Reflux in Babies—How to Help a Struggling Infant Find Relief

What causes baby reflux? How can you treat it naturally? See what natural remedies worked wonders for my daughter’s infant reflux.

What causes baby reflux? How can you treat it naturally? See the natural remedies that worked wonders for my daughter's infant reflux!

Does your baby fight the breast? Or arch his back regularly? Or scream if you lay him on his back? Does he projectile vomit after meals (or even spit up a little more than normal)? You may be experiencing the troublesome effects of reflux in babies.

What Are Baby Reflux Symptoms?

So you think your baby may have acid reflux? While symptoms may vary, here are some main ones to look out for:

  • Crying or uncomfortable after eating
  • Coughing or choking regularly
  • Refusing the breast/bottle
  • Arching back after eating
  • Resistance to laying on back
  • Gassy and/or foamy bowel movements
  • Colicky, unhappy, or seemingly uncomfortable in body
  • Wheezing, apnea, or breathing difficulties (respiratory infections)
  • Sour breath, burps, and hiccups
  • Throwing up, usually projectile vomiting (not with silent reflux*)
  • Failure to thrive or failure to gain weight

What Causes Infant Reflux?

First, let’s ground ourselves in this truth… all babies have some level of reflux. This is because their entire digestive tract is immature. The sphincter muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach is often undeveloped and opens regularly, allowing stomach acid to flow back up the throat, causing burning and pain.

As baby’s brain and nervous system develops, they their vagus nerve function (what controls bowel mobility and digestion) may be weak. It also doesn’t help that we often put babies on their back, whether for play or sleep, and this can only exacerbate symptoms. For some children, infant reflux will be more severe or they may be more sensitive to the effects.

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How Acid Reflux in Infants Diagnosed?

There are actually two forms of baby reflux: acid reflux and silent acid reflux.

  • Acid reflux in infants usually results in regular projectile vomiting and intense crying.
  • Silent reflux is more subtle and characteristic of sour breath, hiccups, and physical stiffness or discomfort.

Most doctors will diagnose acid reflux or silent acid reflux in infants by persistent symptoms. However, some doctors may suggest the following tests:

  • Blood tests: Some doctors will look at various blood markers to see if the eating issues stem from something else like anemia or an infection.
  • Ultrasound: A device that uses high frequency sound waves to create an image of the upper GI tract looking for obstructions or abnormalities.
  • Barium swallow or upper GI test: The baby drinks barium, which coats the esophagus, stomach, and upper part of small intestine. Barium is a chalky white liquid that highlights any obstructions or abnormalities in an X-Ray.
  • pH probe: A long, thin tube with a probe at the tip is inserted through the mouth and positioned in the lower part of esophagus. It measures the baby’s stomach acid levels and identifies any breathing problems. This is a very invasive test—baby will have to be hospitalized to administer it.
  • Upper GI endoscopy: This is another invasive test that requires a hospital stay. Doctors use an endoscope to look directly inside the upper GI tract and detect any issues.

Because most of these tests are invasive or involve some negative side effects (ever tried to find a vein on a baby?!), it might be best, with your doctor’s approval, to start treating based on your baby’s acid reflux symptoms to see if he improves.

Natural Remedies for Baby Reflux

  1. Elevate baby while sleeping

    If baby doesn’t seem to settle when placed on her back, try swaddling her and putting her in a chair. This is an excellent rocker/sleeper for baby with acid reflux as well. If you are co-sleeping, you can use this device, which would also work well in a crib.

  2. Elevate baby while eating

    While it’s tempting to use your nursing pillow and feed baby as he lays down, it’s best to have him sit upright. This ensures that the milk goes down into the stomach versus staying up in the esophagus, which causes the discomfort. You can also have baby lean slightly against your chest if you’re bottle feeding, or have baby nurse upright. A Boppy pillow can be helpful for positioning baby upright after meals, too.

  3. Hold baby upright for at least 30 minutes after feeding

    To make this easy, you can babywear in an infant carrier or simply snuggle baby as you walk around the house or sit in a comfy chair. If baby needs to go to sleep after feeding, be sure they sleep elevated to reduce acid reflux symptoms (never place any pillows in the bassinet or crib!).

  4. Nursing mom elimination diet

    Dairy can cause problems, because the proteins found in this food can irritate baby’s immature digestive tract. If you suspect this may be the case, give up the offending food/drink for a good month before you determine if it’s the culprit. Other common allergens include wheat, gluten, citrus, coffee, nuts, eggs, and soy.

  5. Special Probiotics

    While I normally don’t recommend supplements for young babies, there are times they can make a big difference, particularly with baby reflux. Try our baby probiotic specially formulated for infants. L. reuteri is an especially helpful probiotic strain, as it has been clinically shown to reduce crying time by 50 percent in colicky breastfed infants. The idea is that probiotics can boost baby’s digestion and help alleviate many of the baby acid reflux symptoms naturally. Mix a little into breast milk or formula and spoon feed or give with a syringe.

  6. Try body work

    Some babies may have reflux due to the birthing process. Griffin’s birth was long and difficult, so I got him to a chiropractor right away. You can find chiropractors trained for the postpartum/newborn stage here. You can also try massage therapy or cranial sacral treatments. Again, look for practitioners with clinical experience with acid reflux in infants. Finally, you may want to do do some basic movement/massage exercises with baby targeting gas and bloating, such as bicycle legs or moving your hands gently along her digestive tract in a clockwise motion.

  7. Homeopathic remedies

Nat Phos is a natural cell salt that we normally produce to aid in digestion, but it can be insufficient in newborns. Always consult with your pediatrician before administering homeopathic remedies. If you get the OK, dissolve 1/2 a tablet in breast milk and feed to baby with a syringe after each feeding. Children under three months can typically have up to six tablets per day, but again, you’ll want to check with your healthcare provider.

Are There Any Special Herbs or Supplements for Reflux in Babies?

Some moms also have success using products like Gripe Water or Colic Calm for baby reflux. I felt most comfortable with the cell salt, because it was supplementing something our body already creates (versus adding in new herbs or formulations). A baby’s microbiome is so pure—you want to be careful what you add to it.

Is There Medication for Infant Reflux?

Of course, some medical doctors may recommend prescription medications to decrease or neutralize your baby’s stomach acid, and thereby reduce some of the initial symptoms of baby reflux. Examples include:

  • Antacids such as Mylanta and Maalox
  • Histamine-2 blockers such as Axid, Pepcid, Tagamet, or Zantac
  • Proton-pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Prilosec, or Prevacid

Because many infants with baby reflux aren’t producing enough stomach acid, acid-blocking medications are not recommended in cases of uncomplicated infant reflux. Otherwise healthy children taking these medications may face an increased risk of certain intestinal and respiratory infections. In addition, prolonged use of proton-pump inhibitors has been linked to problems in iron and calcium absorption in infants.

My Experience With Infant Reflux

Soon after our daughter Paloma was born, I could tell she wasn’t comfortable. She always had a reddish hue to her skin and she was very stiff. Every time I tried to bend her legs or arms, she would fight me. She never spit up, so I didn’t think it was baby reflux, but she was gassy and got hiccups a lot.

Since I was nursing, I gave up dairy in hopes that it would help. I also noticed that she liked sitting up and even sleeping in reclining chairs versus flat on her back. But it wasn’t until I happened to smell her breath, that I suspected reflux in babies. It was sour…. huge red flag.

I tried all of the natural remedies list above, but Nat Phos was like a miracle worker for my daughter. We stopped all the natural remedies for baby reflux when Paloma was about 4 months old and never looked back. She now has the digestion of an ox and can drink pasteurized milk and any other food with no discomfort. YAY!

How About You?

Have you tried natural remedies for baby reflux? Share it with us in the comments below.

 

References

  • https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/reflux-infants-children?page=1#2
  • https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infant-acid-reflux/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351412
Genevieve Howland

About the Author

Genevieve Howland is a childbirth educator and breastfeeding advocate. She is the bestselling author of The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth and creator of the Mama Natural Birth Course. A mother of three, graduate of the University of Colorado, and YouTuber with over 130,000,000 views, she helps mothers and moms-to-be lead healthier and more natural lives.

243 Comments

  1. I did as recommended and asked my pediatrician about trying Nat Phos for my 4 week old that has reflux and she said that sodium phosphate use on an infant makes her uncomfortable because it could be bad for their kidneys and prescribed Pepcid. It’s frustrating because I want to try it but wanted the pediatrician to sign off on it. The Pepcid doesn’t seem to be making much difference.

    • We gave our newborn the nat phos and it seemed to help, no issues with his kidneys…. Had plenty of wet diapers.

  2. Heyo!
    So, this is what I’ve been doing for my currently 6.5 week old son…
    At switched his formula to Bub’s goat milk stage 1 that Walmart currently sells. It’s been working a lot better than Gerber soothe pro (which is cow based). Bub’s has been working a lot better! Not perfect (because reflux is present no matter what), but he seems to actually be enjoying eating now… No more screaming, and no more arching his back during his feed.
    I found elevating him does little to no help at all. It rarely even helps me when my reflux acts up. I’m sure it works for some, but if you don’t understand your baby, you just end up pinching the poor baby’s esophagus and reflux is still uncomfortable or even worse.
    When I’m feeding him, I’ll only burp him now if he express he needs assistance. I don’t like the idea of forcing him to burp, because those burps are usually wet and that reflux burns coming back up.
    He doesn’t sleep thru the night, He still wakes up every couple of hours, but I think that’s due to the fact he doesn’t like wet diapers at all, more than a reflux issue.

    • Oh, also, another tip people say a lot but I found has a certain caveat: is feed less but more often
      I tried cutting his ounces in half (formula). He hated it and it made things worse because he was still hungry and wanted more. The more he gets worked up, the worse his reflux gets… So, I just went back to making 3 ounces, and fed on his regular “schedule” at about every 2-2.5 hours. Sometimes I will still make 4 ounces during the middle of the day… I’m going to try making him 2 at night because it seems he doesn’t want to drink at much so why force it on him and waste formula?
      Also, if he’s dozing off while drinking, I’ll stop feeding him. I think when he starts sleeping, his body slows down and his reflux gets worse.
      The key is to also not over feed your baby. I feel a lot of parents get frustrated and try to soothe their baby with a bottle or boob, but they are already full and now are being forced to eat more so spit ups happen.. oops.
      Also, parents should be aware that with reflux, your baby probably has congestion, which means they are swallowing mucus and that’s taking up space in their tiny tummies.

