How to Put 6 Week Old down to Nap with Silent Reflux

My reflux baby never went "down" for a nap. Within minutes of being horizontal, he would wake crying in pain, poor guy. He napped best in a Moby wrap that I would wear because he was supported while completely vertical.

He'd often fall asleep when I'd go for a walk with him in the Moby, and when I got tired of walking, I'd leave him in there and sit on the couch and relax with him still in the wrap. I also did dishes, folded clothes, or played with my older child all with him asleep in the Moby (just try to remember to bend at the knees instead of leaning over to pick things up).

Our son didn't have any trouble with me nursing him to sleep. I did have him nap in his carseat. That can be very helpful for kids with reflux. The carseat is slightly curved (and snuggles them) and elevates them enough to help with the reflux. Actually, he slept in his carseat until he no longer fit safely. By then he had outgrown the reflux.

Did your pediatrician recommend you not nurse him to sleep? If not, I wouldn't worry about it.

Sometimes mine would drift off while I nursed them, in the early stages. I used to just prop them up and even after nodding off, I could get a good burp. They didn't have reflux, but one had spit up and I just found getting the burp out resulted in a better, longer sleep and less spit up.
I found if they were that tired - they weren't sucking (to eat) as much as sucking for comfort - not near as much milk went down as when they were hungry.

Put him to sleep in a bouncy seat. One that reclines. Put that seat in the baby bed or on the floor beside you so that he is in your sight. Since he's so young I'd make sure his little head doesn't bobble over too much. Maybe roll up washrags and put one on each side of his head to keep his neck straight?

Our little guy had reflux so much. It was awful.

Things you can do. Feed every time you get a chance, never let him get too hungry. The crying for food gets air in his tummy and gets it all churned up. So those times will be more likely to have reflux.

Our doc gave us liquid Reglan. We have him .9 in a tiny open ended syringe. He'd gobble it down, it smelled like oranges. Reglan relaxes the tummy and helps it open up on the bottom quicker. So the food goes down quicker into the area where it's digested and used. It helped a LOT.

Then we decided to always put him in the bouncy seat to sleep. He never laid flat. If we didn't have the bouncy seat we used his car seat but again, we took precautions with his neck so he wouldn't flop over and suffocate.

When he got to be around the age where he wanted to turn over he started getting fussy in his sleep. So we let him lay flat one time on his back. He promptly rolled over and went to sleep. He slept like that from then on. He was able to turn over and do what he wanted.

But you are right about overfeeding. That's the main cause for reflux. Avoiding overfeeding is the best way to combat reflux.

IF the reflux IS due to too much stomach acid being produced then an acid med is needed.

bouncy seats, nap nannys, swings, and the like are all good ways to put baby down for a nap but still have them sitting more upright then lying flat on a mattress. carseats work too if your going to watch them closely. as its not recommended to leave a sleeping baby in their carseat. (neck down, breathing restricted resulting in little to no oxygen and then brain damage or death as a result. so watch them close if you choose a carseat)
you can moby wrap the baby and carry them around while they sleep too.
if its constant nursing the baby needs then try a paicfier. look for one that resembles your nipple and see if baby is just "comfort nursing" (not actually eating)
it took me 3 tries before finding the right pacifier for my babies when they wanted to comfort suck so the first one may not be right so keep trying

My little one was in the same way and was diagnosed with gas and silent reflux as well. Gas drops and gripe water weren't working so far. I got recommendation about babies magic tea form our pedi and it pretty much working.