Babywearing has so many benefits and when it comes to comfort for baby, it’s one of the best tools parents can use. Wearing our babies can calm an overtired baby, can make it easier to get our chores done, allow us to breastfeed hands-free, and if your baby suffers from acid reflux, babywearing can be an amazing way to reduce their discomfort.
According to the Mayo Clinic, infant acid reflux is, “the condition where the contents of the stomach are spit out, usually shortly after feeding” and it becomes less common as your baby gets older and by 18 months is typically no longer a concern.
When your baby is young and experiencing acid reflux, it can be hard on both parents and baby. Your child may be fussier than they usually are or seem uncomfortable, but the good news is, acid reflux is rarely an immediate health concern.
After you’ve checked in with your doctor and they confirm your baby has acid reflux and will likely outgrow it and their symptoms don’t indicate something more serious like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or pyloric stenosis, you can turn your concern to helping decrease their discomfort while they are working to grow up and away from the symptoms. One of biggest tools for parents looking to increase the comfort of their baby with acid reflux is through babywearing.
Babywearing your infant who is experiencing acid reflux works in two ways: it is a great comfort for your baby to be close to you and keeping them upright will help reduce the stomach contents from coming up.
We all know that wearing your baby helps reduce colic, helps aid your infant into a peaceful sleep (thanks to the hum of your heartbeat and the movement), and those are all beneficial perks for your baby who is experiencing acid reflux. You’ll want to choose a baby carrier that holds them tightly and minimizes bouncy movements as to not make their reflux worse. Baby carriers that keep your infant upright, and not laying down, will be better choices to get the most out of babywearing for acid reflux.
Using a wrap carrier like the Moby Wrap, Baby K’tan or the Boba wrap, is perfect for young babies, while keeping them upright. The added benefit for wrap carriers is you can practice skin-to-skin in the comfort of your house while still being covered. You can keep your baby close and tight, keeping the hard movements down and increasing their comfort.
You can also use a carrier like the ErgoBaby Carrier, which is perfect for new babies and using the face-to-face position, you’re keeping your infant close and upright – perfect soothing methods for your baby who is experiencing acid reflux.