  3. I found this article helpful. However the Nat Phos link does not work and I am not sure about dosage. I just found one on Amazon but saw that the inactive ingredients included lactose…Which comes from dairy and could be the cause of my baby’s gas. Suggestion on a clean brand?

    • I’m looking for the same answer to your question, Lauren, so let me know if you’ve found something.

  4. I tried everything but our hero was a NAET practitioner that discovered our baby had multiple allergies (dairy, gluten, and lectins) combining into a big mess of reflux. None of us slept through the night for the first year of life. After a few weeks of sessions with this NAET practitioner, these allergies cleared up and now we are FINALLY getting the sleep we need, healthy and happy.

  5. I added infant cereal to my daughter’s formula. 1 scoop per 2 ounces and made the bottle nipple slightly bigger. No spit up or vomit! She just turned 6 weeks today- I have been using the cereal for about a week. I will keep everyone updated on her results, but seems to be working!

    • You’re not supposed to give a baby food that early.. their digestive systems are not ready for that.

      • IIRC, It’s not really about their stomachs not being able to digest it… It’s more of a choking hazard (since clumps can form), but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work for some babies when done correctly and safely. Adding cereal is an old school method of dealing with reflux and AR formulas are actually thickened with rice cereal already.
        It can also be an issue because now you’re chancing the possibility of another allergen in Baby’s diet. However, if your baby is not allergic, eating something thicker might be the trick to managing your baby’s reflux.

  6. What is the device recommended for keeping baby propped upon when co sleeping called? The link isn’t working.

  7. Thank you so much for sharing!! This sounds exactly like my little man’s story and it was such an eye opener. I can’t wait to try some of these remedies and make him more comfortable!

  8. I saw the fear in my husband and children’s eyes when I told them about my condition then they start to find solution on their own to help my condition.I am an 59 now who was diagnose COPD emphysema which I know was from my years of smoking. I started smoking in school when smoking was socially acceptable. I remember when smoking was permitted in hospitals. It was not known then how dangerous cigarettes were for us, and it seemed everybody smoked but i was able to get rid of my Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) condition through the help of www. multivitamincare .org my husband bought, total cure herbal foundation has the right herbal formula to help you get rid and repair any lung conditions and cure you totally with their natural organic herbs. I wish anybody who starts smoking at a young age would realize what will eventually happen to their bodies if they continue that vile habit throughout their life.

  9. Hello Genevieve,
    Thank you for the info. The link for whatever the fire product on Amazon is broken.

  10. Is it okay if I put one bat pho in his bottle while drinking it? That’s what I’ve been doing. He still has bad reflux but does it matter if I put it in his bottle instead of a syringe?

  11. I read this article and tried Nat Phos with my 5week old son. It has helped tremendously! Went from screaming fits day and night from tummy pain to sleeping 3 hour stretches. He still struggles with some gas and silent reflux, but not nearly as bad ad before. Thanks for recommending, I hadn’t heard of it anywhere else!

    • What dose did you try? I am finding 6c, 6x and 30c and want to get the right one

    • How long did it take to see results?

  12. Hello,
    I took your natural birthing course and absolutely loved it! I had a wonderful birth and now have a 3 1/2 month old. He shows signs of reflux, but some weeks are much worse than others. I bought the Nat Phos but I am nervous about starting them. Should I dissolve 1/2 a pill every feeding right away? How much breastmilk should I dissolve it in?
    Thank you!

  13. Is there any other brand you can suggest for Nat Phos, Hylands is sold out till October. We are desperate for some help with reflux as meds have negative side effects.

    • I got mine through my naturopath!

  14. Hello,

    Thank you so much for this tip! Our 3.5 month old seems to be struggling with silent reflux and I am so sleep deprived. What dose did you give her after each feeding?

    Many thanks,
    Marie

  15. I’m confused, did you use cell salt as well as Nat Phos? One paragraph said you preferred cell salt over gripe water or colic calm. But your conclusion said you used Nat Phos. Please clarify. My pediatrician recommended Zantac and formula with rice cereal. I wasn’t happy with either recommendation. My daughter has similar symptoms of hiccups and arched back but no sour breath or spit up. Looking for just a little help. Thank you!

    • The Nat Phos is the cell salt. You should be able to follow the link if you click on it.

  16. Hi so my son is 4 weeks old now and he’s been projectile spitting up for the last several weeks. I am breast feeding and formula feeding and he does it for both. I switched to enfamil AR where it reduces spitting up during feeds and I have noticed less spitting up. But with all the symptoms above all he has is the spitting up. Nothing else so I’m confused I’ve never dealt with my babies having a reflux issue. He seems fine especially when he spits up he never cries and it’s ALWAYS immediately after he eats too. What’s Nat pho’s and where exactly do you buy it? Could it be a dairy issue?

  17. This article helped me so much. We had the same experience with it. I figured out my son had reflux when he was 6 weeks old. Then I began researching and trying all the things listed above before I began the Nat Phos 6x. Once he began taking those, he did become a little constipated, but I only had him take the supplements for 2 months. so by the time he was 6 months old, I had taken him off the supplement and everything went back to normal and we haven’t had a problem with it since. He is now a year and a half old. But this article was my lifesaver!!

    • Hi! I’m hoping for the same outcome as you! What dose did you give/how did you administer it. I am exclusively breastfeeding.

      Many thanks.
      Marie

  18. Hi there

    Thanks for the great read and for sharing your story. Iv just our little boy on Nat Phos. I’m a little worried as a few articles I read speak about it causing weight loss. Did you give your little one Nat Phos until four months too and did you see an impact on her weight?

    Thanks
    Rowena

  19. Hi,

    I’ve been giving my 5 week old the Hylands Cell Salts #10 as Joe De Livera recommends. (1/2 tablet dissolved after every feeding up to 6 tablets a day max)

    It’s hard to know if it’s working- one night she slept and had no pain and I thought it was a miracle, but now her symptoms are back. 🙁

    My question is this, have you or anyone who used the cell salts seen the wheezing associated with acid reflux go away??

    My daughter has wheezing and it causes her to choke sometimes. (SUPER scary) If the salts don’t make that go away, I want to switch her to the Zantac, which supposedly will get rid of that. I don’t want to take any risks with her breathing…does anyone have experience or insight with this?? Feedback much appreciated!

    Rose

    • My baby had the wheezing with reflux (still has it somewhat). I did everything listed in this article and some of it helped. The Nat Phos worked very well to relieve the pain of reflux but I found that it didn’t relieve my baby’s wheezing. Once I felt like Anytime I fed her she could hardly breathe, we started Zantac. I resisted for a few weeks but once her breathing was involved I felt like I had to go the medication route. Unfortunately, Zantac is weight based and I felt like it would help with her wheezing for about a week or two and then the wheezing would come back and she would need a higher dose. I thought she would need to be on it for several months but my pediatrician just weaned her off of it last week at 4 months old. She was on the highest dose for her weight and it wasn’t helping the congestionat that point. The pediatrician said that some babies build up a tolerance to the med and I think that is what was happening with her. At this point she’s much better and I hope to keep her off Zantac.

      • Did your baby cough a lot at night? My one year old has been coughing on and off for over a month and I thought it was allergies, but it won’t go away. The dr thinks its reflux, but I don’t want to give her medicine. Do you have any suggestions?

      • Zantac/Rantidine is now being recalled due to an active ingredient (I am not sure which one) is causing cancer.

        • Yes it NDMA and it’s causing cancer. Do not give your baby Zantac! I stopped it immediately!!!! I just ordered the nat phos #10 and can’t wait to try it! I heard it supposed to get worse before it gets better! But ppl said to stick it out and it will be an amazing difference!!!! So excited for my baby to feel better!!!

        • My 8 week old has silent reflux and my doctor is recommending Zantac but I’m refusing – my brother is 34 with an aggressive stage 3 stomach cancer that quickly spread from an ulcer after months of using Zantac. His oncologist says that Zantac is what made it spread so quickly. I am looking for something to help with the reflux and do not want to try medications now known to be cancer causing. It honestly surprises me that doctors are still prescribing these! (When I explained this to the doctor he replied, “well, yes, it is a carcinogenic,” as if treating the reflux was worth risking cancer in my newborn!). I breastfeed but have to supplement and have been thickening the formula, which helps if he’s kept upright, however now it causes constipation, which makes my baby even more uncomfortable. Has anyone else had this and if so, what finally worked?

          • My dr wanted to prescribe Zantac too! I told her I didn’t feel comfortable due to The link to cancer. My daughter is currently a Prilosec and she’s doing great

      • I was once told babies noses and throats are small so any little boogies or anything will sound worse than it really is.

      • try an ent doctor she might have laryngomalacia. My daughter has the same thing as reflux goes hand and hand with it.

      • Did you try cutting dairy out completely?

  20. Hi- I have your book and follow a lot of what you write. I’m thankful for you! I’m going to try the cell salts for my newborn’s reflux.

    I actually own the sleeper you link to for babies, and she slept in it one night- it was amazing she slept over 4 hrs straight. But then I was concerned about her not lying flat and did more research- that bed has been linked to SIDS deaths.

  21. Thank you so much for this post! I’m just wondering how long you went dairy free before re-introducing it? I cut it out for a month and I had my happy, eating baby back. I recently started eating dairy again and the last three days she has been so fussy, gassy, and stopped eating as much. She’s three months old.

    • You might have to remove dairy from your diet again and try to add it back in a few months to see if your baby responds differently. Many babies respond better to dairy after one year.

  22. This is very helpful. My son is 4 weeks and exhibits these symptoms. I hate seeing him suffer and I’d prefer not to put him on zantac. I just ordered the nat pros tablets. Are they safe for a 4 week old? How much should I give him?
    Thank you

    • Just curious if the NatPhos tablets ended up working for your baby ?

    • This is a great resource! I understand that this website is to provide suggestions for a natural route and prescriptions can’t be made. Speaking for myself, and I imagine a lot of families around the country, the only pediatricians in my area (Pittsburgh) are part of a corporate medical system and don’t support homeopathic remedies (because they know very little about them).

  23. Hi Genevieve Howland, i recently started giving my 3 week old baby homeoforce tissue salts NAT PHOS 10 to relief acidity and heartburn gout.
    I would like to know if i am using the correct brand and how do i go about giving the tablets to my baby.

  24. My little one is presenting reflux signs more and more each day!!
    I have bought the nat phos 6x and starting it tomorrow. I’m not able to express milk due to having to hold her upright most of the time, is water mix as effective? And what dose and when should I administer it? And can it be prepaired for night time feedings? It’s hard enough with so little sleep I want to be able to have it on hand for through the night (and out and about) if it’s possible..

