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Baby spit up most of feeding


Why is my baby spitting up so much breast milk?

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My baby is frequently spitting up – it seems like it’s all of my breast milk! I never thought breastfed babies spit up this much. This can’t be normal, can it? Is there something wrong with my baby?

Don’t worry – we get these questions often. Caring for a baby who spits up can be stressful for parents, creating worries about the baby’s health and proper growth. Spitting up is a very common occurrence in healthy babies, and usually won’t cause any issues in regards to the baby’s growth or development. This often happens because the baby’s digestive system is so immature, making it easier for their stomach contents to flow back up into the esophagus.

Several different factors can contribute to babies spitting up, including:

  • Babies regularly spit up when they drink too much milk, too quickly. This can happen when the baby feeds very fast, or when mom’s breasts are overfull. The amount of spit up can appear to be much more than it really is.
  • Food sensitivities can cause excessive spitting up in babies. Products with cow milk in the mom or baby’s diet can be a common food sensitivity.
  • Some babies can become distracted when feeding at the breast, pulling off to look around. This can cause babies to swallow air and spit up more often.
  • Breastmilk oversupply or forceful let-down (milk ejection reflex) can cause reflux-like symptoms in babies.

If your baby seems comfortable, is eating well, gaining weight and developing normally, there’s typically little cause for concern. “Happy spitters” will grow and thrive, despite spitting up frequently. As babies grow and get older, they usually spit up less. Most will stop spitting up by 12 months of age.

Consider these tips:

  • Keep your baby upright. Try feeding your baby this way and keep them upright for about 30 minutes after feedings.
  • Avoid engaging in immediate active play for at least 30 minutes after feedings. Active play includes use of a bouncy seat, vibrating seat, infant swing or bouncing the baby while walking/holding.
  • Frequent burps during and after each feeding can keep air from building up in your baby’s stomach.
  • Avoid overfeeding. Feeding your baby smaller amounts more frequently might help decrease spitting up.
  • Put your baby to sleep on his or her back. Placing a baby to sleep on its tummy to prevent spitting up is not recommended.
  • Monitor your diet closely if you’re breastfeeding. If you feel there are certain foods that might be upsetting your baby’s stomach, try avoiding them for a while.
  • If you notice weight loss, forceful spit up, fussiness or other symptoms, talk to your child’s pediatrician about your concerns.

Lactation Support Services at Texas Children’s Hospital offers a variety of services to mothers with questions and concerns regarding breastfeeding, pumping, medications and more. Click here to learn more.

Shelly Nalbone, APRN, CPNP, IBCLC

Why Babies Spit Up - HealthyChildren.org

​ By: Alejandro Velez, MD, FAAP & Christine Waasdorp Hurtado, MD, FAAP

All babies spit up. Some babies spit up more than others, or at certain times.

Typically, babies spit up after they gulp down some air with breastmilk or formula. A baby's stomach is small and can't hold a lot, after all. Milk and air can fill it up quickly.

With a full stomach, any change in position such as bouncing or sitting up can force the flap between the esophagus (food pipe) and stomach to open. And when that flap (the esophageal sphincter) opens, that's when some of what your baby just ate can make a return appearance.

So, what can you do―if anything―to reduce the amount of your baby's spit up? How do you know if your baby's symptoms are part of a larger problem? Read on to learn more.

Common concerns parents have about spit up


My baby spits up a little after most feedings.

  • Possible cause: Gastroesophageal reflux (normal if mild)

  • Action to take: None. The spitting up will grow less frequent and stop as your baby's muscles mature—especially that flap we talked about earlier. It often just takes time.

My baby gulps their feedings and seems to have a lot of gas.

  • Possible cause: Aerophagia (swallowing more air than usual)

  • Action to take: Make sure your baby is positioned properly during feeds. Also be sure to burp the baby during and after feeds. Consider trying a different bottle to decrease your baby's ability to suck in air.

My baby spits up when you bounce them or play with them after meals.

My baby's spitting up has changed to vomiting with muscle contractions that occur after every feeding. The vomit shoots out with force.

I found blood in my baby's spit-up or vomit.


  • Possible cause: Swelling of the esophagus or stomach (esophagitis or gastritis), or another health problem that requires diagnosis and treatment.

  • Action to take: Call you pediatrician right away so they can examine your baby.

Remedies for spitty babies

Regardless of whether or not your baby's spit up warrants watchful waiting or medical intervention, there are some simple feeding suggestions that can help you deal with the situation at hand.

