When does spilling become reflux?
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Topic: When does spilling become reflux?
Posted By: KiwiL
Subject: When does spilling become reflux?
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 9:19am
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How much spilling is normal, and when should one become concerned that it might be reflux?
Jackson spills a lot - several times after every feed, but always reasonably small amounts. Sometimes it's a bit slimy, other times it is a bit chunky. Sometimes he just brings it into his mouth and then swallows it back down (glamorous life being a baby, eh?). He also gets hiccups several times a day. It doesn't seem to bother him and for me the biggest pain is the smelliness and changing clothes all the time. But as he is slow gaining weight, should I be concerned that he is losing valuable food? What sort of level does it need to get to for babies to require medication for it? |
Replies:
Posted By: gypsynita
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 9:28am
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when I was trying to work out what was wrong with DS someone recommended this website:
http://www.cryingoverspiltmilk.co.nz/ (sorry don't know how to do links properly!) - it's absolutely brilliant, lays down the symptons really clearly and gives you a good plan for how to deal with it... good luck  ------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: KiwiL
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 9:32am
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Thanks! I have had a look at the site, and it seems it could go either way.
I am reluctant to seek medication for Jackson, but wonder if he was on some kind of medication would he eat better? He is very hard to feed - he loses interest in the breast so quickly and is slow to gain weight. I try to burp him regularly, but often if I pull him off the breast I can't get him on again - so I hate doing so, even though it is probably counter-productive. |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 9:34am
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I think with reflux, they are usually in pain aswell, I read up about reflux when we were having problems with Caden.
They will usually fuss at the boob/bottle and pull off screaming because it hurts. Its quite normal for babys to spill, its when they drink too much and its their bodies way of getting rid of they didnt "need". Caden used to to hiccup HEAPS as a newborn, and he would spill cos of it, but it was never reflux. He still spills a lot sometimes, but its just harmless up chuck lol A girl at my coffee groups little girl is a big spiller, but she hasnt got reflux, she is just a spilly baby. ------------- |
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 9:52am
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Isla had bad reflux( and still has it), and she never spilt at all. Hers was silent relfux- so the stomach acid comes up and burns, but instead of spilling it goes back down to the stomach again, burnin g again as it goes back down.
Hiccups and farts loads are also signs of reflux, but babies without reflux do do these too of course. Cos he is also hard to feed and gaining wait slowly I would get it checked. Most people I know who have had babies with reflux know there is something really wrong cos baby is in so much pain. The scream all the time and never sleep. |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 9:58am
Same here, my friends with babies that have reflux say that there bubs is in obvious pain, cos the acid burns  You could PM Jess(Jeszika) as Max has quite bad reflux, she will be able to give you some advice).------------- |
Kellz wrote:Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 10:01am
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DD is very spilly, even when upright, at least 3 x after each feed.We constantly use bibs and cloths, and she is on infant Gaviscon. It does help a bit.
We were concerned, so went to the GP and are now on the waiting list to the Paediatric clinic. As she isn't in pain with it, and as the GP wasn't overly concerned, we decided not to go private. DD is gaining weight consistently, she's still little (on the smaller end of her age percentile), but Plunket and our GP are happy with her growth. Maybe visit your GP and discuss this with them? Good luck with Jackson...hopefully you have got lots of bibs!  -------------  Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: KiwiL
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 10:18am
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My gut feeling is that it isn't reflux because, no, he doesn't seem to be in pain. He gets wind a bit bad occassionally, but all babies do.
Just trying to find a solution to this weight issue. If the lazy little so-and-so would commit to eating more it would probably help! |
Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 10:26am
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Just a thought - is it a milk supply issue? ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: TysMummy
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 10:26am
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my son was spilling loads like it would hit the wall ..........they gave him reflux treatment..........and found out they should have dont tests first..............so for one i would recomment getting the tests done.............its really horriable but its worth it......................i then found out my boy had a respitory virus ............the docs still believed that it was reflux.........too quick to diagonse) he was critical in hospital for a month..................he has been super ever since.
is he BF or formular? he may be lactose intolerant if on formular try changing it ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: KiwiL
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 10:35am
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I am breastfeeding, and my supply is good. I have a very fast let down, which he gulps like crazy, but once the flow gets a bit slower he gets lazy and irritable.
