Reflux - Infant Gaviscon ** Update - More Questions **

[glittergirl]

Hi

I took my son to the docs yesterday as i was getting concerned about how much milk/fluid he brings up after his bottles.

Docs said he had reflux and prescribed infant gaviscon.

Now, its says on the box if he is over 10lbs (which he is) then put two doses in his bottle BUT it says on the front label put one dose in his bottle.
I only seen this after i had put the two doses in so did i put too much in his bottle?

Also, how often throughout the day do you add the gaviscon to the milk? Every other bottle? Only 2 bottles a day?

I missed it out of his bottle through the night as he never seems to suffer with reflux at night, just during the day when he's active.

Oh i'm all confused....

 

[debecca]

Hi

I took my son to the docs yesterday as i was getting concerned about how much milk/fluid he brings up after his bottles.

Docs said he had reflux and prescribed infant gaviscon.

Now, its says on the box if he is over 10lbs (which he is) then put two doses in his bottle BUT it says on the front label put one dose in his bottle.
I only seen this after i had put the two doses in so did i put too much in his bottle?

Also, how often throughout the day do you add the gaviscon to the milk? Every other bottle? Only 2 bottles a day?

I missed it out of his bottle through the night as he never seems to suffer with reflux at night, just during the day when he's active.

Oh i'm all confused....

If it's a 4oz bottle use ONE sachet.
If it's an 8oz bottle use TWO.

When we first started using it with Connie she was on 6oz bottles so we used a sachet and a half in each bottle.

(However now her reflux isn't so bad we just use one sachet in a 6oz bottle)

 

[glittergirl]

Thanks for the reply

He's on 6oz at the min so think i will try him on 1 dose this morn and see how he goes.

Did you put it in every bottle?

He usually has around 6 bottle a day and the max is 6 doses per day.
Although i may miss his last night time bottle out again

xxx

 

[nori]

Hiya hun, Ive also started having this. Ollie has 6oz bottles so im putting one and a bit in (was putting 2 in.. oops) I use them for every bottle except the night one so 6 a day. Its helped loads. I'm not sure how long i should use them for though.. is it something they grow out of in a couple of weeks??

Claire x

 

[debecca]

Thanks for the reply

He's on 6oz at the min so think i will try him on 1 dose this morn and see how he goes.

Did you put it in every bottle?

He usually has around 6 bottle a day and the max is 6 doses per day.
Although i may miss his last night time bottle out again

xxx

We put it in every bottle because we quickly realised how much good it was doing. If we didn't include the Gaviscon, the burping was more difficult (and prolonged) and she tended to vomit more and just seem more uncomfortable.

Nori, in answer to your question, babies do grow out of reflux (once their valve strengthens) but it can vary as to when it happens. We decided at New Year to remove Connie's Gaviscon (or Scavvy Gone as we call it in our house) altogether and it was a DISASTER so she clearly still needs it. However, I know Becky (daftscotslass's little girl) came off the Gaviscon entirely a couple of months back with no problems at all.

Basically you know your child and you know their symptoms. If they seem to be improving, try a bit less Gaviscon. If they seem to be getting worse, up it.

Remember to always consult a healthcare professional though, girls

(I am becoming such an expert on Mental Health, and Babies' Health, I should probably retrain. I'm clearly wasted as a teacher)....

 

[1sttimemum]

I gave caitlyn one sachet in a bottle as big as 7oz. Never gave her two. Without it she would take 1hr to feed 4oz and scream the whole way through. Shes completely off it now and she has been i think since about 7 month old. Shes fab now. whizzs 7oz down hr neck within 5 mins lol

 

[glittergirl]

Thanks girls

I have other concerns now though.

My son hardly cries unless he is hungry or tired but for the past 2 days he has been bringing his legs up to his chest and squealing. Its just not like him at all and i'm worried the gaviscon has given him an upset tummy or something. Also he filled his nappy this morn and it wasn't like it usually was, a bit thicker (like play doh to be honest). Can it make him constipated? He's never had problems where pooing is concerned.

I gave him some gripe water earlier and that seemed to work for now.

I've also read that gaviscon can make the milk thicker so i've just tried him with the Dr Browns level 2 teat in case it was too thick and he was having to suck harder therefore intake of more air giving him wind. He managed fine with the bigger teat so i'll stick with it.

