Baby reflux

Reflux is the name given when a baby regurgitates the contents of his stomach back into the oesophagus, or mouth. ‘Most newborn babies bring up small amounts of posset – or sick - straight after a feed,’ says Dr Anthony Choules, paediatrician at Queen’s Hospital in Burton-On-Trent. ‘But when it becomes excessive and constant, this can be a sign of reflux.’

Some babies won’t seem bothered by the condition, while for others, the stomach acid will burn their throat and make them uncomfortable, and unsettled. ‘Reflux mostly affects babies in the first few months of life, but as they spend more time sitting upright, the condition will improve,’ says Anthony. ‘The severity and frequency of the vomiting can vary enormously,’ says GP Dr Catti Moss. Reflex affects about 50% of babies.

What causes it?

Food is supposed to travel in one direction through your body, down the oesophagus, into the stomach and through the bowel. But in a child who suffers with reflux, there is a weakness in the band of muscles in the lower oesophagus. ‘These join the stomach, acting as a valve. If this valve doesn’t shut properly, milk can travel back up, resulting in your baby vomiting,’ says Anthony. Reflux is linked to the maturity of the muscles, so as your baby grows, reflux almost always stops. ‘We see reflux in a lot of premature babies,’ adds Anthony. ‘By the time your baby reaches six months, he should have grown out of it.’

What can you do about baby reflux?

Having a baby that constantly vomits can be difficult. ‘I often see parents who are at the end of their tether with an unsettled, crying, sicky baby,’ says Anthony. But there are simple adjustments that can help. ‘After feeding your baby, sit him upright for as long as possible – gravity is thought to help ease the symptoms,’ says Anthony. It can help to get your baby spend more time upright in general, so try carrying him around in a sling. ‘You can also angle his mattress so his body is tilted up slightly,’ says Catti. Dr Anthony Choules has this advice: ‘If you’re breastfeeding, it can help to thicken feeds,’ he says.

A spoonful of Infant Gaviscon given after a feed, forms a membrane on top of the milk and stops the liquid bubbling back up again. Or if you’re bottle-feeding, you can buy ready-made formula milk such as SMA, that will thicken your feed and help it to stay down.’ Most importantly, don’t suffer alone. Talk to other mothers and seek advice from your health visitor or GP. Your GP may then refer you to a paediatrician if the problem is serious. ‘We’ll then prescribe some anti-sickness medicine, such as Domperidone,’ says Anthony.

 Go to your GP if…

- After trying the measures above, there’s still no improvement.
- Your baby is losing weight and not growing.
- Your baby is projectile vomiting or the reflux is more forceful.

 ‘Molly was screaming in pain’

Callie Copeman-Bryant, mother to Molly, 16 months, lives in Cambridgeshire

‘Molly looked uncomfortable in the first few days of her life – her face was all screwed up as if she was in pain. When we took her home she would scream and be sick every time she was laid flat. I couldn’t take her in the car or out for a walk in the pram because she would vomit, and I had to learn how to change a nappy quickly to avoid being covered in sick.

She breastfed constantly - every hour and a half - and when she was two weeks old, my breastfeeding counsellor suggested she might have reflux. I’d heard of it, but perservered with the endless washing and constant changing until Molly was six weeks old. I couldn’t cope much more, so took her to the doctor, who diagnosed reflux which was a relief. The doctor advised keeping Molly upright as much as possible as the reason she was screaming was because stomach acid from regurgitated milk was burning her throat when she lay down.

Because Molly was gaining weight well, my GP wasn’t overly concerned, and prescribed Ranitidine, to calm her stomach acid production. I used an oral syringe three times a day and although she was still being sick, her screaming eased and she seemed more comfortable. One night, when Molly was 12 weeks old, we ended up in A&E as she appeared to be having a choking fit.

The paediatrician told us she was throwing her head back to try to elongate her oesophagus and therefore ease the burning in her throat. He prescribed Infant Gaviscon along with the Ranitidine to use for her night feed to help thicken it before bed. That really helped, and after that she improved immensely. When Molly was five months old, I weaned her off Ranitidine and she seemed fine, so I cut down on the Infant Gaviscon. A month later, she didn’t need any more medication and I could finally dress her up in pretty outfits safe in the knowledge she wouldn’t vomit all over them. Now, Molly’s a happy, healthy toddler, and I’m a stress-free mother.’