Baby Spitting Up Curdled Milk: Causes & Treatment

Being a new mommy can be an intimidating experience for most women as every day may bring new parenting challenges for them. There are many issues that may become a cause of concern and one of them could be your baby spitting curdled milk! Well, it is very common for babies to spit up, however, if you wish to know why it happens, what you can do to reduce it and many other associated aspects of the topic, well all this and more are discussed in the following blog!

What Does Curdled Spit-up Look Like?

Your baby’s spit up milk looks just like the breastmilk or formula that your baby feeds. However, the spit up milk may appear less or more curdled based on the time it stays inside your baby’s tummy. This means that if milk comes out or the baby spits up soon as after his feed, the spit up milk may appear just like milk only, however, the milk that stays longer inside the tummy may appear more curdled because it gets mixed up with the stomach acids and appears chunky or curdled. Also, if the baby is only on breastmilk or formula, the curdled spit is likely of whitish hue. However, red spit up could indicate the presence of blood, and green or yellow spit up could indicate the presence of bile or phlegm, and if any such abnormal coloured spitting up is noticed, it should be reported to the doctor!

How Is It Different From Normal Spitting?

If your breastfed baby is spitting up curdled milk, it does not mean that you should hit the panic button at once! You need to know that most babies may spit up curdled milk at least once before they turn three months old. However, you may want to know what is considered a normal scenario in this case and also when should you become concerned! Well, if your baby appears content, does not experience any breathing difficulty, is comfortable, is not losing weight and basically, if your baby feels and looks fine, then you can term your baby as a ‘happy spitter’. However, if your baby is spitting up the entire contents of his stomach on regular basis and as a result is cranky, not gaining weight, and exhibiting other such symptoms, then it could be a cause of concern and usually not considered normal. It will be a good idea to visit your doctor to know about the underlying causes of the same.

What Are the Causes of Spitting up Curdled Milk?

Here are some reasons for babies or infants spitting up curdled milk:

1. Because of Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is known to be a painful condition in which acid from the stomach travels up the throat. This condition is very common and can lead a baby to throw up curdled milk. This condition can be prevented by feeding the baby in an upright position, keeping a tab on how much to feed in one go, by avoiding certain foods while breastfeeding (citrus foods, carbonated drinks, spicy foods, etc.).

2. Because of Immature Digestive Systems

One of the most common reasons for curdled milk in a baby’s mouth is because of an immature digestive system. However, as babies grow up, their digestion gets better and they stop spitting up. In some cases, babies may spit up because of digestion issues such as lactose intolerance, allergic reaction to formula or cow’s milk, milk protein allergies. You can establish such allergies or intolerance by keeping a tab on symptoms such as diarrhoea. If any such symptoms are registered, you must visit a doctor.

3. Because of Pyloric Stenosis

This is one of the rare conditions that can affect young babies in which the stomach is narrow and it becomes difficult for the food to travel to the intestines. This condition can be one of the reasons for your baby’s unexplained weight loss, spitting up curdled or non-curdled milk, constipation, etc. The treatment of this condition usually requires surgical intervention.

Curdled Spitting-up Vs Curdled Vomiting

You can easily distinguish between curdled spitting up from a baby vomiting curdled milk. Where spitting up is more subtle and is usually followed by a burp. You can usually see it as liquid coming out from the side of your baby’s mouth. However, in comparison to spitting up, vomiting is not only forceful but your baby will throw up several inches away from him.

How to Stop Baby From Spitting Curdled Milk

Though spitting up curdled milk is a common phenomenon in babies, however, here are some tips that can prevent or stop your baby from spitting curdled milk:

• Make sure you feed your baby in an upright position as feeding in a curled or slouched position can make your baby throw up.
• If your breasts are too full, make sure you express some milk to manage the milk flow. If the baby is bottle-fed, you should check the nipple hole to make sure the milk flow is proper and not too much for the baby to handle.
• Refrain from overfeeding your baby, if your baby refuses to feed then do not insist on feeding him. Focus on feeding frequently rather than feeding in one go.
• Check for any extra pressure on your baby’s stomach, which can happen due to tight clothing, tight diapers, babies lying on their tummies for long, etc. to avoid any spitting up accidents.
• Try and burp your baby to let go of any trapped air that the baby may have ingested during feeds. If possible, burp your baby in between the feeding sessions too.
• Make sure that you keep the feeding sessions calmer and quieter for your baby as when babies get distracted, they may ingest more air, which can make them spit up more.