He is asleep at the min so i'll have to see what he's like when he wakes to see if he is in pain again

Any advice as i dont know whether to keep giving him the gaviscon or not

 

[debecca]

Thanks girls

I have other concerns now though.

My son hardly cries unless he is hungry or tired but for the past 2 days he has been bringing his legs up to his chest and squealing. Its just not like him at all and i'm worried the gaviscon has given him an upset tummy or something. Also he filled his nappy this morn and it wasn't like it usually was, a bit thicker (like play doh to be honest). Can it make him constipated? He's never had problems where pooing is concerned.

I gave him some gripe water earlier and that seemed to work for now.

I've also read that gaviscon can make the milk thicker so i've just tried him with the Dr Browns level 2 teat in case it was too thick and he was having to suck harder therefore intake of more air giving him wind. He managed fine with the bigger teat so i'll stick with it.

He is asleep at the min so i'll have to see what he's like when he wakes to see if he is in pain again

Any advice as i dont know whether to keep giving him the gaviscon or not

More questions, more answers!

Yes, Gaviscon DOES change the consistency of your baby's poo, making it more like playdoh is the best way to describe it, but it shouldn't make him constipated. If you're using two sachets you might be advised to stick to one if it is making him constipated.

As for the teats, it's usually best to do a bigger teat if your baby can manage with it. Flod was on Dr B's number 2 teats v early on if I remember correctly, and then we moved back on to the TT bottles number 2 because they were wider still.

Have you spoken to your HV? xx

 

[glittergirl]

Thanks girls

I have other concerns now though.

My son hardly cries unless he is hungry or tired but for the past 2 days he has been bringing his legs up to his chest and squealing. Its just not like him at all and i'm worried the gaviscon has given him an upset tummy or something. Also he filled his nappy this morn and it wasn't like it usually was, a bit thicker (like play doh to be honest). Can it make him constipated? He's never had problems where pooing is concerned.

I gave him some gripe water earlier and that seemed to work for now.

I've also read that gaviscon can make the milk thicker so i've just tried him with the Dr Browns level 2 teat in case it was too thick and he was having to suck harder therefore intake of more air giving him wind. He managed fine with the bigger teat so i'll stick with it.

He is asleep at the min so i'll have to see what he's like when he wakes to see if he is in pain again

Any advice as i dont know whether to keep giving him the gaviscon or not

More questions, more answers!

Yes, Gaviscon DOES change the consistency of your baby's poo, making it more like playdoh is the best way to describe it, but it shouldn't make him constipated. If you're using two sachets you might be advised to stick to one if it is making him constipated.

As for the teats, it's usually best to do a bigger teat if your baby can manage with it. Flod was on Dr B's number 2 teats v early on if I remember correctly, and then we moved back on to the TT bottles number 2 because they were wider still.

Have you spoken to your HV? xx

Thanks so much hun. I really appreciate your advice

I've just been putting one sachet in since yesterday. Monday i was using 2 but that was only for a couple of bottles.
I've not spoken to my HV since Monday, i'll ring her tomorrow if it continues.
To be honest my HV seems to brush everything i ask her off. When i mentioned to her 2 weeks ago that my son was constantly being sick after his bottle all the way up until his next one she just simply said "that'll be down to wind"
Was only coz of my research on here that i guessed it was reflux and the doc agreed.

I'm praying he wakes up and is back to being my smiley little boy

xxxxx xxxxxxxxx

 

[daftscotslass]

Yep she came off it in late December and that was it, no more major problems So she was on it about 4 months altogether. She's still occasionally a bit sicky after a big milk feed but nowhere near the extent of before. Think it's a combination of her growing out of it and the fact she's a great eater when it comes to solids.

I would just go over your HV's head to the GP if you want more advice, I kept getting fobbed off by mine and it was really annoying. I was also told that it didn't have to be 2 sachets per 8 oz of milk either, she was only taking 6-7oz most of the time she was on it (only ever made up 7oz) and we never had problems. If you think about it, breastfed babies who are on Gaviscon can still have 2 sachets mixed with water/ebm without monitoring how much milk they're getting. Speak to your doc to be sure on this one though, typically the advice everywhere is different