Gastroesophageal reflux disease (or GERD), also known as acid reflux, is a condition that causes stomach acid to back up into the esophagus. Although the condition is commonly associated with adults, it turns out infants and even babies can also develop acid reflux due to various factors. There are signs of GERD baby symptoms that a parent can look out for, including constant spit up especially after feeding, vomiting, irritability, and choking or wheezing.

A baby may also seem unwilling to eat with GERD, but may experience unexplainable weight gain (due to bloating and gas). Once the condition is determined and diagnosed by a pediatrician, certain proven methods can be used to provide acid reflux infants and babies with some relief:

1. Frequent feedings
If your baby has acid reflux it might be necessary to feed them smaller amounts of formula at more intervals per day. One of the main reasons a child will spit up or vomit is because their stomach is too full, so cutting down on the amount of each feeding more times per day will help the baby to get the nourishment they need with less discomfort. Another tip is if you are using a baby bottle check the nipple to ensure the hole isn’t too large so that the milk isn’t coming out too quickly.

2. Change feeding position
Also, evaluate the position your child is in while being fed. The more upright; the better to help keep the food from backing up. You might even want to consider adding a little rice cereal to the formula as well, thickening the formula may help it to stay down.

3. Burp the baby often
This should just be a natural thing, after all, if you are feeding your baby more often, you should be burping them just as often. Another tip is to burp the baby after every two ounces when bottle feeding. When breastfeeding burp every time the baby pulls away this is the indicator that they could be requiring some discomfort.

4. Evaluate sleeping position
It may surprise you to know that unlike adults that sleeping in an elevated position helps with GERD the same doesn’t apply to newborns. In fact, the best position for a baby to sleep with acid reflux is to lay them on their back on a firm mattress. A parent could also help to cradle their baby to sleep in an upright position in their arms until the child has fallen asleep.

5. Consult your pediatrician
If you have tried the tips above and your newborn is still not finding relief from acid reflux symptoms it is time to consult your pediatrician once more. They can recommend further treatment along with GERD medications that could help your baby find relief. Remember, acid reflux is treatable and controllable even in newborns.