Sleeping Positions

Are you putting your baby to sleep in their chair or car seat to keep them upright and comfortable? When talking to parents with reflux babies, the most common way to put baby to sleep was in their car seat or chair. Health professionals whilst being sympathetic, will warn of the concerns for a baby who is put to sleep in their car seat, buggy or chair seat for more than 4 hours at a time – simply because the ‘well’ or ‘bucket’ design may cause pressure on the baby’s developing spine and head. Car seats in particular are built to withstand impact and made of strong, inflexible materials, so after a while can’t be that comfortable for baby. The way around this is to investigate using a lifting device – Wedge in the cot, pram or moses basket or Bed Blocks under the cot or bed.

We use a cot sleeping wedge. The beauty of using a wedge means you can begin to introduce baby to his/her cot and cot surroundings. Keeping baby at an elevated position will help soothe their acid burn and sickness, but also if you look at wedges with harnesses or sleep positioners used in conjunction with wedges, you can keep baby safely in one position. Peace of mind is also a key factor here – car seats and chairs are often put on the floor of the room, exposed to drafts, domestic animal hair etc.

If you are not keen on trying a wedge, try lifting the whole cot at one end by using bed blocks . These will allow you to provide a gentle incline for baby’s cot position. Not too high so that baby slips down, but just enough to provide comfort.

Burping Positions

Choose burping positions that put less pressure on baby’s tummy. Place baby’s head over your shoulder and hold baby in close to you so baby doesn’t slump or slouch, gently patting and rubbing the back. Try gentle movements – sideways movements’ rather that upward/bouncing. The key is to find what works for you and do it as frequently as possible.

Nappy Changing Positions

Changing nappies can be tricky. Whenever possible, change baby’s nappy before a feed. Roll baby’s body from side to side rather than lifting his legs up over his head. Try propping up the changing mat by putting pillows underneath the head section to create an incline. Be sure Baby’s spine is in a straight line. If you have a wedge, safely place it underneath the changing mat (suggest not on a high surface!) to achieve a better incline. Baby will slide while you are changing, but it’s a vast improvement on laying them flat and having a fractious changing time. There is a changing mat wedge available.

Carrying Positions

Never put your baby on your hip! This puts pressure on his tummy. I found carrying baby in a sling was really useful. It kept baby close and allowed me to keep my hands free. See the BabaSling.