Reflux can be uncomfortable to both the baby and the parents. Acid reflux (GERD) or silent reflux occur commonly in babies, but the way it is handled is what determines whether it gets worse or not.
There are natural remedies to prevent reflux while it can also be treated with some medications and surgical procedures if need be. In this article, we will guide you on how to get the best incline sleeper for a baby with reflux.
However, It is left for the pediatrician to ascertain the condition of your baby and determine what’s next. One of the natural remedies to prevent or treat reflux is resting or putting the baby in an inclined sleeping position, whether in a bassinet or crib.
This position has an advantage in the sense that the baby’s stomach contents won’t flow back into the throat or voice box.
Table of Contents
Understanding Acid Reflux
Babies are prone to reflux, be it acid or silent reflux so as most adults. Acid reflux is a type of reflux where regurgitated stomach contents flow backwards into the throat (pharynx). Acid reflux sometimes can co-exist with silent reflux.
The two are often linked and thought to be the same, but they are not. Acid reflux is often associated with causing a burning sensation known as heartburn, whereas silent reflux doesn’t. When acid reflux occurs in a baby more than twice a week, it is then diagnosed as Gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD.
Acid reflux creates a burning sensation in the lower chest area, mostly after eating. Sometimes, the cause is unknown and can be associated with a person’s lifestyle. The most common symptoms of acid reflux in babies is throat irritation and heartburn.
Nearly 15 million people, including babies, are affected by acid reflux. More than 70% of babies born are affected by acid reflux. By the age of 12 months, almost 95% of babies with acid reflux overcome it except in cases that demand surgical treatment.
Best Incline Sleeping Pillows for Baby With Reflux
1. Newzealkids Baby Wedge Pillow
If you are looking for a multipurpose incline seat for infants where the baby can feed, sleep and lounge, Newzealkids Baby Wedge Pillow is suited to that. This incline seat ensures that the baby is utterly comfortable and safe. This Newzealkids Baby Wedge Pillow is one of the best infant seats available in the market that you can trust.
Newzealkids Baby Wedge Pillow is all about versatility and portability. Unlike cots and bassinets where moving is somewhat tricky and cumbersome, this incline infant seat ensures you enjoy your regular tasks while at the same time, you can play it be with your baby.
This was the reason the Newzealkids Baby Wedge Pillow was invented. You don’t miss any precious moment with your baby whether you are exercising, cooking, working on your computer, or just watching the television. Newzealkids Baby Wedge Pillow is designed to bring comfort to the baby so that your baby can be more rested and sleep more comfortably. This assures you that your baby is safe.
It features a ventilated core and a loosely braided moisture fabric that cools your baby whenever he/she is sleeping on it to prevent heat. The seating design ensures that you keep soft toys in it and wouldn’t have to worry about it falling off. This infant seat features a very stable base that balances on the floor and ensures your baby doesn’t fall off.
Features
- Multipurpose seat for infants with sleeper, lounger, feeder, bed functions
- Effective in fighting acid reflux or GERD: Incline sleeper has upright design that raises your baby’s head and puts him in an upright position slightly above the stomach level to enable comfortable sleeping; this incline position helps ease the discomfort in babies associated with reflux that often leads to such sleepless nights.
- Portable and Safe, Newzealkids Baby Wedge Pillow is easy to carry. This incline infant seat ensures you enjoy your regular tasks or go about your business while at the same time, you can play with your baby or let him/her be. You can be at sleep and be rest assured that the baby is safe.
- Super comfortable – Whatever task the baby is doing, this daydreamer sleeper ensures your baby is healthy in it. Soft ventilated core and a loosely braided moisture fabric cool your baby whenever he/she is sleeping on it to prevent heat. This means your baby will be comfortable with lounging, feeding and sleeping.
- Safe and comfortable for babies
- Infant seat is waterproof and wicking to prevent heat and cool your baby while on it.
- Baby can sleep, feed and lounge on it.
- Not for babies above one year as the size of the seat may not accommodate the baby.
2. Boppy Original Newborn Lounger
With more than 30 years in existence, Boppy Original Newborn Lounger has been tested and trusted by moms and dad’s to be the perfect Lounger for their babies. It’s easy to transport because it has an attached handle at the top.
Lounger enables the baby to lie comfortably on the pillow. This baby pillow cradles your baby, giving you a hands-free moment to interact with the baby.
