Probiotics And Acid Reflux In Babies

But How Do I Get My Fussy Refluxy Crying Baby To Sleep You Say

We know that left side positioning of babies decreases spilling and vomiting episodes, so if you are holding your baby getting ready for a sleep, try either left lying across your front cradle hold or upright over your shoulder. Always have baby sleep on their back, but left positioning is great for settling in your arms or in their cot as you pat or rub their back to settle . Roll them once theyve settled, and always supervise any left laying time.

Try to keep any top up feeds away from naps, give your baby the 20-40 minutes for gastric emptying before trying to settle to sleep for a nap.

Dummies/pacifiers work wonders in newborns with and without reflux! If you have a spilly baby offering a pacifier will not only ease any discomfort without over feeding, but it will also help trigger babys calming reflex and make sleep come easily. Even if your baby doesnt sleep with a dummy, offering one to a reflux baby in their wind down time can aid in calming and wind for a reflux baby.

Swaddling your fussy new-born will also likely help with any reflux symptoms but watch how tight your wrap/swaddle is over their tummy. Too tight and youll make things worse, consider something with a bit of give like an ergo pouch zip up swaddle, or a love to dream.

Emma Purdue

Elevate The Baby While Sleeping

Of course, sleeping babies on their back is safest and most recommended, so you should always talk to your pediatrician about alternate sleep arrangements. Babywearing for naps is a great way to keep baby upright and possibly more comfortable. If you would prefer to have your baby in a crib, you can buy a wedge and a sleep positioner to keep baby from rolling or sliding down when elevatedbut they should always be supervised.

What Is Reflux Versus Silent Reflux

In basic terms, reflux is when acid comes up from your little one’s stomach and burns their throat. You may know that feeling yourself after youve eaten too fast or had a lot of fatty food. Ouch!

As adults this is commonly known as heartburn and although the reasons for heartburn in an adult can be quite different to infant reflux, the results are the same – that horrid burning sensation of acid coming up your oesophagus and even into your mouth.

And this pain is why a bubba with reflux cries. A lot.

Check out our blog that talks about what reflux is, and the various degrees and different types of reflux. This will help you understand what may be happening to your wee ones digestive system to cause such discomfort.

For now though, we want to touch specifically on silent reflux , as this can be harder to spot than general reflux, and may be affecting your babys ability to sleep .

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Which Are The Best Probiotic Strains For Colic And Reflux

We recommend finding probiotics which contain strains that have been researched in infants and babies, specifically for symptoms associated with colic and reflux.

Some of the best probiotics for babies include:

• Bifidobacterium breve M-16V® was shown to discourage the growth of pathogens associated with colic, help colonisation of the infant’s gut with healthy bacteria, whilst reducing gastrointestinal symptoms such as colic and reflux6.
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG® was shown to reduce crying associated with colic and reflux symptoms whilst also helping with gastrointestinal infections7

How To Recognize It

Reflux is a common problem among young infants. While reflux isnt necessarily dangerous, it can cause problems for your babies, such as poor feeding and fussiness.

The stomach acids that are normally squelched by the esophagus can irritate the lining of the esophagus, causing pain.

If your baby is fussy after feedings due to reflux symptoms, you may be considering trying probiotics to help reduce or prevent them.

There are many different symptoms of acid reflux in infants including feeding problems like:

• spitting up or vomiting after eating
• crying during or even immediately after feedings
• constipation/diarrhea
• excessive sweating around the face and chest area due to increased body temperature from trying not to vomit out acidic bile into the esophagus.

Its confusing when so many different symptoms arise around the same time. The cause of infant acid reflux is not fully understood by current medical science, but treatments are available to get things back on track quickly.

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Tongue Tie Revision May Get Rid Of Baby Reflux

When scouring the internet for solutions to infant reflux or colic, did you see a photo of a wailing, tongue-tied baby with the words TONGUE TIE MIGHT = REFLUX in bright, eye-catching letters?

No? Me neither.

But, boy would that be useful. When a baby has atongue-tie, the bottom of the tongue is tethered to the floor of the mouth. You can read more about it through the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Ultimately, a tongue-tie can weaken your babys latch and lead to swallowing massive amounts of air, otherwise known as aerophagia . Besides a loose or shallow latch, some telltale signs of tongue-tie include a clicking sound while feeding, stuffiness in the morning, and reflux.

So, its worth looking in to.

Limit Dairy Soy Citrus Caffeine Etc

After doing some research online and talking with some mom friends, the first change I made was to cut dairy from my diet, as I was exclusively breastfeeding. If you formula feeding your baby, there is dairy in regular formula as well, so try switching to a hypoallergenic formula like Nutramigen or Alimentum. After cutting dairy, Quincy was happier more often than not.

