Should babies w/ bad reflux still sleep on their backs?

Question

I thought of this when chatting with someone whose baby has acid reflux.

I know these days, the trend is "back to sleep" -- babies should be put to bed on their backs because it supposedly reduces the risk of SIDS (even though it can, at times, create a flattened back of the skull instead!)

My question is: what if a baby has reflux and spits up a lot? Should she still be put to sleep on her back while she's still too young to roll over and change positions? When I was a baby, I spit up a lot, including in my sleep. Due to the fact that I sometimes awoke with a pool of vomit next to me (GROSS but true!), wouldn't you agree that babies like myself should be put to sleep on their sides or tummies? Otherwise, they'd likely inhale and/or choke on their own vomit!! :O :[

Back in the 1970s, when I was born, I don't think there was any "campaign", one way or the other, about baby sleeping positions. But I'm sure glad my mom put me on my side and/or tummy! :)

To MrsZ -- I don't need to go to Google and "educate myself". I'm describing what TRULY happened to me as a baby! My mom really did find me sleeping in a pool of my own VOMIT. What about that is so hard to comprehend? :(

Babies obviously don't vomit in their sleep unless they have weak lower esophageal sphincter muscles, which in turn allows stomach acid and/or food to backflow up the esophagus and, in extreme cases, out the MOUTH.

This problem actually continued into childhood; it was worse than bed-wetting! And now I'm an adult with major acid reflux. Fortunately, though, at least it doesn't happen in my SLEEP anymore! Gotta be thankful for small favors! ;)

Answer 1

Both my son, who is now 4, and my daughter (6 months old) were reflux babies. Both of them started sleeping on their stomach when they were 2 months old. My dr said that even with reflux they should stay on their back, but they would literally spit up entire bottles and I was terrified of them choking.

My fears were affirmed last month when my 6 wk old nephew stopped breathing after "refluxing" while laying on his back. He didn't even spit up enough for it to actually come up and out of his mouth, but just enough for him to choke on it.

I'd check to see what the pediatrician says, but I feel much better with them on their side or tummy. I just make sure to wait until they have enough head control to turn from side to side, and let them practice at naptime first.

Answer 2

Yes, yes, yes! Babies with reflux still need to sleep on their backs. My son was diagnosed with severe reflux at 2 1/2 weeks old. He had massive projectile vomit episodes and then would scream for hours because of the pain (so yes, reflux and vomit coincide). We had to give him medicine before every feeding to help control it, and while he has mostly outgrown it at almost 3 years old, he still has troubles sometimes.

We had our son sleep in his infant carrier. It wasn't recommended by the pediatrician, but when we asked her if it was okay, she said yes. We tried propping his mattress, but he kept falling to the bottom. He was soooo much more comfortable in the carrier and it kept him propped up just enough.

I've done a lot of research on the subject and studies have shown that back-sleeping babies actually don't have an increased risk of choking themselves on their vomit. No matter the baby and the situation, the AAP always recommends back sleeping, there are no cases where other positions have been proven safer.

Answer 3

The pediatrician will let the parents know the best sleeping position for the baby with reflux. The baby will probably need to have the head of the bed elevated. But depending on the details of the reflux, the doctor will know the best sleeping position for the baby. Both of my children had reflux very bad as infants -- one even required being hooked up to a heat and lung monitor while sleeping. The sleeping position (other than having the head of the bed slightly elevated), depended on several things.

I hope this helps.

Answer 4

My 21-month-old daughter also vomits in her sleep. Sometimes it wakes her up, sometimes it doesn't. I didn't know how common this problem was until I brought it up with her doctor. The advice the doctor gave me was to elevate her head while sleeping by putting a folded towel under her crib mattress. I have had to do this for months and it does seem to help the problem. I know that in the early 80s, babies were supposed to sleep on thier stomachs for this exact reason, but now the experts say, they will not choke on thier vomit. I didn't care - my daughter slept on her side because it was so excessive. .

