Our paed has prescribed Motilium (Domperidone) for my 3mth old baby and just wondering if anyone else has had success with this medication - especially on a baby that young. I'm reluctant to just start her on the Motilium as her Paed sent the script in the mail to me after I rang his office asking for advice about her lack of feeding & whether her Losec dose needed to be increased. I would have preferred he discussed it with me rather than just send the script. I will be calling his rooms again next week for further clarification before I start giving it to DD, but in the meantime, thought i'd post here. Some history ...

DD has been on reflux meds since she was 3 weeks old. First it was Ranitidine, and then finally convinced her Paed to let her try Losec granules about 3 weeks ago (initially 10mg then upped to 15mg as things were going backwards). Her sleeping is a bit better since being on Losec, but her feeding has steadily been getting worse. I'm struggling to get 100mls of Neocate into her each feed now whereas a month ago she was having 140-180mls per feed. She does sleep during the day (unsettled at times) but only seems to be really hungry if the time between feeds is 5 or more hours but she wouldn't get enough into her if I let her go that long. She sleeps well at night but we're waking her for dream feeds just to stop her getting dehydrated. It's so tiring.

She has also had constipation issues since being on Neocate but it's being managed with Lactulose now. Other than that she's pretty happy generally, she just doesn't want to eat anymore. Does it sound like Motilium is worth trying?

Hi Kittykat
Both my daughter and son are on motilium. My Son was started on it when he was about 7mths after a trial of Erthromycin which did work (empty the tummy) but he was unsettled ? tummy pains. The Motilium has worked well, and has helped to control his reflux.
Good luck
Vicky Lee

Hi
My eight-year-old daughter is on Motilium currently mostly for her constipation now but if she doesn't have it she can still cough with reflux. She was on it pre her Nissen Fundoplication from the age of about four years to six years. As a baby she was on Prepulsid which is similar off and on from a week of age but there are nastier side-effects with this and it is therefore no longer funded.
From what you have told me, I would have no hesitation in trying Motilium. It will help move food through the stomach and bowel faster, making the stomach empty quicker which will help decrease reflux and make baby hungry. Moving the food through the bowel faster will be helpful for the constipation. Lactulose is good but Motilium may help you reduce that also. Do you give a Probiotic? These are useful as the good bugs are what feed on the sugar in the Lactulose to help relieve constipation. They are also useful in the management of allergies, wind and reflux.
There are increased side-effects with higher doses of Losec and Motilium is being used more often in infants now.

Thanks VickyLee and Roz. DD has been on the Motilium suspension for 3 days now. She's had a bowel movement each day, which is good but so far there's been no improvement in her feeding ... she seems more happy to suck furiously on her fist than the bottle. How long should it take to see any improvement in her feeding? I am wondering if I am leaving enough time between the Motilium and her bottle. The only instructions I have are to give 1.2mls 3x daily before a feed - do I need to leave a gap between the meds and her milk?

Roz I tried a probiotic in her bottle but haven't given it for a while as it didn't seem to do much, but I may start using it again once we work out if the Motilium is working.

Hi Kittykat
Hopefully even the effect on the bowel should help with the reflux symptoms. Ideally it is 15 to 30 minutes before meals. I would add the probiotics back in. We were told recently that they were essential for Gem for her constipation and reflux by a naturopath and her paediatrician recommends them too. They also have a role in allergy prevention.