In addition, I limited soy, citrus, caffeine, chocolate, and eggs. Here are a few of my favorite non-dairy substitutes or dairy-free things are :

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Symptoms Of Silent Reflux

Crying

Tears, perhaps better described as screams, are your babys way of telling you theyre in discomfort, however a lot of babies with reflux wont cry, instead they may be difficult to settle or get to sleep.

But first things first. Just because your baby is crying a lot doesnt mean they have silent reflux.

There may be a number of underlying issues causing them tears. Make sure to rule out everything on our list that may cause your baby to cry, before suspecting silent reflux.

Elevate Baby While Eating

While its tempting to use your nursing pillow and feed baby as he lays down, its 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 youre bottle feeding, or have baby nurse upright. A Boppy pillow can be helpful for positioning baby upright after meals, too.

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Four Risk Factors For Reflux In Infants

One of the biggest ones is maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy. This can happen for a number of reasons: to deal with group B streptococcus , other infections that a mother might get, or even maternal antibiotic use prior to pregnancy. What we know now is that the mothers gut flora profoundly influences the babys gut flora. Researchers used to think that the babys gut was completely sterile until they are born essentially, until they moved down the birth canal, where their first exposure to bacteria is in the vaginal canalthe baby gets exposed to both the vaginal microbiota and feces, and that was the initial colonization, and that totally determines the kind of imprint of gut flora that the baby gets. But theres actually some recent research that suggests colonization of the babys gut actually happens in utero, or it begins in utero. So the status of the mothers gut health, both prior to pregnancy and during pregnancy, is providing that initial imprint of the babys gut flora. So for people who are planning to conceive, women who are planning to conceive, its really crucial to do everything that they can to optimize their own gut microbiota prior to conceiving. Thats in an ideal world. Of course, not everyone knows this or has the opportunity to do this, so we always have to just start from where we can. But its never too late to pay attention to this.

What If My Child Is Not Growing Out Of Silent Reflux

If your older baby or toddler still shows symptoms of silent reflux, despite eating solids and their digestive system maturing, they may have ongoing silent reflux issues that should be addressed medically.

This is very rare, but shouldnt be ruled out. Here are some common signs that toddlers or older kids may still be suffering:

• Speech development: They stop babbling or talking, perhaps in response to pain, or have a hoarse voice
• They have teeth that show signs of erosion
• Eating issues: be fussy over certain foods and textures
• Endless ear infections
• They may remain clingy and cranky .

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Is There Medication For Infant Reflux

Of course, some medical doctors may recommend prescription medications to decrease or neutralize your babys 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 arent 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.

Best Probiotic For Acid Relfux

Acid reflux and GERD can cause significant discomfort, but with the right probiotics, you may be able to keep your acid reflux under control. The best probiotic for acid reflux should offer a diverse variety of bacterial strains and contain natural ingredients. Along with probiotic-rich foods, consider taking a probiotic supplement, like DrFormulas® Nexabiotic.

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Tears Before Bedtime Silent Reflux In Babies

Reflux is often bandied about in mothers groups and parent circles when a baby seems like theyre in discomfort, or are spilling up loads and loads of milk. But, sometimes, reflux can go completely undetected.

Heres what to look out for if you suspect your baby is suffering from silent reflux, and the steps you can take to manage it.

Your Baby Has Acute Gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis is defined as diarrhea or vomiting that lasts more than seven days. You should always talk to your doctor if your baby is experiencing these symptoms, and there is some evidence that probiotics can help, according to Kaufmann. The effect is that probiotics compete with enteric pathogens, there are then less nutrients for these pathogens, and probiotics increase immune response, she says.

One systematic review of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials found that the use of probiotics compared with placebo was associated with a significantly lower risk of diarrhea lasting more than three daysSzajewska H, Mrukowicz JZ. Probiotics in the treatment and prevention of acute infectious diarrhea in infants and children: a systematic review of published randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2001. 33 2:S17-25. .

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Different Strains Do Different Things

Not all probiotics are created equal. Various bacteria and yeast strains offer different benefits. It is important to take a look at labels to be sure you are getting the most effective strain possible for what your child needs. The most common types of probiotics are:

• Lactobacillus: often found in milk and fermented foods
• Bifidobacterium: found in some dairy products
• Saccharomyces boulardii: a probiotic yeast

Each type has different strains that can address specific difficulties. The experts at NW Pediatric and Family Nutrition can help you understand and choose the best one for your child.

