If your baby has reflux, you can and should continue with tummy time. Try the positions where your baby is more upright such as on your chest, over your legs or on a gym ball. Remember to leave 20 to 30 minutes after a feed before placing your baby on their tummy to reduce vomiting and discomfort.
The best sleeping position for a newborn baby with reflux is on their backs (supine position), even better if they lie on a surface with an incline angle of about 30 degrees. If their head and chest are elevated slightly in relation to the rest of their body, the backflow of milk from their stomach is reduced.
Wait about 20 minutes after feeding to put your baby on her tummy to prevent spitting up. If your baby falls asleep during tummy time, be sure to put her on her back to sleep. Try tummy time again when the baby is well rested.
The dangers of not doing tummy time regularly, is your baby may not develop their upper body strength and their neck muscles the way that they should. They may not hold their head up as well as others babies at their age. They can also get something called torticollis or a tightening of their neck muscles on one side.
Is it ever too late to start tummy time? The younger you start your baby, the easier they'll adjust to being on their stomach. But it's never too late to start. So even if your baby is already several months old, it's better to start tummy time now.
If your baby cries or gets upset during tummy time, try not to automatically pick him up. Instead, comfort him in other ways first, like rubbing his back or singing soothing songs. Aim for about 30 minutes a day total, but you can break these up over the course of the day if your baby's really resistant.
Most reflux or spitting up occurs during or after a meal, when the stomach, or tube that connects the stomach, is full.
Many babies continue to spit up even after waiting some time after feeding before tummy time. For those, do tummy time with them in a slightly inclined position with the head a bit higher than the hips.
Tummy time.
Placing a baby on their stomach while awake helps to relieve gas pains. By gently increasing the abdominal pressure, tummy time pushes gas bubbles up and out. Tummy time is also a great way to strengthen the head and neck muscles needed to reach early motor milestones.
Some factors that contribute to infant reflux are common in babies and often can't be avoided. These include lying flat most of the time and being fed an almost completely liquid diet. Sometimes, infant reflux can be caused by more-serious conditions, such as: GERD .
Reflux tends to peak around four to six months and then improve. The reason: Older babies start eating solid foods and consume less liquid — and solids are easier to keep down. But reflux isn't something babies just have to live with until they grow older.
Additionally, a medical study found that the 'non-nutritive' sucking (sucking without feeding) with a dummy can improve the rate the stomach empties and also decrease the number of reflux episodes in a group of premature infants.
Acid concentration in the stomach is higher at night. The baby is likely lying down, so there is no assistance from gravity to help keep the contents of the stomach down.
Keep baby upright for 15-20 minutes or so after feedings to allow for digestion to begin. This is a nice time to just lean back with baby on your chest to soothe, talk, sing, or hum to him or to just snuggle. Burp gently between sides and at the end of the feeding.
The upright or koala hold is often the most comfortable breastfeeding position for babies who suffer from reflux or ear infections (who often prefer to be upright), and it can also work well with babies who have a tongue-tie or low muscle tone.
Holding your baby upright during feedings and for 30 minutes after will help reduce the symptoms of reflux. 3 Placing your baby down to play or sleep too soon after a feeding increases the likelihood of spitting up or heartburn.
Spit-up is sometimes called by other terms like “regurgitation” and “gastroesophageal reflux.” They're just fancier ways of saying spit-up, with a minor difference. Regurgitation and reflux refer to the backwards movement of the stomach (gastric) contents up into the esophagus—and at times into the mouth.
If your baby doesn't burp after a few minutes, change the baby's position and try burping for another few minutes before feeding again. Always burp your baby when feeding time is over.
Spit up may launch from the mouth or nose, or it might dribble over the chin after a wet burp. Spit up might only reach the back of the mouth, resulting in chewing, gagging and re-swallowing motions. Parents often don't realize this is reflux.
A firm surface is important to provide support for your baby's body, and make sure to keep your baby's head level with his body so there is no strain on his neck. Never do tummy time on an elevated surface, like a couch or bed, which can pose a fall risk.
Side lying is a great alternative to tummy time if your baby doesn't tolerate being on her stomach. Place your baby on a blanket on her side; if needed, prop her back against a rolled-up towel for support. If her head needs support, place a small, folded washcloth under her head.
Go chest to chest
Relaxing against some couch pillows with your newborn snuggled on your chest and looking at your face actually counts as tummy time in the early days, says Halfin. You can start this activity (and bonding time!) on day one. Just make sure that the upper part of your body is at a 45-degree angle.