Treatment for Reflux in Infants

Reflux or "spitting up" is a very common problem in infants. Almost all infants will spit up at some time or another, while half spit up on a regular basis. Here are several ideas for dealing with your infant's reflux.

Keep Diapers Loose.

• If your baby's diaper is too tight, it puts pressure on the stomach. This can result in the valve at the upper end of the stomach opening and allowing food to travel back up the esophagus, i.e., spitting up.

Be Careful Not to Overfeed Your Baby.

• Overfeeding is one of the most common causes of spitting up. How do you know if overfeeding is causing your baby's reflux? Try offering one ounce less of formula or breastmilk with each feeding. If your baby is spitting up because you feed him too much, this should resolve the problem. You can also try waiting a little longer between feedings, allowing the stomach more time to empty itself.

Place Your Baby in an Upright Position.

• Since reflux happens when food travels back up the esophagus, it makes sense that laying your baby down right after feedings can exacerbate the problem. Place your baby in an upright position for 30 to 60 minutes after each feeding.

Burp Your Baby Well.

• Stop frequently during feedings to burp your baby.

Thicken Formula or Breastmilk.

• If your infant's reflux is bothersome, your pediatrician may recommend adding rice cereal to thicken the milk or the formula. Often, this will improve reflux dramatically. Always ask your pediatrician before adding anything to your infant's formula or breastmilk.

Try a New Formula.

• Reflux can be caused by food sensitivities and allergies. If your baby spits up frequently and seems to have frequent tummy aches, it may be that he is bothered by milk or soy protein in his formula. Check with your pediatrician to see if switching formulas is a good option for you. If you are breastfeeding, try eliminating dairy from your diet.

Try Medicines.

• If your infant's reflux is interfering with weight gain or becomes severe, his pediatrican may recommend daily medications. Zantac is the most common reflux medication given to infants, but there are many different medications available. Your pediatrican can help you decide which one is right for your baby.

Call the Pediatrician

• If your baby's spitting up seems to be more than normal, call his doctor. It is also very important to call if your baby is not wetting his diapers or if his spit up contains bile (yellow or green) or blood.