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Mother & Baby

Reflux

Gastro-oesophageal reflux is the baby equivalent of heartburn. The valve at the top of your baby's stomach is immature and allows contents to move back up the oesophagus from the stomach. It is a painful condition. GOR usually peaks at around four months, then begins subsiding from around seven months and usually gone by 12 months (though some toddlers can continue to have reflux problems into their childhood and even adulthood).

Symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux

Symptoms emerge at around 2-4 weeks of age
Baby vomits, sometimes projectile vomits, sometime even out the nostrils. If there is blood report this to your health professional.
Erratic feeding pattern. Either refusal to feed because of associated pain or wanting to constantly feed as the milk neutralises the stomach acids with its antacid effects).
Latching on but then pulling off and turning head away, aching back.
Fussing or in pain after feeding for up to an hour.
Baby comfortable when upright, but cries when laid down.
Disturbed sleep, usually being woken by bursts of pain.
Has wet hiccups or wet burps. Makes choking, gagging, throaty noises. May have sour breath.

An overfed baby can commonly be misinterpreted as having reflux.

Possible remedies for GOR

Breastfeeding is preferred because breastmilk is a natural antacid and is digested easier. If you are breastfeeding drink Galactogogue Tea to thicken your breastmilk or ask our dispensary to formulate you a personalised prescription.
If formula feeding, swap to a thickened formula and check that the teat hole is not too big and allowing too much milk out at once.
Add Slippery Elm Powder to formula, this helps to settle the stomach and sooth irritation.
Give the baby Probiotics to replace the good bacteria into the bowel.
Swallowing air aggravates reflux, good burping techniques are essential, these techniques can be learned in Sharlene Pooles Baby Whispering DVD.
Infant winding drops are also invaluable. See Reflux Drops
Giving smaller feeds more often may help BUT avoid instilling negative snacking habits, don't encourage feeds less than two hourly.
Place baby on a bouncanet after burping for 15 minutes, this helps the digestion process.
Warmth on baby's tummy can assist, eg a heat pack wrapped in a swaddle.
Gentle tummy massage. Use Quintessence Baby Massage Oil.
Have your baby check out by one of our Naturopaths.
Consider having the baby's constitution checked out by a homeopath.
Consider having the baby checked by a neonatal cranial osteopath.