Answer 5

I would like to add my two cents. My daughter had severe jaundice and had to hospitalized so I am somewhat familiar with this topic. Ok first of all, your breast probably had all the colostrum that your baby needed, even though it seems like you didn't make enough. I had the same problem with my first born and I ended up giving him formula too until my milk came in and then when I tried to put him on the breast he rejected it. The nurse told me that babies are very lazy and want to be fed the easiest way. Bottle feeding doesn't take as much effort as nursing on the baby's part so most babies prefer this method. That is why lactation consultants recommend not giving a bottle for the first 6 weeks. However, I did the same thing you did and my son nursed successfully. Second, the bottle that you pumped was colostrum with milk. The early milk that you make is yellow and thick and it is loaded with healthy fat and nutrients for your baby. Don't be scared that there is something wrong with your milk because there is not. Your milk will not make him sick unless you have taken certain medications. It is very possible that the jaundice is making him spit up so much. My daughter had jaundice and was on the lights and she spit up all the time. When we had to rush her to the hospital for not breathing, her doctor told me that jaundiced babies struggle with feeding because their systems are in overload. This is a serious issue. Make sure you talk to the ped. Your pediatrician will probably recommend continuing with the formula until the jaundice is over. This is fine, but continue to pump. You can always start nursing him when he is healthy again. But you have to keep pumping in order to keep making milk. Just store what you have, and then you can give him breast milk when he is ready. He will love your milk because it is sweet. As for the pooping, that is something you really need to talk to the ped about! The only way to get the billi out is through the stool, so if its not coming out then they should check his levels to make sure they are not too high. My daughters were dangerously high by the time she got to the hospital because she was not eating enough. I don't mean to scare you, I just hope the doctor is monitoring you guys close. Good luck!

Answer 6

My daughter had very bad acid reflux and we still put her on her back to sleep. There are things you can buy at Babies 'R' Us that you can put under the matress to elevate the front of the mattress which also helps. Babies usually grow out of the reflux at 6 months when they start to eat solid food so it is safer to keep them on there backs when they sleep. If they spit up in their sleep they will usually swallow it which won't harm them and they won't choke on the liquid to where they shouldn't be able to breathe. I would follow the back to sleep we did and didn't have any problems.

Answer 7

My baby had very bad GERD (Reflux). They actually put him on Prevacid when he was only 8 weeks old because he couldn't eat or sleep. He screamed in pain and hunger all day and most of the night. As a paranoid mom, I put him to sleep every night on his back, and every night he was restless and in pain. Finally my husband, to my horror, flipped my son over onto his tummy in exasperation. He fell right to sleep. I was floored. He slept on his tummy from then on. He is now a healthy almost two year old and has mostly outgrown the reflux. And he still sleeps on his tummy. Some doctors will tell you that tummy-sleeping doesn't just reduce the chance of aspirating vomit in GERD babies, but it is also vastly more comfortable for them. Just my personal experience; no recommendations being made here.

Answer 8

My husband and I had this problem with our baby as well. At first it was so bad and we were so worried, that not only did I not sleep for like 3 weeks so that I could always watch him, but he slept in his vibrating seat so that he would be propped up. Then I discovered that my sleep deprivation could be just as dangerous, so we bought some bumper pads and put him on his side. We had a couple incidents in the car seat as well. So as SOON as he was legally big enough, I turned him forward facing. I got a LOT of crap for that, but sometimes he was so quiet when he choked, that I was scared I wouldn't hear him, and those little mirrors just aren't big enough to see clearly. So, I turned him and said screw anyone who doesn't agree, I'M his mom, and I'M responsible for him, NOT them!

Answer 9

Mrs Z. is wrong and shari516 is right -- in really bad cases of acid reflux/GERD, people can have vomitting at times. Have you ever had one of those "burps" that turns out to be more than just air -- instead, when you make the burping action, you feel a splash of burning liquid in your throat? THAT is reflux right there, I know because I have it myself. The burning is because that's vomit in your throat! Fortunately it usually stops at that point in adults, but in babies, who have even weaker esophageal sphincters, it can and -does- lead to actual vomitting sometimes. I've seen cases of it, in fact.

Answer 10

I found that sleeping my daughter on her side made it better for her... there are these pad things that you can get to keep them from rolling on to their tummy or back....

and for the record, babies are born with a natural reflex to turn their head when they spit up so they don't choke... parenting books are a great resource...