Remedies for reflux in babies

For many new parents, anything that happens to the newborn can turn into drama or astrological fact, but sometimes it is simply a lack of experience that causes them to exaggerate situations and take more than one upset unnecessarily. All this, although it can be a whole Greek tragedy, makes them learn, harden and realize themselves as new parents who begin to train their little one and teach him to face the world.

One of the fears that is usually had when starting to feed them are those small vomits that they usually have when they finish taking breast milk or the bottle and that can extend throughout their first year of life. This is known as gastroesophageal reflux and is perfectly normal as long as it occurs within limits and does not get worse over time.

WHAT EXACTLY IS GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX?

Gastroesophageal reflux is a condition that occurs when stomach contents are returned from the stomach to the esophagus, causing regurgitation and occurs mainly in babies, and can extend throughout their first year of life.

When people eat, food passes from the throat to the stomach through the esophagus. In this procedure, a ring of muscle fibers, called the lower esophageal sphincter, is located in the upper part of the stomach and prevents what we eat from returning to the esophagus . If it does not close properly, the food can return to the esophagus and produces the gastroesophageal reflux that parents make so much of a headache in the first months of their children.

In babies, it is normal for a small amount to be produced, however, continuous reflux with frequent vomiting can be a problem by irritating the esophagus and also causing discomfort for the little one. There is a more intense type of reflux that leads to weight loss or more serious problems such as difficulty breathing. In this case it would not be a good thing and it would be necessary to consult the child’s pediatrician to specify valid remedies that would end the problem.

Symptoms that can include this severe reflux are:

– A lot of coughing, especially after meals.

– Excessive crying that may suggest that the baby is in pain.

– Excessive vomiting during the first weeks of life and which is usually worse when drinking milk, either breast milk or from a bottle.

– Extremely strong vomiting.

– The baby shows a lack of appetite or does not get to feed as it should.

– Refusing to eat.

– Slow growth.

– Weightloss.

– Whistling or other problems when breathing.

However, it is important to know that this only occurs in more serious cases, and that usually reflux, although it is annoying and disturbing for parents, does not usually affect the proper feeding and growth of babies .

In general, the pediatrician usually makes a diagnosis simply by asking parents about the symptoms of babies, or by performing a small physical exam. However, there are some cases in which the symptoms are more severe or the children are not growing well, in which case it is necessary to perform a series of tests to find the best possible remedies. Some of the tests the doctor may order are: monitoring the esophageal pH of food entering the stomach from the esophagus, x-ray of the esophagus, or x-ray of the upper digestive tract after you are given a special liquid to drink.

POSSIBLE REMEDIES FOR GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX

It is very likely that it is not necessary to make excessive changes in the menus of the babies, especially if they are growing well and that, even if these refluxes occur, they are satisfied and well fed. Although the pediatrician can suggest some remedies to alleviate the symptoms and improve the child’s quality of life, such as:

– Make the baby burp every 30 or 60 ml of bottle milk, or in the case of breastfeeding, do every time he changes from one breast to another.

– Add rice cereals, a small spoonful to 60 ml of bottle milk or expressed breast milk.

– Hold the baby upright for 20 to 30 minutes after he has eaten.

– Raise the head of the crib.

There are also natural remedies for those lighter cases that may be more useful for saving families or parents more averse to chemicals that exist in pharmacies. Even so, before using them, it is advisable to speak with the pediatrician to be sure not to give the little one something that could make it worse or harm instead of making it better:

– Licorice in infusion.

– Herbal tea, made with mallow, plantain, calendula, marshmallow and chamomile in equal parts.

– A teaspoon of green clay in half a glass of water before the meal.

Reflux can be a headache for new and inexperienced parents and a very uncomfortable discomfort for little ones who suffer from it, causing insomnia and lack of rest that can make babies uncomfortable in their first days. However, in most cases it is still a temporary annoyance that usually subsides as soon as the child’s digestive system gets used to its new functioning and gains some strength.