FAQS

A high number of babies that are newborn and in their early weeks can be born with or develop reflux. Reflux is also known as pediatric acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux, reflux disease, gerd. Reflux is the regurgitation of acid stomach contents back into the oesophagus.

The wedge shape design of the babywedge helps to keep the acid toward the bottom of the stomach, as laying a baby flat allows the contents to flow easily to the oesophagus. Many mums and dads experience the following signs of acid reflux below:

Reflux Babies

• My baby is spilling or swallowing and my baby has signs of being uncomfortable.
• My baby is a fussy eater, and I experience fussy breast feeding, when the baby takes a small amount hungrily, then cries and refuses to continue feeding.
• My baby feels very tense and has a stiff and arching back (however most babies will become stiff and arch when they are crying hard).
• My baby seems more comfortable if she is held upright.

Many reasons are given to explain why some babies cry a lot. Colic is a popular one. However no one is sure what colic really means in babies. Colic is usually thought to be caused by wind or gas in the bowel, but there is no proof of this. Certainly the baby looks to be in pain, but we don’t really know.The word colic means spasm, or painful tightening of muscle. Crying due to infant ‘colic’ is often thought to be due to pain coming from the baby’s tummy and bowel – but the bowel of babies with colic seems healthy. Many cries of the signs of colic are listed below:

Colicky Babies

• My baby cries or screams for some hours, often at the end of the day.
• My baby is hard to comfort.
• My baby seems more comfortable if she is held upright.
• The crying comes in waves. My baby seems to calm then suddenly starts screaming again.
• My baby may arch backwards and either draw the knees up or stretch the legs out stiffly.

Reflux:

• Medicine – Such as Losec, Zantac, Mylanta (antacids), Paracetamol. There may also be other medication but these are the common ones.
• Thickeners – You can use thickened baby formulas or AR Formula. It may help thicken the fluid in order to reduce spilling. Thickeners can be added to breast milk, boiled water or both.
• Elevation – a natural remedy.

Colic:

• There are medications on the market but generally should only be used on babies over 6 months. Doctors should always be consulted before commencing any type of medication for any condition. Colic usually gets better very suddenly by itself, there is some suggestion that sleeping or resting your baby slightly elevated may assist in relief.

It is common for a newborn baby to have an unusual head shape.

• This can be caused by the position of the baby before birth, or by ‘moulding’ of the head during birth.
• Moulding happens when pressure in the birth canal shifts the skull bones a little so that the head moves through the birth canal more easily.
• A baby’s head will become a more normal shape within about 6 weeks. By 6 weeks, a baby should also be able to turn his head from side to side.

Sometimes in the first 6 to 8 weeks after birth, a baby will develop a flattened spot on the back or side of her head rather than having a rounded shape. This is called plagiocephaly (play-gi-o-cef-a-ly).

Plagiocephaly does not affect growth of the baby’s brain, but it can cause uneven growth of the baby’s face as well as her head.

The bones of a newborn baby’s head are thin and flexible, so the skull can change shape if there is pressure on part of it for a long time.

Flattening of the back or side of the head happens when the baby lies with his head in the same position for a long time (for example, lying on his back with his head always facing up or always turned to the same side). Pressure from the weight of the baby’s head will cause the flattening.

Sometimes one of the muscles in the neck is tight, so that the baby’s head is turned to the same side most of the time. See ‘Congenital torticollis’.

Normally the back of the head is rounded, the ear position is level and the face looks the same shape on each side.

• With a misshapen head, there will be a flat spot on one side of the back of the head, one ear will be further forward than the other, and one side of the face will be further forward.
• Having a flat spot makes it harder for a baby to turn her head, because she has to lift it slightly as she turns it. You may notice that she keeps her head turned to the same side most of the time.
• A small flat spot on the back of the head is common, and this is not plagiocephaly unless the rest of the head is also becoming misshapen. However, this needs to be watched, as any flattening makes it a bit harder for a baby to turn her head by herself.
• Sometimes in the first 6 to 8 weeks after birth, a baby will develop a flattened spot on the back or side of her head rather than having a rounded shape. This is called plagiocephaly (play-gi-o-cef-a-ly).
• Plagiocephaly does not affect growth of the baby’s brain, but it can cause uneven growth of the baby’s face as well as her head.

