“Our baby boy has reflux and has Colic we just started the [Bare® Air-free] bottles Friday night and I can see a big difference! He doesn’t spit as much and he doesn’t fuss as much!” Say Sharlene S., a Virginia mom of 9-week-old Reed.
Reed was diagnosed by his doctor with severe acid reflux and prescribed Nexium to treat the condition, in addition to changing his formula. Although Sharlene followed the Pediatrician’s instructions, Reed didn’t show any improvement. After living with nine weeks of projectile vomit, gas pains, constant crying, and unhappy feedings, Sharlene didn’t stop there, she felt there had to be more she could do to relieve her baby’s pain and discomfort. One day, a video of a mom using Bare® Air-free baby bottles popped up on her Facebook newsfeed, and she immediately purchased one at her local Babies “R” US store. After using Bare®, she noticed Reed’s symptoms improved drastically.
A conversation took place via Facebook messenger and our customer service was able to help Sharlene to optimize techniques for even better results. While Sharlene explained that she was seeing air going into the bottle while feeding, they both realized Reed had side effects of “bottle preference” where a baby learns to adapt to the free feeding from ordinary bottles and don’t even create suction any more, as these bottles dispense milk freely all the time. Thanks to Bare® Air-Free system, Sharlene was able to reverse the damage.
Sharlene: Our baby boy has reflux and has Colic we just started the [bottles] Bare® system Friday night and I can see a big difference! He doesn’t spit as much and he doesn’t fuss as much! But I have a question – I have been doing everything right I think and there is still air in his bottle?
Bittylab: Hi Sharlene, Glad to hear your baby is doing better. The air in the cylinder is an easy fix, before you assemble Bare®, put a little milk around the air-plug and inside the cylinder, assemble per instructions, don’t put milk in it yet, push the air-plug a little bit (in the empty cylinder) take it out and coat the air-plug with milk and the inside of the cylinder again, push the air-plug. Repeat two or three times, then put the milk in and expel all the air. This will “lubricate” the air-plug and make it slide much easier so air won’t go inside. Feeding the baby in an upright position can help in unimaginable ways. Sit the baby upright, even with his head tipped down a little bit and let him create the suction to feed. This way he controls the flow and pace and when he’s finished he won’t create suction any more so no milk will be dispensed. When burping, keep him in an upright position and handle him very carefully, avoid sudden movements. You’ll try to keep the food in his belly as much as possible and use gravity to help you.
Sharlene: So I have tried what you told me to do and it did not work I really think he is the one putting the air in the bottle
Bittylab: Oh I see. We see the following sometimes. Because other bottles don’t really require suction, babies sort of “bite” the nipple a little bit and milk drips in their mouth. He is probably doing the same, therefore the air-plug is not moving, there’s no suction. If you sit him upright, how you and I eat, even with his head tipped down a little, feed him with Bare® while right side up (like a straw cup). This way gravity will not play a role in dispensing. Sucking is instinctual for babies, that’s how they breastfeed. But they can get used to fast feeding from other bottles. How much is your baby drinking now?
Sharlene: He is on 6 oz of formula every 4 to 5 hours and I’ll be looking for the videos to help me were both still getting use to it but I can tell a major difference in his fussiness and spit up! Thank you for your patience and time with me.
Bittylab: Please no worries I’m happy to help and glad to hear he’s making progress. How much do you think is the improvement? Does he still spit up? Maybe you want to ask your Dr. if the formula you’re using is the best for him, some babies may have some intolerance.
Sharlene: Oh he has improved a lot! He was projecting spit up but now he’s not. He still spits up but not as much! And we have been to the Dr. and they said he has really bad reflux! They did change his formula it did not work he is now on Nexium (to treat his reflux) every day once a day! And then we found the Bare bottles and everything seems to be working.
Bittylab: Moms also find that when feeding smaller portions, but more often also helps a lot. Maybe you want to try instead of 6oz every 4-5 hours, 3oz ever 2-2.5 hours. It may cut down the spitting altogether.
Sharlene: I love the Bare bottles! I’m so glad we found them and we have tried that so he just gets mad because he wants more.
Bittylab: Hi, I was talking to the nurse who sometimes monitors cases thru internal feedback and she mentioned that if you want to try and feed smaller portions to your baby, don’t wait for the full 4-5 hours to offer less food. Once he takes the full amount, wait 2-3 hours and offer 3-4oz then wait another 2 hrs and offer the other half. Hope this helps.
Sharlene: Thank you I’ll try.
Sharlene: 
Sharlene: 
Sharlene: 
And after his Bare® [he is the] happiest baby ever!
Next day….
Bittylab: Hi Sharlene, Hope everything is well. How’re the feedings? are you still getting air inside?
Sharlene: It’s going great no more air thank you so much.