The pad is machine washable as well, so you don’t have to be afraid of stubborn stains not getting out. This baby pillow can be used until the baby reaches 16 pounds or starts to roll over on his own. It is portable and has a lightweight design which makes the pillow a must-have for babies.
Features
- A perfect nest for babies to play and kick in comfort while providing you with a hands-free moment to do whatever you like. Its unique interior is designed to cradle the baby and keep him/her relaxed and safe. This lifesaver pillow supervises your baby awake time.
- It features a portable design and a lightweight feature that makes the pillow easy to grab and move. Attached convenient handle equally makes carrying it comfortable and ideal for a long term, and short term travels.
- Pillow is easy to carry and machine washable. You can wipe off stains easily on the pillow and continue to use it for the comfort of your baby.
- Safe and comfy
- Easy to clean
- Easy to maintain
- Lightweight and portable
- Cover is not removable
- Not suitable for babies who weigh more than 16 pounds or starts to roll over on his own. Babies easily outgrow it.
3. BABY JOY Rocking Bassinet
If there are two things to love about this bassinet, it is the ability to safeguard babies and boost sleep. You don’t have to be scared of your baby not sleeping adequately at night because this smart sleeper bassinet ensures that.
It automatically responds with increasing levels of white noise and motion so that you can come quickly to Soothe your baby when he is in discomfort. Risk of your baby rolling or falling is also prevented because BABY JOY Rocking Bassinet attaches to a safety clip that secures the baby.
Another great feature of this bassinet is that it is mobile compatible, which means you can effectively respond to your baby’s cry, hunger, discomfort or fussiness. It is easily customizable with gentle newborn setting and weaning option to transition baby to the crib. The app enables you to log in to the sleep log to track your baby’s progress.
Features
- Bassinet boosts sleep: BABY JOY Rocking Bassinet adds 1-2+ hours sleep at night to the baby by allowing parents to soothe their babies regularly.
- Automatically alerts parents of baby’s cries, fussiness or discomfort: with white noise plus motion, parents can hear the baby and respond with best ways to calm his/her fussiness.
- Reduces baby’s risk of falling or rolling: this bassinet attaches to safety clips that secure the baby at the back from rolling or falling.
- The bassinet is app customizable: App records logs of your baby’s sleep and lets you adjust sound, motion and cry/fussiness sensitivity. With a gentle newborn setting and weaning option, transitioning your baby to the crib is made easy.
- Babies of 0-6 months of age are best suited to this baby sleeper.
- Boosts baby’s sleep
- Baby is safe and secured with attachable safety clips that prevent falling and rolling
- Customizable app
- Transitioning your baby to the crib is easy with the app
- Bassinet is not portable and not lightweight
- It is expensive
4. Cher Bébé Crib Wedge for Reflux & Colic | High Incline
If you want acid or silent reflux and colic reduced, Cher Bébé Crib Wedge is your answer. Thissleepyslopecribwedge by Cher Bébéis made from firm, good quality foam that won’t collapse under the influence of your baby’s weight or his/her mattress. The excellent quality foam is also perfect for supporting your baby’s head in an inclined or elevated position to prevent reflux.
This wedge is unique, designed with a two piece foam and is easy to store and fold. Cher Bebe is also safe to cribs because no gaps exist between the crib wedge and the mattress. This prevents the baby from falling off or sliding while asleep on the crib. Foam has an outer cover that prevents it from getting stained.
Foam wedge has two halves. Each half is sewn into a waterproof nylon lining for easy washing or cleaning. Crib Wedge can be folded neatly without damaging the foam after the outer cover is removed.
Features
- Material is100% Cotton and made with a water-resistant nylon lining.
- Reduces AcidReflux-like symptoms, Colic, and digestion problems in babies by elevating baby’s mattress at a 14˚ angle. Baby’s head is inclined, and this effectively eliminates reflux-like symptoms like vomiting, heartburn and indigestion problems.
- Baby’s head is supported: foam slope won’t go flat under your baby’s weight. It is made of quality foam for head support. Crib mattress wedge is firm enough withstand any flattening
- No side effects when using it. No breathing problems as foam can prevent reflux while underneath a crib mattress.
- Features removable dual covers that are easy to wash: cotton cover messy? You don’t have to worry as covers are machine washable. You can also wipe the nylon inner cover clean if it’s dirty.
