Reflux Natural Remedy

Acid reflux, which is also known as gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), is one of the most common problems among infants. Babies with suffering from acid reflux often present a range of conditions. These range from a mild degree to more severe ones, for example persistent spitting up, night waking and abdominal pain.

It would be easier for someone to comprehend this article if s/he had an understanding of the physiological or the mechanical aspect of the illness. Humans have a band of muscle in a circular arrangement which is called the lower esophageal sphincter. This purpose of this muscle is to separate the esophagus from the stomach. When food flows into the stomach, the muscle closes in order to avoid stomach acids and contents from flowing up into the esophagus or regurgitating. In some situations with babies, the lower esophageal sphincter is not fully developed. As a result, the incompletely digested food and digestive acids are allowed to be refluxed. This causes what is called heartburn i.e. an irritation in the esophagus lining which eventually results to inflammation.

Among babies, acid reflux typically develops between the ages of two to four weeks. Physicians generally prescribe medication that reduces the secretion of digestive acids. Within 6 to 9 months, the acid reflux starts to be reduced naturally. During this period, the infants spend most of their time in an upright position. Due to this, the food stays down more naturally and decreases the possibility of regurgitation.

To reduce acid reflux in babies, follow these suggestions on feeding and positioning:

• Organize smaller feed sessions more regularly. If a smaller amount of milk goes into the stomach, digestion will be quicker and there will be a smaller amount of food to be potentially regurgitated.
• After feeding keep the baby in an upright position. As stated earlier, this helps to keep the food under digestion down. You could place the baby in your lap while his head rests on your chest. Maintain this position for at least 30 minutes after feeding.
• If you can do it, breastfeeding helps quite a bit. It is widely known that breast milk has many advantages compared to commercial formula, especially for babies suffering from acid reflux. The main reason is that breast milk can be digested faster. This reduces spitting up, and it has special enzymes which help digestion. Additionally, breast milk does not set off allergies to babies like other milks available in the market might do. If you use formula-feeding, it is recommended to use milk with a hypoallergenic formula but make sure you discuss this with your doctor. Besides having increased tolerance with sensitive intestines, hypoallergenic milk can also be digested faster, hence minimizing the possibility of reflux.
• When sleeping, set the baby in a comfortable position. When a baby lies flat when sleeping, there is no gravity to keep the food down as when maintaining the baby in an upright position. Consequently, a baby with acid reflux often has to bear a painful night waking. If a baby can sleep well, then there is no need to change the ways it lies down. However, babies become agitated and this can manifest as acid breath, abdominal pain and wet burps. In situations like this, it is suggested to raise the baby’s crib to about thirty degrees. This will reduce the regurgitation. Sleeping on his/her left side will help to keep the food down because the inlet of the stomach is higher than the exit. You would need to train the baby to do that however