In a recent post, I shared my experience with Infant GERD with my first baby. Be sure to check that post out first! In this post, I want to share 8 different ways to help soothe a baby with acid reflux that worked for us.
It was a VERY challenging time, to say the LEAST, and it took about 9 months for things to improve significantly.
Because he had GERD he was very difficult to soothe and I tried pretty much everything! I can’t even count how many articles I read and videos I watched on different methods to try to soothe him and help with GERD symptoms! So here I am sharing the things that actually worked to soothe my (VERY FUSSY) baby with acid reflux.
Some of these things helped more and some a little less. Also, sometimes one thing would help for a time, and then it wouldn’t work anymore so I would have to try something else.
**DISCLAIMER: I am not a health professional or expert, these are just things that worked for us and so I am just a fellow mom sharing them. Please check with your baby’s healthcare provider and do your own research before implementing anything.
Smaller More Frequent Feeds
Caleb was around 4 months old when he was diagnosed with GERD. One of the things the pediatrician told me to do was feed him smaller amounts but more frequently. So instead of feeding him 5-6 oz every 6 hours, I began giving him 2-3 oz every 2-3 hours.
Although he would still spit up and cry, I did notice that it was less than before. He also didn’t seem as uncomfortable as before too.
Burping Halfway Between Feeds (and Afterward)
Another thing I was told to do by my son’s pediatrician was to burp him halfway through his feeds as well as afterward. I would feed him 1-1.5 ounces and then make sure he burped before I let him finish the rest.
Feedings took much longer but it was something else that helped so it was definitely worth it!
Keep Baby Upright for an Hour to an Hour and a Half After Feeds
This is another thing you want to do if your baby has GERD because it helps prevent the acid from coming up right after eating.
If your baby likes being in a carrier, this is not that hard to do since you could just put them in there after burping them. Caleb hated his infant carrier so I had to hold him upright for at least an hour after every meal (including nighttime) because if I didn’t he would spit up right away.
Rhythmic Patting While Rocking Baby
I don’t know how or why this helps but it does! As I said before, Caleb was extremely hard to soothe and holding him in my arms close to me while rocking him did not work. However, if I patted his back rhythmically while rocking him, he would quiet down and even fall asleep sometimes.
I would also do this while holding him up against my chest and it helped calm him down as well.
Rocking Baby Up and Down with Head Elevated
This motion mimics a bouncer which I did not have with my first. I really wish I did because it was one of the things that always worked but oh man did it kill my back!!
You pretty much just hold baby out with your hands supporting the neck and bottom and rock baby up and down with their head elevated (pretty much exactly what a bouncer does). This is how I would get Caleb to fall asleep or stop crying when he got fussy, and it worked every time!
Sleep Training
This is a controversial one and definitely something to check with your pediatrician if your baby has GERD but for us, it was game-changing! When Caleb turned 6 months old, I checked with his pediatrician and was given the okay to sleep train him.
I was worried because he spit up all the time so I thought sleep training wouldn’t be safe. However, I was told that it’s actually beneficial for babies with GERD because then they are not eating throughout the night which allows their stomachs to rest.
Obviously, you would want to do your own research and check with your baby’s pediatrician. For us, this is when things started getting easier – after we sleep-trained Caleb (his sleeping was TERRIBLE before this and it was affecting all of us).
Medication
If your baby has GERD something you can talk to the pediatrician about is prescription medication. Caleb was prescribed medication at 4 months old, and although it only helped a little, I did want to include it here because for some babies it helps much more than for others. So it may be worth a try!
There are also different types of medication that you can get (we only tried one and I forgot the name), so if one does not work for your baby try to see if there is another one you could try…
Elevating Baby’s Head While He/ or She Sleeps
This is another one of those things you may want to do your own research on and okay with the pediatrician but it was helpful in our case! Caleb slept in a rocking bassinet so I would elevate the side where his head was and it helped with his spit-ups at night.
When Do Things Get Better…?
Babies can have GERD due to a weak or underdeveloped esophageal sphincter that doesn’t fully close. Usually, by the time they turn 1, this sphincter should get stronger and the symptoms should subside. However, every baby is different and sometimes it can take more or less time for things to improve.
For us, things got better once Caleb was able to sit up on his own and eat more solid foods, which happened around 9 months. I know that this is also the case for many other babies as well.
Dealing with GERD is SO SO HARD not just for the baby but for the parents as well! I have been there with my first and pray that we don’t have to go through it with our second (who is almost due!). If you are going through the thick of it, you are not alone and it does get better!!
