Choosing the right formula: Reflux and how to deal with it

This might be a little left of center as I usually write about learning, but this struck me a being important for others to think about. It worked for my family.

My wife  and I were chatting the other day about a friend that was in danger of losing their sanity to a crying bub. It was the standard horror scenario that all parents of young ones have gone through and wish the scars would fade. The Bub in question has hit teething and has been grumbling and unsettled though the day. The fun really starts at night with full level crying and screaming on being laid down to sleep. Worst still, the crying is apparently incessant and continuous. Picking the Bub up helps, but when you put the little one down, crying starts over. Even when the child settles you have 20 minutes of peace before the cycle start again. Seriously uncool. I have been there and would never return again. In short the hell on earth that can only be achieved by many lost nights of sleep and an unwell child.

On hearing our friend’s desperate plight,  “Sound like reflux, doesn’t it?” Her answer, “Yes, that’s what I thought.”

For those who have suffered acid reflux or cared for a child, you know reflux = pain. The short form is there is a valve that sits at the top of the stomach that stops acid and food flooding back up the oesophagus. In babies, some children and adults this muscle can work poorly. When the baby eats too much or the wrong thing or lays down the contents of the stomach floods back up the oesophagus.

This isn’t always a problem as sometimes the milk neutralises the acid, but for others it equals pain; big time pain. This equals screaming when you lie them down, more pain at night, arching back, stiffness, and restless sleeping. And as previously stated, hell on earth for the parent. Another sign is when you pick them up they settle a little.

Some of the normal solutions include:

• Prop the Bubby up during, after eating, whilst changing nappies or during floor play
• Try to keep bub quiet for 20 minute after feeds and not bounce them around
• In moderate cases propping up the  mattress with a pillow so the bub falls asleep on a slope
• Trying shorter feeding times or having a break when they become fussy
• And if all else fails see a doctor

Normally the complete list neglects one really simple item. Change the food.

I’m not a doctor, I do not have a degree in nutrition or pediatrics. I am a dad of three boys and have lived through the pain of reflux. I can say it is not fun. So my advice comes from observation, trial and error. This is what worked for my family. This has worked for my friends.

It is said and I agree “breast is best”, but there are a lot of reasons why a person has to move to formula. It would be nice to say all formulas are equal. My experience is they quite simply are not. Formulas are normally a mixture of milk and other proteins and  carbohydrates, be it from soy, milk, rice or other sources. Some contain food additives, some don’t. The trick here is to find what works for your child. If your child is fussy or crying on one formula change it.

Every child is different. My middle son reacted badly to a formula we were using: constant fussing, constipation and of course screaming at night. Quick change of formula and no problems. Youngest son the working formula for our middle child cause no end of problems for our latest addition. Again quick change of formula and all is well with the world.

The other thing to note is as a child develops, the formula that was working may become the issue. Be prepared to change again. Be flexible and continue to find what works. Look for added extras that should not be: preservatives, things with numbers and things you can’t pronounce. Corn syrup and corn extract should probably be avoided as well - what I have read suggests the body processes them poorly. Read the literature very, very carefully before putting them on a pure rice or soy based formula as there may be some very unwanted hormonal or nutritional deficiency effects.

Like said before, use what works. The formula I will plug at this point is Bellamy’s Organic Formula. It worked brilliantly for us and has for our friends who were experiencing difficulites with other brands. The plug is unasked for and Bellamy’s will probably never know. Like I said this is what worked for us. What works for you might be different. Let me know.

Needless to say if the reflux persist, see your Doctor.