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Watch your baby to see if she exhibits symptoms of acid reflux before making lifestyle changes. Typical signs of acid reflux in newborns are: Spitting up and vomiting Refusing to eat Having difficulty eating or swallowing Being irritable during feedings Burping or hiccuping wet liquid Failing to gain weight. Try changing the ways you feed your baby with a bottle. These may help relieve or prevent acid reflux in your newborn. Increase the frequency of your baby's feedings but reduce how much you give him at each feeding so that there is less pressure on the muscle that keeps food from refluxing. Make sure your baby's bottle and nipple is the right size. This allows your baby to get the right amount of milk from the nipple without swallowing air. Try a different brand of formula, but only after discussing it with your baby's doctor. Thicken the formula with some rice cereal with your pediatrician's approval and directions. Babies who are breastfed may experience slightly less reflux because breastmilk is digested faster than formula. Similar to bottle feeding, changing your breastfeeding technique may help treat your newborn's reflux. Reduce the amount of milk in your baby's stomach by breastfeeding for less time each feeding, but more frequently throughout the day. Eliminate different foods from your diet to see if this eases your newborns reflux. For example, you may want to avoid dairy, beef, or eggs to see one of these causes the reflux. Thicken expressed breast milk with rice cereal in small increments. Interrupt your baby's feedings to burp her. More frequent burping may relieve pressure in her belly and prevent reflux. Use the following schedule as a guideline for burping: Avoid feedings two hours before bedtime if possible. Burp your baby every one to two hours after a feeding to help relieve gas and prevent reflux. Interrupt bottle feedings every one to two ounces. Burp breastfed babies whenever they pull off of your nipple. Keeping your baby in an upright position can help relieve and prevent reflux because gravity keeps the contents of his stomach down. Make sure to keep him upright for 2030 minutes after you feed him. Place your baby on your lap with his head resting on your chest. Try and keep your baby quiet while holding him upright. Doctors recommend that babies sleep on their backs to minimize the risk of sudden infant death syndrome; however, this position may cause problems for babies with moderate to severe reflux and your doctor may suggest putting your baby to sleep on her side or stomach, but this is rarely recommended. Make sure to speak with your baby's doctor before changing her sleeping position. Place your baby in her crib on a firm mattress with no blankets, bumpers, or stuffed animals that might suffocate her. Gently turn her head to the side so that her mouth and nose aren't obstructed. Consider elevating the mattress slightly with a foam block or wedge pillow under the head of the mattress. Avoid using a pillow on the mattress, which could suffocate your baby. If you elevate the head of the bed, you can often continue to put your baby to bed on her back, which is usually the safest. Put your baby on her left side, which keeps the stomach inlet higher than the outlet, and may help keep food down. There are natural products called "gripe water" that many people use to soothe reflux and colic. There is no scientific evidence that gripe water is effective, but try it after consulting with your doctor. Be aware that the World Health Organization doesn't recommend giving gripe water to babies under six months. Make sure to speak to your doctor before giving your baby gripe water. Look for products with fennel, peppermint, lemon balm, chamomile, or ginger. Stay away from products with sodium bicarbonate, sucrose, fructose, or alcohol.
Recognize symptoms of acid reflux. Adapt bottle feedings. Modify breastfeeding techniques. Burp your baby more frequently. Hold your baby upright. Change her sleeping position. Consider natural remedies.