A baby’s head position needs to be varied during times she is asleep and awake, particularly in the first 6 weeks.

During sleep:

• Babies should always sleep on their backs. This makes them much less likely to die from SIDS.
• Place your baby’s head to the right side for some sleeps, and to the left for other sleeps.

Cot position:

• Place your baby at the other end of the cot for some sleeps, or move the cot around in his room. Babies like looking at windows or bright objects like murals, and by moving the cot you will encourage him to turn his head different ways to look at them.

Play time:

• Put your baby on her tummy and on her side for some of the time while she is awake.
• Start small amounts of tummy time from birth. In the early weeks your baby may seem a little unhappy on her tummy, but as she gets used to it and her muscles get stronger she will enjoy this time and it is good for muscle development.
• When she is on her back, move toys that she likes to look at from side to side.

If, after your baby is about 6 weeks old, you are concerned about the shape of his head, or you notice that your baby only turns his head to one side, talk to your doctor or child health nurse.

Plagiocephaly is the most common cause of a misshapen head, but there are other, rare causes which can cause problems with head growth.

• - Sometimes a baby will hold his head turned to one side all the time because of a tight muscle in his neck (see the topic ‘Torticollis’). This can be confused with plagiocephaly.
• - If the baby’s head is quite obviously misshapen, it is important to see a specialist (such as a plastic surgeon) early.

Most children with plagiocephaly do not need to have any treatment. Their heads will become more rounded as they move more and begin to sit up.

However, it is still worth placing the baby’s head in different positions (as described above) and moving the baby or her toys around so that she wants to move her head to look at interesting things.

Very gentle stretching of neck muscles may be useful, because the muscles may tighten if the baby’s head is always in the same position. Get advice from a doctor, physiotherapist or child health nurse before starting this.

Put your baby on her tummy and on her side for some of the time while she is awake.

Start small amounts of tummy time from birth. In the early weeks your baby may seem a little unhappy on her tummy, but as she gets used to it and her muscles get stronger she will enjoy this time and it is good for muscle development.

When she is on her back, move toys that she likes to look at from side to side.

Sleep positioners are handy items to have for making babies more comfortable whether or not they suffer from conditions that can impede their ability to sleep through the night. With increasing awareness of SIDS, having babies sleep on their backs is foremost in the minds of parents with newborns and it remains that way as they grow through the months.

Wedge-Style Positioners – 
for babies who suffer from congestion or apnea, a wedge-style positioner enables parents to achieve a solution for reflux and colic.

In the case of babies suffering from reflux, it’s important to keep their heads elevated so that their milk doesn’t rise back up their oesophagus and cause them to spit up. A sleep positioner in a wedge shape can be placed under the head end of the mattress so that baby sleeps on an angle.

Bolsters
 – sleeping bolsters are like a change mat with a cylindrical cushion to either side. They serve to keep the child in position so that she doesn’t roll on to her tummy. Additionally, they create extra feelings of snugness and comfort in a comparatively large environment such as a crib. Due to the risks of SIDS, it’s recommended to have babies sleeping on their backs, and a bolster will stop your child from rolling over. Complete with Velcro fasteners, the bolster is snug and secure yet still allows your little one’s arms and legs freedom of movement. Bolsters are suitable from birth to around 3 months of age and in larger sizes for babies up to six months old.

If you have a baby with reflux then you are probably tired of waiting for the solution to solve itself and are searching for ways to make your baby feel better. And you are not alone because many babies will suffer from reflux at least once a day if not more. Unfortunately, babies with reflux frequently cry, hiccup, and seem completely miserable despite parent’s best efforts to soothe the little one. If your doctor has diagnosed your baby with reflux then you should consider all of your options, including a wedge that will elevate your baby and help reduce reflux symptoms.

