All,
My baby has been diagnosed with reflux (she is on Axid and Alimentum). She will formula feed so she is gaining weight well, but she will NOT breastfeed. She starts breastfeeding as usual but then starts to arch her back and pull away. She does this a few times until of course, she gets too frustrated (as do I) and then I give her the bottle and she is (usually) okay. Has anyone had a similar experience? I don't understand why her reflux is worse with nursing. Shouldn't it be better?

My son was the EXACT same way!! I gave up on nursing and ending up pumping for about 4 wks, then switched to formula.

Looking back, I wonder if he just wasn't patient enough for the milk to let down. Also, he became such a comfort feeder, that I think he wanted that bad feeling out of his throat and breastfeeding wasn't fast enough.

Have you worked with a Lactation Consultant at all? I didn't...I gave up and wish I'd tried harder.

THank you so much! I thought i was going insane. People keep telling me that she just doesn't want to breastfeed, but I SWEAR it has much more to do with reflux than letdown. Your point about the baby wanting the bad feeling to go away faster makes a lot of sense. I will keep trying but it is getting VERY difficult and emotionally draining.

I will keep trying but it is getting VERY difficult and emotionally draining.

And that was *exactly* why I stopped breastfeeding. My son was about 1 week old, would not latch for more than a few sucks, and then would scream. He lost about 15% of his birth weight and the Ped was worrying.

I remember....it was 3a.m., the baby was crying, I was crying, my sweet husband had no idea what to do...and I decided that it just wasn't working. So, I pumped for a while, but then got a breast infection and quit that too. My son thrived on formula so we stuck with that.

I'm not telling you to stop by any means at all! Just, look at what is best for you, as well as the baby. Maybe try to get some help from a Lactation Consultant or your Dr. ((HUG))

i don't breast feed but have read many posts on here have you done the elimination diet they talk about maybe thats why? sorry i have an aversion to breast feeding i know its natual and all that just not for me

appearantly i have had this aversion since birth i wouldn't take to the breast at all lol

i am a bf mom and breastfeeding is hard for babies. bottle feeding is easier for them. one they have to wait for the letdown, which can take a while and two, they have to work hard for it! a bottle doesn't require as much work. Also, breastmilk is thinner than formula, hence why the reflux might be worse, but I think that the letdown is probably the issue....i do encourage you to keep trying though if you can. see a lactation consultant if you can for advice.

http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVSepOct95p71.html


http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

We're going through that now and I'm about to start exclusively pumping to see if it'll help her. Also be sure you're using slow flow nipples and trying to nurse. Ilana does really well nursing overnight, but not during the day unless she's sleepy.

I WAS JUST GOING TO POST THIS QUESTION!!!! My son is doing EXACTLY the same thing -- and it isn't a let down issue because before his reflux became symptomatic -- at 8 weeks -- he had no problem breastfeeding. The kid was a champ.

Once he started exhibiting signs of reflux -- the primary of which was arching his back and occasionally pulling off the latch in pain -- that is when breastfeeding became an issue. Then he was put on Axid. Again, I had no problems breastfeeding.

I pump too. Now the reflux has flared up despite the Axid. We are trying to treat the issue, however, the primary issue I am having is feeding. My son is four months. He'll latch and stay latched without too much arching for the first nursing session of the day. But after sleeping 10-12 hours without food, he's starving. However, for the rest of the nursing sessions during the day, he arches and pulls off the latch. But he doesn't do this when I give him a bottle while he is laying on his back with his head elevated. I have no idea why.

My pedi thinks it's because he can control the flow of milk through the bottle nipple better than through my nipple.