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How to feed a baby with reflux?

How to feed a baby with reflux?

How to feed a baby with reflux?

Although having spit up on the front of your shirt isn’t the cutest thing to do, for many new mothers, it’s a necessary rite of passage. After all, it would only mean adding more laundry to the mountain of burp rags that already exists. The painful reflux that’s producing all that spitting up can actually be reduced or eliminated by modifying the way you feed your baby. 

Although young babies are at a high risk for reflux because of their underdeveloped digestive systems, there are numerous feeding practices we recommend to help. Reflux can give your baby a number of discomforts in addition to spitting up, and we know more than anything that you want your baby to feel comfortable. 

First, you should determine whether your kid is having reflux and any potential causes. Then, we’ll share our best advice for restoring your baby’s stomach to normal (and your shirts back to pristine condition.) 


What is acid reflux in babies? 

Breast milk or formula tends to back up from a baby’s stomach when they  swallow it. Reflux, often known as gastroesophageal reflux, is what this is (GER). The newborn stage (0–4 months) is when reflux is most prevalent, and it becomes better over time. 


Identifying acid reflux or GER in your little one? 

Young babies frequently experience mild reflux. In the first three months of life, around half of all babies vomit often. Additionally, they will vomit around once or twice daily. However, it’s not a condition you should be worried about. In most cases, you should simply accept the baby’s spitting up if it appears that they are both content and pleased. In these situations, it mostly bothers you while they don’t give a damn! But some babies can feel gas in addition to their reflux, which can be very unpleasant, or they may experience what is referred to as “silent reflux.” A baby with silent reflux will likely be in pain, unlike a newborn who spits up, who typically feel better right away. This occurs as a result of the acid coming up the throat and being swallowed back down. 

Your baby may be experiencing one of the following types of refluxes if they exhibit the symptoms listed below: 

  • Regular spitting up 
  • An arching back while eating or right afterward – Crying when placed on their back 
  • Pulling legs up – Consolable sobbing after feeding (but this could also occur hours afterwards) 
  • Difficulty sleeping 

You shouldn’t worry about your baby’s reflux if they are under four months old and developing normally. Even though you don’t need to be “worried,” it can nevertheless be upsetting to think that your kid isn’t feeling well but you are powerless to intervene. 

The first step in treating your baby’s reflux is to recognize its symptoms. Knowing the root cause also helps. When that happens, you can use our advice to make your kid feel their best (while keeping the spit up to a minimum.) 


Cause of reflux in babies 

Reflux in baby has a fairly clear-cut aetiology. You merely have a tiny little human in your hands whose digestive system is still developing; it’s really nothing you’re doing wrong. Other than that, babies are more prone to reflux problems since they frequently rest on their backs and consume just liquids. Particularly premature babies’ struggle. All of this seems very typical, isn’t it? Additionally, you have little influence over the fact that your baby only consumes liquids. Fortunately, there are a few simple tactics you can start doing right now to reduce or perhaps completely stop your baby’s reflux. 

1. Using a bottle 

Paced bottle feeding is a fantastic place to start if you bottle-feed your little one. A slow-flowing nipple, an upright feeding position, 20 to 30 seconds of continuous feeding, and then pulling the bottle back to give your baby  a break, are the main components of timed bottle feeding. Paced bottle feeding involves slowing down a bottle-feed to more closely resemble breastfeeding behaviors. Paced feeding lowers the chance of overfeeding, which could make the baby uncomfortable. 

2. Feed more regularly but in smaller amounts 

Feeding your baby less frequently but in smaller amounts can have the similar impact as pacing bottle feeding in lowering the risk that they will overeat and develop GERD. It can be challenging for babies to completely digest a substantial meal at once. Additionally, it increases the likelihood that some will pass directly back up through the developing ring muscle in your baby’s esophagus and stomach. With this approach, your baby may receive 10 feeds rather than 7 and still consume the same amount of breast milk or formula in 24 hours. 

3. Keep your little one in an upright position while feeding and after 

Babies spend a lot of time lying down when they sleep. However, cutting down on this time is one of the simplest strategies to stop reflux symptoms. 

  • Hold the baby  upright while feeding 
  • After feeding, keep your baby  upright for 20 to 30 minutes. 
  • Use a baby carrier to carry your child so you can take a rest and maintain their upright position more frequently. 

Considering this, we want to advise against using standard sleeping positioners. Due to concerns about SIDS, the AAP cautions against using them despite their claims that they will lessen a baby’s reflux. Even newborns who experience reflux should sleep on their backs on a level mattress. 

4. Burp frequently 

This functions admirably when bottle-feeding is done gradually. Try to burp your kid every 20 to 30 seconds. Burping your baby  after each 1-2 ounces of milk consumed is a bare minimum. Holding a baby who is experiencing reflux with their stomach on your chest and burping them over your shoulder is the ideal method. This will enable your baby’s system to be cleared of any trapped gas and acid before you give them more milk to consume. Even while they still “burp,” it’s still much preferable to a full-blown spit-up after a meal. If you are finding it hard to burp your baby use Woodward’s Gripe Water. 

5. Before or after feeding, use Woodward’s Gripe Water. 

Relief for reflux and other newborn stomach problems can be found in Gripe Water. Digestion may be made easier by the herbs. For many babies, using Woodward’s in addition to the aforementioned suggestions will be effective. Woodward’s have been a mother’s companion for years now. You can rest assured after giving Woodward’s Gripe Water to your baby. To know more visit: https://woodwards.in/ 

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