In this blog post, we’re here to lend a helping hand with some friendly nutritional advice tailored to infants dealing with reflux. We understand that taking care of a little one with reflux can be quite a puzzle, but worry not! We’re excited to share some practical tips and dietary insights that can bring ease and comfort to your baby’s mealtimes. Let’s examine this issue which directly affects your baby’s quality of life.
What is Reflux in Babies?
Reflux in babies is bringing milk or formula up through the oesophagus, which is also known as oesophagal reflux. In other words, disruptions in the valves located at the points where nutrients pass through the digestive system cause reflux.
Infant reflux is seen in about 60% of the babies that are between 0-6 months old. This issue may continue until about age 1 with a decrease in symptoms and seems to disappear by itself. Even though reflux goes away on its own, the process negatively affects the baby.
What are the Symptoms of Reflux in Babies?
- Frequently vomiting (especially after feeding)
- Spurting out the food
- Uneasiness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Recurring Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infection)
- Recurring Respiratory Tract Infections
Changes in Baby’s Nutrition & Key Points for Breastfeeding
A balanced and proper diet is crucial for the baby to relax and decrease the reflux problems. Feeding your baby more than their stomach capacity is going to lead to high pressures in the stomach, which stimulate reflux. Therefore, you should be feeding the baby less but more often. When you feel your baby is full or they quit feeding on their own, you can stop breastfeeding.
At the same time, hyperlactation can lead to reflux by causing your baby to swallow air and be overfed. In the cases of hyperlactation, you can apply different positions like leaning back and expressing breast milk, helping for a better breastfeeding period for both you and your baby.
Lying the baby back after feeding can lead stomach contents to flow up to the mouth. In order to prevent this, make sure to expel the gas whilst the baby’s in an upright position, then after about 30 minutes you can let them lie down.
In addition to that, a lack of effective breastfeeding can be the cause of a reflux attack. If the baby sucks the nipple only, there will be more chances for them to swallow air.
How to Breastfeed Effectively
- The baby should open their mouth wide.
- Both the body and the face should be looking at the mother.
- The lower lip should be turned outward.
- The baby should grasp the brownish area around the nipple (the areola), not the nipple itself.
- Their chin should be attached to the breast.
What to Eat While Breastfeeding
What nursing mothers eat matters; everything a mother puts into her body is digested into their breastmilk, thus affecting their precious ones. Therefore, nursing mothers should first change their lifestyle to best suit for their baby’s health. They need to maintain a balanced diet and should stay away from food that is problematic for their baby, and most importantly those of that lead to gas problems.
What the mother eats can be a trigger point for the baby’s reflux and might create uneasiness. Here are some of the nutrients that can increase reflux symptoms;
- Onion
- Garlic
- Spice
- Caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee
- Acid-containing citrus fruits like orange and mandarin
- Root vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radishes
- Fatty foods
- Chocolate
- In addition, in some cases, complaints can be reduced when milk and eggs are excluded from the diet.
What to Consider When Introducing Solid Foods
With the babies suffering from reflux, the transition to solid foods should be slowly but surely. You shouldn’t feed your baby big portions as they already have a sensitive digestive system. You can have a look at some feeding and weaning stuff here https://ebebek.co.uk/collections/feeding-weaning and choose some o them. They will help you to introduce your baby solid foods!
The next thing to look out for in this period is the texture of the food. The more fluid the texture, the more chance for the gastric juice to flow up. That’s why the food should be prepared in more of a solid-state or viscous rather than fluid completely. As acidic foods lead to reflux, also try avoiding acidic fruits and vegetables such as orange, mandarin, kiwi, tomato, and chilli pepper. A less acidic diet might even be better for the baby’s reflux and relax them. Let’s see those foods:
- Pear: Pear is a great alternative with its lower acidity levels and fibre-rich structure for babies with reflux
- Oats: Feel free to add oats to soups and purees as consist of beta-glucan and are rich in fibres, making it a suitable addition to their diet.
- Banana: It will relieve your baby’s stomach with its potassium-rich content.
- Sweet Potato: Boiled sweet potato is another exceptional alternative. Their stomach can easily adapt to the sweet potato in this process.
In conclusion, we hope this blog post has provided you with valuable insights and practical nutritional advice to help alleviate the challenges of reflux in babies. Remember that every baby is unique, and finding the right feeding strategies may take time and patience. Consulting with a pediatrician or a healthcare professional for personalized guidance is always a good step to ensure your little one’s well-being. By implementing these tips and staying attuned to your baby’s needs, you can create a more comfortable and enjoyable feeding experience for both you and your precious baby!
Wishing you and your baby all the best on this journey!
