Hi there,
I am actually quite new here but will like to pose a question on reflux.
After months of trying and disappointments, we managed to conceive and our son Aidan was born about 5 weeks ago. He was always a happy baby but I have just noticed within the last 2 days that he has been very unsettled after his feeds and sometimes just literally screams (really loud and distressed) during his feeds and after them. He has done it 3 times, yesterday evening, this morning and afternoon. He is also unsettled during his sleep today, just suddenly screaming after being put to sleep about an hour after.
In desperation, I went to see our GP and he diagnose reflux. I also (made the mistake) of looking into the Baby Whisperer book and it seems like reflux too. The thing that made me felt bad was Tracy Hoagg mentioning factors like whether the baby was breeched, delivered by c-section and premature? Aidan is all 3 as clearly being breeched, I have to have a c-section at 38 weeks. I just can't help thinking that I 'did him wrong'. I feel quite helpless at the moment.
Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks.

That's interesting joyjoy about the birth affecting reflux. My DD was also breech, delivered by c-section at 37+3 but that isn't classed as premature. I'd never heard of that.

I also had the model baby for the first 6 weeks and then it turned to custard and we didn't diagnose reflux until 3 months.

You most definitely did not do him wrong, you couldn't help those situations and reflux is just so common. It is good that you noticed it so quickly and he's only suffered for a few days. My poor DD suffered for a few weeks!

What meds do you have your son on now?

we were breech, c/section with forceps at 38wks. I wonder if there is really anything in that. There is enough to feel guilty about as a mother, I don't think anyone needs to hear that as well! You're doing a good job joyjoy.

Joyjoy - I think that it is great how you have Aidan's reflux diagnosed so early! You're doing a fab job and there is no reason to feel guilty, esp over things you have no control over during their birth. My daughter was born at 41 weeks, natural delivery (although was ventouse) and not breech (although we did have our share of complications) and we still have a reflux baby. We also had a model child till she was about 6 weeks old. She was diagnosed with silent reflux at about 9 weeks and is now 7 months old, still being medicated but her reflux is well controlled and she is sleeping heaps better now. We still struggle with her feeding sometimes but that's a whole other story. I remember the feeling of helplessness all too well....it even lurks its ugly head now every so often. It is a hard job these reflux kids but it does get better. I hope you are getting heaps of help at home. Take care of yourself too!

If you haven't already, visit the GRSNZ site http://www.cryingoverspiltmilk.co.nz/ - heaps of info there you can read up on reflux.



p.s. Lisa CC...your daugher has very similar name to mine - my daugther is Maia Kate.....how lovely.

My girls were diagnosed with reflux at 3 weeks old (they were 4 weeks prem and c-section) and that was after years of infertility treatment. Please don't blame yourself for bubs having reflux, it's simply that their tummy is making too much stomach acid, and the valve at the top of their tummy isn't working very well yet, but this will get better over time. basically the muscle in the valve is "weak" and just needs toning up. NONE of the specialists I have seen (and i've seen a LOT) have mentioned that the birthing method etc has ANY effect on babies having reflux - it's a GUT problem, nothing more, nothing less.

Things that help: keeping bubs upright for half an hour after a feed (this allows the feed to progress further into the tummy thus relieving pressure on the valve), tilting the cot on an angle, not giving bubs tummy time, front packs for carrying them with during the day, taking them for walks in the buggy (with the back as upright as possible), ... ummmm .... have you thought about trying a dairy free diet? about 30% of reflux babies have problems with diary ...takes about 2-3 weeks to get fully out of your system, but worth trying?

Have you been to the website: http://www.cryingoverspiltmilk.co.nz? It's the official NZ reflux site and has great tips and advice, and info on medications etc.

What meds has the doctor put you on? Are you on gaviscon, ranitidine, losec? I would also consider getting a referral to a paediatrician as many gps are not that knowledgeable about managing reflux .... The gaviscon basically thickens the feed in babies tummy, making it harder for them to spill/vomit. Rantidine and losec both work on the stomach acid pumps in the stomach. Ranitidine turns them down, while losec turns the pumps off. All of these meds take a few weeks to be fully working, so it can take a while to see full improvements, and while babies are little they often need increases in medications till their growth slows down .... So many of us are using both losec and gaviscon as they work in different ways. And find that losec granuals are more effective than the suspension.

This is a tough time till the reflux is controlled. When that happens you'll get a happy baby .... and it will happen ....

You definitely haven't done anything wrong. My first baby was undiagnosed breech at 38 weeks and was distressed by the time they discovered she was breech. I was given an epidural and she was delivered vaginally and needed help to breathe for the first four minutes. She was my one baby who did not have any problems from reflux. She could spill but was very contented and gained weight really well. She has gone on to develop reflux in her teens due to other illnesses.
My other two were right way around, although my severe refluxer was posterior. My second baby who had untreated reflux with FTT between 6-9 months was a very fast vaginal delivery.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for encouragement. I was given infant Gaviscon for DS. But I think I am going to try a peadiatrician. I have noticed that DS only behaves like that certain times of the day eg. 2pm and 5pm feeds and he is fine the rest of the day with all his feeds. Though I did trial the Gaviscon on him for those feeds for 3 days and he was more settled.

Am more confused now as the Plunket nurse visited and she reckoned he is going thru a growth spurt (??) as he cries for a feed after every 2 hours and he seems the right age for one. The nurse said his cries sounded more like hunger than reflux!

Am not going to take much notice about Tracy Hoagg's book though I do quite like her techniques for putting babies to sleep but so far we have not succeeded as I personally think at 5 weeks that they are too young to be able to sleep throughout the night.

Hi joyjoy
Yes, growth spurt crossed my mind too. Are you happy with how he was on the days you gave him Gaviscon Infant? If you were, I would just continue with that for those feeds.
As for parenting/settling information - I like http://www.askdrsears.com Very much an attachment type parenting which I think suits our babies with reflux better. My second baby did sleep for 12 hours at night from about six weeks of age but hardly slept during the day. After my first baby who didn't sleep through until a year of age, I was somewhat amazed! However, baby number two could have done with the extra night-time feeds for her weight.

The baby whisperer is good in terms of it being gentle in terms of settling techniques - but books are not the answer mummy's instinct is better

Are you BF - you could reduce/eliminate dairy. And if it is growth - just keep on offering boobie.

My one is a fussy feeder during the day, does need the extra calories - and wakes for them at night - and I am happy (ish) with her approach to this

I have also had the most textbook pregnancies and births (fast ones tho' i.e I only made it to the bathroom with DD after getting up to go to the loo - rather than the hospital 30mins away) with no drugs and still have had 2 kids with super shocking reflux so don't give yourself a hard time on that front