5 tips to reduce your baby's spit up

  • Avoid overfeeding. Like a gas tank, fill baby's stomach it too full (or too fast) and it's going to spurt right back out at you. To help reduce the likelihood of overfeeding, feed your baby smaller amounts more frequently.

  • Burp your baby more frequently. Extra gas in your baby's stomach has a way of stirring up trouble. As gas bubbles escape, they have an annoying tendency to bring the rest of the stomach's contents up with them. To minimize the chances of this happening, burp not only after, but also during meals.

  • Limit active play after meals and hold your baby upright. Pressing on a baby's belly right after eating can up the odds that anything in their stomach will be forced into action. While tummy time is important for babies, postponing it for a while after meals can serve as an easy and effective avoidance technique.

  • Consider the formula. If your baby is formula feeding, there's a possibility that their formula could be contributing to their spitting up. While some babies simply seem to fare better with one formula over another without having a true allergy or intolerance, an estimated 5% of babies are genuinely unable to handle the proteins found in milk or soy formula―a condition called Cow Milk Protein Intolerance/Allery (CMPI and CMPA). In either case, spitting up may serve as one of several cues your baby may give you that it's time to discuss alternative formulas with your pediatrician. If your baby does have a true intolerance, a 1- or 2-week trial of hypoallergenic (hydrolyzed) formula designed to be better tolerated might be recommended by your baby's provider.

  • If breastfeeding, consider your diet. Cow's milk and soy in your diet can worsen spit up in infants with Cow Milk Protein Intolerance/Allergy (CMPI and CMPA). Removing these proteins can help to reduce or eliminate spit up.

  • Try a little oatmeal. Giving babies cereal before 6 months is generally not recommended—with one possible exception. Babies and children with dysphagia or reflux, for example, may need their food to be thicker in order to swallow safely or reduce reflux. In response to concerns over arsenic in rice, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends parents of children with these conditions use of oatmeal instead of rice cereal. See Oatmeal: The Safer Alternative for Infants & Children Who Need Thicker Food for more information.

Vomit vs. spit up: what's the difference?

There is a big difference between vomiting and spitting up:

Vomiting is the forceful throwing up of stomach contents through the mouth. This typically involves using the abdominal muscles and is often uncomfortable, leaving you with a crying child.

Spitting up is the easy flow of stomach contents out of the mouth, frequently with a burp. Spitting up doesn't involve forceful muscle contractions, brings up only small amounts of milk, and doesn't distress your baby or make them uncomfortable.

What causes vomiting?

Vomiting occurs when the abdominal muscles and diaphragm contract vigorously while the stomach is relaxed. This reflex action is triggered by the "vomiting center" in the brain after it has been stimulated by:

  • Nerves from the stomach and intestine when the gastrointestinal tract is either irritated or swollen by an infection or blockage (as in the stomach bug)

  • Chemicals in the blood such as drugs

  • Psychological stimuli from disturbing sights or smells

  • Stimuli from the middle ear (as in vomiting caused by motion sickness)

Always contact your pediatrician if your baby vomits forcefully after every feeding or if there is ever blood in your baby's vomit.

Remember


The best way to reduce spit up is to feed your baby before they get very hungry. Gently burp your baby when they take breaks during feedings. Limit active play after meals and hold your baby in an upright position for at least 20 minutes. Always closely supervise your baby during this time.

More information


  • How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux & Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Parent FAQs
  • How Much and How Often Should Your Baby Eat

About Dr. Velez

Alejandro Velez, MD, FAAP is a second-year gastroenterology fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital who is interested in practicing general gastroenterology with a focus in motility and functional GI disorders, has a love for medical education at all levels, and harbors a passion for supporting and uplifting those that identify as unrepresented minorities in medicine.

About Dr. Waasdorp


Christine Waasdorp Hurtado, MD, MSCS, FAAP is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and practices in Colorado Springs.

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Neonatal regurgitation after formula feeding

01/01/1970 Rassadina Zinaida Vladimirovna

Articles

Neonatal regurgitation after formula feeding

Spitting up in a newborn baby is a common occurrence, but it is very frightening for new mothers. Should I be worried? How to get rid of this phenomenon? Read the answers to these and other questions in the article. nine0003

At least 80% of babies under the age of six months regurgitate some amount of food just eaten. This happens for various reasons, and most often it is a variant of the norm.

But since the biggest aspiration of parents during this period is weight gain in the baby, spitting up often causes real panic. The child appears to be malnourished.

Let's figure it out: what is the norm, and in what cases you need to run to the doctor.


