settle in his tummy. Good luck!

[Ngala]

Thanks Nelly Good to hear that someone else has tried it!!

DD feeding definitely did change.. not so much gulping! And I got some great burps out of her but unfortunately they were followed by some milk all over me! LOL

[nelly]

That's great - and it's good the wind is coming up!

one day at a time and then you'll look back and "phew thank god it's better!" that's what I did!!!

(and it gets better)

[Ngala]

Well today has been a tough day... It did start off good with DD having a 7 hr night sleep and then 3 hrs after that.. but then it was followed by a few hours of crying and screaming and it was totally doing my head in and stressing me out so off to mum's I went.. things were good there and then I came home and fed and DD has been crying/screaming, throwing up bits of her feed and burping. After about 3 hrs she's only kinda settled. I think her real problem is that it takes her so long to bring up the wind - 3 hrs after her feed and she has given her daddy a great big burp...

I jsut gotta keep telling myself that things will get better and that help (mum) is out there whenever I need it...

[nelly]

You are doing really well V - hang in there!