- Approved safe and healthy for use
- Suitable for babies who are aged 0-24 months
- Easy to use and wash
- Prevents reflux and colic
- Cotton material is water-resistant
- Foam is firm and won’t flatten under your baby mattress due to weight.
- Safe and comfortable
- Foam under the mattress is not so high. Therefore, the baby may roll.
5. Lullaby Baby CPSC Lab Approved Large Wedge Pillow
If you are looking for a perfect wedge pillow for your newborn, lullaby baby wedge pillow is all you need. This pillow is suitable for babies who are 0-6 months old.
Lullaby Baby pillows are safe. They have been tested to be BPA free, Lead-free, Phthalate-free, and above all, accredited and passed the required flammability tests. With these, you are sure that this lullaby pillow is safe for your baby and possesses no harmful substances.
The Lullaby Baby wedge pillow isn’t designated for your newborns. They are perfect as a support pillow for your pregnancy. This is the beauty of lullaby baby wedge pillow and why it stands out amongst others. It offers the comfort that is indispensable for pregnant women.
This instant foam will ensure that you don’t wake up in the morning with aching spots or pains around your abdomen. It will cradle these spots during your pregnancy. Your baby head is well rested on the pillow and will cushion your baby’s head, reducing the chances of the baby getting flat head which is associated with harder sleeps surfaces.
The Lullaby Baby wedge pillow easy to clean. The inner cover is made of a waterproof liner that you can quickly wipe clean in case it becomes messy. The outer velvet cover is removable and is easily washable well. This particular feature stands it out again among other pillows.
Apart from its easy to clean, it is also lightweight and portable. This pillow is foldable and folds easily into whatever bag that is containing it without you noticing you are carrying it. This means the pillow is suitable for travels, whether short term or long term. Whenever your baby’s reflux arises, this pillow will be there to save the day.
Features
- Possesses no harmful substances. In other words, it is safe to use for your baby and pregnant mothers. It is BPA free, Lead-free, Phthalate-free and passed all flammability test. It has been tested and approved, as well.
- Wedge Foam supports the mother’s body and the baby’s head comfortably
- Outer velvet cover is removable and washable. The inner cover is easy to clean and waterproof
- Perfectly folds into your diaper bag. Suitable for long term journeys.
- It is safe
- Easy to clean
- Can be put under mattresses to raise baby’s head in an elevated position
- Fit for halo bassinets.
- Baby doesn’t stay inclined for long and may slide down.
Recognizing Acid Reflux In Babies
Unlike silent reflux where it’s almost difficult to diagnose, acid reflux isn’t. Symptoms are apparent, and you can tell in younger babies (0-6 months) or older babies (above 6 months) if they have it or not.
Acid reflux produced heartburn. Heartburn or pyrosis is a burning pain or discomfort that is felt behind the breastbone and rises from the abdomen towards the throat so that you will think it’s related to the heart which it isn’t.
Heartburn is caused by regurgitation of stomach contents, which contains acids into the gullet. It appears to get worse after eating and if the patient is either lying down or bending over.
Acid reflux-like symptoms can last for several hours. Signs of acid reflux in babies include;
- Vomiting especially after being full
- Pain in the abdomen and chest area
- Persistent coughs that are usually dry
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Throat problems such as irritation that typically result in spitting
- Hoarseness of the voice
- Difficulty in sleeping
These are some of the signs that your baby has acid reflux.
Causes of Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is caused by regurgitation of stomach contents, which contains acids into the gullet or throat. This causes irritation and heartburn.
In babies, they have underdeveloped esophageal sphincter muscles. Esophageal sphincters are muscles that open and close at each end and allow how much food and liquids are passed into the stomach.
Because of a baby’s esophageal sphincter is still underdeveloped, esophageal sphincter muscle fails to regulate the passage of food, or liquid content and stomach contents are regurgitated into the esophagus, which causes acid reflux-like symptoms.
Effects of Acid Reflux In Infants
Acid reflux harms the general wellbeing of the baby. These effects include;
- Loss of weight or poor weight gain
- Respiratory problems
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Difficulty in feeding
Best Sleep Solutions For Babies With Reflux
The position an acid reflux baby is kept is important to both prevention and treatment of the baby. It is best for babies with acid reflux to sleep on their back, not sideways or on their tummies in an inclined position.