You have probably heard of the herbal remedies and maybe even massage for a reflux baby, but you might have never heard of a wedge and the wonders it can do for your baby. Basically, the wedge is a support system that focus on elevating your baby to the best position for sleep and digestion so that reflux is not such a factor. You might think this sounds great, but are still at a loss for what a wedge really is. Generally, they are made of a sturdy foam or other material that can easily be shaped in an elevated form and support the baby’s weight. Wedges come in a variety of sizes for babies of different weights and sizes as well. When your baby sleeps on a wedge you can rest assured that if they have reflux episodes during the night they are more likely to go back to sleep on their own rather than waking up crying. This is good news for you and your baby because everyone needs their rest.

Positioning systems like wedges and slings have grown in popularity with many new parents as well as hospitals because they help babies during the early weeks and months to react to the many changes in their bodies and to have fewer reflux symptoms. There are a variety of reasons why you might use a wedge for your baby and they don’t all include reflux. Some parents use a wedge for their baby when they have a cold, gas, frequent crying, stuffiness, ear infections, and other similar complaints. Most new parents that give the wedge a try are surprised with its effectiveness and sing its praises because their baby finally got a good night’s rest.

The baby positioning systems like the wedge also allow for a variety of sleep positions. Babies can be positioned on their side, belly, or back. Most of the good wedges have straps or harnesses that safely secure the baby on the wedge so parents won’t be worried about their baby falling off and getting hurt.

If your baby cannot get good sleep at night for whatever reason then consider buying a quality wedge and see if that helps. More often than not it does and babies can get their much needed rest, not to mention the parents.

How to Help Infant with Reflux Get Good Sleep

It comes as a shock to many parents, but staying asleep is difficult for many babies because they have reflux. In general, we think of reflux as an adult problem however many babies are affected by it and it truly can interrupt sleep. There are many things parents can do to help their infants handle reflux and allow everyone to get the sleep they need. The following are a few suggestions that many parents with babies with reflux find helpful.

Elevate the Mattress

Many babies sleep well in their car seats or swings, or even their parents’ arms, but when they are placed in their crib they wake up. Babies with reflux don’t sleep well on their backs because the reflux is more severe. Elevating the mattress or even the crib on one end is a great way to help baby keep the stomach acid down and minimize the reflux. Lots of parents resist the idea of letting baby sleep in any other area other than his crib, so this is a great solution

Medicines

There are many medicines that may be prescribed to help baby with acid reflux. Talk to your pediatrician about your infant’s problem and see what he recommends. There are many options available and a prescription might be the best option to help your baby with reflux and ensure a sound night’s sleep for all.

Infants can make life difficult at times because they don’t always react to situations the way we would like. For example, any parent would jump at the opportunity to go to sleep regardless of the position they had to be in, but babies often fight it. For some reason many babies fight plane surfaces and don’t like being put down in their cribs. The babies that don’t like sleeping lying down will usually wake as soon as they are placed in this position. There are a few things you can do, however, to help your baby get some sleep without having to hold him non-stop.

Incline the Crib

One idea is to place some books under the crib legs on one side, making it even and ensuring it won’t fall. This will give the bed enough incline that it might help baby feel comfortable and avoid the problem of sleeping completely flat. Babies with influx or ear infections will also benefit from sleeping like this.

Swing

Some babies won’t sleep lying down, but in a reclining swing they are comfortable and happy to sleep the entire night. Most babies that like to sleep in their swing are in the 2-6 month range and then they usually grow out of it. If you find this happening with your infant just go with the flow. Sleep is important for everyone and as long as your infant is safe it is okay.

Co-Sleeping

Another option is co-sleeping. Even if you are lying down, your baby will probably respond well to it because of the security of having mom right there. Many babies sleep extremely well in a co-sleeping arrangement and parents do, too.

Safe Infant Sleep Tips

There are few things more concerning to parents than SIDS and the possibility that their baby might just stop breathing. New parents frequently check their baby’s breathing during sleep and it’s not uncommon to hear a parent say they just wanted to make sure the baby was “still breathing.” This is a normal reaction for a parent and not totally unwarranted. Luckily, there are things parents can do to reduce the risk of SIDS and ensure their baby is sleeping in a safe environment with low risk factors.

