Infant acid reflux is a fairly common issue among babies, and generally does not need to be treated with medication. Alterations in feeding patterns often resolve the issue or at least alleviate some of the symptoms and discomfort present with this condition. Signs that your baby may have acid reflux include spitting up, irritability, coughing, wheezing, crying and refusal to eat. Talk to your baby's pediatrician if you are concerned.
Smaller and More Frequent Meals
MayoClinic.com recommends reducing the amount your baby eats at one sitting and increasing the number of times you feed her in a day. While this won't cure the acid reflux, it can alleviate some of the symptoms and make your baby more comfortable. This method reduces the amount of food that is in her stomach at one time, which reduces the amount that refluxes back up. If you are bottle feeding, reduce the amount in your baby's bottle at mealtime and if you are breastfeeding, reduce the amount of time you nurse on each side.
Keep Your Baby Upright
Often acid reflux is worse when your baby is laying down because the food in his stomach has an easier time backing up when he is in that position. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse recommends keeping your baby upright for at least 30 minutes after each of his meals. Be sure that your baby is not being rocked or bounced after he eats because these motions often exacerbate the acid reflux. When your baby falls asleep while eating, place him in his crib with the mattress elevated at his head level. Do this by placing some folded towels or blankets underneath the mattress, never directly under his head, to protect against suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS.
Burp Your Baby Often
When infants eat they often suck in a lot of air with their meal, especially if drinking from a bottle. Burping her often can reduce the amount of air in her stomach, which can cause her food to back up, according to MayoClinic.com. Burp your baby after each 1 to 2 oz of formula or after she completes nursing on each side. With guidance from your baby's pediatrician, you can often thicken her formula or breast milk to reduce the amount of air that is swallowed and make the food a consistency that is harder for her body to reflux back up.
Change Your Diet
If you are breastfeeding, sometimes what you eat can make your infant's acid reflux worse. Experiment with foods that seem to cause issues by cutting them out to see if his symptoms improve. Keeping a food log can help you determine what foods are likely causing problems. Citrus fruits, chocolate, caffeine, fried and fatty foods, garlic, onions, spicy foods, tomatoes and peppermint are common triggers of acid reflux, according to Kids Health. If you find that you want to switch your baby to formula to ease his discomfort, speak with his pediatrician about what formula is right for him. Many companies make products that are designed for babies who suffer from reflux and regurgitation.