    Desperate tired mummy will be grateful for any advice. Thanks

  25. So I read this over and over for about 2 weeks, hesitant to try it b/c of my daughter’s milk protein allergy. I’ve only been using it for 2 days as I’d had enough of the pain and throw up her reflux was causing, and the fact that her medicine was not working at all. I know it’s premature, but she actually kept all 4 oz of her bottles down except a little spit, and also for the first time slept 9 straight hours!!!!!!!!!! I am on cloud 9 right now. My only hope is that there aren’t any issues with her milk protein allergy and the Lactose LF that is in them. I am glad she’s off of meds, b/c I never really wanted her on them. But thank you thank you thank you!! If anyone else has any input as far as the Milk protein allergy and Lactose LF, I’d love to hear what you have to say…Did you have the same situation, and did it effect your baby?

    • Marisa, can I ask due to your daughters Cmpa and lactose intolerances did you just use the specific formula she is on? Assume she isn’t on normal formula due to these intolerances. My almost 4 week old son is suffering silent reflux symptoms but I also think he has cmpa due to a rash on his stomach, hard distended stomach after feeding, arching etc.
      Thanks

  26. My Baby is 6 weeks old, is there an age limit for the cell salts? I looked on Hylands website and it says age 2 or older. How old was your LO when you started the cell salts?

  27. Thank you I shall try this remedies for our baby

  28. Can you please provide more detailed instructions for how to use the Nat Phos for a 1 month old? I understand you dissolve 1/2 tablet in breast milk and feed with a syringe, but how many much breast milk should I dissolve it in?
    Thank you,
    Erica♡

    • I’m wondering the same thing.

    • Did anyone ever figure out how much breast milk to dissolve the tablet into??

      • It doesn’t matter how much milk. The point is the amount of the tablet. You are only dissolving it in breastmilk in order to allow baby to drink it. Use a small amount of milk to be used in a small syringe or dissolve it into a whole bottle of milk if you are bottle feeding.

  29. Hi my baby is just 3months and she is exhibiting almost all the symptoms of acid reflux and colic,am on gripe water but it doesn’t seem to help much and now she isn’t feeding well on both breast milk and formula making her lose weight. I would have love to try some of the probiotic drops but the problem is,is not easy to find here in Nigeria.

    • Try any pharmacy and ask for rheuterina drops….they can order it also. Its probiotic for babies. Its an oil form . I just put it in a teaspoon . I also gave my baby bascopan for infants 1ml mixed with bennets colic mixture 1ml and it seemed 2 help

  30. I started my 6 week old on Nat Phos 6x and was just curious of any side effects/outcomes you noticed? Since starting this homeopathic treatment, my daughter has been sleeping for longer bursts through the night (I’m guessing less grunting due to pushing out gas), but she still burps so much after each feeding and seems bothered by it…

  31. I followed your link & purchased the FLORA Toddlers’s Probiotic powder. I am only noticing now, that it does doesn’t actually contain the L Reuteri that you mentioned :/ Is that what you used for your daughter?? And how much did you use form a 6wk old.

  32. Thanks for the tips. Definitely got to try something. Now, why does this website cut the words in half at the end of each line?! That is so frustrating to read.

  33. By eliminating dairy from mother’s diet do you mean cow’s milk products or does that include sheep/goat cheese/ milk etc?

    • That really depends. You can start out eliminating cow dairy, then move on to goat if you don’t notice a change.

  34. Our 6-month-old has just finally be diagnosed with reflux and is on a probiotic and slippery elm and also sees a chiro. He’s spitting up less but still wakes every 20-60 mins all night long. I’m at a loss and barely making it through our days so might try the homeopathic you suggested…

  35. Thank you so much. I can honestly say this information has been far and away the most helpful I’ve read on the subject. One of my kids had bad reflux and never slept ever. Just screamed the first year of his life. It was pure torture. I just had another baby and he’s showing similar signs and I have been so scared thinking I looked forward to another year of no rest and constant screaming baby! My doc and conventional med websites say the same things: keep him elevated and good luck pretty much. I just got the salts and probiotics and I’m already seeing a reduction in reflux. May be too soon to tell officially but I have hope!! Thank you for the USEFUL information!

  36. Hi my doctor gave me harsh medicine today for her silent reflux I used it once and won’t be usi g it again as after she took it she screamed the place down for nearly two hours it clearly was givi g her pains in her belly. I started using cow and gate reflux formula today too but I don’t like it at all going back to my doctor to find out what formula is best for her should she stay on normal formula or use this one. I’ll definitely also say it to them about that tablet you used and just try natural remedies as I hate giving a baby medication at such a young age.

  37. How much probiitics did you mix in for Paloma at 6 weeks?

  38. Hello, thank you for this information. My daughter is one month old, she hasn’t been diagnosed with acid reflux but she has symptoms sometimes. As you said all babies have a form of reflux. What is hard for me and what I find isn’t normal is when my daughter is having symptoms she is SO uncomfortable. She will get really gassy and have a hard time breast feeding. Last night she spit up SO much it was scary. Which has happened a few times. It’s not progectile but it was at least 2 oz after she ate. This has happened once or twice a day or once every two days. It’s not after every meal either but when it happens she’s arching back, fussy, won’t eat much and then all that spit up comes out. Other then that she’s usually quite happy. But when she does get uncomfortable it’s very noticeable. Sometimes she is grunting and moving so much in her sleep but usually only the second half of the night. During the day she sleeps super peacefully. I have cut out dairy, and I bought the bed recommended on this website. I have implemented most of your tips too! I want to know if you think the Nat Phos would be helpful for her even though she doesn’t have the digestion issue all day long? Also I have a pediatrician but I don’t know her well. Why do you suggest I ask the doc if she can take the Nat Phos if it is an all natural enzyme? Just curious. Thanks for any advice!

    • Hi Caitlin,

      Our daughters sound like they are having the exact same symptoms in regards to it only happening sometimes, but when it does she is SO upset. I’m curious if you ended up giving your daughter Nat Phos and did it help?

      Thanks!

  39. Hi there, I have read your post and have some questions. My baby is 10.5months old and does not drink milk while she is awake. She does not like if we try to feed any solid to her but sometimes she eats puffs for babies by herself (she does not like if we feed her anything and cry or shut her mouth if we try tmofeed her anything with spoon. She does not vomit but she takes milk only when she is sleeping. She is a 15percentile in her weight gain ( in her last checkup. it was bad earlier because we were trying to feed her milk while she is awake and she was not drinking much & she used to cry a lot.) Do you think she has silent reflux? What home remedies can I use for her?
    Should I talk to doctor, she knows all this but did not suggest anything.
    Thanks in advance!

    • Be sure to check if baby has a tongue tie that is making it hard for her to eat. Many doctors etc etc etc are not educated about ties so check a tongue tie support group online like Facebook and you can find a preferred provider who knows. Your story reminds me of a few moms whose babies had posterior ties that made it difficult to eat. They had breastfeeding problems etc. Good luck!

    • Hi! Did you find out what was causing the issue? My 4 month old is experiencing the same problems.

    • Hi, just reading your comment and this is the same behavior that my baby is exhibiting. Did you solve this issue? If so, how did you do it? Any help will be appreciated. I feel so lost right now. Thanks

  40. Hello there!
    Your a life saver!
    Your thoughts on using Nat phos spray instead of tablets ??
    Comes in schussler Tissue salt brand.

    Advice req ?

  41. hi there
    my baby is 3 weeks old and i think she has silent reflux and trapped gas. is this likely to happen?
    she really struggles to pass wind, she pushes so hard her face turns red. she also makes painful noises in her sleep. shes usually fine if im holding her, but once i put her in her bassinet she starts making those noises.
    are probiotics ok for a 3 week old? if i breast feed, can i take probiotics that will reach her system instead of giving them to her directly?

    • Hi Kristy,

      I really feel for you! I went through something similar when my LO was 3 weeks (she’s 2 1/2 months now), and I’ll tell you, Colic Calm was a lifesaver!! There is so much real research they provide on their website that proves it’s ability to work WITH and SUPPORT baby’s fragile and immature digestive system. I bought it at CVS and showed it to her pediatrician, she gave me the go to use it because there’s nothing in it that’s harmful like with most other gripe waters. Now unfortunately, we’re dealing with silent reflux and the dr prescribed Zantac. So far, I’m not a fan and ordered the Nat Phos 6x by Hylands since the other homeopathic remedy (Colic Calm) worked so well. I wish you all the best with your LO!!!

      • Hi Krystal,

        Thank you for this information, my LO pediatrician prescribed Zantac as well. This information is very helpful. I’ve heard great things about colic calm. I’m going to try that and the cell salts. My baby is 6weeks

    • Also, we switched her formula to Similac Alimentum which has helped greatly as well. Similac sensitive was great for her gas too.

    • Yes! Follow your gut.. Reflux is the problem and colic comes along with it most
      of the time. My now 3 month old is such a blessing to have. My first child was easy breezy but
      second one needs a lot of TLC. I have had sleepless nights an days since I brought my
      little one home. Advice to you.. just love love love and cuddle your baby. Keep your baby in an upright
      position during feeding an after for about an hour. Its not the easiest to do with our busy lives. My
      little one is also on nutrimigen(hypoallergenic formula) for colicky babies. because most of the time
      milk based formula can irritate the stomach. Right now is too early for Meds. so good luck and be patient
      and talk to your pedi. Your doctor might try to give you a couple of options but remember follow your instincts..
      My LO has gas all day and is on little remedies gas relief, but doesnt always solve the problem. GOOD LUCK!!!

  42. Can i give it to my baby even if he is on nexium 20 mg?

    • Ask his provider first.

