Reflux in Infants
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is the medical term for spitting up. It happens when stomach contents move back up into the esophagus, mouth, and/or nose. It’s very common—around half of babies spit up!
Why do babies spit up more than the rest of us? At the lower end of the esophagus, where it joins the stomach, there is a circular ring of muscle that opens to allow food into the stomach and closes to keep it in there. That ring of muscle (called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) is less developed in babies.
When an infant spits up, this does not necessarily mean she is full! A gas bubble, pressure on the baby’s stomach, or even a change in position can cause milk to come back up. If your baby spits up and then immediately acts hungry, you can trust her cues and continue to feed her.
If your baby is happy and healthy (aka a “happy spitter”), reflux is considered a laundry problem, not a medical problem.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) becomes gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) if the reflux leads to complications and/or damage. Talk to your baby’s provider if you have concerns.
In any case, there are some strategies you can try to help reduce reflux, including:
Positioning: Use feeding positions that put baby’s head higher than her tummy. Hold your baby upright for 20-30 minutes after a feed, avoiding pressure on baby’s stomach. (Note: Like all infants, those with reflux should be positioned on their backs for sleeping, not on their stomachs.)
Shorter, paced feeds and frequent burping may also be helpful.
If you are breastfeeding and have a forceful letdown or oversupply of milk, addressing these challenges may also help reduce spit up.
As always, contact us if you have questions or would like to discuss your specific situation with us.
DISCLAIMER: We know when you surf the web for information, you can get conflicting results, and it’s not easy to know whether you are finding evidence-based, high quality recommendations. That’s part of our job here at Kodiak KINDNESS; we are here to support your informed decisions about infant feeding through your baby’s first year. We’ve done some background work, and to the best of our knowledge, this post reflects current best practices. However, the information contained in this post and any links contained herein is for your informational use only; it is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Furthermore, Kodiak KINDNESS is not responsible for the accuracy of any information contained in this post or links contained herein; it is for you to review at your own risk and discuss, as needed, with your health care professional in order to make a plan that suits your individual circumstances.