To get rid of infant reflux congestion, keep the baby upright during and after feeds, burp frequently, use smaller feeds, and ensure back sleeping for safety, while using saline sprays or aspirators for nasal clearing; consult your doctor before thickening feeds or trying medications, as reflux often improves with time.
To minimize reflux:
Standard signs and symptoms of reflux:
A raspy or congested sound in the baby's throat. Gagging or coughing. Refusal to feed (because of the pain) OR wanting to feed very frequently or for long periods (to soothe the burn of acid)
It usually starts to get better by 6 months of age and goes away by 12 months. Reflux that continues after 18 months is unusual. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more serious and long-lasting type of reflux. It can cause feeding problems, discomfort, or other symptoms that affect your baby's growth or sleep.
To help manage acid reflux at home, try:
Reflux often leads to chronic coughing or frequent throat clearing, which can worsen sinus inflammation or even cause strain on sinus tissues. Nasal blockage. Chronic inflammation from reflux may lead to persistent nasal congestion, which can block sinus openings and encourage infections.
A person experiencing nasal regurgitation is likely to have some form of neurologic disease, and coughing during swallowing is another sign that the dysphagia could be due to a nerve problem. In some cases, if you have these symptoms, your doctor will want to evaluate you to rule out systemic (all-over) nerve disease.
When does baby reflux peak? GER usually begins at about 2 to 3 weeks of age and peaks between 4 to 5 months old. For most babies born full-term, symptoms go away by the time they are 9 to 12 months old; GER disappears as upper digestive tract function matures.
You can use saline spray or nose drops to thin the mucus, then use a bulb syringe to clear their tiny nose. (A nasal suction bulb or infant nasal aspirator are both great options.)
It may help to (McKechnie, 2024; NICE, 2019):
Keep the baby held in a more upright position whilst feeding, and then upright for about 20 minutes after feeding. In-between feeds, keeping the baby upright or on their tummy may reduce episodes of reflux. Only do this if they are awake and supervised by an adult.
Symptoms of reflux in babies include:
While mild congestion is normal there are a few signs that mean you should speak with a healthcare professional. If your baby is breathing rapidly, seems to be struggling to catch their breath, or if you see their nostrils flaring or skin pulling in around the ribs while they breathe, it's time to call your doctor (3).
Signs of Respiratory Distress in Children
Many babies just sound congested until they get a little older and a little bigger. Infants with reflux or who spit up often can also experience a lot of nasal congestion.
The 7 key danger signs for newborns, often highlighted by organizations like the WHO, are not feeding well, convulsions, fast breathing, severe chest indrawing, lethargy/unconsciousness (movement only when stimulated), high or low temperature, and jaundice (yellow skin/soles) or signs of local infection like an infected umbilical stump, requiring immediate medical attention.
The hardest week with a newborn is often considered the first six weeks, especially weeks 2-3, due to extreme sleep deprivation, constant feeding demands, learning baby's cues, postpartum recovery, and a peak in inconsolable crying (the "witching hour"), making parents feel overwhelmed as they adjust to a new, exhausting routine. While the first week is tough, the challenges often intensify as the baby becomes more alert but still fussy, with major developmental hurdles like cluster feeding and increased fussiness peaking around 6-8 weeks.
A newborn with a stuffy nose may snort when breathing and sound "snuffly." If your newborn has a stuffy nose they may breathe through their mouth, which can make it harder for them to feed. Usually, nasal congestion goes away on its own within a week.
Tips And Tricks To Relieve Your Baby's Congestion
Newborn reflux
Some babies will make gurgling or gulping sounds during or after feeds. Reflux can cause newborn fussiness, back arching and a lot of spit up.
Feeding your baby too much can make reflux symptoms worse. Their doctor or health care provider will tell you how much they should be eating with each feed. If vomiting or reflux symptoms occur, give less at each feeding.
With a baby that vomits or spits up a lot, it's relatively easy to understand that the baby may have reflux, where as a baby that might just have excessive bouts of crying but is rarely sick and still gains weight would often be deemed to just have 'colic'.
How to stop post nasal drip
Symptoms
Common causes include overfeeding, air swallowed during feeding, crying or coughing; physical exam is normal and weight gain is adequate. History and physical exam are diagnostic, and conservative therapy is recommended.