Reflux Baby

Unfortunately, nearly 7 in 10 babies will experience reflux at some point. Reflux isn’t just a little spew here and there, it’s gut wrenching!

It's endless screaming, never sleeping, holding baby 24/7, constant feeding, changing of spewy clothes and the overwhelming feeling of helplessness. Although it feels like it, it won't last forever! We promise.

We’ve compiled 7 top tips to help soothe your baby’s reflux symptoms.

1. CLOTHING

Avoid clothing and nappies that are too tight. Apart from bub being more comfortable in looser fitting clothing, it will help reduce the amount of pressure put on your baby’s tummy. Pack a few extra changes of clothes for bub when you are going out and a Wet Bag to place the spewy clothes into. Try and wear white, whites won’t show milk stains as harshly and are a clever way to hide spit-up or spew.

2. FEEDING

Consider changing bub's nappy before feeding. This will avoid the necessity of lying your baby down when he has a tummy full of milk. Give smaller, more frequent feeds with bub upright. This will be easier on bubs stomach and will help decrease reflux as there’s less to regurgitate. After feeding try and keep your baby upright for at least 30 minutes, it will help prevent the food from travelling upward into the oesophagus.

3. BURPING

By frequently burping your baby, you will keep the air that is gulped into the stomach during a feed to a minimum, thereby reducing the volume of milk that may be vomited. Laying a Spewy™ over your shoulder whilst burping will stop the spew from going all over your clothes.

4. PLAY

Keep your baby quiet after feeds and avoid bouncing them around. Instead, think about reading them a story or having sensory play.

5. MASSAGE

Massage can be soothing to babies and children, and it can also aid digestion. You can't directly contact the organ that causes reflux, however the massage stimulates baby's nervous system including the Vagus nerve which controls many aspects of the digestive system. Check out your local area for baby massage classes.

6. MILK

If you formula feed, consider using a thickening agent to help decrease the amount of milk coming back up the oesophagus. If you're breastfeeding, it's best to avoid eating foods that may pass through your breast milk and upset your baby. These can include: spicy foods, caffeine, fatty foods, dairy products.

7. YOU

You are your baby's world! And they are bloody hard work! So you need to remember to look after you, so you can look after them. Take time out for yourself, whether it’s hoping in the shower for 5 minutes when your partner gets home or asking for help from family and friends when you need it. Remember to take one day at a time.