  43. Hi Lindsay,

    This was a great post. My baby is also struggling with gas pains and I’ve been on an elimination diet: no dairy, soy, gluten, eggs for about 4 weeks. I would love to try the homeopathic remedies but I noticed they are lactose based. If I was trying to go dairy free wouldn’t taking the homeopathic remedies be a problem for my infant? thank you

  44. My Toddler Charlie was 3 in March. He suffered with Silent Reflux from around 2mths old. He did grow out of it as far as we were aware. Back just over 1 and a half yrs ago he was hospitalised for 4 days with a Copy Cat Flu virus (all symptoms of the flu but it wasn’t?) And since then he will NOT eat Solid Food, he’ll Only drink the Weetabix breakfast shakes. Since then we continuasly offer a variety of solids BUT nothing will interest him apart from chocolate chip cookies and maybe a Yoghurt. We’re back and forth seeing a Pediatric Team and Finally have our 1st Dietitian appointment. Can you recommend anything please.
    Thank you

  45. I had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) for 7 years, My first symptoms were dry cough, chest tightness and shortness of breath. This was ongoing for 3 years, my first chest x-ray only showed bronchitis. Finally I went to a pulmonologist and was diagnosed with COPD, I was immediately placed on Seebri Breezhaler, it’s an inhalation powder, I take it once a day in the morning. Finally, i started on COPD Herbal Formula i ordered from NewLife Herbal Clinic, the herbal formula worked 10x better than all the medications my pulmonologist had prescribed. I have had a total decline of symptoms since i started on this herbal formula, visit ww w. newlifeherbalclinic. com or email info@ newlifeherbalclinic. com

    Larry Hemm

  46. Did you use both the probiotic you linked to udos and the l rueteri gerber colic soothe? Or just the udos?
    Please and thank you!

  47. Do you even do the cell salts and holding upright for 20 minutes during all her night feedings? I can’t imagine doing that during every night feeding.. my babe wakes up every two hours and we breast sleep right now but she gets a little fussy around 3-4 AM.

    • Yes, you will need to hold them upright for 20 min even during night feedings. It’s stressful, but try to remember to bring along your phone so you have something to play with.

  48. Can you give the probiotic and the cell salts at the same time?

  49. I have a little girl she is almost 4months old she has acid reflux bad they have try her on a few different baby milk and nothing really has help the Alimentum milk would cause her to lose her breath they told me to try baby cereal and it done her the same way several milks that we have try that is hypoallergenic does her the same way they have her on acid reflux Meds but it help a little bit but not a lot they said she will grown out of it but it seems the older she gets the worst she gets I have been reading a lot on acid reflux in babies and a lot says they will have poor weight gain and she doesn’t have that issue Thank God because she was born she weight 5lb 5oz and now 11lbs 9oz do you have idea what I can try as I scared to try anything new with things I have try she has at times lost her breath

  50. Not sure if this was mentioned but udo’s infant probiotic, the probiotic linked to above, doesn’t have L. Reutri in it (the strain that has been shown to improve colic in babies). Gerber probiotic drops has it but Bioamicus has one that is specifically twice as much l. Reuteri as Gerber for half the price. Havent tried any of them but I am about to order Bioamicus on amazon

    • Hi, I wonder did you end up trying Bioamicus? How did it work for your little one? Thanks

  51. I am sooo grateful to read this! Thank you fellow mommy!! My 2 month old got diagnosed with GERD today and after one dose of Ranitidine I was questioning its safety and thinking, “there’s got to be a better way” thank you! And hoping this works, just ordered it!

    • Hi! I’m in the EXACT same boat. I just gave my daughter her first dose and felt unsettled. Has this been working for you? If so how much and how often? Thank you!

  52. Can you tell me more about how you made the breastmilk yogurt? I would like to try this!

  53. Hi there! Ty for this article… Very infornative!! My 16 month old toddler is still having some issues with reflux. I really do not want her on pharmaceuticals, however. Do you think she is old enough for ACV or what would you recommend?

    • My lo is 19m super restricted diet still struggling

  54. chamomile tea, peppermint, or ginger can also be served warm as a reliever of nausea and vomiting in babies.

  55. My daughter will be 4 months in a week & has been diagnosed w/severe reflux… My question is, how much breast milk or water do I add to the 1/2 tablet of Nat Oh is 6x?

  56. Hello there! i just want to know if Nat Phos 6x is safe for pre-mature baby? And is Nat Phos 6x available here in Philippines? Thank you

  57. My 4 month old is bottle fed while I work, can they add the NatPhos to the bottle or should it be done after a feeding?

  58. Struggling with silent reflux in my 5 week old. Ped suggested medicating at our 1 month check up and I’m just not someone who likes to medicate if it can be helped (ESPECIALLY in such a little one). This information came at the perfect time! Definitely looking into the cell salt and implementing all tips immediately!

  59. Thank you so much for your help, I wanna buy a cell salt because I believe and natural ways too.

  60. I’m all for natural remedies whenever possible and you’ve listed some good ideas. That said, I’d like to know where you got your information, specifically in reference to this statement:

    “In fact, acid-blocking medications are not recommended in cases of uncomplicated infant reflux. And, otherwise healthy children taking these medications may face an increased risk of certain intestinal and respiratory infections. In addition, prolonged use of proton pump inhibitors has been linked to problems in iron and calcium absorption in infants.”

    My questions are:

    1) can you share what kind of “certain” intestinal and respiratory infections to look out for?

    2) how is “prolonged use” defined?

    Everyone’s baby and journey is different but I think it is irresponsible to make a general statement like you have without pointing to your source(s). I’m sure there are many mama’s out there that are giving their babies drugs because they are desperate to find something that will help their baby. Drugs, unfortunately, might be the best option for some babies. For those moms, please provide a little more detail in your statement.

    • The information on this link literally tells me nothing.

  61. I have a 7 month old son that is refusing to nurse during the day unless he is sleepy. He will only nurse at night. I have been pumping and feeding him bottles during the day. I talked to the doctor and they arent sure what is going on but prescribed him randitine to try. He throws it up immediately. I hate giving him medicine and would rather do something natural. which would you recommend?

    • Hi! This is my son right now. Did you figure out what was going on with her?

  62. Hello,
    My baby boy is just a month today, he projectile vomits after almost every feeding and we’ve gone to the doctors and they’re just now starting to hear me out about it, since we just switched to a new doctor they’ll be doing a sonogram today and letting us know if it could be more then just GERDS, but we plan on starting this homeopathic treatment with the Nat Phos 6x tomorrow, beginning with the 1/2 tablet, but my question to you was, did you also Ingest the recommended dose of 1tablet of the Nat Phos 6x 3 times a day after each meal, and the added Nux Vomica? I want to know what all I need. Thanks in advance

  63. Do you have a recipe for the breast milk yogurt you made?

  64. Hello!
    My son is 7 months and weighs 15.3 lbs. he has been spitting up a lot since day 1. We always said he was a happy spitter. I went off dairy, and didn’t see much of a difference, so I started eating it again. My son also spits up when I give him solids (so it’s not just breastmilk) It’s not much, but he spits some up. He doesn’t seem to be in any pain, but in the middle of the night, he sometimes cries/screams, and it sounds like he’s in pain. He had tried nat phos a while back, and we didn’t see any improvement either. I would give him 1 pill under the tounge either before the feeding or after. Not sure if I just didn’t use it right? I had also heard of boiron aethusea cynapium 30c. Do u recommend that? And if so, how often and when? My pediatrician had recommended today to have him take Zantac. I really don’t want give that to him if there’s healither remidies I could give him. I did a water birth with him, and he hasn’t had any shots or anything yet. Please please give me any advice 🙂 thank u so much! 🙂

    • Hi sweetie, well, the good news is he seems pretty content! If I were you, I’d go back to the Nat Phos 6X and be consistent with it after each meal. Because of his age, you could go up to 8 times a day, full tablet. You might want to dissolve in a little water and give to him with spoon to be sure he’s absorbing properly. I would also give him some raw sauerkraut juice or a little kefir to start supporting his digestion. Check out our recent post on babies and probiotics for ideas.

      • My son woke up in the middle of the night to. My midwife suggested putting a pillow under the mattress to elevate the bed. She said when they lay flat it tends to bubble up and being elevated helps that. I use probiotics to help I stopped for a little and I noticed it got worse so he is back on it and the bed thing helped my boy is 20 months old

      • I really want to start my daughter on the may phos 6x. We have tried 3 different medications and are now using nexium nothing seems to fully help. She was tested for milk allergies and is no where near allergic. Please help

  65. Hello, as of two days ago I started giving 1/2 tablet of the Nat Phos 6x in breast milk after meals as suggested to our 5-week-old to address reflux and gas issues, and today noticed some blood in her stool for the first time. Might there be any connection to the Nat Phos 6x? Thank you!

    • Hi did you ever find out if the blood in the stool was caused from taking the Nat Phos?

  66. When you say Dairy free does that mean butter and ghee? This is a hard taste for a WAP mama to wrap her head around. Really no dairy at all?

  67. I don’t know how long ago you wrote this post. But my poor daughter has been struggling with silent reflux since 2 weeks old. She has been on Prilosec high dose since then. I stopped producing milk when went back to work and I am using baby only organic whey protein formula in hopes it would be easier on stomach. Any good formula recommendations for reflux other that alimentum? That stuff tastes and smells like battery acid.

    • Oh and she is 9 months old. We have also tried chiropractic with no success. Ordered some of the phos 6x, how much would I give a 9 month old that weights 18lbs?

      • I would talk to doctor but I would think 1 tablet after each meal, up to 8 tabs per day. Good luck! Keep us posted!

    • So sorry, honey. Have you tried Nat Phos 6X?

      • Can u mix the nat phos with other medications my daughter is on Pepcid once a day but still having some symptoms

  68. We found a great chiropractor that specializes in helping athletes – odd, I know, but he found that my son’s core muscles were not developing properly. His back muscles were really strong and were working alone, and his front core muscles were hardly working. He did a few treatments to stimulate those muscles and teach them to work, and we had some things to do at home several times a day. It only took about 10 days for the reflux to be almost nonexistent.

    • This is so interesting!

    • My LO also has stronger back muscles than tummy and I believe your chiro just my might be on to something. Can you let us know what types of exercises you were given?

  69. My daughter was on Zantac from 5 weeks to 5 months when we started weaning her off. She was throwing up a lot but still gained weight till 5 months and was in the 6th percentile. After weaning she didn’t gain any weight from month 5 to 6 and then after a week into the 7th month she started refusing bottles. She refuses while dream feeding as well. Her weight is reducing and we have put her back on Zantac but it’s been 3 weeks and is still barely drinking 14 to 15 ounces a day. Will not eat solids as well. Do you tjunk the Nat medicine will help us with regaining her appetite ?

