If you or someone you know has a baby who has reflux, then you know that the struggle is real. Having a newborn is already challenging enough without the added layer of stress and effort that reflux brings. Don’t worry. Even though it seems hopeless at times, you’re not alone! Many babies and parents have to deal with it every year and there are definitely things that you can do to both better understand reflux and to help lessen its impact. In today’s blog we’re going to explore that, but before we do, we want to hear from you! Have you dealt with reflux with on of your children? What worked the best for your child and family in treating the reflux? How long did it last for you? We can’t wait to hear from you!
What Is Reflux, AKA GER Or GERD?
Gastroesophageal reflux, or GER is fairly common in infants. Many infants have the occasional spit up after meals which causes a minor inconvenience for both the parent and the child. When it becomes more severe and chronic, then your child may have gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD which is more severe than GER. If your child is experiencing a large volume of daily reflux bouts as well as these other symptoms, then you may want to talk to your doctor about GERD:
- arching of the back and abnormal movements of the neck and chin
- choking, gagging, or problems swallowing
- irritability, particularly when it occurs with regurgitation
- loss of appetite or refusing to eat
- complications, such as poor weight gain, cough NIH external link, or wheezing
- vomiting
Relieving The More Minor Symptoms Of Reflux
The good news is that most minor cases of reflux are pretty treatable. You can manage the symptoms or at least take a few actions to reduce their frequency and severity, instead of eliminating them altogether. Here are some things that you can do in order to alleviate the reflux symptoms in your child:
- Check for food sensitivities. See if your child’s stomach reacts better to a different formula or if they prefer breast milk over formula. If they are eating solid food, then change up their foods to see if anything changes. The most aggravating foods are the ones that are more acidic – citrus, tomato, avocado, carrot to name a few.
- Try spinal subluxations by taking your child to a pediatric chiropractor. There’s a lot connected to digestion and the LES valve that they can address.
- Fascial tightness (craniosacral)
- Improve your baby’s oral function.Take steps to reduce the amount of air intake with each feeding. Also see if they are using proper tongue function. Burp your child during feeding and after feeding and try to feed them in a sitting or upright position. Working with a trained IBCLC, one that has extensive knowledge of tongue and lip ties as well as reflux is key.
- Keep your child upright for about 30 minutes after each feeding.
- Feed slightly smaller amounts each session, but more frequently so as not to overload the stomach.
Before You Go
Having a child (or two!) with reflux can be a challenge, but you don’t have to go it alone. We are happy to help. Just contact us and we can go over your options. We hope these tips have helped you along your journey. If you have any questions about helping your baby to sleep better, or about your baby in general, please reach out to us HERE. We are experts in all things baby and sleep and would love to help!
If you have questions about your child, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We would love to help. Please reach out to us here! We always look forward to hearing from you.
