Skip to main content

Made For Mums

  • Join
  • Log in
Search Account Navigation Menu
  • Chat
  • Getting Pregnant
  • Pregnancy
  • Baby
  • Toddler
  • School & Family
  • Reviews & Shopping
  • Toys

Find us on

  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Reflux explained

  • Baby
1

What are the signs of reflux? And how do you deal with a reflux baby?

Reflux may be causing your little one's distress

What is reflux?

Gastroo-esophageal reflux disease, or reflux as it's more commonly called, is what happens when your baby's stomach contents flow back up into his food pipe (called the oesophagus).

At the bottom of the oesophagus is a muscular valve that lets food into his tummy, but stops food or acid coming back up. Sometimes the valve hasn’t yet developed properly, so food and acid can come back up and cause them to bring up milk or even vomit. 

Around half of babies will get some reflux during their first three months and it's only a serious problem for a small number of these. As the valve gradually gets stronger, the chance of having reflux decreases and the good news is that most babies grow out of it by the time they're 10 months old. However, some babies will have reflux for a longer period of time.

In a small number of cases, long term reflux - gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) - is experienced. It is not quite clear why this happens and it seems to be more prevalent in babies who have been conceived by IVF. 

Does your baby have reflux? 

Some of the most common signs that your baby could have reflux are:

  • Excessive or projectile vomiting
  • Persistent coughing or gagging
  • Arching back or being agitated during feeds
  • Screaming or crying in pain between feeds
  • Losing or not gaining weight
  • Refusing feeds, or only managing small amounts at a time

What can you do?

Try the following to help ease your baby's reflux:

  • Keep your baby upright for at least 20 minutes after a feed
  • Give your baby smaller, more frequent feeds to allow him more time to digest his food
  • Invest in cot and changing wedges to raise his head and ease the pain during the night


Should I consult my GP?

If your baby suffers from reflux often, appears to be in distress or you are worried, the NHS advise that you should consult your doctor. Especially if your baby is suffering from the following symptoms:

  • coughing, gagging or trouble swallowing
  • frequent projectile vomiting
  • persistent crying and being irritable
  • wheezing
  • bad breath
  • difficulty sleeping
  • arching their back during or after a feed
  • drawing their legs up to their tummy after feeding
  • refusing a feed even though they're happy to suck on a dummy or similar
  • not gaining much weight, or losing weight

Mums' tips

jillyjumps recommends Gaviscon, however it does have it's down side: "it works alright but then there is constipation poor child." 

"If it is really bad, make an appointment with your GP," says Babyarama. "Maybe ask for a referral. My little boy was seen at a local hospital clinic as he suffered terribly with it and was prescribed Ranitidine which really helped."

Another suggestion by Lh8609 was to try adding a thickener to the milk or using anti-reflux milk. "That's what we had to do with our youngest," she said.  "But she just grew out of it in the end."

Read more...

  • How do I wean a baby with reflux?
  • Baby colic - all you need to know
  • Is this the strangest thing you can do with breastmilk?
Lara Brunt By Lara Brunt
1 Comments Share
Like this article?
Showing of

Uh-oh! You need to be logged in to do this...

Sign In Sign Up
  • Load more posts
  • Write a comment

News & Gossip

  • Which pregnant celebs are due in 2019?
  • Aldi, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Boots Baby & Toddler Events - dates and best deals
  • Meghan Markle's pregnancy style - her best maternity looks
  • Pink, Carey Hart and children - family facts

Popular in Competitions

  • Win a £200 voucher courtesy of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter!
    Closing date: 18/03/2019
    Enter Now View All Competitions

Popular in Product Reviews & Shopping

  • Britax B Lite Pushchair
    in Pushchairs
  • Redsbaby METRO2
    in Pushchairs

Latest on Made For Mums

  • Community
  • Getting Pregnant
  • Pregnancy
  • Baby
  • Toddler & Child
  • Product Reviews & Shopping
  • Competitions
  • News & Gossip

Follow MadeForMums

Newsletter
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube

Help & Info

  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Code of conduct
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Complaints

Quick Links

  • Chat
  • Getting Pregnant
  • Pregnancy
  • Baby
  • Toddler
  • School & Family
  • Reviews & Shopping
  • News & Gossip
  • Competitions

Also Visit

  • You & Your Wedding
  • Junior
  • Immediate Media Co
  • Other Immediate Media Co Sites
    • Radio Times
    • Gardners' World
    • OutdoorsMagic
    • Visordown
    • Golfmagic
Immediate Media Co © Immediate Media Company Limited
This website is owned and published by Immediate Media Company Limited. www.immediatemedia.co.uk
Version 2018.20.110.0

We use cookies to improve your experience of our website. Read more.

Got it