Oh no, your little one started spitting up again!🐤 You quickly took the tissues out and started wiping them up. While doing so, a little question popped up in your head. “Why does my baby spit up so much? Is there any problem?”😟
Why do babies spit up?
Like moms are not familiar with nursing, babies are not used to feeding as well🍼. They haven’t swallowed anything before birth, so their digestive system isn’t fully developed. When a baby swallows breast milk or formula, bubbles of air get in as well🫧. The air has to come up, and when it does, liquid comes up with it because the baby’s esophagus muscle, which controls foods coming and going, is weak yet. Spitting up is absolutely normal for babies, and usually, 4 months is the peak age for spitting up.
Help! My baby is spitting up a lot!
Spitting up is always related to feeding, so giving more attention when feeding will help a lot😎!
🍼While feeding
Hold your baby in an upright position so the formula or breastmilk can go straight down to the tummy. Check if the hole of the bottle nipple isn’t too small or large. If it’s too small, more air will get in and if it’s too large, the liquid will come out too quickly and make your baby gulping. While feeding, try to minimize noises and keep away from other distractions so that the baby doesn’t get disturbed😌. Babies also spit up when they eat too much. Try feeding them for a bit shorter time but more frequently, and see if the spitting up gets better.
🍼Before and after Feeding
Burping before and after feeding helps extra air in the baby’s tummy to come out before more food is layered on top of it. If the baby doesn’t burp, don’t worry because it means they don’t need to😉. Try to avoid tight diapers, clothes, or seat belts in a car so the baby’s tummy doesn’t get too much pressure. After feeding, try holding them in an upright position for about half an hour so the liquid slides down.
Unusual symptoms?
Even though spitting out is normal, there are symptoms that you should be aware of. A hint of blood or green bile could be a sign of a blockage in the baby’s intestines. Also, vomit could forcefully fly out of the baby’s mouth, which is called projectile vomiting🤮. This could be a sign of pyloric stenosis, so you should immediately call the doctor. If the baby isn’t gaining weight or having difficulty breathing while spitting out, you should also contact a doctor and discuss it too👨⚕️.