Fernys Top 6 Tips to Beat Reflux

My son suffered from reflux from a very young age……..he was diagnosed at 3 weeks!  His early diagnosis was down to one of my sister‘s previous experiences with her own child.  After every feed my son would have a little burp and spit up, then arch himself back crying out in pain, sometimes this would continue for up to an hour after feeding.

I have put together a list of my 6 top tips for helping mummies and their babies with reflux.  Understanding that every child is different, keep in mind that these tips worked for me and I hope at least one of them may help your child get some relief from reflux too.

1. Feed baby upright.  Keep their body straight (not seated) with their head higher than their tummy. Even after feeding keep them in an upright position for at least 30 minutes. The best way I found to do this was to use the pram!
2. Avoid lying your bubba flat after a feed. Again, I kept my son upright in the pram.
3. Large feeds triggered reflux in my son, I found smaller amounts more frequently worked better for him.
4. My son was a champion burper! I found burping him frequently and not offering him more until he burped helped greatly.
5. I connected with a support group, it was great just to chat with other mummies who were going through the same thing.
6. And… The dummy was also another favourite! The constant swallowing and sucking action helped to keep the relfux at bay and him settle. I have heard a clean finger can also work just as well.

I cannot tell you just how much of a saviour our pram became.  Once feeding was over I would pop my son in it making sure that he was upright but not sitting………..I found that sitting increased pressure on his abdomen and triggered further reflux episodes.  We did try a bouncer, a carrier and an automatic swing as well but the by far the best thing was our good old pram……..and it’s multi-adjustable levels meant that as he grew I could adjust his upright position to suit him.

Of course the beast that is reflux meant my son still spat-up and vomited from time to time.  The way I got around all that mess was by using Pram Liners. My favourite are by Bambella Designs.  They’re made from a 100% cotton absorbant fabric that has a layer of PUL sewn into them.  Because natural breathable fibres are used it means they are also machine washable and waterproof! Oh and did I mention that they have a huge range, like 50 designs and colours.

Remember reflux not only effects your baby it effects your entire family and can be overwhelming and exhausting.  If you would like support from someone who has walked in your shoes then I would thoroughly recommend organisations like RISA, The Reflux Infants Support Association.  They’re Brisbane based and are great for moral support as well as general tips and further information on managing reflux.   If you feel overwhelmed I urge you to connect with a support group, they can provide more information, and offer the emotional support from someone who understands.

I hope at least one of these tips is helpful to you.  If you have a tip that was your saviour please share below so we can all help the mummies coming through with their new reflux bubbas.

Ferny’s top 6 tips to beat Reflux