Acid reflux is common in babies. According to the Mayo Clinic, more than half of babies will experience it in their first three months. The result is frequent spitting-up that often occurs after a feeding or when a baby coughs or cries. This occurs because the lower esophageal sphincter, which only opens when you swallow, is immature in babies and opens more frequently. La Leche League International states that breastfed babies suffer from acid reflux less often, possibly because breast milk digests faster than artificial milk. However, breastfed babies can still take in too much air during a feeding and experience reflux. Natural remedies are an option for parents looking to relieve their baby's discomfort.
Feeding
Smaller and more frequent feedings may reduce acid reflux and spitting-up. Offer your baby an ounce less of breast milk if she drinks from a bottle or nurse for about a minute less to make the feeding smaller. Try to hold her as upright as possible while she is eating. If she drinks breast milk expressed into a bottle, try using a bottle nipple with a smaller opening so she is likely to gulp in large amounts of milk and air. Feedings should also be calm. If she seems to resist eating, it may be because she is hesitant to experience acid reflux again. Try nursing in a different position or while walking and massaging her. You can also try to nurse her while she is asleep.
Burping and Positioning
Frequent burping allows your baby to release extra air that he has taken in while feeding. Burp your baby more often during a feeding, such as every three minutes. You should also burp him after his feeding and keep him sitting upright for twenty to thirty minutes after a feeding. This will allow gravity to help keep the breast milk in his stomach so it is less likely to come up.
Sleeping
Sleeping flat on her back helps protect your baby from sudden infant death syndrome, but this position can aggravate acid reflux for a baby. To keep her safe but make her reflux less likely to act up, elevate her head while she is lying in her crib. Do not use a pillow for this because it is a suffocation hazard. Instead, place something under the mattress to make one end of it slightly elevated or let her sleep in your arms for a while.
