Gastrointestinal reflux disease occurs when the contents of a baby's stomach reenter her esophagus. This frequently causes spitting up, gagging and coughing. Some pediatricians recommend giving newborns infant cereal to reduce reflux, but cereal's use as a remedy is controversial, according to pediatrician William Sears. Cereal creates a thicker consistency, which can reduce spitting up in some babies. Reflux is not the only cause of spitting up, so you should never diagnose your child's reflux symptoms yourself. Infant cereal poses a small choking risk to babies less than 1 year old, so before adding cereal to your child's bottle, consult your pediatrician. If you are nursing, consult a lactation specialist.
Can Cereal Help?
Breastfeeding and infant nutrition site Kellymom explains that some studies have shown that adding cereal to formula or breast milk does indeed reduce spitting up. This can help babies sleep, reduce gagging and lower parental stress. However, Sears points out that this may be a superficial remedy. Cereal forces the food down lower in the esophagus but does not prevent stomach contents from backing up in the first place. Thus, a child may stop spitting up but still experience other painful effects of reflux.
Cereal and Safety
Infant cereal is generally only given to children older than 4 months, and many pediatricians advise waiting until the child is 6 months old. The structure of a newborn's esophagus and throat is different from an older child's, which means that any solid food -- even cereal -- poses a choking hazard, according to pediatric nutritionist Lynn Marotz. Cereal also tends to be nutritionally empty and adding cereal to milk can pose challenges to breastfeeding mothers. Weigh the risks and benefits before switching your child's diet and always consult a physician.
Nutrition and Reflux
If your pediatrician advises you to add cereal to your child's milk, follow her instructions precisely. If you are breastfeeding, continue doing so and add cereal to pumped breast milk. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that mothers breastfeed for at least the first 6 months of a child's life, and formula-fed babies suffer from reflux more frequently than breastfed babies.
Other Tips
Follow a few basic, common-sense steps to reduce reflux. Never smoke in your house or around your child. Feed your baby in a semi-upright position, which pushes the stomach contents downward. Never roughhouse with your baby immediately after feeding, as this can increase spitting up.
References
- Kellymom: Spitting Up & Reflux in the Breastfed Baby
- Caring for Your Baby and Young Child; American Academy of Pediatrics
- The Portable Pediatrician; William Sears, M.D. et al.
- Health, Safety and Nutrition for the Young Child; Lynn Marotz
