probiotics - specifically lactobacillus reuteri

[neeleymartin]

just surfing and came across a study on Lactobacillus reuteri.

http://parentingsolved.typepad.com/parenting_solved/2007/02/can_probiotics_.html

interested in trying. has anyone seen results for colic and/or reflux?

also, do i need to use the powder or can i use a capsule and dump it into formula? the capsules are cheaper and more readily available. tia

[jren]

DD is on probiotics right now due to a 21 day course of antibiotics for Lyme's. She's 5. The box says safe for infants. It's Lactobacillus GG. You can mix it into cool/cold drinks or food, not warm. We have the capsules and open them to mix the powder into stuff for DD. It does clump, so I would think it would need a Y-cut nipple for use in a bottle, but see no reason why it couldn't be mixed with formula. Box says it's grown on whey, so if a baby has a milk protien allergy, they wouldn't be able to use. But I think it would be great for use while on antibiotics for ear infections or whatever, especially to prevent stomach upset. Not sure if it would help colic, though.

[AJP]

We have used the Culturelle brand - the Lactobacillus GG for our girls. We do the same as pp with the capsules. You can add it to anything that isn't warm. For an infant that young you could pour the capsule into a little bit of not warmed formula...just enough to mix it in and have your baby drink it. I have heard some good things about it helping w/colic & reflux, but thats not why we have used it. The Culturelle brand does sell a baby specific product, but you can save a few bucks and buy the regular one b/c they have the same ingredients and are both safe for babies!
Just a fyi google colic calm....I have also heard good things about this product for colic/reflux & its all natural. We never tried it, but some other moms raved about it.
Good Luck!

[DrSally]

Udo and Jarrow are good for infants (learned about them here). However, since we have a family hx of milk allergy, I checked and both are grown on whey. The health food store SA told me that DDS isn't cultured on milk products and is safe for infants as well. I have a jar of powder that I give to DS and/or DD of they're on antibiotics or for DS who has trouble digesting milk and gets a tummy ache sometimes. I don't even put it in anything. I put a little on a spoon with some water and they open wide and take the whole spoonfull, then drink some water. Otherwise, I'm not sure they'll get it all, and you're supposed to consume it right away after mixing and my kids can take a long time to eat.

[Melbel]

We have used Udo's Choice infant probiotics for DD2 to help her with thrush, reflux and colic symptoms. I definitely feel as though it helps her GI system in general. We were advised by her pediatric GI doctor to place a clean wet pinky finger into the powder up to the first knuckle and let DD2 her suck it off.

Ingredients
Lactobacillus Casei: 35% Streptococcus Thermophilus: 20% Bifidobacterium Infantis: 15% Lactobacillus Acidophilus: 15% Bifidobacterium Bifidum: 5% Bifidobacterium Breve: 5% Lactobacillus Bulgaricus: 5%

http://www.amazon.com/Udos-Choice-Infants-Probiotic-2-64-Ounces/dp/B0010EG6QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1243248970&sr=8-1

We have also used this infants probiotics when we were out of Udo's choice and it was not available locally:
Solgar ABC Dophilus Powder For Infants and Children
B.infantis 150 million microorganisms
B.lactis 175 million microorganisms
S.thermophilus 175 million microorganisms

http://www.amazon.com/Solgar-Dophilus-Powder-infants-children/dp/B0001VVZ0C/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1243249212&sr=1-6

[brittone2]

We've used probiotics (Udo, Jarrow, etc.) with our kids for years. We also try to take them ourselves.

[neeleymartin]

Just a fyi google colic calm....I have also heard good things about this product for colic/reflux & its all natural. We never tried it, but some other moms raved about it.
Good Luck!

tried that. actually waiting for my refund. did nothing for us but stain all his clothes.

[neeleymartin]

update: the probiotics seem to be helping. we have noticed his daily crying fits are down from about 5 hours a day to about 1/2 - 1 hour a day.:yay:

[brittone2]

update: the probiotics seem to be helping. we have noticed his daily crying fits are down from about 5 hours a day to about 1/2 - 1 hour a day.:yay:

:thumbsup:
:cheerleader1:
:boogie:

It is interesting as among my parents' friends, who mostly see regular mainstream MDs, they've found quite a few of their docs are now recommending probiotics. I think that's encouraging :) It seems to be gaining greater acceptance and there is more awareness.

I hope you have continued success w/ the probiotics :)

[placeboeffect]

I'm so glad you tried it and it worked for you. L. reuteri was an absolute Godsend for us and I have heard nothing but good things about it. Our girl had colic and would cry pretty much straight through from 10 o'clock at night til about 5 in the morning. The only way we could get her to sleep at all was to hold her, so the hubby and I slept in three hour shifts.

It took about a week and a half for it to start working and roughly three weeks to really see the difference - but the difference was night and day. Luckily our pediatrician is at UCSF and they are doing a bunch of probiotic trials so they were extremely helpful/receptive towards us using them.

I was afraid she would be one of those few cases who still have colic at six months so we kept giving it to her til she was past five months. It was just so horrible when she had it, I didn't want her to go through any of that again.

Glad it worked for you. This stuff would be my automatic recommendation to anyone having a problem with colic. Colic is just so truly miserable for everyone involved.

[truly scrumptious]

we tried L. reuteri for DS for the same reason - colic and reflux, and found it to be a Godsend, too. It helped him SO much - much less crying between feedings as he tried to digest, much less discomfort with gas.
We used the powder, but I don't think there's any problem with using the capsules and emptying them out (just need to check the dosage.)

[neeleymartin]

we just stopped using it. the colic has seemed to pass. ds had a terrible time passing poop. not constipated, just painful. he would grunt/fuss for hours from about 3am on. i remember reading/hearing that sometimes probiotics can have that effect as well. we stopped and he seems so much happier. pooping is quick and painless to him these days.

so, helped initially. then caused tummy troubles. at least that's what dh and i think.