    • My daughter she is 2 months and she was is being having reflux since she born she spits up a lot she is very gassing fussiness what can I do plz

      • You could try chamomile tea I did with my son that uashally helped him pass gas

    • We got simply thick product and it helps keep the food down? Also what formula are you on? I think thickeners with probiotic was most helpful for us so far. Still not perfect but I just ordered the Nat to see if it will help

        • So that I understand, my nieto, grandson has been suffering for 3 weeks+ we used the Tummy Care for the gas and now trying the Tummy Care for Colic was suggested for the acid reflux but this sounds that we might get him some much needed relief asap. He has not been happy or relaxed since 1st week. Breastfeeding had to stop due to severe damage nipples, my daughters. So, can this be mixed with his formula? crushing 1/2 of a pill into 2 ounces, we are now feeding him every 2hrs to help with comfort and already make sure he stays alleviated. Please, please advise. Thank you.

          • Check for tongue tie, do some research on Dr. Ghaheri’s website, reflux is a common side affect, and with damaged nipples it could be a nursing problem, not a problem with the baby’s digestion.

  70. Hi Genevieve, I have a 12 weeks old with reflux. He spits up a lot right after feeding, burps, hiccups, and keeps gagging until he spits all of what he ate. I started giving him nat phos 6x after every feed 3 days ago. It seems like it is making a little difference as he doesn’t spit up for couple of feedings then would spit up for few feedings. Should I keep giving him until the problem is completely fixed? Thank you very much for such an amazing information. I followed your videos during pregnancy. I plan on sharing my VBAC birth story on here soon.

    • How do you give the nat phos 6x? Under tongue? End of feeding or middle?

      • half tablet dissolved in 1 tsp of water or breast milk 5 minutes before feeding and balanced half immediately after feeding the same way. This is what I was told by the person who discovered this remedy named, Joe de Livera. He has his own website (http://www.joedelivera.com).

  71. The best thing to deal with an acid refluxed baby, is babies magic tea. I have used this tea for my baby getting positive results.

  72. Hi

    I’ve never posted before. I have a 5 year old son who had silent reflux as a baby, he crief all day every day for the first 5 months and had to sleep in car seat most nights. Very frustrated with doctors but eventually got Ranitidine which really helped. He always hated bottles and really improved when on solids. Still doesn’t really like milk. Thought he had outgrown it but last year seemed to notice it again. Lots of little burps in the evening and clearing his throat. He has a really bad flare up at the moment. Didn’t eat for 5 days last week, started vomiting, ended up in hospital for dehydration. Doctors won’t listen to me, they keep saying it was a tummy bug, but i know he was really bad with reflux leading up to this, he has started eating again but keeps saying the food is sticking in his throat. Also he stopped eating in the first place because he was afraid of choking. Think his throat may be burnt with acid. Can’t find anyone to give me advice, doctors just want to pump him full of drugs! Any advice? We live in Northern Ireland so not too many natural health practitioners

    • I’m not sure if this is old or not. But it sounds like he has eosiniphilic esophagitis. It’s a auto immune where your throat gets inflamed from the allergies. Instead of getting hives on your body they get them on the esophagus. Eliminate dairy, milk, eggs, soy, gluten, sugar. Basically don’t eat anything processed. It’s hard but possible I have 4 boys who all have it. Good luck let me know if you have questions.

    • I hope you have gotten some answers, but in case you haven’t, something else you might research is gastroparesis, or delayed gastric emptying. I know two people who have this condition and their symptoms are very similar to your son’s. The best way to get a diagnosis is a gastric emptying study when he begins experiencing symptoms. If this is what your son has, you can help him avoid flare-ups by making sure he eats a diet full of foods that are easily chewed and easily digested. This means lots of soft foods, as well as low-fat and low-fiber foods. If this is what your son is dealing with, you will find better information and support from gastroparesis forums than what will probably you hear from most doctors.

  73. My baby had acid reflux. I tried different things to cope with, but results were nil. Then a babies magic tea gave my child great relief and now I will recommend all those moms who are facing the same problem to give it a try.

    • How much do you give the baby I’ve been drinking it hoping it will help in my breast milk

    • Hi, can you pls tell me about this tea for my 5 week old who has silent reflux

    • We did the tea too and saw an immediate difference. Our pediatrician told us not to do the salts since the label said 2 years and older, so we tried the tea at 2 months. My baby is now 10 months and still has reflux but just at night. I recently stopped the tea to see if it made a difference and he cried all night. The tummy tea reduces his crying by about 80%.

  74. Hi,

    This was a great post. My baby is also struggling with gas pains and I’ve been on an elimination diet: no dairy, soy, gluten, eggs for about 2 weeks. I would love to try the homeopathic remedies but I noticed they are lactose based. If I was trying to go dairy free wouldn’t taking the homeopathic remedies be a problem for my infant? thank you

    • I know this last post is old, but I thought I’d still weigh in for anyone in the future regarding the milk allergy/lactose issue and my experiences. My now 3.5 month old was also suffering from silent reflux symptoms since soon after she was born (crying all day, refusing to nurse unless asleep, refusing to eat at all, failure to gain weight, wet burps, arching back etc) and I tried both a dairy-free and soy- free diet and started giving her nat phos 6x after reading all these posts. And it worked!! The diet took 2 weeks to see any improvement (they say at least 1 week to clear out of mom and then 1 more week to clear out of baby). So try to stay strong on this one because it can feel fruitless at first and it takes a surprising amount of change (for me, at least) to completely eliminate dairy from my diet. And nat phos 6x took a few days to see consistent improvement. Note that the lactose in nat phos 6x likely is not a problem because a dairy allergy is NOT the same thing as lactose intolerance. A dairy allergy is an intolerance to cows milk protein, not to lactose (this is why you can’t have lactose free products or yogurt). My understanding is that lactose allergy is much less common in infants than dairy allergy. For the dairy allergy, check labels carefully! Milk (and soy, if cutting that) is in a lot of packaged products, especially bread. And, one plus of cutting dairy is that it is forced healthy eating, which is never a bad thing.

      Hope this helps others! I know how miserable it is to have a baby like this and am so thankful to find some relief for my little girl.

      • How did you give the nat phos 6x? Under tongue? At the end or middle of the feed?

        • I just started this with my one month old. I just put it under her tongue in the middle of feeding.

  75. GENEVIEVE I have to say what a great information holder you are! I followed so many of your tips during pregnacy and now after I’ve had my little guy.

    You listed two probiotics one was udos brand and another was made by gerber ( L. reuteri) did you use both or just one?

    My son has many of the symptoms your little girl had a d I’m desperately looking to help him feel better.

    Thanks so much!

  76. I would definitely not reccomend any essential oils for any child under age 2 especially a blend…you should do more research about using on hour children. Learningabouteos dot com is an excellent site that I have came across. I mistakenly was using doTERRA oils the wrong way because they Dont teach anything about safety and I was so upset at what I learned :/

    • That is not true information. You can use essential oils on babies. Pls do Your research before telling someone what not to do, especially if it helps! Young living has oils for babies and you can dilute.

      • Looks like Miranda has done her research, actually. It is extremely irresponsible and unsafe to advise people to use oils on babies, as it’s not recommended by anyone not selling them for children under 2, except under very cautious guidelines (only certain oils known to be safe, diluted to about .01% or one drop to a Tbs). Believe it or not, children have nearly died simply by breathing essential oils or having them applied, even diluted. I myself went to the ER twice this year with severe allergic reactions after using EOs carelessly for six years. Now I can’t use them at all (yes, they were pure oils).

  77. I have a question how many times a day is it normal for a baby with reflux to throw up. Today my 2 month year old baby has throw up 4 times. I want to take him to the hospital but don’t know if too wait to see if the do terra strats to work. Please help?

    • If baby throws up many times, you should be very careful he will not be dehydrated! It can cause development issues!

  78. Thanks so much for these tips! Our 4 wk old son seems to be struggling with reflux and I’d really like to avoid medication. We’re using DigestZen, too, and have tried elevating his head during feedings and his crib mattress as well. And I give him an infant probiotic by Klaire Labs. I’m looking into chiro care this week. Have you heard of using slippery elm, gripe water or aloe vera juice?

  79. Has anyone tried taking apple cider vinegar for breastfeeding baby’s reflux? It’s been recommended to me and I’m wondering if anyone has any experience? Thanks!

    • My 6 mo old just came off zantac last week. I drink acv at least 2-3 times per week. Didnt seem to make a diff in her reflux

    • Hello Kendra. I was wondering if you have gotten any information on the apple cider vinegar question you had. I too have been recommended to try it out. However, I bottle feed so my question is more if the baby could or would tolerate apple cider vinegar if diluted enough. A friend of mine suffers from acid reflux herself and she swears by ACV. I just curious if it can be consumed by infants. My little one is a month old. Thanks

      • Hmmmm…. I’m not so sure about apple cider vinegar for a young, young child. I would check with your doctor for sure. My concern would be the acidity and the live bacteria that might be foreign to a baby’s gut.

        • Talk to your doctor, BUT know that the reason we aren’t supposed to give food to an infant before the age of 6 months is because the cells in the small intestine actually have a gap between them (called “open gut”) making proteins and other elements of food able to pass into the bloodstream. Fascinating!! Introducing food too soon can cause allergies because of this transfer from the small intestine to the bloodstream. And ACV is a food.

  80. It’s 4am as I write this sitting rocking my 8 week old baby girl. We have been at a loss at how to naturally her with terrible reflux, short of holding her upright anytime she is on an angle she spits up and is miserable. I see a chiropractor regularly who has done wonders for me but have been scared to take baby to see them but after reading your post and the comments I am going to. Thank you for an informative blog, it’s so reassuring when sitting up all hours by yourself that you aren’t actually alone in all this!

    • I’d also recommend cutting dairy from your diet. It’s difficult, but can make an extraordinary difference in terms of baby’s reflux. You can always try it and go back to your regular diet after 2-3 weeks. I know for me, when I cut down on dairy consumption I noticed a big difference: when I eliminated it, it was even more significant!

      • Hi,

        This was a great post. My baby is also struggling with gas pains and I’ve been on an elimination diet: no dairy, soy, gluten, eggs for about 2 weeks. I would love to try the homeopathic remedies but I noticed they are lactose based. If I was trying to go dairy free wouldn’t taking the homeopathic remedies be a problem for my infant? thank you

  81. My baby girl who jus completed a month yesterday suffers from severe reflux problem where she pukes after every alternate feed almost even after keeping her in an elevated crib, burping her nd keeping her in upright position for twenty mins nd giving her acidity medicines. She is colic too. I also want to go the natural way with treatment pls suggest what to do as she is constantly unconfortable after feeds

    • Have you tried probiotics? Slippery Elm supplement? DigestZen? You may need to try a few different things to see what works best for her. Read the other comments for info.

