Author Topic: Almost cured refluxer (7 mos) -need advice with solids..  (Read 1445 times)

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Offline lavina mcg

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Almost cured refluxer (7 mos) -need advice with solids..
« on: December 17, 2005, 12:00:01 pm »
Bit of history first, sorry for being long.

My beautiful bf little girl has just turned 7 mos. She had a relatively medium case of reflux and is now almost completely better. That means no more spitting up, crying, back arching, needing holding, constant comfort feeding, not sleeping, wind, explosive poos, etc. etc. Just a little wind still and the odd puke here and there. alleluia.

For the record, things got infinitely better with elimination diet - she reacts to dairy, soy, chocolate, wheat, eggs. Gaviscon helped alot, elevating cot, keeping her upright after feeds and babywearing. Tried zantac unsuccessfully. But really I think she is just growing out of it now.

She is still not interested in solids really. I keep offering them but generally get a closed mouth and turned head. Have tried carrots, broccoli, pears, apple, avocado, butternut squash, baby cereal 'heinz banana breakfast' and 'hipp apple, orange & banana cereal' mixed with nutramigen. Baby rice and milk (breastmilk and then nutramigen) worked ok. Sometimes she takes some and then doesnt touch anything for days.
Milk consumption is like this (give or take an HOUR as she is only just getting into a bit of a routine.....!) :
7.30 bf (offer cereal at 8.30)
11.30 bf (offer lunch at 12.30)
14.30 bf (offer dinner at 5.30)
19.00 bf
23.00 bf
04.00 bf
(she is starving at night - cannot cut it out until increase solids during day! Sleeping at night is for another day's work....)

Any advice for me would be great because I get do worry about it and feel like a first time mum all over again on this one....
Should I keep offering the solids?
Should I cut back on a feed to increase hunger?
Should I let her guide me and wait a bit?
Should I give her finger foods? Is it too early? Will her immature system be ok with finger foods?She shows an interest in toast but I am afraid to give her some when she wont even take pureed food.
Is her system just not ready for solids yet?
Could the potato mixed with the veg have turned her stomach and put her off solids? Only just read about nightshade veg....

This is a fab website and at my darkest hours got so much great advice from just reading other posts....

Any feedback at all would be great.
Many thanks,
Lavina

Lily - 2.5 years - no reflux
Clara - 7 mos - medium refluxer, bf - now eating small amounts of dairy, soy, chocolate, egg, wheat

Offline Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)

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Almost cured refluxer (7 mos) -need advice with solids..
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2005, 19:09:40 pm »
Hi Lavina,
Dd was a refluxer too so hope I can help some. First of all be careful of acidic foods, and I think apple may be quite acidic. I noticed you said she had rice with b milk so why don't you try some of your veg mixed with baby rice and milk? Dd had baby rice mixed with her food until about 9 months. To be honest if she is showing an interest in toast I would let her try it, it was one of the first finger foods dd ate and the only one she would eat for the longest time. Stay away from oranges too, very acidic, our paediatrician said even no orange juice and dd still hasn't had any though we cut out her meds about 2 months ago, thankfully. Hope this is of some help. By the way I always offered solids first then milk as dd was not a big milk drinker anyway.
Fiona



Offline Livvismum

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Almost cured refluxer (7 mos) -need advice with solids..
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2005, 11:35:50 am »
Can't talk from the perspective of refulx but I would go carefully but if dd shows an interest then let her try. At this age they tend to just suck on toast until it disolves into a sludge. The main thing it so keep offering and to make it part of the routine - eventually when she's ready she'll want to give it a go. A clinical psychologist here in the UK said that it can sometimes take a child bein ofered a particular food 26 times before they will accept it!

good luck - it will get easier just stay consistent.

Sara

Offline lavina mcg

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Almost cured refluxer (7 mos) -need advice with solids..
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2005, 21:34:08 pm »
Thats good advice, thanks. I feel better. A bit of moral support to keep on plugging away. You know how it is you start to become a bit frantic, frustrated and then start getting deflated.

I totally agree with you (Sara) about consistency. So important and the los really thrive on it. You are right and I will keep offering solids regardless.

And that is really interesting that you (Fiona) say that about apple because she has never really gone for apple puree. And I just checked and EVERYTHING I have bought (jar/cereal) that I chose because it doesnt have milk, has apple. One food that you would think is ok. So that may have contributed to putting her off homemade/convenience solids...
It is a learning curve on what suits the little reflux tummy.

Also a friend mentioned to me lastnight that for refluxers the consistency needs to be really smooth too. And that may be why the rice/milk is ok whereas veg can be a bit watery on its own.

Who knows sometimes, eh?
Thanks for replying. Will keep you posted.
Lavina

Offline lavina mcg

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Almost cured refluxer (7 mos) -need advice with solids..
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2005, 21:36:41 pm »
Fiona - Did you mix the rice with milk or water first? Or straight to the veg?

Thanks.
Lavina

Offline Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)

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Almost cured refluxer (7 mos) -need advice with solids..
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2005, 19:26:43 pm »
Lavina, I think I mixed it with her formual when she first started, then fomula and veg but just a tiny bit of formula until she got used to the taste and the idea of spoon feeding, then it was just veg and rice, if I needed to make it more liquidy I usually added water. Although it has never been "proven" I have seen so many cases where reflux babies have problems with food consistency and will only do puree. DD was and is the same to a certain extent. She would only have puree til 12 months and even now we are still trying to figure out what consistency of food she likes, so far we have 2 cereals, yogurt with pureed fruit, will not eat it if a bit lumpy, toast, pancakes , piazza and strangely enough pasta with meatballs! But the pasta is over cooked so it just slides down.
Fiona



Offline lavina mcg

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Almost cured refluxer (7 mos) -need advice with solids..
« Reply #6 on: December 24, 2005, 08:47:24 am »
Hi.
Just to say thanks for the advice. I dont give her anything with apple and she has a better interest in solids. I think the apple must have been affecting her tummy. All the cereals I offered had apple - amazing. Infact there is not much on the market that doesn't have apple mixed with the cereals (while avoiding cereals with milk too).

She is still terribly fussy and after getting the right foods, she is bound to reject it if the puree consistency is wrong. Anything with little tiny miniscule bits are rejected, like pureed broccoli.

Anyway, she is eating a few spoons of milk (nutramigen) and baby rice for breakfast and then a few spoons of same mixed with veg (going slowly).  Which is serious progress since last week. At this age, a week can make a huge difference. I just feel so much better about the whole thing...

For the record, I also found a ready made 'Heinz Mum's Own - Butternut Squash, Chicken and Risooto' that has no potato or apple (nearly all the others have one or other). 

So thanks. Merry Christmas.
Keep you posted.
Lavina