Page 147 - (DK) Home Doctor: Providing practical advice on home treatments

COMMON CONDITIONS: PROBLEMS IN BABIES 145

What you can do yourself continued…
PRACTICAL TIPS
● A baby who has been diagnosed with reflux
needs a special feeding regimen until he or she grows Coping with reflux A baby with reflux
out of the condition (see PRACTICAL TIPS, right). will dislike being laid flat on his or her back and
needs to be handled carefully after a feeding. The
Breast-feeding following measures will help reduce regurgitation.
● If you have not breast-fed before, there are
several tips that will help get you off to a good ● Change your baby’s diaper before the feeding and
start (see PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE, left). Make sure handle your baby gently and hold him or her upright
you have help from someone who has had after the feeding.
● Give smaller feedings more frequently to avoid
experience in breast-feeding.
overloading your baby’s stomach.
● Your baby may find it hard to latch on if your ● If you are bottle-feeding, use a thickened formula,
breasts are engorged or very full. Expressing a designed for babies with reflux problems. (Ask your
little milk before he or she begins to feed will doctor for advice.) Don’t add extra powdered formula
soften the breast. This will also help if your baby to a feeding. A breast-fed baby over 4 months old
can be given 2 teaspoonfuls (10 ml) of baby rice
chokes because your milk flows too fast.
cereal dissolved in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of
● Until your baby has learned to breast-feed expressed milk or formula before feedings.
properly, don’t use pacifiers or bottles. ● Your baby may be more comfortable in a baby seat
immediately after a feeding. Raising the head of the
● Occasionally expressing milk by hand or using
crib slightly on books or bricks may help make your
a breast pump between feedings will help empty baby more comfortable during sleep.
the breast and stimulate a good supply of milk.
Preventing
This also helps draw out a flat or inverted nipple,
reflux
as does wearing a nipple shield.
Keep your baby
● Make sure you eat an extra 500 calories a day semi-upright
and rest whenever you can to maintain a good in a baby chair
milk supply for your baby. or seat for the
first 30 minutes
● If your baby is unsettled and wakes screaming or so after
between feedings, try excluding dairy products each feeding.
from your diet for a week to see if the problem is
due to an allergic reaction to them. If symptoms
improve, continue these measures.
Bottle-feeding
● If your baby is feeding too slowly, try a nipple
with a larger hole. Conversely, a baby who gulps
and feeds too fast may need a nipple with a
smaller hole.

● Try changing to a different milk formula if
Seek further medical advice
your baby is consistently unsettled or unhappy
after feeding. If he or she wakes screaming Arrange to see your doctor if:
between feedings, try a hypoallergenic formula for
● Your baby appears lethargic or listless or
a week to see if the problem is due to milk allergy.
you have concerns about his or her weight
If symptoms improve, continue these measures.
● Your baby has symptoms of milk intolerance
● If your baby has diarrhea and vomiting or allergy, such as diarrhea, vomiting,
(see p.143), be careful about washing your hands abdominal pain, and colic
before a feeding and be meticulous about ● Reflux persists after the age of 18 months
sterilizing bottles and equipment.