      • My daughter’s 4 week old baby boy has reflux as well. At first uncertain of the condition waited for the diagnose from Doctor. As a health coach practitioner I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the ACV because of the acidic level. As far as products that contain Slippery Elm. There are no known side effects, what is has is a coating action that coasts the digestive tract. It may slow the absorption. Not always a desired affect. Herbs have not been tested on infants and precaution should be used.
        Reflux is due to the lower esophageal sphincter muscle doesn’t close well. This is the opening that allows food/liquid into the stomach and keeps it from going back into the esophageal. Normally though difficult to deal with all the spitting up/wet clothes and burp cloths there is really no harm. The natural approach would be everything that has already been mentioned. My only thoughts and concerns were the apple cider vinegar (causing too much acid and leading to damage to the esophageal), with reflux coating the stomach and esophageal would not necessarily produce wanted results, though if the spit up is acidic this would have a soothing effect. The content of the spit up is almost always the same content going in and merely running back out.
        If a probiotic ( we give and a digestive enzyme) both by Transformation Enzymes for children. They are pure enzymes and pure enzyme probiotic no additives, fillers, preservative, comes in powdered form and the baby doesn’t mind the taste.
        I hope this information is helpful. I love the chiropractor as well. I will express my thoughts to that as well. Make certain they see children and experience with infants.

  82. In rare cases, orgasm happens sans genital stimulation.

    What ever you decide make sure to keep safety in mind. Most of
    them can easily speak Romanian as well as English.

    • what..??

      • LMFAO. I thought the same thing.

  83. We have struggled with reflux since my sons birth. We have been through 3 medications that each worked very temproarily. Now we are seeing a chiropractor and his bed is elevated but now it has become common that he will go 7-10 days without pooping I am going to try the coconut oil massage thank you for sharing.

  84. To a good father, my daughter was in the same path as your baby, she is three months old now and was weighting only 9 pounds, I found out that she had pyloric stenosis she went under surgery two weeks ago now she is a happy baby!!! She was misdiagnosed for a very long time trust your instincts!

    • Thank you Flavia. I’ll let you know if doctors will opt for surgery. I wish a healthy life for your baby 🙂

  85. L

  86. Thank you for Genevieve for the nice article. I’m a new father from Tunisia. My child is now 19 months. She used to have medecines before and after eating (Motilium and Apyrosis) to avoid reflux problems until she’s got 1 year. Since then, she went under a painful cycle of ill and relief from bronchiolitis, otitis … She weighed 10 kilograms when she was 12 months old. She’s still 11 kilograms right now :(.
    Her painful status made us nervous, my wife is about to quit work, stopped her PhD studies… We almost visited about 20 pediatricians: All they did is giving her antibiotics, corticoids, antitussives and so… to get a temporary relief, … UGI ray exams has shown a persistant sus-carina reflux. Doctors prescribed her some pills to reduce stomach acidity. I see no progress since last week because her tiny nose is still runny and she can’t sleep as a normal child even if her mattress is angled. We also tried cannella.
    We are running out of ideas! Thank you for pointing two young parents to the light 🙂

  87. Our daughter, who turned 9 months today, has had awful silent reflux from day 1! She was born via c-section and had to go on antibiotics right away, and I’ve always blamed that combination for not setting up her gut properly with good flora. At 2 months she was diagnosed with reflux and colitis and as a breast feeding mom I got off of dairy, gluten, soy, peanuts, eggs, spicy foods, caffeine, and all acidic and gassy foods for the next 7 months. It’s only since finally seeing a specialist last week that I’m considering adding some back in! It looks like of one of her main culprits, weirdly, is nuts and even coconut which is supposed to be a good alternative to dairy for reflux babies….That’s when I eat it–she’s not eating coconut herself. Anyway, we have had her on Axid since 2 months and started Prevacid at 6 months but the program hasn’t been managing her reflux well enough as she has still had awful sleep issues and hasn’t gained weight in 3 months 🙁 I’m working on increasing my supply right now so that when she does want to eat she gets a lot, and we’re carefully encouraging solids (which many times she’s refused). I will try the oil you suggested! Thanks for this post.

    • Oh my gosh, mama, it sounds like you guys have really been through the ringer! I hope you find some more things that help and that she starts taking more solids soon!

  88. Ashley I am so sorry you’re going through this! I would definitely recommend taking him to the chiropractor, using essential oils (DigestZen by doTerra talked about above) and giving him a probiotic. Also, since his symptoms are so severe it might be worth going to talk to a nutritionist or other expert to help with dietary issues. Good luck mama!

  89. My sons 21 months old and he’s arching his back and crying and getting sick…I have extremely bad acid reflex and it scars me that he’s going to be as bad as me! He’s fussy as it is with only wanting surtain foods like Speghetti..not sure what to give him to help his acid.reflex and if he.can.still eat the.things.he.likes I haven’t eaten.well or.anything its making.me.sick stressing about it and this is my first.child…any advice please

    • I’ve been able to help my son’s reflux by giving him an herbal supplement called Slippery Elm. I found it on Amazon for a very reasonable price. I buy the powdered variety and it’s super easy to mix into his food. Helps a lot of adult acid/digestion problems to. Basically it helps to line esophagus and digestive tract. It also can help gel the stomach contents so that liquid is less likely to come up. At 16 lb. my son gets almost 2 tsp. of powder per day. Using Slippery Elm has helped me get my son off of medicine for reflux in addition to chiropratic. Definitely worth the shot.

      • HI Cathrin. Do you give the slippery elm in one shot or little doses? Also, do you put in the bottle or give it before/after feedings? Thank you so much.

  90. My baby has reflux she used to spit up right after a bottle more than 5 times a day so I heard about Nat Phos I tried it now she spits up once a day it was found by Joe de Livera, it’s helping my daughter a lot.

    • That’s great! Good to know!

  91. My fourth had acid reflex as well. I took her in when she was a week old because she was having trouble breathing. The acid was coming up through her nasal passages. I eliminated all common allergy triggers, and after four months found out is was milk products, broccoli, and tomatoes. She slept with here head elevated in her crib until about 2-3am when we would sit in a rocking chair until about 6. She was never colicky, so the only clue we had was her trouble breathing. I reintroduced milk products at about 9 months, and she was fine, but even at two she still has troubles with broccoli and tomatoes. Giving up nursing was never an option for me, so I am glad I had a pediatrician and support group that helped me work this out.

    • Erin,

      I’m so glad this all worked out for you! It’s so wonderful you had a pediatrician that was as dedicated as you were to finding a solution that worked for you and your baby.

    • So question? you never used the medicine? And what about the night waking from 2-6, my baby is doing the same thing. It is exhaustig, I am worried about his esophagus.

    • Leo was exactly the same! He has silent reflux and we didn’t know anything until he nearly choked after he’d eaten and had fallen asleep flat on his back. It was terrifying! He’s on Zantac 3 times a day now, after trying eliminating everything and nothing was working. We’re seeing the consultant again next week to talk about a possible lactose intolerance. Poor guy is managing with the zantac but it’s only just helping. I’m LI too so really hoping he’s not…

  92. All four of kiddos had reflux. We limped by with Zantac for the first two. The third a chiropractor finally suggested I cut out dairy. That solved ally problems and was relatively easy. Worked with -#4 as well. I suggest it to all mommas with fussy kiddos. Formula has milk protein also so if they are on formula you might have to switch…

    • I’m so glad your solution was a simple one, Kristy! But I know for me it was so frustrating not to have all the helpful info right away from our doc. It’s great your chiro was so knowledgeable!

  93. Thank you so much for sharing these tips. My little one is 3.5 months old, has bad gas and possibly silent reflux since the first few weeks…Zantac did nothing for him and neither did my elimination diet… 🙁 He doesnt have any outward symptoms, no spitting, arching etc other than very poor sleep/naps and fussy nursing…. I would like to try the doTERRA DigestZen oil but could you explain in a bit more detail exactly how to dilute, where and how often to apply etc? Thanks again!

    • Julia, I am so sorry you are going through this. There are no words to express how awful I know it is. DigestZen was a life saver for us. I dilute with fractionated coconut oil (I buy Dr. Adorable from Amazon, its highly rated and is $9.99 for a pretty large bottle). I do a 1:1 ratio, meaning that I have the same amount of DigestZen in there as I do fractionated coconut oil. You just use one drop of that mixture and you can rub it either on baby’s tummy or baby’s feet. If you do the tummy, it may help to rub in a clockwise motion. We did it before every feeding at first, and then when things got better we could taper off a bit. To order DigestZen, here’s my website: http://www.mydoterra.com/lindsaygray/, just go to “Shop for products” and its an “Oil Blend”. If you ANY questions or concerns at all, please feel free to email me at [email protected]. Good luck mama!

      • Hi. Just bought digestZen but says to dilute one drop per 4 fl oz. 1:1 seems a lot stronger. Also, can I use grape seed oil as a carrier? Thanks!

      • I’m still a little confused how to apply this….do you put a tiny amount of coconut oil on your finger, then drop a drop of the EO on your finger, then rub on baby’s belly? And what about the commenters that said the bottle says to do 1 drop per 4 oz?
        I don’t want to do anything that can be potentially harmful, so I want to be sure on the instructions. I know EO’s aren’t something to just mess around with, and need to be carefully researched and applied. I’d love to buy the digestZen if it would help my baby’s acid reflux though!

        • Also confused on how to apply as i put 2 drops of digestzin with 2 tbs of coconut oil and didnt even use a 10th of the mixture to rub on her as it made loads

          • Telina and Chantelle, I would suggest mixing it up in a glass jar with a lid. Then apply just a little bit and save the rest to apply later as needed. Essential oils are much more potent than herbs so a very little goes a long way. Hope that helps.

  94. Having suffered extreme digestive problems myself (and the excruciating pain that goes with it!) (until I was in my 30s and began to work out what was causing it) I was determined that my children (I have 5) would not go through the same pains I did. I used all my mums remedies (she had 8 children) and for most of them, all was well. Crib raising, being very diligent when burping (which often comes down to timing for some babies – about 1/2 to an hour after feeds, even tho they obligingly burp some straight after as a rule too) .. and giving 100 /200 mls warm boiled water works for some – and don’t forget that babies get thirsty too (milk is a food, not a drink) But my 3rd child was a nightmare! .. Poor little kid … Her digestive system was a mess, but we didn’t have the resources or the knowledge to check out chiropractors and naturopaths back then (40 yrs ago) Her poos would fierce, like a projectile vomit but the other end, very acidy and come out like aerosol foam. By the time she was 3, I’d figured out that milk was one of her problems (as it was mine too) and certain foods. Now, my 8 of my little grandchildren have all been raised with pure (inner leaf only, no additives like carageenan etc) Aloe Vera Juice, which works a charm! .. I discovered it first for myself, then began using it on the children. Great for wind pain, acid reflux and alkalizing and assisting digestion .. a few mls from a dropper just before and just after a meal, its brilliant!

