Starting Solids for a reflux baby?

[kohnheads]

Hello all -

My pediatrician suggested I start rice cereal for my 4 month old twin boys last week.  We tried it on Tuesday and despite them pushing most of it out of their mouths, it seemed to go okay.  So we've continued trying it twice a day since then.  But the last two days I've noticed that my DS with bad reflux has been spitting up much more than before.  And he gets really cranky during mealtime - almost like as soon as it goes down it starts to come back up.  We obviously stopped the solids for him and I plan to consult the ped on Monday. 

Just wondering if anyone out there had the same problem with reflux and if you have any suggestions.  I guess my current plan of attack is to stop solids for him and try again in another couple of weeks to see if it goes better.

Lindsay

[kohnheads]

Sorry, should've had this in my original post.  We're trying it twice a day and I was doing it at the same time as their formula.  After reading some of the other topics in the solid foods section, I've learned so much more already!  Maybe I will try the rice cereal on it's own between formula feedings to see if this goes better...  Or should I give it a break? 

I guess my ped suggested solids this early because my boys are so big and formula just doesn't seem to be enough these days.  Thanks for your help!

[Mum to Ella Rose]

It's a tough one... Ella started solids at 4 months due to reflux, but the main issue with her was she couldn't keep enough calories down.  She drank too much and threw up too much too, if that makes sense.  So she would lose weight easily despite drinking a lot. 

Solids can definitely make reflux act up more. You could back down to once a day between formula feeds and see if you notice a difference, otherwise, yes, I would stop. They don't "need" it at this age as far as nutrition, so if it's not helping... 

[Freya'sMum]

Have you checked out the Reflux forum? They might be able to share their experiences of introducing solids to reflux los - my situation with dd1 was complicated by the fact that she was 13 weeks prem, so was introduced to solid foods at 4 months actual age (1 month adjusted ) to "make her fat" - to aid the milk consumption and help alleviate the pain and spit-up we offered Thick & Easy, a thickening powder mixed with a small quantity of EBM, prior to each breastfeed, this kept the milk down brilliantly!

There have been posts in the past by parents of large babies who have successfully held off introducing solid foods until 6 months - the nutritional make-up of most introductory solid foods is minimal compared to milk anyway, so altho babies might initially feel full after some baby cereal, it doesn't last and doesn't help them much to grow either.

If you are going to offer cereal to aid the reflux, I would try to think of it as a medication not a food, find one that is effective (many posters find that rice cereal is constipating and suggest oatmeal/porridge instead) and stick with it until your lo shows the usual signs of being ready to start having solid foods as foods, then you can begin the process of introducing new foods etc.

HTH a bit?

Ax