top of page

Reflux - the ups and downs of it!


Acid reflux is so distressing for your little one - and you. With my middle child from those early days she was an instant feeder, no more than 5 minutes and then once I attempted to put her vaguely upright, it was time to change her clothes, me and the duvet/clean the carpet/the dog etc. As she got older there was just more volume, but still those super quick feeds.

With my youngest, his symptoms were different - he had silent reflux where there isn't that much sick to actually see; but it's the grimace on his little face, the little (and often big) cry out of pain straight after a feed, what seems like extra colicky symptoms and even coughing which then brought about actual sick.

Lying down at night used to be a no-no too - if the angle isn't right, then it just causes too much pain.

For my daughter in particular, it did set me on a journey of alternatives as I knew medication was available if required (and everyone's baby has different levels of reflux) but thought it was worth looking into alternatives. After a cot wedge, numerous muslin clothes and sitting up every night keeping my baby upright, or wearing in a carrier in the day (keeping them close and upright has so many benefits, not just for the help with reflux - but that will be in another post!), I came across hazelwood beads one evening. That is where my business began - but please note that this is not a selling pitch, rather what I learnt that helped us in our hour of need.

It was a bit like a tired, willing to do anything to help, mummy crusade! Hazelwood I found out was an alkaline wood which is thought to have the ability to neutralise excess acid in the body and bingo - reflux (any type) is excess acid causing all those horrible symptoms (see further down for exactly what reflux is). I also knew how helpful amber could be for teething as it is thought to help with the succinic acid present in amber which can help relieve pain and inflammation. So put those two resources together and you have the perfect match in the defence aganist reflux (and teething and even eczema).

I thought it was worth a try at any rate. At the time, you could only buy them from America, but that didn't stop me ordering one then and there. Once it arrived, it was less than 24 hours for me to see the difference - less sickness, crying and visible pain. To say I was hooked, was an understatement! At the time, I used a necklace length as a double length anklet; but as she grew I swapped it to a necklace.

When my youngest came along with silent reflux, I knew exactly what to do! It was my own experience of using them which made me decide to design my own - those hazelwood and amber that I had found in the USA came on wire with a lobster clasp, which I personally did not like. So I set about making a version which was knotted between beads and threaded onto nylon. The hazelwood can need replacing every 6-12 months approximately as it becomes saturated over time with the acid; so I needed to have a plan as buying them from America would prove rather costly. So I made my own! I also have a long history of using crystals and thought it would be lovely to add my own touches to the jewellery as I know how many natural benefits can be found from them.

So to reflux and the main types and symptoms (my own children seemed to have a mixture as they grew):

What is reflux exactly?

Acid reflux is what happens when the stomach contents - food (milk) and acid - come back up into the gullet or into the mouth. A lot of babies have a degree of reflux because the muscular valve at the end of their food pipe, which acts to keep food in the stomach, hasn’t developed properly yet. This means that when baby’s stomach is full, milk can come back up. If they bring up small amounts of milk it’s called posseting. Often babies 'posset' a bit when burping, which is why muslin cloths are such a popular sidekick at feeding time.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) - this can be present amongst children of all ages:

  • It often presents with regurgitation or posseting (sick).

  • It tends to peak between one and four months of age and normally ends by 12-18 months

Silent reflux:

This is a condition where no outward symptoms appear, i.e. being sick, which can make diagnosis difficult. Babies show signs of being in pain, especially when not upright, and may have a persistent cough.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD):

There is also another side of reflux in children. The most common complication is damage to the oesophagus (oesphagitis), or long-term problems and this is diagnosed as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). It continues despite trying different treatments. Symptoms may include:

  • Vomiting

  • Feeding difficulties

  • Failure to thrive

  • Irritability

  • Coughing

  • Breathing problems

It goes without saying to check with your Doctor or Health Visitor if you have any concerns. There is also lots of helpful organisations on the web - just one is http://www.livingwithreflux.org/

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post (essay!) on reflux :)

A bit about us:

Laura, husband and 3 small people living by the sea

Featured Posts
Recent Posts
Things we like:
bottom of page