Causes of regurgitation

First, consider the causes of regurgitation, which happens in most babies and should not cause concern to parents:

  • Immaturity of the digestive system . In an adult, a special muscular valve or sphincter is located between the stomach and esophagus. It's called Cardia. This valve prevents food from being thrown back into the esophagus. In babies up to six months, it is not sufficiently developed. Therefore, any contraction of the walls of the stomach causes regurgitation or reverse reflux. This is the absolute norm for all children. Most often, by the age of 6 months, everything passes. In rare cases, it continues until the age of one. nine0025
  • Overeating . Toddlers do not always eat as much as they need, often they eat as much as they like. And the body already regulates the required amount of food, belching the excess. This cause of regurgitation is typical for artificial children. The mixture comes through the nipple more easily than from the breast. The baby eats faster than the feeling of fullness sets in. So overeating happens.
  • Swallowing air with food . In this case, the air goes back along with the milk, and the baby spits up. nine0025
  • Gas and colic . They can also cause reflux. Air bubbles press against the walls of the intestines and stomach and help food return to the esophagus.
  • Increased nervous excitability . When the baby is worried, the walls of the stomach begin to contract and return of the milk eaten occurs.

Alarming symptoms that are the reason for an immediate visit to the doctor are most often accompanied by violations in weight gain, since the milk eaten is not absorbed by the body: nine0003

  • Frequent regurgitation with a fountain . It can be an indicator of lactase deficiency - in other words, indigestibility of milk. Read more about lactase deficiency in our article. Fountain regurgitation can also occur due to improper development of the baby's digestive system.
  • Regurgitation of yellowish or greenish milk . May be an indicator of an infectious disease. Or occur as a result of the reflux of bile into the stomach. The baby is likely to behave restlessly, because bile irritates the walls of the stomach. nine0025

But how to determine the cause of reverse reflux? In fact, this is not necessary! There is only one indicator that is important to monitor - this is weight gain. If your child is gaining weight normally and you are not experiencing warning signs, then there is no cause for concern. The regurgitation will stop on its own as the child grows.


Regurgitation after formula feeding

This is not to say that regurgitation after formula feeding is more common than with breast milk. However, it happens that the mixture did not fit the baby due to the characteristics of the composition. nine0016 In any case, remember that if abundant regurgitation occurs with a fountain after the mixture, then there is an indication to consult a doctor. And this must be done immediately.

The pediatrician will determine the cause. And if she is in the mixture, she will prescribe a different or special anti-reflux mixture.


How to reduce regurgitation

It will not be possible to completely get rid of the natural process of returning food, but this process can be facilitated for the baby and parents. nine0003

  • Carry your baby upright in a "column" position after feeding. So the air that he swallowed during feeding will come out faster.
  • Make sure that the baby completely captures the circumference of the nipple. Then the air will not penetrate when sucking.
  • Use anti-colic nipples when formula feeding. They are designed in such a way as to prevent air from getting inside.
  • After feeding, do not entertain the baby, let him rest for a while. nine0025
  • Try to feed a little less time to avoid overeating.
  • Give your baby a pacifier before bed to stimulate digestive activity for some time after the meal.
  • Provide your baby with more movement: exercise, massage, swimming, tactile contact, walking in the fresh air. To develop the muscular system more actively. Along with it, all internal organs will develop.
    • nine0042

    There is no drug that will reduce regurgitation. Because it is not a disease, it is either a symptom of it, or a natural process.

    The only thing that can affect the amount of food returned is the use of anti-colic drugs, which reduce gas formation in the intestines. Their use is justified only if the baby is tormented by gaziki. Pay attention to the Israeli colic drug Simicol, which is suitable for babies from birth. nine0003

    Author: Rassadina Zinaida Vladimirovna Pediatrician, experience - 14 years

    Why does the baby spit up after feeding?

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    Regurgitation is a common condition in newborns and infants and is most often a normal variant. However, it is not uncommon for parents to worry if their baby is spitting up frequently, believing that it is due to nutritional or health problems in general. Sometimes these fears are not unfounded, and regurgitation really has a pathological origin. What is its cause and when should you really consult a doctor about this? nine0003

    Regurgitation - Return of a small amount of food (uncurdled or partially curdled milk) from the stomach up the digestive tract: into the esophagus and further into the oral cavity. According to statistics, at least 1 time during the day, at least 50% of babies from 0 to 3 months old can spit up, more than 60% of children 3-4 months old, and in 5% of children, spitting up continues until the year 1 .

