Question for parents of DC with reflux. Re: Elevating their head while sleeping.

My ped suggested we have DS (4 weeks old) sleep in his infant carrier or in his bouncer to keep him elevated to help with reflux. I was looking for other alternatives because while DS likes his bouncer and carrier, he wouldn't last a whole night in either one.

Any suggestions?

Also... we're going to add some rice cereal to his night time bottle tonight... anyone have any success with doing that?

Re: Question for parents of DC with reflux. Re: Elevating their head while sleeping.

We had DC sleep at night in his swing until he was too big and started trying to roll in it (at about 7 months). This worked erally well for us.

ETA the swing was in the recline position so it inly gave him a little bit of an incline and was perfect.

Message edited 9/23/2010 9:51:36 AM.

Re: Question for parents of DC with reflux. Re: Elevating their head while sleeping.

DD sleeps in the bassinett and we elevate the pad with a folded blanket. The car seat and bouncer were not options for long term sleeping for us either.

Rice cereal helped DD keep the milk (pumped breast milk) down a little better but she would still writhe in pain from the burning.

There is no immediate cure for reflux but hopefully you will find some sort of combination that works for your DS. HTH

Re: Question for parents of DC with reflux. Re: Elevating their head while sleeping.

DS slept in his swing for about the first 4 months - I definitely would NOT suggest that! Once we got him in his crib, I tried a wedge but it didn't work because he would just slide off. Some posters on here recommended an acid reflux pillow and it was great. They are harnessed into it so they can't fall out or slide down and it keeps them at a 30 degree angle. I was going to order from the company and then found one in perfect condition on Craigslist.

The website is - arpillow.com

I got it in early June so DS was about 4.5 months then. We stopped using it around 6.5 months or so because he was just moving around too much. He is fine in the crib now and not on any sort of pillow or wedge (although he is still on 2 reflux meds.) The pillow was totally worth it for the two months we used it.

We had initially tried rice cereal in the bottle but it constipated him badly so we now put oatmeal in the bottle.

Re: Question for parents of DC with reflux. Re: Elevating their head while sleeping.

They sell a Crib Wedge that goes under the crib sheet and elevates the baby a bit




They also have the Summer Infant Inclined to Sleep




IMO - I don't know if I agree with your ped. I'm sorry. Here's a link to a report as to why infants shouldn't sleep in car seats It states "The incline of a car seat is also crucial, said Silva -- an infant car seat must be installed such that the baby sits at a 45-degree angle, which helps keep the airway open."

When my DD was an infant I had to have her in a carrier for at least a half hour or so after each feeding because her reflux was so bad.

Hope it calms down soon !!

Re: Question for parents of DC with reflux. Re: Elevating their head while sleeping.

I just wanted to add that DS wouldn't stay on a wedge or pillow in the crib. Daycare actually put him in a boppy in the crib for naps and then put the boppy under the mattress to prop it up when he got bigger. But I put a towel under the mattress at home to inlcine it and he would just roll all the way down to the bottom as he slept.