ARTICLE SUMMARY:
- Where does reflux in babies come from?
- The origins of reflux
- The symptoms of reflux in babies?
- Fighting gastric reflux to relieve your baby
- Consulting a doctor or early childhood specialist
- Baby’s position after the bottle
- Baby’s diet
- Choosing the anti-reflux bottle
- The best anti-reflux bottles
- Key takeaways about reflux in babies
From the very first weeks, babies can experience what is known as reflux. Both impressive and confusing for new parents, this phenomenon can often raise several questions.
Is the baby vomiting? Is the baby missing the nutrients essential for healthy development? Does breastfeeding promote these refluxes? Or, on the contrary, might feeding your baby powdered formula actually not be suitable for good nutrition?
In the following article, we will detail where reflux originates and what solutions can be implemented to relieve the pain caused to your child.
Where does reflux in babies come from?
The origins of reflux
It is normal to worry the first times you face reflux, sometimes dramatic, in your infant. Especially when nobody really talks to expecting parents about this widespread phenomenon during the nine months of pregnancy.
First, it’s important to reassure yourself about the well-being of newborns. No, your baby has not vomited their entire meal. The amounts spit out are in reality only a tiny fraction of what they have ingested and will not deprive your baby of the essential nutrients needed for development.
Additionally, whether you breastfeed your baby or choose to give infant formula does not guarantee, based on scientific data, any real difference in the likelihood of reflux occurring.
Baby is simply experiencing external reflux, which should not be confused with internal or “silent” reflux. The latter often goes unnoticed as it remains in the baby’s throat. Behind these terms lies a physiological explanation.
In fact, a baby’s digestive system is immature, and the valve that normally prevents stomach contents from rising up is not fully operational yet. Sometimes the amount found on their sleep sack can be surprising. In more severe cases, baby may suddenly spit out what appears to be the entire meal in a jet-like fashion.
Your baby also has not yet developed enough muscle tone and therefore cannot properly support their head. These are among the medical explanations doctors may offer to help understand the origin of reflux.
The symptoms of reflux in babies
In addition to staining their clothes—and sometimes those of their parents—your baby may also show clinical signs.
It is not the reflux itself that is painful, but the acidity contained in it. This acidity can, over time, cause irritation and later a painful inflammation of the esophagus.
- Baby cries, screams, squirms, and may briefly become pale.
- They may experience a chronic cough triggered by irritation of the esophageal lining.
- The horizontal position feels uncomfortable. Reflux travels back up much more easily when your child is lying down.
- Your child may make faces or stick out their tongue frequently, chew, and seem to ruminate.
After these symptoms appear, your baby will generally soon expel by mouth part of the pre-digested meal.
This varies depending on how much time has passed since eating and the regurgitation event.
It may sometimes emit a sour milk odor, which does not make the situation any more comfortable. Once the reflux is expelled, your child calms down and the symptoms diminish.
Fighting gastric reflux to relieve your baby
In addition to an immature digestive tract, several other factors promote the occurrence of reflux. Fortunately, you can influence these variables and act accordingly.
To maximize the chances of helping your baby, you should take action on several fronts:
Consulting a doctor or early childhood specialist
As mentioned above, reflux should not be taken lightly as it is painful for babies. Therefore, a medical opinion should always be obtained first.
A doctor will determine whether it is a case of gastroesophageal reflux or simply regurgitation associated, for example, with intestinal gas.
Since a newborn cannot speak, crying and fussing are their only ways of alerting you to their condition.
Therefore, a parent’s personal interpretation cannot replace the diagnosis of a healthcare professional.
Baby’s position after the bottle
It is recommended to always hold your baby upright for at least twenty minutes after each feed or bottle feeding, holding your child close, with their head on your right shoulder, for example, with your right hand placed just behind their head. The left hand should then provide support under their buttocks, and their little legs can wrap around the parent’s waist for better stability.
Some specialists even recommend holding your baby in this position for up to thirty minutes. By doing so, the chance that your baby regurgitates is reduced since they can burp and expel most of the air ingested during their meal.
Baby’s diet
Thicker, anti-regurgitation formulas are available commercially. Adding recommended amounts of cereal to your baby’s bottle, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, can also help thicken the milk and reduce regurgitation.
However, be careful not to overdo it, as these preparations tend to be high in sugar. There are many cereal options available, such as rice or quinoa, both of which can be interesting alternatives for babies with gluten intolerance.
You may also address the quantity of meals. A baby with a lot of reflux may be drinking too much and too quickly. Taking breaks allows for an initial burp in the middle of the feeding, using the carrying method previously described.
Taking this approach also reduces the risk of colic in your baby.
For more information about the best anti-colic bottle to choose, we invite you to read the article just here for your child's well-being.
Choosing the anti-reflux bottle
By offering anti-reflux bottles, reflux can be noticeably reduced. Highly practical, most of these bottles are designed to feed baby in such a way as to limit the air intake and allow the stomach to receive its milk gently, without bubble formation.
How? There are various systems designed to minimize reflux.
The best anti-reflux bottles
To prevent reflux, it is important above all to limit the risk of your baby swallowing air while drinking. In addition to causing colic, air moving through a newborn's stomach adds extra pressure, which stirs up the contents and encourages it to travel back up toward the esophagus.
To avoid this, some brands offer bottles with a removable straw. Others use a valve that creates a vacuum and is positioned at the bottom of the bottle.
The nipple is also an accessory not to be underestimated. Its shape and flow rate play a key role in regulating air intake during suction. A slow-flow nipple is recommended for every newborn.
The shape of the bottle itself is also an important factor. S-shaped bottles are specifically designed so that milk remains near the nipple even when baby is fed in an upright position.
Note: using the bottle alone will not prevent reflux from occurring. It is by combining all the previously mentioned solutions that you are likely to achieve a positive result.
Key takeaways about reflux in babies
Reflux itself is not a serious phenomenon, but it can negatively affect the day-to-day routine for both you and your baby.
It is also painful and should be addressed to prevent it from developing into esophagitis.
Physiological in origin, it is nevertheless possible to help improve your child’s comfort by:
- holding your baby upright after every meal.
- providing a slightly thicker diet and structuring meals by reducing portions and spacing out feedings. (Always consult with a healthcare professional before making any decisions regarding your infant’s diet)
- opting for an anti-reflux bottle to protect your baby from regurgitation after each meal. Élhée bottles fully fulfill this function. Their ergonomic shape and specialized nipple help limit air intake during feeding.
Good news! Reflux generally fades around your baby's six-month mark!
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