    • That’s wonderful Liz! I have never heard of Aloe Vera Juice, I will have to check it out! So glad you could use your experience to help not only your children, but your grandchildren as well. 🙂

    • Ho, Liz. My 6 weeks baby girl has very bad case of Acid Reflux. She barely sleeps. I’m reluctant to put her on meds and wsnt to try natural remedies first, like aloe vera. Could you please tell me more about: dosage, usage, where to buy, any side affects

      • I bought aloe vera juice on Amazon.com (I tried George’s brand). Another reflux website stated “no more than 1/2 tsp should be needed to provide nice healing relief.” (so it’s used as needed. Not sure max dose per day?) I never observed any side effects. I preferred aloe vera juice over something like gripe water, because gripe water makes my son terrrribly gassy and uncomfortable. Another option I’d suggest is slippery elm powder. I give my son slippery elm powder in regular doses every day. Slippery elm powder is also available on Amazon. Dosing for this one: “A baby who weighs 25 lb. would take one-sixth of the adult dose of slippery elm, or 1 tsp., three times daily. Similarly, a 13-lb. baby could take 1/2 tsp. three times per day, and a 6-lb. baby could take 1/4 tsp. three times per day. Always dissolve slippery elm powder thoroughly in warm liquid; heat the water, milk or juice to enable more effective blending.” With such a young baby, you’d have to figure a way to dissolve it and administer it — maybe via a syringe, dripping slowly into mouth? Or a couple drops at a time by spoon? I didn’t find this remedy until my son was starting solids, so I just mix it into his food. You may also want to try giving your baby a probiotic — particularly one like Nature’s Way Primadophilus Reuteri (also on Amazon) — it’s a powder that can also be dissolved and given in a spoon of milk or by syringe. Or there’s drops made by Gerber with the same probiotic strand — but it’s pretty pricey by comparison. Reuteri is the key strand of probiotic though. Hang in there! I hope this information is useful to you. Here’s another useful website: http://www.mommyser.com/myblog/10-natural-remedies-infant-reflux

      • Have you tried Nat Phos 6X? It helped Paloma HUGE! You can give her 4 tablets a day total mixed in breast milk. I gave Paloma 1/2 tab after each feeding. Now that she’s 3 months, I could give her 6 tablets but she doesn’t really need anymore. Be sure to give it a try. It’s a gentle option! http://amzn.to/1eGuiMv

        • My 4-week old daughter has been suffering from reflux and we started her on Nat Phos this week. It helped immediately! I’ve been nervous giving it to her, though, because I just haven’t felt like I have enough information about it. Does anyone have any resources that might instill more confidence in this decision?

        • My 8 week boy seems to suffer from ar I m at my wits end need help.can’t do anything around house.sitting eith him on my laps.but he is gaining too much weight. Ped is not of much help.prescribed Zantac. My husband at work.and is with him all night bouncing him on his arms.my boy is ao heavy.i can barely bounce hom.constantly screaming or sleeping on my laps.can’teven wash his bottles. Switched 4 formulas. Please help somebody. I live in Brooklyn. I felt so eak and was dizgnosed with depression when my husband called 911 I m afraid social services will take my son away. My husband is staying at home when im too bad and still we have no time even to cook. Our son is always on his though he weights alrady 13 ponds.Please help.may be somebody can come and help (i know its sktupid thought) but im desperate.i have no relatives in Us.my spep mom leaving country tomorrow. Sory for typos. How do u give a tablet to a child. He is constantly screaming and spitting out if i give hin even water

          • Anna, I am so sorry for your struggles. Is there a community resource that can help you? Can you find a local hospital or clinic where you could talk to someone? Sounds like you need some good support! And I don’t think I can do it well over the internet.

            The important thing is to BREATHE. Everything is going to be OK. If you stay calm, this will help your baby. Next, find the least allergenic food for your baby. Could be donor breast milk as formulas can cause more acid issue. Next, you could try the Hyland’s Nat Phos 6X with your doctor’s permission. You take 1/2 tab and dilute in a little of his food. Use a syringe or small spoon to put in his mouth. It’s OK if he throws it up as some will be making its way through. This may help reduce his acid reflux significantly. Will be praying for you! XOXO

  95. My son had really bad reflux & we gave him Prevacid. It helped, but I spent endless data dealing w/ a screaming baby. He never slept! Only at night would he finally crash out from pure exhaustion & pain. I never even considered a natural route w/ my son. I now have a 3 month old baby girl & she began showing signs of reflux like my son. I immediately went on the Paleo diet, elevate her when she sleeps, & after she nurses. Her doc prescribed Reglan but I’m not going down that slippery slope again w/meds. I notice a huge huge increase in symptoms if I cave & have something outside of my Paleo diet.

    • Audra, I am so glad natural remedies are working for your little girl! I essentially went on the paleo diet, too, and it not only helped Lilah, but I felt so much better! Even though I can eat everything now without bothering her, I try to avoid processed foods, especially gluten and dairy. I hope the semi-smooth sailing continues!

  96. doTERRA DigestZen is amazing! Works instantly for us!

    • Yay! I love doTerra’s oils! We use them all the time in our house, but it all started with DigestZen!

    • Just bought some! Blog says 1:1 dilution but bottle says one drop in 4 fl oz. That’s a big difference so not sure how to use it. How did you mix/apply the oil?
      Thanks,

  97. We had a very bad case of infant reflux with my little one! We used a special mattress for sleeping at night(highly elevated, baby held up with a special band passed under her arms), we used special milk( as I had stopped breastfeeding thinking that my milk was causing her to suffer) and were on medication for a few months. The roughest three months of my life, I could add…

    • I’m so sorry you had to deal with infant reflux! They were the roughest months of my life, too. My friend who had two GERD babies told me that she can always tell when a mom has a reflux baby by the wild, desperate look in her eye. I am SURE I had that look… 🙂

  98. Hello Lindsay, I absolutely love your article about baby reflux. Wish I had this kind of advice when my son was a baby. I really struggled as a new mother and not wanting to try a different prescription once a week from doctors for his reflux as well as his colic. In April one of my best friends had a little girl and she was suffering from colic. She called me crying that she didn’t know what to do and what the baby’s doctor was telling her to do wasn’t working. Everyone knows me to be the all natural person so she asked my advice. I recommended her to one of my favorite websites ( http://www.beautyhealthandweightloss.com ) that carry nothing but all natural products for everything, including for babies and kids. They not only have all natural remedies but books on creating your own.

    Marie called me about a week later so happy stating that her daughter’s colic is much better (less crying) and that this site was a GOD send. She even bought an all natural amber teething ring or necklace and organic onesees (LOL). I told her that she should be more like me with my 10 year old and research a healthy alternative for him and myself before I am so quick to get a prescription of something that I can’t even pronounce.

    I think I changed my mind about normal meds after my son was I think 2 and there was a recall for all the baby dimetap because a couple kids had died. This is what my son’s doctor prescribed him for everything. After that, I decided to research not only what the ingredients were in the meds but if there were a better more natural alternative.

    Just a word of advice to all mothers….. there is no better remedy for our children than nature. Do your research because everyday a recall is being published for medicine that is being put out. Don’t take the chance. God Bless!

    • Thanks Laticia! I will definitely check out the site! We are fairly new at using natural remedies, and I drinking in all the knowledge I can get! It’s hard being a mama who just wants to help her baby feel better but then is scared of the collateral consequences of medication. It’s so good to know there are natural remedies out there, become more and more well known everyday!

  99. Our son had silent reflux and not knowing any better, we just went along with the meds 🙁 they didn’t really help but thankfully he eventually outgrew it by about 9 months of age. However, a few years later our friend’s son was on baby zantac for his reflux until her mother sent her a hazelwood necklace to try. Within a few weeks of him wearing it, she was able to wean him off his medication and he never needed it afterward. The way it works supposedly is that the wood is alkaline and seeks to become ph neutral by absorbing acidity. In this case, it absorbs acidity via the skin of the wearer. Sounds crazy, I know but it seems to work for many people. My husband’s heartburn and stomach ulcers have stopped bothering as long as he keeps a fresh hazelwood necklace on. It can also help with teething pain and some types of eczema. You can find them on http://www.hazelaid.com
    Plus they’re really cute 🙂

    • Thank you so much for the tip! We bought Lilah an amber necklace for her teething, but I’ve never heard of a hazelwood necklace. That’s so good to know!

  100. My second son, now four months old, was a great at breastfeeding from the start, but he did have some gas or mild reflux or something similar (we never took him to the doctor for it). He arched and fussed at some feedings, and cried quite a bit in later in the day especially, his first month. He also would have periods of time where he would cry hard and pull his legs into his tummy, like he had bad gas. He has also been a champion spit-upper, sometimes very large quantities at a time. Messy baby!

    The things that seemed to help were:

    –Controlling my fast letdown. I discovered he was swallowing a LOT of air at feedings, and couldn’t handle it because he was so small. I have read that many times women think they have to go on this strict diet, etc… but the only issue is an overactive letdown and possibly oversupply. Now that he is older, he loves my fast letdown 😉

    –Child probiotics. For a couple of months, he got eyedroppers and then a bottle of expressed milk with powdered infant probiotics mixed in every evening. It did seem to help.

    –Avoiding a few trigger foods: spicy foods, cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cabbage, and making sure I ate lots of probiotics myself.

    –Frequent burping during feedings and tummy massage afterward, if he seemed gassy. Also, we let him sleep on his tummy when he got a little older, which helped push out some of the gas.

    He still spits up easily, but seems very happy and comfortable now, rarely suffering with gas. He is above the 95th percentile in both height and weight for his age, so his growth and development are great! Just thought I’d share my tips as well, in case they helped anyone. Thanks for a great post!

    • Just read some interesting comments above about some babies having a strong need to suck. I had one of those also. In fact as a newborn, he actually had issues being able to have a bowel movement if he wasn’t sucking! Weird, I know. But we tried a paci out of desperation with him right from the beginning, and if we held it in his mouth after a full feeding, while sucking on it, he would be able to poop. He never took to the paci, however, so we used it sporadically for a month or 6 weeks and then got rid of it. He seemed to outgrow that issue around 6 weeks old. He much preferred breastfeeding instead, so his frequent feedings and strong suck built up a good milk supply for me!

