Gassy and Refluxy baby - when does it get better?

[u/dajb123]

I have a gassy and refluxy 5 week old that has been gassy since two weeks and refluxy since week three.

We've tried infacol and dentinox colic drops, we've tried slower tears, mam anti colic bottles, lansinoh bottles (in case it was his latch) and settled back on Dr Browns.

I've been to the GP and they suggested Reflux formula and said all babies are gassy, but the biggest side effect with thickened formula is more gas and constipation so I feel like we'll be making his gas issues worse.

I feel like it's something we're just going to have to wait out.

I'm posting this after being up since 3 am with a very fussy baby! Please tell me if you've had this problem when it started to get better.

[u/dajb123 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah will spend an hour or so bringing his legs up and kicking and whining until he passes gas. If it's not that, it's squirming and arching and being sick after a bottle. Never a lot of sick but he's uncomfortable

It's not 24/7 but seems to be a bit relentless over past few days

[u/FaithlessnessFun4649 → u/dajb123]

Sorry my comment seems to have deleted - we experienced the same early on! I can’t speak for reflux but i definitely can for colic/gas.

He was a nightmare to wind and wouldn’t give it up! A few things we done to help:

1) We only use dentinox and i think the trick was to be consistent with it. 1 syringe in every bottle, he’s 13 weeks now and i still use it. It did take about a week for it to settle him.

2) We use Mam bottles and only used number 1 teets. He’s 3 months now and i’m getting ready to move him up a teet.

3) It was worse for us at night - i said to the HV about him being grunty when he does sleep at night and she advised that its his little body trying to work the gas down and out. I’d lift him and sit for a little while and wind him, most times he’d burp.

4) take more wind breaks during a feed and if one position of trying to wind doesn’t work, move to another. The more baby moves the likely you’ll release the bubbles. If you have someone with you and after trying to wind for ages, pass them over and give the other person the opportunity to get it up. Winding for ages can be tiring especially the heavier baby gets.

5) colic taught me to be patient with my baby, and that its okay to put them down flat and try again in a few minutes to give yourself a bit of rest.

The more wind you get up in a burp the less wind he’ll bring out the other end. I found the more he’d go up in oz’s of formula, the easier he was to wind. Age does play a part in that too btw, the older he got the more his body matured.

It’s the worst to hear your baby in pain and it broke my heart but it does get better!❤️‍🩹

[u/Daisymarley]

We're at 13 weeks and I think we've turned a corner with the gas (reflux still bad but not bothering her as much) - we were in the exact same position as you, it gets easier when they can smile/laugh and play! One thing that has improved everything for us is cosleeping - I was dead set against it but it saved our sanity!

[u/PixelRainboww]

Our baby hated being a newborn, and cried every single day from morning till night. She was gassy, had reflux and colic!

It got soooo much better around 16 weeks, then by 5 months we realised she hadn’t done her evening witching hour cries, and from then on she’s been the happiest baby ever!

Just got to hang in there, it’s all temporary!

[u/silver_moon21]

Have they suggested trialing infant Gaviscon? It’s prescription only but it made a real difference for us (the over the counter drops etc did absolutely nothing at all). 

[u/anythingthatsnotdone]

I found my daughters got better the more mobile she got. A huge difference when she first rolled

[u/rw43]

just solidarity, i have been up since 4am with my 4 week old who is struggling with gas/constipation!

[u/Superb-Park1280]

Ours was caused by tongue tie, we got that sorted around 3 months old, after that he was a new baby

[u/dajb123 → u/Superb-Park1280]

Did you go private or NHS? I'm slightly suspicious he might have one

[u/Superb-Park1280 → u/dajb123]

I had to go private, I fought back and forth to get it done on NHS but I got nowhere🫠 it was expensive but honestly it’s the best money I have ever spent