Infant Reflux: What Is Reflux, How to Cope with It, and Tips for Avoiding Spit-Up in the First Place

Infant reflux can be scary for parents, but it is often a normal part of a baby's growth and development. What should not be normal is parents covered in reflux themselves. Encountering baby reflux can be frightening to a parent at first.

What is infant reflux? Babies have immature digestive systems. As they process the milk in their stomachs, they sometimes regurgitate it. Normal infant reflux is a milky white liquid with a slightly foul smell. The more babies eat, the more that is available in their stomachs to come out. 

As a parent, you might finally be settling into your feeding routine, only to encounter a new surprise: the concern of reflux. Are you doing something wrong? Is your baby allergic to a food in breastmilk or vitamin in formula? If your baby is happy, eating well, and continuing to grow, that white, milky reflux that comes out after a feeding is likely quite normal. Infant reflux does not necessarily mean anything is wrong (although if you are concerned, please consult your pediatrician*).

Some tips to limit reflux:

• After a feeding, hold baby in an upright position. 

• Whether holding a baby on the shoulder or facing out, secure baby by holding in ways that do not push on stomach.
• Burp gently on the shoulder without putting too much pressure on the baby’s stomach.
• Wait to do “tummy time” until after baby has had time to digest.

• While lots of fun can be had playing games like airplane with baby zooming in a parent’s hands and laughing, it’s best to pause activities that jostle the stomach until baby has digested. 

Not all babies have reflux, and for those that do, the amount and frequency can vary. Some babies hardly ever spit. Some babies have only a small dabble that gently dribbles out. Other babies spit with gusto. It often seems that the babies with forceful reflux also tend to spit at the most unpredictable and poorly timed moments. 

Has this been you: after spending ages getting yourself presentable and your baby’s bag packed and ready, you are about to walk out the door holding the little one and then, eruption! Baby spits, spewing moisture all over your well-thought apparel. The cloth on your shoulder did little to guard your outfit, and now because you have to change both your apparel and the baby’s clothes, you are running late. Perhaps you even consider staying home because it is not worth the effort to get ready yet again. 

While the force with which reflux comes out makes it appear profuse, the amount in ounces may be less than you think. Your baby probably has kept down sufficient nutrition.* Even so, a tablespoon of liquid spread across a parent’s clothing can certainly necessitate a change of clothes. 

Unfortunately for parents, reflux is not only wet but is also malodourous, so simply dabbing it up from a shirt is not a great solution. This wet and smelly mess may make relatives and friends nervous or reticent to hold a baby, which can feel isolating. As delightful and tiny humans, babies should be able to be snuggled, burped, and carried without winces, grimaces, or disgust. 

The best solution is to guard the parents’ and caregiver’s clothing so that reflux does not land there in the first place. We recommend using our patent-pending CamelGuard shields to protect caregiver clothing. 

When babies spit may be unpredictable, but where reflux lands is more predictable. CamelGuard founders collected data on where reflux lands and designed CamelGuard shields to cover these locations. CamelGuard covers absorb moisture, are washable, and are made from plant-based fabrics. Wear, remove when soiled, wash, and put on a fresh one. Check out our CamelGuard Mom products (Link to shop) and sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when our CamelGuard Dad line launches. We’d love to be part of your parenting journey!

While encountering infant reflux will continue to be part of caring for babies, remaining covered in reflux does not. 

Join our online community of other new parents dealing with infant reflux by following us on Facebook or Instagram.

*Disclaimer: this article is not medical advice. Please consult a physician for medical and nutritional concerns related to your infant. Find additional reading on infant reflux.