After he is finished, I can usually express more off, so supply is not an issue. I have had a Lactation Consultant visit twice and she is happy with my feeding. Of course, both times Jackson was an angel and took both breasts and stayed on for about 17 minutes (normally it is ten, and half hearted for half of that!). Other than slow weight, he is happy and alert and weeing and pooing normally. I know I shouldn't be concerned (he is gaining, just slow, but is on the low end of the scales and looks tiny) but Plunket have a way of putting ideas in your head. I don't like how they frown at me!! Unfortunately the constant battle with him does take a bit of joy out of feeding him, but I will persevere because at least he will take the breast and it is best for him at the moment (until I am told otherwise I guess). |
Posted By: aussiegirl
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 10:44am
You are doing a great job!  Hang in there lovey, he sounds like a lovely wee baby ...alert, happy and yay that he is growing (albeit slowly).
Take care ------------- Mum to Hayley **30.6.08
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 10:49am
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By definition, reflux just means the return of the stomach contents from the stomach back up the oesophagus, it doesn't have to cause pain/discomfort to be reflux. But a lot of babies DO have pain and discomfort due to the acid from their stomachs refluxing with the milk causing burning.
If Jackson is feeding OK, not in pain but not gaining weight and spilling a lot a feed thickener like Infant Gaviscon might help as it will help to keep the milk in his tummy rather than it coming back up again. My three youngest have all had pain with their refluxing, Mercedes and Chiara were both prescribed Losec which shuts off the acid pumps in the stomach so that there is no acid in their refluxing so no burning. I definitely agree about Crying Over Spilt Milk tho, it's a great site, there is heaps of info on recognisig reflux, and there is also a forum with a special section for breastfeeding a refluxer which might help you too. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 12:58pm
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Very few DHBs, if any, actually fund the only definitive test for reflux (a pH study).
We first went to the GP at 4 weeks with possible reflux. I found it so hard to know if it was wind or reflux. Cos it wasn't distressing him, I decided not to try meds. It gradually got worse - more fussiness and spilling though Daniel didn't seem to be in pain. We decided to trial meds - initially Gaviscon and it helped the spilling. After a while it seemed like it was getting worse, at which point we trialed Losec which is working. With Losec you should know after a few days. I'm with you on not being keen to put meds in, but sometimes a short trial of meds can help in differential diagnosis. ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: TysMummy
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 2:57pm
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oh hun i feel for you..........i had the same probklem with plunket...............my boy didnt sit cause he was to active.............they said he had 'major issues'........he sits when he wants to but would rather play.............to me not an issue ...............i know its hard but dont pay much attention.............you are doing everything right and you know your baby..........if he seems to be in distress go straight to A&E and explain that he is your baby and you do know the signs..............goodluck ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 3:17pm
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Laurie, with the weight thingy, do you think it could be his tongue tie? Im So sure that our feeding issues were due to Cadens, if I had of knows back then I would have had it snipped...I read that it can cause poor weight gain because they annoyed when they can suck properly sometimes so they give up and get grumpy..
Just a thought... The doctor said to me today that Cadens is minor, but he can snip it and i takes 2 seconds and it doesnt really hurt them.. ------------- |
Posted By: KiwiL
Date Posted: 06 November 2008 at 4:22pm
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I saw a paed about the tongue tie, but he didn't think it was an issue. He tested his suck and said he could get his tongue right forward and it was working the motions as it should be. A lactation consultant told me the same thing.
The thing is, he doesn't seem hungry. I thought if there were a problem with sucking or anything he would display signs of hunger. He is just quite happy to have small feeds, play and then have a sleep. I have noticed that he feeds better if he has a longer sleep and if he is allowed to self wake. So I am actually trialling a longer playtime, followed by a longer sleep with a feed at the wake up and just before sleep. Constantly topping him up I guess though it does mean we will end up dropping a feed but maybe that doesn't matter if the feeds he is doing are better? So far (today only!) he's been a little bit better. I'll give it a couple of days and then see what his weight is like at Plunket on Monday. Thanks so, so, SO much for all the tips and replies. This is why I love OhBaby and owe my sanity to it (and DH's as well I suspect). |