rice starch for spit up?

OK.. Aiden is now 8 weeks and spitting up all the time.. projectile vomiting too.sigh..
we are sooo sick of it and the poor little guy.. anyway ..I went to the Dr yesterday and they prescribed some medicine..but before I want to do medication ...I asked to try a more natural route..so he gave me a sample jar of Enfamil AR which has added rice starch. The Dr said they allow babies to have rice cereal added to formula or b/m when spit up is so bad.. so my question to any moms out there who have dealt with this.. any advise?
what did you do or what worked best?

I have had problems with the stupid formula since day one..he had bad gassy colic type symptoms,and  have been on several and finally settled on Good start gentle proteins and except for spitting up.. I like It.
so...can I add my own rice starch to that versus buying the Enfamil AR? is Rice starch a more refined Rice cereal or can you buy rice starch??
also did meds help your baby?
ugh..any help, advise, opinions welcome.
Tricia:-)

Matthew has really bad reflux and we were told to start out adding 1 tsp of rice cereal per ounce of formula and if not improvement we can add all the way up to 1 TBSP per ounce.  He is doing MUCH better since we added the cereal but he does occasionally still vomit.  But we are looking into that cause now.  If you like the Good Start just try adding the cereal to the formula.  Matthew is on Prevacid 2 times a day.  We tried Zantac but it seemed to burn his already upset tummy so I had the dr change is medicine.  He does much better on the Prevacid and doesn't cry when he has to take it....of course I had it bubble gum flavored at the pharmacy.  The zantac was very bitter and has alcohol in it and even with flavoring was still terrible...plus the only flavor that would even remotely cover some of the taste is grape.

I hope you find what works for you.  But I would probably just add the cereal to the formula you are currently using as long as he is tolerating it good.

thanks Tracy,
I so appreciate your response.
I worry Aiden being so young... but I see Matthew is even younger and doing well so that makes me feel better.
I guess i should get the prescription..I just don't know.. But like that i can use the formula I have already.I read on line that someone suggested mixing the Enfamil AR 1/2 dose with another regular formula..read that it was too thick and caused constipation which i don't want he already has issues with that.I feel like I have to get a degree in chemistry all this formula mixing, making creations getting them just right lol...
  Wonder if it is OK to mix formulas?I will buy plain rice cereal as you suggested and mix in when the enfamil AR is gone I guess.
sigh.................

Seasoned reflux mom here with puke stained clothes :)

Both my kids had and still have acid reflux- GERD  We have a pediatric gastroenterologist that works along side our regular pediatrician.  With our 1st child she would projectile vomit like 24-7 with meds, rice cereal and Enfamil Nutramigen.  Nothing worked for her period.  With our 2nd child she was on meds, no rice ceral and Nestle Good Start Supreme (organge can).  She spits up very little.  Nothing like her older sister.  By the time baby#2 came along (almost 5 years later) our team of doctors changed the way they handled reflux babies.  They told us that Enfamil AR is only for babies who are NOT on meds.  I asked about putting baby#2 on this. They shot me down.  Told me no, she needed to be on meds, and Nestle Good Start.  Also, they no longer advise rice cereal bottles.  It's proven that it doesn't help anything.  My 1st child was proof that it didn't work.  Adding rice to the bottle shows a increase of obesity later in life. 

Having been there and done 2 different things with both my kids I trust what I've seen.

I'd say keep him on Nestle Good Start.  Try the meds.  Don't add rice cereal or use the Enfamil AR.  Nestle Good Start is the most gentle on reflux tummies.

Both my kids slacked off on there spitting up once they started sitting up.  Reflux is very stressful.  Don't forget you have us to talk to!

Just my opinion :)

Ash

Thanks, Ash,
ya today I tried cutting the AR with regular formula..he still spit up.. then tried to add rice cereal to good start ....barfed that up too..sigh ....So I think I am tossing the AR and going to fill the prescription and try that......its awful ....today he threw up bad..luckily I was in the pool holding him (in the shade in a chair)anyway.. poor guy.I hate seeing him so upset..I am afraid to feed him anything..I seem to notice that the AR or rice added makes it hard for him to burp normally then maybe that is why he is vomiting... I can hear it brewing in there like Mt. Vesuvius:-)

Thanks for the support.. I am sick of being puked on.. so far today I have changed 2 times... totally nailed me.. then my sofa, the pool.. its horrible.
Tricia

I had days where I just couldn't handle all the puke, laundry, ect. and I just felt so overwhelmed!  I thought that maybe baby#2 wouldn't have it.  Wrong!  Going through it the 2nd time was a lot different b/c I knew that it wasn't my fault.  I know baby#3 will more than likely have it too.  I'm ready!  Bring it on....I'm not going to be taken over by the reflux next time.  I know what works for my kids and I'm ready.

I hope things get better for you sweetie.  He will get better as he gets older and the muscle, valve matures and starts to close off, then the reflux with slack off.

Hang in there...we are all here for you!

Ash :)

oh forgot to ask what meds did you use for that? I think he wanted to do a tagament and something with a "r "  that he said will help the intestines and tummy move better? the muscles??? I am clueless and cannot read the Dr writing now to research it on the Internet before I get it filled..sigh

With both kids we did a list of different meds.  None of them worked at all.  Reglan in combo w/ Zantac, Prilosec, Prevacid.  To much of Reglan for long periods of time in infants is bad.  Our pedi no longer uses it.

If you don't notice any difference in the reflux after a month or so, I'd stop using them.  No need in medicating him if it's not working

Ash :)

yes, reglan was the "r" one so you don't think its good to use? just get the tagament?

I would just use the Tagament