Reflux

Reflux is when the food or milk that your baby ingested flows back upwards into the food pipe (oesophagus), and sometimes even out the mouth. This can either seem like a bit of spit up or vomit. Reflux can be due to the valve at the top of the stomach that has not yet fully developed. Which is more common in infants than you think. 

Silent Reflux

I am sure most of you have also heard of ‘silent’ reflux. So what is the difference between reflux and ‘silent’ reflux? As explained before reflux is when ingested food comes back up and out of the mouth. Silent reflux is when the same happens with one exception, the milk is swallowed down again. It’s is also more difficult to diagnose silent reflux because of the fact that is ‘silent’. Liena from Roodepoort went through many sleepless nights before realising her baby could have silent reflux. “ My baby would cry every time after I gave him bottle, sometimes up to 3 hours because that is when he fell asleep from tiredness from all the crying. One thing that I kept wondering about was all the cramps and burping winds he had after feeding, I was always surprised how much wind he had. When I told my cousin who also faced two kids with reflux she told me to go to the paediatrician as he might have reflux. So I did and it turned out he had Silent Reflux. The moment he was on Nexiam  and  Novalac AR Disgest he was a whole different baby!”

Spit up

Some mommies face tons of laundry every day… Like Lize from Centurion ”I have like 15 Spitting towels because the milk just flows out my baby’s mouth. He has to drink bits at a time instead of a whole bottle at once or he will throw everything up. It’s like someone opened a hosepipe in his mouth. We also have domestic worker coming in every second day just to do laundry as, I do not have time working full time. …” Fortunately Liz’s mother came to visit on a regular basis to help the family out. Liz and her husband made turns as to who got a full night’s sleep “Most nights he woke up from pain every 15 minutes. “My baby goes to a Day Mother that only takes care of him. His reflux is just too hectic to put him in a kindergarten.”

Symptoms

The symptoms for reflux can be Screaming, arching his/her back while crying, regurgitation, re-swallowing, repeated hiccups, gaging, difficulty settling or frequent waking up during the night. If you suspect your baby might have reflux please take him/her to a paediatrician as sometimes medication is required as treatment. There are also support groups on Facebook for mothers with reflux. Reflux does get better! - Annelien van Schoor

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