Tips For Getting Kids To Take Probiotics

Fruit-flavored chews and flavored drink mixes with probiotics made just for children can be found on almost any grocery shelf, and probiotics are also being offered in cereals, juices, snack bars and some infant formula. Once again, check with your pediatrician to see what probiotics she recommends.

If your child turns up a nose to those choices, foods like yogurt, miso soup, pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir have naturally occurring probiotics. In fact, most naturally-fermented foods are rich in probiotics, so stock up on those foods for your whole family.

While probiotics add another line of defense of good microorganisms to the body, they are not a digestive cure-all. Contact your INTEGRIS Health pediatrician for more information about probiotics for your child.

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Other Lesser Known Ppi Side Effects

PPIs interfere with the absorption of calcium, iron, zinc, and chromium to name a few. This means that you arent getting nutrients very well from the food you eat.

Stomach acid is also required for proper protein digestion as well. Think about it. You are trying to block acid, but the blocking of acid causes indigestion. Yikes.

Biogaia Protectis Probiotic Drops

BioGaia is a probiotic that includes one stain, Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis. This is the same strain found in breastmilk, which may encourage the growth of healthy bacteria in a babys digestive system.

The manufacturers website notes that these probiotics have been clinically evaluated and proven to reduce crying time in colicky babies, ease regurgitation, constipation, diarrhea, decrease spit-up frequency, and promote a healthy digestive system. Yet, they do not include details regarding the clinical studies on their probiotic drops.

BioGaia Probiotic Drops also include vitamin D3. Some studies in adults have shown that taking probiotics with vitamin D can improve their effectiveness.

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Four Remedies For Colic And Baby Reflux

Baby reflux. Colic. Eczema. A bowel movement every few days. My naturally-birthed, breast milk-fed baby had it all going on. If youre unfamiliar with reflux in babies, imagine that your baby has just fallen asleep. Then minutes later, he wakes up while swallowing acidic, partially digested milk. Or, theres projectile spit up.

While spit up is very common in healthy babies, with baby reflux you might also see:

• Excessive crying

Colic is usually described as a newborn who cries and cries especially at night arching his back in frustration as two bewildered and sleepy parents shush, jiggle, and bounce the baby.

Below are some colic and baby reflux remedies.

Other Natural Treatments For Heartburn

Many peoples acid reflux simply goes away when they eliminate or minimize the big food sensitivities and limit sugar and overly processed foods.

This can be a challenging journey, but well worth it.

For many, adding calming drinks and these herbs can be beneficial to help reduce stress-induced acid reflux.

The following herbal teas or supplements can be used to help with heartburn and reflux symptoms:

• Apple cider vinegar with the mother

Some of these foods, while acidic, can be very soothing for GERD. This is because at the root of some peoples reflux is low stomach acid. These foods can also have very healing effects on the digestive tract.

Just make sure to start with a small amount and use common sense. For example, dilute the vinegar before you use it, or serve it as a condiment rather than drinking it in its concentrated form.

Probiotic supplements are often a great add-in for digestion if you arent eating these probiotic foods daily.

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Ditch The Infant Car Seat

My son absolutely hated being in his infant car seat or anything that put him in a curled position. I later realized that the reason Quincy screamed anytime I tried to put him in the stroller or car was because his infant seat curled him into a position that made his reflux even more uncomfortable. I thought it would be okay because he was in a position that kept his head elevated, but it made him worse.

There wasnt much I could do about it except switch him to the stroller seat and a convertible car seat and ditch his infant seat sooner than I normally would have but at least I understood why he hated being in the car and screamed bloody murder the entire time.

Can Probiotics Make Acid Reflux Work

The good bacteria in our guts are called probiotics. They are found in foods like yogurt and supplements. They may help ease the symptoms of acid reflux. Probiotics may help the digestive system by promoting faster absorption and easing the process of emptying the stomach. Food that is too full can back up into the esophagus and cause the symptoms of acid reflux. Probiotics may also reduce inflammation in the digestive system, which may ease the symptoms of GERD.

A 2018 study investigated the effects of probiotics on SIBO in children with GERD. The participants included 128 children with the disorder and 120 without GERD. The children were divided into two groups: those who took a PPI plus probiotics and those who took a placebo. The probiotics group had lower SIBO rates than the control group. In addition, the probiotics reduce the risk of dysbiosis associated with PPI use.

When it comes to treating acid reflux, it is better to try to cure the condition naturally. While antacids are necessary for many people, probiotics are recommended to help mitigate acid reflux symptoms. A NOW Foods Clinical GI Probiotic is a good option. There are other strains, however, that arent well studied. In addition to taking probiotics, you may want to try taking melatonin and deep breathing techniques.

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