Signs Baby Has Reflux (GERD) and How to Help

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If your baby doesn’t sleep well and is fussy, you might be wondering if your baby has reflux. Here are signs of reflux and how to help your baby if they do have reflux.

Crying baby sitting in mom's lap

Having a baby with reflux is not easy. A baby with reflux can be fussy, cry a lot, and not sleep well. My second child had reflux. Her natural disposition was very easy, but even so, I was very nervous with my next two children that they would have reflux. It is just harder.

If your baby is struggling sleeping or is fussy, you might be wondering if it is possible if your baby has reflux. Let’s discuss all of the elements of reflux so you can know if you should talk to your baby’s doctor about reflux or not.

What Is Reflux

So what is reflux (acid reflux)? It is when the food from the stomach comes back up the esophagus. This can lead to spitting up, vomiting, or it coming up and baby swallowing it back down.

A baby’s digestive system is not fully mature yet, so spitting up is very normal and common. You can also have trouble with the valve that connects the esophagus to the stomach isn’t developed yet and doesn’t actually close.

When it becomes a problem is when it is constant and causes pain. This can lead to blood in the vomit, poor weight gain, and chronic coughing.

Mild, typical reflux usually starts around 2-3 weeks old and is at its worst at 4-5 months. It then usually goes away around 9-12 months. If you see symptoms before 2-3 weeks old or after 6 months old, you might find your baby has GERD.

How Common is Reflux

About half of the newborns out there show signs of reflux. As babies get older, the symptoms go away. It is more common in premature babies.

Symptoms of Reflux

Here are some symptoms of a reflux problem for your baby:

  • Spitting up
  • Vomiting
  • Vomiting blood
  • Refusing to eat
  • Coughing
  • Trouble gaining weight
  • Fussiness
  • Arching the back during feedings
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Wheezing
  • Noisy breathing
  • Hoarse voice
  • Trouble sleeping

If your baby displays these many of these symptoms and you feel like your baby might have GERD, it is wise to talk to baby’s pediatrician about it. Your doctor will want to know what symptoms are present, when symptoms began, what feedings look like, and what spitting up is like.

The doctor will then do a physical exam and may run tests, including endoscopy. You will want to rule out an allergy.

How To Help a Baby with Reflux

If your baby has reflux, you might be wondering what to do to help your baby be more comfortable. Talk to your doctor about the following options:

  • Burp baby often. Reducing gas can help keep food down.
  • Keep baby upright for 30 minutes after feeding. My reflux baby sat up on her own earlier than most babies do because she was always sitting up due to reflux.
  • Thickened feedings. This can help reduce spitup. Feedings are often thickened with something like oatmeal.
  • Feeding routine. You will find your baby does well with regular feedings. People with GERD often find that eating smaller meals more often helps GERD, so rather than aiming for 3 hour feedings, you might find 2.5 hour feeding intervals is best. Make sure you do not overfeed.
  • Try different formulas. If you feed formula, you will want to try different formula brands and find what works best for your baby.
  • Cut out foods if breastfeeding. Pay attention to if there are foods that bother your baby. With my reflux baby, I could not eat chocolate or have caffeine at all.
  • Watch foods if baby eats solid foods. If your baby has reflux, be aware of what foods cause issues with reflux. These include chocolate, tomatoes, tomato based foods, peppermint, high fat foods, citrus foods, and spicy foods.
  • Medication. Your doctor might prescribe a medication to help manage the reflux.
  • Surgery. This can happen in more extreme cases.

Conclusion

If you suspect baby has reflux, you will want to either confirm that is true or rule it out so you can help your baby be more comfortable, happier, and sleep better.

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