More than half of babies have reflux within the first 3 months of life. When food in the stomach is forced back through the esophagus after a meal, or when a baby cries or coughs, this is called gastro esophageal reflux, commonly known as infant acid reflux. A part of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter, opens and closes to permit the passage of food to be digested in the stomach. Gas is typically let out by the opening of the lower esophageal sphincter during and/or after a meal. When the sphincter opens in infants with acid reflux, the stomach contents go up back through the esophagus causing a baby to spit up.

Most infants with acid reflux are not affected developmentally, or physically. The majority of cases of reflux resolve by the time the infant is 12 to 18 months of age. The symptoms can include: spitting up, vomiting, coughing, irritability, poor feeding, or blood in stool. Most infants with reflux are happy and healthy. However, there are a small percentage of babies who suffer from more severe reflux with symptoms such as: poor growth, resistance to feeding, blood loss due to burning of the esophagus, and/or breathing problems. These symptoms are very serious, and need to be addressed by a specialist. A baby with these more severe symptoms may need testing and medication to get acid reflux under control, very rarely will a family need to resort to surgery for help.

There are ways to manage acid reflux in infants without medication. The easiest way is to modify what an infant is fed, how they are fed and how much they are fed. A few techniques to try to help a baby with acid reflux include: smaller, more frequent feedings, feeding in a more upright position, and frequent interruptions in feeding to allow baby to burp. Research shows breastfeeding over artificial feeding can help with infant acid reflux. Breast milk is easily, quickly and more completely digested, compared to formula. Since breast milk digests twice as fast as formula, it has less time in the stomach decreasing the chance of it being brought back up into the esophagus. For mothers who choose not to breastfeed, or for some reason cannot breastfeed, there are several formulas that work well for infants with reflux. There are many different bottles on the market today that reduce gas, colic and spitting up. Some of these are equally compatible for breast milk and formula.

Infant acid reflux can also be managed by many other products on the market today. Feeding pillows are available to make feeding more comfortable for baby and mom and to aid in better digestion. These pillows keep an infant more upright during feeding either breast milk and/or formula. Gravity is said to help milk or formula to stay down easier. Swaddle blankets can help reduce colic and allow babies to sleep better. Infant massage can be used to help calm and connect a baby to parents. There are several massage techniques that can be used to ease stomach pain and facilitate better digestion.

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