No Blankets

As much as you want to wrap your baby up in a blanket, avoid this risk! You can keep baby very warm in pajamas and by setting the temperature around 68 degrees. Your baby may be small but they are comfortable in the same amount of clothes you are. Try to resist the urge to over bundle baby with blankets.

Firm Mattress

Babies who sleep in cribs should have very firm mattresses. This is very important – as old and used mattresses that are not sufficiently firm should be avoided. Don’t use any mattress that could put your baby at risk.

Safe Sleeping Environment

Make sure your baby is sleeping in a safe place. That means if he is on a grown up bed, ensure there are bed rails, pillows, or something that will keep baby from falling. A good idea is to place the mattress on the floor if baby will be co-sleeping. Do not use pillows, blankets, toys, or anything that could suffocate baby. Avoid anything that could strangle baby, too, like blind cords and the like.

Back to Sleep

Always place your baby on his back to sleep. Many babies prefer to sleep on their stomachs; however the risk of SIDS for stomach sleeping is 10 to 15 times higher than back sleeping. Because of this parents should be vigilant about placing baby on his back to sleep.

These are just a few tips to help you keep baby safe while sleeping. Follow them and you will reduce the chance of something happening to your baby significantly.

www.sidsandkids.org

How to Sleep your Baby Safely:

1. Sleep baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side
2. Sleep baby with face uncovered (no doonas, pillows, lambs wool, bumpers or soft toys)
3. Avoid exposing babies to tobacco smoke before birth and after
4. Provide a safe sleeping environment (safe cot, safe mattress, safe bedding)
5. Sleep baby in their own safe sleeping environment next to the parent’s bed for the first six to twelve months of life

SOURCE INFORMATION FROM www.babyslumber.com

33. Checklist for safe sleeping

1. Has baby been placed on the back to sleep?
2. Is baby sleeping in a safe bassinette or cot, and away from hazards?
3. Does the cot meet Australian Standard for cots?
4. Is the mattress firm?
5. Does the mattress fit the cot /bassinette well?
6. Is the mattress clean and in good condition and flat (not titled or elevated)?
7. Is baby’s face and head uncovered?
8. Have any pillows, duvets, lambs wool, cot bumpers and soft toys been removed?
9. If using a baby sleeping bag, does it have a fitted neck, armholes or sleeves and no hood?
10. If using blankets rather than a sleeping bag, has baby been placed to sleep with feet touching the bottom of the cot /bassinette with blankets securely tucked in?
11. Is baby having tummy time to play when awake and supervised?
12. If you are a smoker have you stopped smoking or contacted your doctor or Quit line for help?
13. Remember never to sleep baby on a sofa, beanbag, waterbed or pillow?
14. Are other family members aware of how to sleep baby safely?

The Safe Sleeping program is based on strong scientific evidence using the recommendations laid down by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, and was developed by Australian SIDS researchers, paediatricians, pathologists, and child health experts with input from overseas researchers and clinical experts. The FAQ sheet is subject to change by SIDS and Kids as new research comes to light. To ensure that you have the latest edition of the FAQ sheet check the SIDS and Kids web site.

The babywedge is great to use as a ‘Tummy-Time’ assistant. Simply adjust the ‘Hug-Me Bars’ accordingly to provide a nice snug cuddling fit this will help baby feel safe and secure when enjoying important ‘Tummy-Time’.

You’ve probably heard that “tummy time” is important so that babies can learn to push up and eventually crawl — but if your little one fusses and cries when you put him on his belly, what can you do?

If your baby’s used to sleeping on his back, that’s wonderful — sleeping on his back reduces your child’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). But during waking hours, tummy time is essential from day one. Experts find that babies who don’t spend time face-down often have some delays in their development of motor skills.

“The experience of being on their tummy helps babies learn to push up, roll over, sit up, crawl, and pull to a stand,” explains Danette Glassy, a pediatrician in Mercer Island, Washington, and chairperson of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ committee on early education and childcare.

