How to Treat Reflux in Babies
By Dr. Roberto Albani, Pediatrician and Gastroenterologist
Symptoms, Silent Reflux, and Practical Ways to Help Your Baby Feel Better
Reflux is one of the most common conditions affecting babies, particularly in the first months of life. Almost every paediatrician encounters it daily, and yet it leaves many families feeling confused, unheard and unsure how to relieve their babies discomfort.
Understanding why reflux happens — and what you can do to help — can make an enormous difference to both your baby’s comfort and your own rest.
What is reflux in babies?
Reflux occurs when the contents of the stomach, — milk mixed with gastric acid, — flow back into the oesophagus (the tube connecting the mouth and stomach). This happens because the valve that should separate the stomach from the oesophagus, the lower oesophageal sphincter, does not yet function efficiently in many babies. As a result, stomach contents can rise upwards for hours after a feed and babies can experience burning, irritation and pain.
Why reflux is so common in newborns?
Newborns are particularly prone to reflux; their oesophagus is short, their diet is entirely liquid, they spend much of the day lying down, and the valve at the entrance to the stomach is still immature. For these reasons, around half of all newborns show clear signs of reflux during the first months of life causing worry amongst families.
This does not mean that something is “wrong” with the baby. It means that the digestive system is still developing and help is available.
What are the symptoms of reflux in babies?
In the early weeks, reflux often begins quietly. At first, the baby may simply regurgitate milk frequently, sometimes after every feed. This regurgitation is effortless and should not be confused with vomiting.
With time, however, repeated contact between stomach acid and the oesophagus can cause inflammation. At this stage, reflux becomes symptomatic and the baby begins to suffer.
The most typical signs include:
- Frequent milk regurgitation, sometimes hours after feeding
- Persistent hiccups, often several times a day
- Excessive burping, even long after a feed
- Episodes of crying that appear painful and are often labelled as “colic”
- Feeding difficulties: the baby latches on, then stiffens, arches, cries and pulls away despite being hungry
- Disturbed sleep, with frequent waking and restlessness
- A clear preference for being held upright in arms and distress when laid flat
Parents usually notice that the baby is calmer when held against the adult’s chest with the head resting on the shoulder. This is not a coincidence: gravity reduces the upward flow of acid and brings immediate relief.
What is silent reflux?
Not all babies with reflux spit up obvious amounts of milk. Some bring very little up, yet show all the other signs of discomfort. In these cases, the reflux is still present, but it is less visible. Acid rises into the oesophagus and is swallowed again, continuing to irritate the tissues. These babies are often described as having “silent reflux”, though the discomfort is anything but silent and felt by the whole family.
These babies may:
- Cry frequently
- Sleep poorly
- Feed in short, unsettled bursts
- Prefer upright positions
- Appear uncomfortable much of the day
Can reflux affect sleep?
Yes and this is one of the biggest reasons families seek help.
Lying flat makes it easier for stomach acid to travel upward. Babies may wake shortly after being put down, seem unable to settle, or only sleep when held.
Over time, broken sleep can affect the entire household which is why we invented BabyUp® to help babies and families take a well earned rest.
How to treat reflux in babies and reduce discomfort
Most parents searching online are looking for ways to help their baby feel better right now.
While medical advice is important when symptoms are severe, many natural, everyday strategies can significantly reduce reflux discomfort.
Keep your baby upright after feeds
Supportive upright positioning for 20–60 minutes after feeding is one of the most widely recommended approaches. Gravity helps prevent milk and acid from moving upward.
Avoid pressure on the stomach
Tight clothing or curled positions can worsen symptoms.
Offer manageable feed sizes
Smaller, more frequent feeds may reduce stomach distension.
Slow feeding and reduce swallowed air
A calm, unhurried pace can make a difference.
Use safe supportive upright positioning
Many parents spend hours holding their baby against their chest. Providing a secure, elevated position can help babies stay comfortable while giving parents much-needed relief. Please note, we do not support wedges as they are not safe or approved devices (read our article – link).
Does reflux harm babies?
One of the reasons reflux is so often dismissed is that most babies with reflux grow normally. They gain weight, appear healthy, and show no signs of serious disease.
This leads many clinicians to reassure parents by saying: “Your baby is fine, there is nothing to treat”. From a purely medical point of view, this may be true. From the baby’s point of view, and from the family’s, it is often not.
Reflux almost never endangers a baby’s life or growth. But it can profoundly affect comfort, sleep, feeding and family well-being. These aspects deserve attention in their own right as they can be long-lasting.
Do babies grow out of reflux?
In most cases, yes.
As babies mature, begin sitting, and eat solid foods, the valve at the top of the stomach becomes more effective. Symptoms often improve through the second half of the first year.
But families should not feel they must simply endure months of exhaustion while waiting for time to pass, there are solutions such as seeking medical help and alleviating naturally with products like the BabyUp®.
Separating Science from Myth
Over the years, reflux has accumulated a large number of myths. These often lead to unnecessary worry, inappropriate treatments, or, conversely, to unjustified inaction.
“If the baby is growing, reflux is not a problem”
Growth tells us that the baby is receiving enough nutrition. It tells us nothing about pain, irritation or sleep quality. Many babies suffer considerably despite growing well.
“Reflux is caused by milk allergy”
In most cases, reflux is not allergic in origin. It is a mechanical problem related to valve function. Repeatedly changing formulas or imposing restrictive diets on breastfeeding mothers is rarely useful unless there are clear signs of true allergy.
“Reflux is just colic”
Colic is not a diagnosis but a description such as crying. In many babies, so-called colic is simply the painful manifestation of reflux that has not yet been recognised.
“If there is no spit-up, there is no reflux”
Visible regurgitation is only one sign. Hiccups, feeding refusal, back-arching, disturbed sleep and constant irritability may all indicate reflux even when little milk is seen coming up.
“Nothing can be done — babies just have to grow out of it”
Time does help, but suffering should not be accepted as inevitable. Simple measures — particularly positioning the baby upright, appropriate feeding management and, when necessary, medical treatment — can significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for both baby and parents.
When extra support can help families cope
Caring for a baby with reflux can require hours each day of upright holding. Arms ache, meals go cold, and rest becomes difficult.
Some families find that a safe, elevated place for baby after feeds helps maintain comfort while allowing everyday life to continue.
Discover how BabyUp® is designed to support upright positioning with its shoulder replicated angle (link SRA) soothing, and family interaction while your baby rests.
Reflux in babies is common, usually benign, but very often underestimated. Recognising it early and understanding how it truly manifests allows families to respond with clarity rather than anxiety, and with compassion rather than resignation.
In my experience, listening carefully to parents and observing the baby tells us far more than any invasive test ever could.
Find out how BabyUp® helps provide care and rest for babies and the whole family with the SRA 70 degree angle positioning.