Spitting up, crying or refusing to eat can all be symptoms of acid reflux in your baby. Acid reflux occurs when the acid and food in your baby's stomach bubble up through his esophagus. If your baby is suffering from acid reflux, you're probably frustrated, especially after feedings. But you may be able to decrease or eliminate your baby's acid reflux by simply avoiding certain types of baby foods.
Foods with Lots of Acid
Some fruits contain lots of acid that can aggravate reflux in your baby. Citrus fruits, such as oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruit, may worsen your baby's acid reflux, and so may pickles, tomatoes and tomato products. Additional foods that may make acid reflux worse in babies include apples and bananas, and the juice made from these fruits. You can replace acidic fruits with fruits that don't contain much acid, such as pears and papayas.
Foods that Cause Burping
If too much gas builds up in your baby's body after feedings, that gas may push the stomach's contents up into the esophagus when your infant burps, causing acid reflux. As such, if your infant drinks formula, be sure to check your baby's bottles to make sure that the nipples are the correct size and not allowing your child to gulp too much air during feedings. Also, consider thickening the formula with 1 tablespoon of rice cereal to 1 ounce of formula, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. When giving your baby solid foods, keep in mind that certain vegetables cause more gas than others; avoid the ones that cause lots of burping. Some vegetables that can especially cause your baby to burp include cabbage, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, corn, and onions.
Feeding Strategies
Feeding your baby small, frequent meals instead of large meals infrequently and keeping your baby upright for at least 30 minutes after meals can help your child avoid acid reflux. Try holding your baby on your shoulder after meals or place her on a bed raised to an angle of 30 degrees; however, do not place your baby in an infant seat following meals as it can cause slouching, which can make acid reflux worse.
When to Call a Doctor
If you've been avoiding baby foods that contain lots of acid, yet still notice that your baby is struggling with acid reflux, you may want to consult a doctor. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises calling a doctor if your baby persistently refuses food, doesn't gain weight well, vomits blood or green or yellow fluid, has trouble breathing, or keeps crying despite your efforts to console him.
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