Until 1994, when the AAP started urging parents to put babies to sleep on their back, most babies slept on their tummy and were used to being in that position. Today, most babies are much more comfy on their back, where they spend their sleeping hours (not to mention time spent in car seats, swings and bouncy seats).

This is how your baby gets ready to achieve his first big developmental milestone.

So if your baby seems miserable in that position, it’s no wonder. Not only is it unfamiliar, it’s physically uncomfortable. It’s hard work for your baby to keep his head up when he’s on his tummy, and he can’t see much of anything down there. He may even feel abandoned.

Here are some strategies for helping your baby feel at home on his tummy, along with products that can help.

Keep your baby company

One mom-tested strategy is to distract your baby from the unfamiliar feeling of being face-down until he gets used to it. The best thing you can do, says Glassy, is join your baby on the floor. Encourage him, talk with him, shake his rattle, make funny faces, play peekaboo. He might even enjoy watching you do your leg lifts or crunches (he’s working hard after all). Another option is to lay your baby tummy-down on your tummy, either on the floor, in a recliner, or even in the bath.

Once your baby has sufficient head control — around age 4 months — you can play airplane: Lie on the floor and bend your legs. Put your baby’s tummy against your legs, his head at your knees. Then bend your legs while holding on to him firmly. He’ll probably love the new view. You might also put him on the bed, near the edge, and sit on the floor with your face next to his. He might appreciate the softer surface, and you can easily interact with him in this position.

Tip: Make sure your child’s sitter or daycare provider knows about the importance of tummy time when your baby’s awake as well as the importance placing your baby on his back to sleep.

Provide entertainment

Prop a board book open in front of your baby, or place a favorite toy within reach. Invest in a tummy-time toy or gym, designed especially for babies to play with while on their belly. Some have lights, mirrors, moving pictures, music and/or squeaky toys attached. Or place him on a colorful quilt or an activity mat designed just for babies. Some mats have prop-up toys or mirrors, and others are filled with water, for added fun. Take your baby’s socks off so he can get good traction on the mat.

Tip: Have your baby’s sibling(s) play nearby when he’s on his tummy. (You may want to use a play yard so he won’t get stepped on.) Watching a brother or sister — or even a family pet — may just keep him happily distracted for a bit.

Prop your baby up

Some parents find that giving their baby a new perspective — by propping him on a rolled towel or nursing pillow, for example — makes all the difference. If your child has some neck strength and head control (by age 3 or 4 months) but can’t get up on his forearms, simply place the babywedge under the baby with his arms in front of it, adjust the hug-me bars’ so it creates a feeling of stability for the baby. (If he tends to roll forward, keep your hand on his bottom.)

Using the adjustable ‘Hug-Me Bars’ keep the baby flat on his back and simply adjust them to lift your baby’s shoulder and alternate, the gentle elevation with naturally allow the baby’s head to fall away from the raised shoulder helping to reduce flathead (plagiocephaly).

Another increasingly common reason that some babies develop a flat spot is that they spend so much time on their back. Starting in the early ’90s, parents were told to put their babies to sleep on their back to reduce the risk of SIDS. While this advice may have saved thousands of babies’ lives, experts have also noted a fivefold increase in the incidence of misshapen heads since then, says Michael Edwards, a pediatric neurosurgeon in Sacramento, California.

Babies are born with a soft, pliable skull, and when they sleep on their back every night, their head can develop a flat spot where it presses against the mattress. This happens most often in infants who are born with a common form of torticollis, a condition in which a tight or shortened muscle on one side of the neck causes the head to tilt to one side. Premature babies are particularly at risk. (See below for tips on repositioning your baby to avoid both SIDS and plagiocephaly.)

A baby may also develop an abnormally shaped head if development in the womb is constricted somehow. This can happen when there’s more than one fetus, if the mother’s uterus or pelvis is especially small, or if there’s too much or too little amniotic fluid. It can also happen to a breech baby whose head gets wedged under the mother’s ribs.

