If your baby suffers from acid reflux, he may experience symptoms including irritability, spitting up and burping, reports Kids Health. Your baby may be so uncomfortable that he begins to turn his head away from your breast or from the bottle. It is important to try to ease your baby's pain and discomfort so he is able to eat and so he can remain comfortable following a meal. There are many methods that may alleviate your baby's suffering without using medication and trying several may help you identify those that make your infant feel better.
Step 1
Feed your baby more often. Spread out your baby's feedings so she eats less food over several meals a day rather than eating more food less often. If there is less food in your baby's stomach, less of it may be able to back up into her throat and cause reflux.
Step 2
Add rice cereal to formula or expressed breast milk. Rice cereal may thicken your baby's food enough that it will remain in her stomach to be digested rather than being spit back up into the throat, notes Bryan Vartabedian, author of "Colic Solved: The Essential Guide to Infant Reflux and the Care of Your Crying, Difficult-to-Soothe Baby."
Step 3
Burp your baby. Hold your baby upright and gently pat his back so he can expel any air in his tummy and potentially prevent his food from being spit back up.
Step 4
Hold your baby upright for about 30 minutes after eating. Hold your baby still and talk to her or carry her around the house to help encourage the food the stay down.
Step 5
Put your baby down in an infant seat that remains stationary so he is able to sit up and also look around and play with his toys if he does not want to be held.
Tips and Warnings
- Play quiet games or play soft music for your child after each feeding to discourage a lot of activity, which may lead to spitting up or increased symptoms of acid reflux. Putting your baby in the stroller and taking a walk is another way to keep her upright after eating. If your infant seat vibrates or swings, keep those settings off immediately after a feeding to help discourage too much movement that often leads to spit up.
- If your baby has fewer than six wet diapers in one day, call your pediatrician because this could mean that your baby is not getting enough to eat.
Things You'll Need
- Infant seat
- Rice cereal
References
- KidsHealth: Gastroesophageal Reflux
- "Colic Solved: The Essential Guide to Infant Reflux and the Care of Your Crying, Difficult-to-Soothe Baby"; Bryan Vartabedian; 2007