A baby sleeping or lying in an inclined or elevated position helps prevent the baby’s stomach contents from flowing backwards into the throat or voice box. The acids in the stomach stay down once the baby is in an inclined position due to gravity.
Apart from preventing regurgitation and backflow of stomach contents to the throat, putting a baby to sleep at his/her back prevents suffocation and ease the lungs airways.
Ensure that the inclined position isn’t too steep so that the baby wouldn’t injure himself or herself by falling, sliding or rolling under a blanket or a bed cover on the cot, bassinet or crib.
Considerations for picking the best incline sleeper for baby with reflux
Choosing an inclined sleeper for baby with reflux is difficult since there are dozens of incline sleeper products in the market. To enable you to make the right decision, there are factors to consider when choosing an incline sleeper. These factors include;
Type of Material
Incline sleepers like pillows are made of several materials. It is left for you to ascertain whether the material used is natural latex, buckwheat, polyester or memory foam. Memory foam and bamboo material are the most common types and are highly recommended for use.
Portability
An inclined sleeper whether a crib, bassinet or pillows should be relatively easy to move or push around without feeling overwhelmed by weight. It should be lightweight as well and suitable for travels if need be.
Read Also: Are There FDA Approved Infant Sleep Positioners?|Recommendations
Safety
Ensure that whatever pillow you are purchasing for your baby is BPA free, Lead-free, and Phthalate free. Making sure it’s free from these harmful substances and approved guarantees that your baby won’t have any side effects after a period of usage. Also, the material should be soft and relaxing so that the baby won’t wake up every time with pain or discomfort.
Comfort
Comfort is one of the main priorities of purchasing an incline sleeper for your baby. If an incline sleeper isn’t guaranteeing your baby good sleep and relaxation, you should do away with it as soon as possible and purchase a new one.
Price
All incline sleepers come with different price tags. Budget is essential for parents who don’t want to spend big in purchasing an incline sleeper, yet looking for one that is value for money. Different incline sleepers come within a specific budget range. It’s left for you to choose one that fits according to your pocket.
Final Thoughts
Acid reflux and silent reflux are common in babies and is something that can be prevented easily.
From this article, we have reviewed five incline sleeper products from trusted companies that we believe will be helpful for babies to avoid reflux-like symptoms and ensure comfort. We hope this article has been beneficial to you in your quest to find a suitable incline sleeper for your baby.
- 2 Layers Of Comfort: With Its Premium-grade polyurethane foam base and 2-inch layer Body Active memory Foam, your wedge pillow will never go flat. It remains...
- Designed To Provide Comfort, Support and sleep to those suffering from Acid Reflux, Gerds, Colds, Post Nasal Drip, Snoring, Cough and Back Pain by supporting...
- Multi Use: The ergonomically shaped pillow improves your sleep posture, which can help prevent orthopedic health issues with your spine, neck and shoulders....
- Removable Cover: The comfortable memory foam pillow is outfitted with a soft, breathable cover. In addition to maintaining a comfortable temperature while you...
- Great Gift Idea: If you or a loved one struggles to sleep at night, the Milliard wedge pillow may be the solution you’re looking for. It makes a great gift...
- Helps your baby sleep safely and you sleep without worry all-night-long
- Unique safe sleep swaddle comfortably secures your baby on their back during sleep (which is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics). Reduces risk of...
- Easy to secure to your mattress and baby with velcro flaps
- Ideal for babies with reflux when used in conjunction with a crib wedge
- Fits all standard size crib mattresses & mini-mattresses. Machine washable; 100% cotton; Recommended for babies 0-6 months/7-25 lbs
- Ergonomic Design: The Benbat Head and Body support has a unique design that holds your baby snug and secure in an infant seat, bassinet, stroller, bouncer or in...
- Reversible: to enable year-round use. Made of special soft plush material suitable for winter use and an airy soft backside material for summer use. all parts...
- Multifunctional 2-in-1 design. From a full body support pillow, the head piece is detachable and adjustable with a simple baby safe Velcro that connects the two...
- Fresh & Fun: Innovative hidden foot rattles that will stimulate and amuse your baby when they move and rock their feet. a pacifier strap included to make sure...
- Age Recommended: This product is designed especially for preemies. Also suitable for newborns up to 12 months.