In many cases, even a serious-looking flat area will round out on its own as a baby starts crawling and sitting up (especially if you follow our repositioning tips below). But to be safe, it’s a good idea to insist on a referral to a pediatric neurosurgeon or craniofacial specialist as soon as you notice the flattening.

A specialist should be able to tell whether your baby’s situation is severe enough to warrant treatment and what your options are. Get the referral and make an appointment right away because you may still have to wait weeks or even months to see a specialist for a diagnosis, and the earlier you catch a severe case, the easier it will be to correct.

What’s involved in getting a diagnosis?

In most cases, the specialist will need only an X-ray to distinguish plagiocephaly from craniosynostosis (which requires a different treatment). But some doctors may also recommend a special kind of CT scan.

In certain cases, a very experienced specialist may be able to tell just by looking at your baby’s head what’s causing the deformity. He will want to know whether your baby was born with the flat area or whether it developed several weeks after birth. If you can’t remember when you first noticed the flattening, go back and carefully examine any pictures you have of your newborn.

If the doctor determines that your baby has plagiocephaly, he’ll most likely recommend repositional therapy first — that is, ways you can reposition your child to avoid putting pressure on the flattened areas. This kind of therapy is most likely to be successful if you try it before your baby reaches 6 months of age. After that it’s much harder to control the position your baby sleeps in.

If repositional therapy doesn’t correct the problem, your doctor may recommend cranial orthotic therapy, a band (or sometimes a helmet) custom molded to fit your child’s skull. (Reconstructive surgery is no longer recommended except in the most severe cases or in the case of craniosynostosis.)

If your baby has torticollis, he’ll have to have physical therapy as well to treat this condition.

What does repositional therapy involve?

If your baby’s case isn’t severe, your practitioner will probably tell you to try several things at home to help your baby’s head round out. First, try to make sure your child spends plenty of time on his tummy (while supervised and awake) during the day to strengthen his neck muscles.

You may start out trying this for only a minute or two at a time. Stronger neck muscles will allow him to move his head around more during sleep, so that it doesn’t always rest in the same position.

Your baby’s doctor may also recommend alternating your baby’s sleeping position from back to side. You can keep him from rolling onto the side where the flattening is by placing a rolled-up towel or blanket behind his head or by placing crib toys on the opposite side of the flat area to entice him to look in that direction.

You might also try putting him down to sleep in his crib with his head pointing in the opposite-from-usual direction. He’ll want to look out into the room and will probably flip his head over to do so, giving the flat side of his head a break from the mattress.

Also be sure to alternate his position from one side to the other when bottle- or breastfeeding.

Finally, try to be aware of how much time your baby spends in a car seat, stroller, infant carrier, bouncy seat, or infant swing in which he may be leaning back and putting pressure on his flat spot. Make sure you take him out of these devices for a good part of each day and hold him and give him plenty of tummy time instead.

What does cranial orthotic therapy involve?

If your baby’s plagiocephaly is severe, he’ll probably have to wear a special custom-fitted headband (called a cranial orthotic) for 23 or 24 hours a day to correct the shape of his skull. This treatment generally lasts from two to six months, depending on how early you start and how severe the problem is.

This therapy is most successful when started before the age of 6 months. Some experts think the headgear offers little help after 10 months, but others say it can be used as late as 18 months.

Your doctor can tell you where you can get a band made. You’ll probably want to research the comparative success rates of several devices before you choose one. Once you do, they’ll need to take a casting (or a scan) of your child’s head to custom-fit the device.

While casting isn’t fun for a baby, it’s painless and takes only a few minutes. As frightening as the headgear may sound and look, it’s lightweight and most babies are not bothered by it or quickly get used to it.

Treatment can cost up to $3,000. Some insurance companies will cover it under their orthotic benefits, but others consider it cosmetic or investigational and won’t pay for it. However, many parents have successfully appealed their insurance company’s rejection and received payment in the end.

The success rates for this kind of therapy are high when it’s started early. If you’re starting treatment late, you should know that your baby’s skull may not become perfectly symmetrical again, but you can take heart that when your child’s hair grows in fully, it will most likely hide any remaining flatness.

(Source information babycenter.com)