Reflux Pillow (for my sons co-sleeper)

My son is almost 7 weeks old, and the past month, maybe more, he has had the worst reflux. He would eat and then spit up EVERYTHING! I felt horrible for him because he looked like he was in so much pain. He would cry and scream after feedings, and he never slept. We saw his pediatrician and he gave my son Zantac. It worked really well for about 3-5 days, and then it just slowly stopped working. I am not sure if it was because he would spit it up or if it just stopped working all together. Either way it was a waist of energy for us. I ended up giving my son a bottle of formula (Enfamil, Gentlease) and it helped him a lot! He didn't spit up and he slept! It was amazing. He also needs to be propped up so his body can keep the milk down.

My sons pediatrician recommended a reflux pillow. Okay, so when I got home I started doing the research. I started looking online at the different retail stores I normally shop on; Amazon, Babies R Us, and Target. Ummm, yeah. Those pillows cost anywhere from $30 - $170 (I think thats the most expensive one I saw). I thought to myself, that is just ridiculous. Why would I pay anything over $10 for a triangle pillow. I mean come on thats pretty much all it is!

So, of course I was off to my drawing table. Alright, lets see, could I make him a reflux pillow. I have tons of extra fabric, check! I have a 20lb box of fiber fill, check. I have a cardboard box, check. I think I can make one.

I have an arms-reach co-sleeper, so I measured the length and height I wanted to make it. I came up with these measurements.

Once I had the measurements I liked, I then cut all the pieces out.

I then took the right triangle side and attached it along the base of the square piece.

Once I had the right side on, I attached the left triangle as well.

I then added the back rectangle piece to the base square. Make sure you iron your seams if they are not laying flat.

Once the back rectangle is attached, I added the top square to the rectangle piece.

After the top was attached I started the tricky part, assembling the triangle.

All the pieces are attached, now time to assemble the triangle.

I started my assembling by taking the shortest side of the triangle (on the right) and attaching it to the rectangle back piece.

I did this as well on the left side.

I then continued down the triangle. I attached the last piece of the triangle to the top square piece (right side).

I then did this again on the left side.

Now you should have something that looks a lot like this:

I wanted to give the pillow a hard base, so I got out some cardboard, and cut a square piece about an inch and a half smaller, on all sides, then the fabric.(16 1/2inches x 16 1/2inches)

I flipped the fabric inside out, and moved over to my ironing board. I folded the last two open pieces in about a half inch. I ironed them into place.

I then slid the cardboard into the pillow. I pushed the corners into the base of the rectangle piece and bottom of the pillow.

Once the board was in place, I began stuffing the pillow (on top of the cardboard), using my fiber fill.

This may take some going back and forth, to your co-sleeper/or crib, to make sure its not too high. Once you have the height you like, then its time to stitch it closed. Now I didn't want the entire bottom to be hand stitched so I stitched the base of the pillow on the left and right side (leaving a small hole in the center) with my machine.

 I then finished stuffing the last little bit, pushing the stuffing into the two corners I just sewed. I then hand stitched the remaining opening closed.

In the end you should have a pillow that looks a lot like this one:

This is the co-sleeper with the pillow under the mattress. The co-sleeper has a hard wooden board on the base of the mattress, so the mattress pad sits perfectly on the pillow.

Now my son sleeps soundly, without spitting up after his night time feedings and he doesn't snore as much either! Its a huge bonus because I made this for zero money! I had all the supplies on hand!!

Happy sewing,
Sarah