Infant Reflux

The Amby Baby Hammock allows baby to sleep in a slightly upright angle, allowing gravity to keep the stomach acid and food where it belongs – in the stomach.  Baby has less acid reflux pain and enjoys a more restful night’s sleep.  And so do you!   Any time baby does stir and squirm, the gentle bouncing movements of the Amby will lull baby back to sleep before baby fully wakens.

Some babies with GER experience pain to such a degree and frequency that antacid medications are often needed to help baby sleep.  The upright sleep position and rocking motions of the Amby may be so effective that your baby may not need medication.

Gastro-Esophageal Reflux (GER) causes severe heartburn pain when milk and stomach acid flow backwards up into the esophagus.  Normally, gravity keeps breast milk or formula in the stomach, but when a baby lies flat, the stomach contents are allowed to “reflux” back into the esophagus.  During sleep, this acid irritation will cause frequent night waking, pain, excessive spitting up, and restless sleep patterns.

In the early months, around two-thirds of all babies have some degree of GER, which accounts for the frequent spitting up that most babies have. The spitting up does not usually bother these babies, dubbed “happy spitters.” It is not painful, does not slow weight gain, and is more of a laundry problem than a medical one. GER becomes a problem (called GERD – gastroesophageal reflux disease) when it causes painful irritation or damage to the esophagus, interferes with growth and development, interferes with feeding and sleeping, and/or contributes to respiratory problems.

Symptomatic GER usually starts between two to four weeks of age, peaks around four months of age and begins to subside around seven months of age, when babies begin spending most of their days upright, start solid foods and by the law of gravity, food stays down easier. Most infants will outgrow GER by one year of age – I call this “walking away from GER.” Yet, in some children, GER continues throughout childhood, and sometimes into adulthood, where it is manifested more by “heartburn” and “wheezing” episodes.

Another common problem for babies with GER is that their frequent reflux pain often interrupts naptime.  Long naps are not only important for babies, they are a way for tired parents to find time to relax, get some things done around the house, or catch up on much needed sleep themselves.  The Amby is a perfect way to help your baby get those long naps you BOTH need.