    Regurgitation in newborns is considered a physiological process. It is caused by a number of factors, including:

    • Structural features of the upper digestive tract in babies
    • In newborns and infants up to a year of age, the stomach has a spherical shape. It holds a small amount of food, besides, the release from it into the duodenum is slower in comparison with children after the year 2 .
    • Weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter that separates the esophagus from the stomach
    • Normally, the lower esophageal sphincter should tightly "close" the esophagus, allowing food to pass into the stomach and not allowing it to enter back into the upper digestive tract. However, in young children (up to a year), the muscles of the esophageal sphincter are poorly developed, and it does not do its job very well 2 .
    • Slow movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract
    • The neuromuscular system of newborns is immature. It does not ensure the proper movement of food through the esophagus, causing regurgitation.

    One of the important risk factors contributing to regurgitation in newborns is aerophagia. This is the swallowing of large amounts of air during feedings. This happens when the baby is not properly attached to the breast, the mother has a lack of breast milk, or the bottle is in the wrong position in the child who receives the mixture. The size of the opening in the nipple also matters - if it is too large, the newborn swallows a lot of air 3 .

    With aerophagia, the baby becomes capricious, restless immediately after feeding. Noticeable bloating. If the baby spits up immediately after a feed, the milk (or formula) remains practically fresh, uncurdled 3 .

    Promotes post-feeding regurgitation and predominantly horizontal position of the baby during the day, combined with relatively high intra-abdominal pressure 4 . Therefore, the correct position of the baby after feeding is so important. To avoid regurgitation of an excessive amount of stomach contents, after feeding, it is necessary to hold the baby in an upright “column” position for some time (10-20 minutes), lightly patting on the back and allowing excess air to “exit”. nine0003

    Regurgitation in many newborns can be triggered by other situations in which abdominal pressure increases and stomach contents are thrown into the esophagus, in particular 3 :

    • swaddling;
    • stool disorder, in particular constipation;
    • long, forced cry and some others.

    Want to avoid common feeding problems? nine0059


    Start with a baby bottle with an anti-colic system that helps avoid common feeding problems such as colic, gas and spitting up*

    How can you tell the difference between normal spitting up and vomiting?


    Sometimes regurgitation is considered a manifestation of disorders in the digestive tract of children. Due to the constant reflux of acidic stomach contents into the upper sections, inflammation and other complications may develop, including growth retardation, a decrease in hemoglobin levels, and others. Therefore, it is important for parents to understand where the line is between physiological and pathological regurgitation 1 .

    If the mother is worried that her baby is spitting up often, keep track of when this happens and count the total number of spit ups per day. Normally, regurgitation usually occurs after eating (the child burps after each feeding), lasts no more than 20 seconds and repeats no more than 20-30 times a day. With pathology, the problem manifests itself at any time of the day, regardless of when the baby was fed. Their number can reach 50 per day, and sometimes more 1 .

    The amount of discharge during regurgitation also matters. With normal, physiological regurgitation, it is approximately 5 - 30 ml. If this volume fluctuates between 50 and 100 ml, it is already defined as profuse vomiting. When the range of the jet of vomit is up to 50 cm, doctors talk about "vomiting a fountain." A variant of atonic vomiting is possible, when the contents of the stomach flow "sluggishly". It occurs with atony of the stomach (decrease in muscle tone of the stomach wall) and disruption of the esophagus 1 .

    Vomiting in babies is a warning sign. Doctors are especially alarmed by repeated vomiting, a fountain, with an admixture of bile, in combination with constipation. Vomiting can lead to the development of dehydration, acid-base imbalance and other consequences, therefore, if it occurs, you should urgently contact a pediatrician to find out the cause and begin treatment. A doctor's consultation is necessary if the child is spitting up a lot (more than 15-30 ml at a time), with a frequency of more than 50 episodes per day 1.3 .

    Physiological regurgitation: symptoms


    Neonatal regurgitation, which is considered normal and not of concern to pediatricians 3 :

    • usually lasts for a certain period of time;
    • is characterized by slow, "passive" outflow; if the baby spits up a fountain, it is better to consult a doctor;
    • has a sour smell of curdled milk;
    • occurs without the participation of muscles - the baby does not strain during regurgitation;
    • does not affect the general well-being of the baby.

    How can I help a newborn who vomits frequently?


    If the baby is healthy, no medication is prescribed for spitting up. To help the child allow simple measures based on lifestyle changes and feeding.

    . To improve the situation, it is recommended to feed the baby more often, avoiding oversaturation, best of all - on demand 5 .

  • Correct feeding technique
    Every feeding, the mother must ensure that the baby does not swallow too much air during suckling. When sucking, there should be no loud, smacking, clicking sounds. You also need to control that the baby captures the nipple along with the areola.