How To Relieve Baby Reflux

Hearing your baby scream in agony is beyond heart rending.

And so much more so when it’s their food making them scream!

Add to this that reflux … and colic … usually strike when your baby is so tiny that you’re still stumbling your way through the first months of motherhood …

… and it fast becomes a nightmare for mommy and baby 🙁

We suffered horribly with colic. Two close friends with baby’s the same age struggled in parallel with reflux.

I’ve shared in another list everything we learnt coping with colic.

This is a list of my friends’ … very, very hard earned … tried and tested tips to ease reflux.

I do so hope that they help you … and save you from frantic googling, baby forum posting and fierce battles with pediatricians that we all went through.  If you’ve got your own tips do share them and I will update the list.

Top Tips to Relieve Baby Reflux

1. Feed baby in upright position
2. Hold baby upright for 20-30 minutes after feeding
3. Small frequent feeds
4. Burp during bottle feeding
5. Ensure teat hole not too big
6. Try changing bottles … Dr Brown’s, MAM, Pura-Kiki, Tommee Tippee and Comotomo are all highly rated for helping with reflux and colic
7. Add rice cereal to milk … you can buy rice cereal seperately e.g. from Gerber or you can get formula which already has rice cereal in it e.g. Enfamil and Similac Spit Up
8. Express a bit before feed
9. Express and bottle feed
10. Hold bottle hozontally
11. Look out for frothy poo that may indicate lactose or dairy intolerance
12. Try lactose free formula or formulas specifically designed for dairy intolerance e.g. Similac Sensitive, Nutramigen, Puramino
13. Keep baby sitting up as much as possible in a baby bouncer
14. Carry around in an upright baby carrier …
15. Sleep baby on a cot wedge … some people swear by these but lots of people have reservations
16. Raise cot so baby sleeping slightly raised
17. Loosen nappy to prevent pressure on tummy
18. If you’re breastfeeding avoid caffeine as can trigger gastric acid
19. Avoid chocolate as can trigger gastric acid
20. Avoid garlic can trigger excess wind
21. Avoid cabbage & cauliflower can trigger excess wind
22. Cut down on citrus fruit that make milk too acidic
23. Cut down on tomatoes that make milk too acidic
24. Cut down on dairy causes wind & babies may struggle to break down fats
25. Cut out soya causes gas & associated with allergies
26. Go to doctor if irritable during feeds & vomits large amounts or fusses & refuses feeds
27. Add colief or mylicon to feeds to break down the lactose
28. Doctors in the UK may recommend infant Gaviscon
29. Doctors can prescribe Ranitidine (Zantac) or Prevacid which reduces acid in stomach
30. Wean with lean meat

Reflux can be the result of lactose intolerance, allergies or for example tongue tie and so if it is very bad or persisting you may need medical help so do talk to your pediatrician and be prepared to be persistent and “push” if you don’t think they are being helpful and unfortunately, they’re not always!

For more help check out the support network at Little Refluxers.

If you found this post helpful do check out our of our other baby posts … there’s loads of hard won tips on breastfeeding, sleep and teething that will hopefully help some more!

Luci McQuitty Hindmarsh

Luci is the founder of Mums Make Lists. She has written about all aspects of organising family life for ten years. Her main areas of expertise are family finance and budgeting, simplifying housekeeping and family admin and kids’ party planning. Read more.