Infant reflux – real-life advice

If you type ‘Infant Reflux’ into any internet search bar you will come up with thousands of articles.

What is harder to find are the personal experiences, the real-life advice on what to do to get through it from a mother and baby who have been there and have come out the other side.

Reflux from a mum who's been there

 
Here’s my story which I hope will help parents who are going through a similar situation.
 
I remember the day clearly, this particular morning we had been up from midnight to 5.00am, my son was upset, screaming and demanding constant feeding.

I was in the fog deeply and at a loss about what to do.

This is when it really dawned on me that this reflux was going to be a problem; he looked miserable and I, despite using a not so glamorous spew cloth, was on my second change of clothes and it was only 9.00am!
 

Reflux symptoms

The reflux symptoms my son suffered included:
 

• Irritability and pain.

 

• Sudden screaming for no reason when asleep.

 

• Constant or sudden crying or ‘colic’ like symptoms, especially when laid down flat.

 

• Poor sleeping, especially at night.

 

• Arching his neck and back during or after feeding.

 

• Excessive vomiting.

 

• Frequent burping and/or hiccups.

 

• Excessive dribbling.

 

• Sinus congestion.

 

• Difficult to ‘burp’ after feeds.

 

• Constantly feeding for comfort.

 

• Bowel movements were very frequent, often acidic smelling and loose.

 

Reflux treatments

 
Our GP offered medication such as Infant Gaviscon. It thickens the milk, making it easier for the baby to cope with. It gave him temporary relief, but soon was not working at all.

A few weeks after being prescribed the Gaviscon, he started on Losec. It was terribly frustrating to give him (it comes in a capsule which you open and add the contents to food), but I felt it was giving him a little relief.
 
Despite breastfeeding my earlier child successfully, breastfeeding was not an option this time around due to his very high palette which ripped my nipples.
 
We then opted for changing formulas TWICE before choosing Karicare AR (Anti Reflux). The reflux was still clear, but he was a much happier baby.
 

7 things that actually helped us

It's sometimes difficult to know where to start when it comes to managing infant reflux, but here are some things that helped us:

1. Spacing his feeds out to 3-hourly. If he was screaming for food we would feed him; the constant demand for milk from him was exhausting, but over feeding was worsening the reflux. 

2. Keeping him upright. We had the push-chair inside and he would sleep in that a lot.

3. When we were changing his nappy instead of lifting his bottom, we would roll him to the sides.

4. Elevating the cot. We put phone books under the head end of his cot to help tilt it.

5. The AR Formula worked really well combined with using a Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Bottle.

6. My son has always loved his baths and showers, so if he was having a really bad afternoon I would shower with him or bath him. After that he would normally cuddle up and sleep in my arms.

7. At 9 months things were finally good. He still had the odd spew and the odd unsettled time at about 11.30pm. He was having 2 small solid meals a day and we still try to be careful not to over feed him.
 
Source: This article was written by Lisa Stirling at All In A Daze.
 

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^{Image source: we made me}