      • Sounds like you’ve had quite the time, Rebecca! So glad you found some things that worked for you. I need to be better about giving Lilah her probiotics. I also didn’t know that the sucking could help. Lilah is a boob-addicted baby, and I guess that could be a good thing for her tummy!

  101. When our first baby was born she had a lot of gas all the time. Some friends from Canada who had a baby shortly before we did sent us some Gripe Water and it helped immediately. When our second baby was born I found Gripe Water here in the US, but it didn’t work at all so we had friends buy some for us when they went to Canada. It worked like a charm!

    • We love gripe water for gas here too, Linda! We use Wellements. What is the name of the gripe water from Canada? Maybe they sell it on Amazon or something 🙂

  102. Tongue and lies ties are a common cause of reflux, and moire often than not they get missed. Most doctors are not skilled at diagnosing them. My daughter was misdiagnosed with severe reflux and projectile vomiting. After seeing 5 different professionals, if was determined she had a severe tongue and lip tie. Got the issue addresses ASAP (when she was 9 weeks old), and she’s never had reflux or vomiting since. More information can be found here: http://kiddsteeth.com/articles.html

    • I mean LIP ties (not lie ties)

    • Thanks Jen! Lilah just had a frenectomy this week actually. She had a lip and tongue tie, so we had the doctor do both. I was super scared to have it done, but I read that article you talked about before we decided to do it. Thanks so much for sharing! And I’m so glad it was the magic cure for you!

      • Wow after reading this about lip tie… It makes a lot of sense why I had such a hard time nursing my baby that is now (10 months old) when she was 6 days old I took to a lactation consultant (because I had huge sores and was in so much pain when I nursed) and she told me that my baby was slightly tongue tied but not too bad…. We decided against getting her tongue clipped and now that she is getting teeth I have noticed her top lip comes between her front teeth.. (the part that attaches the lip to the gums) my baby also has been on acid re-flux medicine since she was 6 weeks old… I didn’t know what else to do and as soon as she got on the medicine she started sleeping through the night not crying anymore…. Thank you for the article I know hope I will be more successful with my next baby!

  103. Dr. Erika here (I’m a naturopath specializing in pediatrics),

    My little one also had reflux – though hers was silent reflux, so we didn’t know that her “colic” was actually reflux for 3.5 months. (Horrible time in my life.) We did a trial of Ranitidine (Zantec) which was like a light switch – she went from miserable baby to happy baby over night. I weaned her off of Ranitidine by doing a lot of what you mentioned above (elevating the crib was extremely helpful), but I also used gut soothing herbs. I used slippery elm powder and marshmallow root powder mixed with cold water (I kept it in the fridge), a few ml’s four times per day. It helped a ton.

    For some reason (and I see this happening in some patients) the probiotics made her much worse.

    Also, things like peppermint or fennel (which is frequently in baby colic formulas) can actually make reflux worse by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter.

    Hope that helps your readers!

    -Dr. Erika

    • Dr. Erika, thank you so much for the info! I’m sure the herbs could help a lot of people who aren’t finding the right thing for them. I’ve never heard of peppermint, fennel, or probiotics making reflux worse, but it makes sense. It seems to me like anything that helps with gas can exacerbate reflux, and visa versa. Which is awful because we had to deal with both for a while!

      • My son is on Prevacid solutabs and Zantac. I tried to wean him off a couple weeks ago, and any time that he would seem extra fussy — maybe because the reflux was aggitating him, I’d give him some Mommy’s Bliss gripe water. Problem was he would then be terribly uncomfortable with gas pains for the next several hours, or even a few days if I gave him regular doses. At least with the medicines, he’s a good sleeper. But with gripe water, all naps were a fight because the gas was so bothersome. I used gripe water with my daughter no problem, but it is no good for my son. I wonder about trying the essential oils and getting to the chiropractor more often. Thanks for the advice.

    • I recently had my son in December after trying to breastfeed it wasn’t enough so we switched to formula (something I didn’t want to do, but as a first time mother I felt helpless). I experienced acid reflux only when i was pregnant with him. I knew it was not “colic” after seeing his facial expressions at about 1.5 months that’s what i would do. I have tried elevating him, sitting him up after feed, and above methods. I finally gave in and took him to the doctor for her to prescribe the Ranitidine (zantac). Its peppermint and he hates it. I started with the prescribed amount which was 2 – x- at .07 ml. He had horrible diarrhea and looked like he was in pain so i stopped giving him it. He was perfect for the two days that followed, then it was back again. I am going to try to give it to him again but maybe try once a day to see if it helps. I am at a loss on what to do as I do not want to rely on “medication” and knowing that its not good to be on the medicine for longer than 30 days. I just don’t want to see him suffer =(

      • I haven’t started using my Zantac yet but was prescribed 3x 0.45ml so perhaps split the dose if no natural alternatives work? I’m not keen on starting him on it but won’t rule it out if nothing else helps.

        • I would try Nat Phos 6X. I gave Paloma 1/2 tab after each meal. MIRACLE WORKER!

          • Can I give my 2 month old Nat Phos 6x and .08 Zantac? I would like to wean her off of the Zantac. And how much Nat Phos 6x would I give to my 2 month old? THANK YOU!

    • Hello Dr. Erika!

      Could you give a little more info on how exactly you used slippery elm and how much? If you mixed powder with water how would you give it to an infant? And should I give it to my LO with the powder or let it stand and give her just the water? I am confused about the dosage. Also, could you tell more about your experience with the silent reflux? Did your LO outgrow it? Would appreciate your reply!

    • Dr. Erika,
      Thanks for taking the time to post.
      I was wondering if you used a 1:1:1 ratio slippery elm, marshmallow, water?
      I live far away from the nearest Naturopath. I plan to buy the herbs online.
      Thank you

  104. Oh man, I’m so glad you posted this. I’ve had acid reflux since I was 15 and it’s gotten worse during my pregnancy so I’m pretty worried when my little boy gets here in a month he’s going to suffer with it. I was planning on following an acid reflux diet to help, but I’m interested in trying the coconut oil method.

    For what it’s worth, the worst foods for me have always been anything containing tomatoes, anything fried, and chocolate.

    • Kate, I’m so sorry you’ve been dealing with reflux yourself for so long! That doesn’t sound too fun. Hopefully you’re little boy will be just fine. I have heard, like you said, that chocolate and heavy foods can make reflux worse too, but I’ve never heard tomato! That’s an interesting one. Just any FYI, there are a lot of additional comments on Facebook from readers if you want additional info and/or tips in case your lil man needs some help. Thanks for sharing!

  105. I’ve had two babies who experienced colic. For one, it was my prenatal vitamins (they contain iron that irritate some babies). My naturopath told me to stop taking them, and I did, and within two days my baby was better. For the other baby, it was a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. I learned to keep him on ONE breast for several feedings. He was getting too much and when my supply slowed, he didn’t have the discomfort.

    • I’ve never heard of iron affecting babies, that’s really good to know. I have definitely heard about the foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, and lately I have been trying to work on that. I feel like for me, Lilah was getting too much foremilk because she would only eat little meals (due to the reflux), so now I am trying to feed her more on each side and drain each breast. Her fussiness has definitely decreased!

  106. I’ve had three babies with reflux and colic. We treated the other two with the standard remidies… gripe water, propping upright for feeding, sleep and play. I elimiated pretty much everything out of my diet that could trigger a reaction, all with varied success or failure. But it wasn’t until the third baby that I finally found some wonderful solutions. #1 we got a Rock and Play sleeper ( http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Newborn-Rock-Sleeper-Yellow/dp/B00A4B36ME/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374270787&sr=8-2&keywords=rock+and+play+sleeper ) So very nice for napping and keeping baby upright. #2 a pacifier. For our little girl. If I gave her a pacifier right after she finished feeding, it really seemed to help. Part of her reflux we figured out was caused because she had high sucking needs. I thought she was a frequent nurser, but she just needed to suck. Once we gave her a pacifier she never puked again.

    • I have heard that the Rock & Play is amazing! We never made the investment, but I sure thought about it. I bet the paci helped a lot. Lilah doesn’t take a paci (or a bottle), but she certainly loves to nurse. It’s interesting that you say your little one had high sucking needs. I bet that’s true for Lilah, too, because nursing is by far her favorite thing to do. Thanks for the input!

    • My newborn twin grandsons sleep in the rock sleeper. What a wonderful thing it is!

      • So glad it works for them Joanie! I can imagine having twins is tough, so anything that helps them sleep better is a huge blessing!

  107. This may sound “out there” to some people but I’ve heard cranio-sacral therapy really helps babies with this issue as well.

    • I don’t think many of us crunchies would think this is “out there” 🙂

    • From my understanding, cranio-sacral therapy is another term for the type of chiropractic adjustment that Lilah gets! So its not out there at all! And, like Genevieve says, definitely not out there for us crunchies 🙂 I’ve also heard that cranio-sacral therapy helps with colic and even found a study to back it up!

      • I am a massage therapist and have taken a few classes on cranio sacral therapy. If I remember right, it works with the fact that the cerebrospinal fluid around your brain and spine has it’s own pulse, separate from the circulatory system. From different every day things, such as medications taken or falling can cause disruptions and blockages in the flow of the fluid and therefore create dysfunction in the bodies natural processes. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if an unhealthy diet could have an affect on the CSF as well. Cranio sacral therapy is
        wonderful for many things! God has made a wonderful body!

  108. We had problems with reflux. Luckily not as bad as you by the sounds! Our daughter got better simply with elevating one end of her crib mattress, which we have done since about 1 month old, she never rolled onto her tummy even though we have nothing in place. 🙂
    Our pediatrician basically told us she needed to live life propped up until it got better. So we did, we always sat her in her boppy, which kept her propped up and comfy (and still do because she loves it!)
    She spent time in a bouncer seat, and we always fed her on an angle just naturally so that was that.
    It helped a lot, oddly enough natural gripe water also helped her reflux for whatever odd reason.

    She does spit up a lot now at 5 months, but she appears to have no pain from it and the pediatrician expects that to resolve its self within a month or two.

    Thanks for the great post!

    • I am so glad that just propping worked for you, Amanda! Lilah is in the same boat with the spitup. She does it quite a bit, but it doesn’t seem to bother her at all! We give Lilah gripe water to help with gas, but maybe it helps with the reflux too!


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