Use positions for feeding that keep baby's head higher than her tummy, such as a laid-back position or having baby diagonally across your chest in a cradle hold. Avoid positions that have baby bending at the waist, putting more pressure on her tummy.
Keep Baby in an Upright Position During Feeding and After. Babies sleep a lot and that means a lot of laying down. But reducing this amount of time is one of the easiest ways to prevent reflux symptoms.
Hold Baby Upright
Holding infants in an upright position both during feedings and for at least 30 minutes afterward will help to reduce the amount of gastric reflux. 2 While holding your baby, however, make sure the child's abdomen isn't compressed, which could worsen reflux.
This is a great position for babies who have reflux or who are prone to vomiting. If you place the baby on its left side to feed it increases the space from the bottom of its stomach to the oesophagus making it less likely for them to vomit or reflux.
Holding your baby is best, since the way your baby sits in an infant seat may actually make spitting up more likely. Don't jiggle, bounce, or actively play with your baby right after feedings. Keep your baby's head above the feet while feeding. Don't hold your baby in a dipped-down position when feeding.
After feeding, try to keep your newborn upright for about 30 minutes so gravity can help them digest their food.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
1. Cold milk: Milk has a high amount of calcium, which helps to prevent acid build-up by absorbing the excess acid produced. Also with if the milk is cold it sure does provides instant relief from the burning sensation that one feels during reflux.
Feeding tips
Babies with reflux will often have trouble burping and may need a lot more time to get there.
An aggravation of reflux symptoms
This is perhaps explains why many families find that their reflux baby seems worse after using this remedy. It is for this reason why I recommend families to stop using Infacol, if their baby presents with reflux symptoms.
Certain foods such as caffeine, chocolate, and garlic – can promote reflux. Consider cutting these things out of your diet if you are breastfeeding your infant. Some of these foods can leave traces in your breastmilk and have a negative impact on the severity of your baby's reflux.
Symptoms of GERD
Infants with this problem cry numerous times per day. They also act very unhappy when they are not crying. They are in almost constant discomfort. Poor Weight Gain.
Swaddling is great for infant reflux.
Babies with infant reflux respond well because the swaddle holds the body in a position that helps to prevent acid travelling back up the oesophagus. It also helps to soothe, as already discussed.
Once they're able to hold up their head and sit with support or on their own (anywhere between 4 and 7 months), you can start picking them up by tucking your hands under their arms and lifting.
What's the best position to burp my baby? Support your baby's head and neck, make sure their tummy and back is nice and straight (not curled up), and rub or pat their back gently. You don't need to spend ages burping your baby, a couple of minutes should be enough.
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.
You may worry that if your baby spits up while on her back she will choke. This is a natural concern. However, your baby has natural ways to prevent spit-up from going down the windpipe (also called the airway). This special protection even exists when she is on her back.
Babies may start hiccuping during feeding because they have excess gas that's irritating their stomach. Propping them upright and gently tapping their backs can help.
A ruttle is a coarse, crackling sound which some babies make even when they are well. It is caused by secretions ( snot, saliva, gunk etc) being allowed to pool in the back of the throat. Babies can allow this fluid to collect there but adults would have to cough it out or swallow it down.