When to Call a Doctor

As your baby’s digestive system matures up, the spitting up stops gradually and this may happen anywhere from six to 12 months of age. However, if you notice any of the following things, you should get in touch with your doctor:

• If your baby isn’t feeding properly.
• If your baby experiences difficulty in breathing.
• If your baby isn’t gaining weight.
• If there are traces of blood in your baby’s poop.
• If your baby’s spit contains green or yellow fluid.
• If spit-ups are more like vomiting than regular spit-ups.
• If your baby has fewer wet diapers in a day than expected.
• If your baby’s or newborns’ curdled spit up has traces of blood.
• If you notice your baby crying or being in an irritable state more than usual.
• If your baby is spitting up curdled formula or breastmilk at a later stage, which is 6 months or older.

There are umpteen reasons that can make your baby spit up curdled milk. Though it is a very normal occurrence in newborns and younger babies, however, if you are concerned about this issue, you should meet your doctor and get your concerns addressed. Your doctor is the best person to help you explain the reason for the same and also offer you the best solution.

Also Read:

Is Drooling Common in Infants?
Infant Spitting up Through the Nose
Is It Normal for Baby to Vomit Mucus?

How to Tell When Baby Spit Up is a Medical Concern

Prepared parents know newborn spit up is normal. With a few strategically stored burp-cloths and some desensitization, baby spit up even becomes manageable enough to feel like a non-issue. That is, until there’s too much spit-up. And that’s when it become necessary to find out how much spit up is normal— a task best accomplished by looking at frequency and force.

What is Normal Spit-Up

“Some amount of spit up is normal,” explains Dr. Natalie Muth, spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics and co-author of the Picky Eater Project: 6 Weeks to Happier, Healthier Family Mealtimes. And the reason it’s normal has everything to do with the fact that babies are still developing outside the womb. Not all of their parts are working as well as they will when they’re just a few months older.

How to Tell When Baby Spitting Up a Lot is a Medical Concern

• Consider frequency. Spit up after every feeding is abnormal.
• Look at the force of the spit-up. Projectile vomiting isn’t the same as spit-up.
• Understand that when spit-up is clustered with other symptoms, like colic or lack of weight gain, there could be a medical problem.
• Reach out to a pediatrician if you are ever in doubt of whether spit-up is a concern.

“Spit up is due to infants having a floppy sphincter that separates the esophagus from the stomach,” Muth explains. “A little bit of crying, gravity, or a too-full stomach can cause the floppy sphincter to open up and the partially-digested breast milk or formula to come up from stomach to the esophagus and out the mouth, rather than the direction it is supposed to go.” Specifically, the other direction.

Interestingly, and contrary to popular belief. It doesn’t appear that formula necessarily increases the amount a baby will spit up, given the correct parental portion control. While it is true that breastmilk does digest faster than formula, allowing the kid to move it through their system more efficiently, babies will still likely spit up with breast or bottle both. In fact, more than two-thirds of babies spit up regularly, according to Muth.

Signs of Vomit

And that’s why a distinction should be made between the fairly normal spit-up and straight ahead vomiting. “Spitting up is more like some of the food is regurgitated or ‘burped up’ whereas vomiting is usually more forceful,” Muth explains. “And when ‘spit up’ is actually projectile vomiting after most, if not all, feeds then it is very important that the baby is seen by a pediatrician.” That because the problem may be something more profound than a floppy sphincter and instead may be indicative of a larger problem.

RELATED: How to Tell the Difference Between Spit-Up and Vomit

The warning signs of a larger problem are compounded when forceful, projectile-vomiting style spitting-up is clustered with other symptoms. When combined with low weight, refusal to feed, prolonged crying or colic, spitting-up may indicate an issue that requires some professional attention.

“Projectile vomiting can indicate something called pyloric stenosis which is when a muscle (the pylorus) is so large that food cannot pass from the stomach to the small intestines,” says Muth. “This typically affects babies around 3-6 weeks old and is an emergency.” But it is not the only concerning condition.

Frequent projectile vomiting or forceful spit-up at every feed could also indicate an infection and lead to dehydration. Those signs, along with a failure to gain weight, could also be linked to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is not linked to normal spit up. Additionally, blood in the spit-up could indicate esophageal damage.

Controlling Spit-Up

That said, most spit-up will be typical and can be controlled in part, with some good parental, after-feeding behavior. “Parents can help decrease spit up by feeding the baby smaller amounts of food more frequently, keeping the baby upright for 20-30 minutes after feeds, and being sure to burp the baby with every feed,” explains Muth, but adds this caution: “Parents should not position babies to sleep with a wedge or raised up as this increases risk for SIDS.”

Happily, for most babies, spit-up will subside as they get older and are introduced to complementary foods. This inevitably allows parents to turn all those burpees into perfect dust rags. Still, Muth stresses, before that happens, if parents are ever concerned about the frequency and amount of spit up, there is one thing for them to do: “Consult the babies pediatrician to assess further. ”

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Why does my baby spit up so much? — Plateau Pediatrics

Nearly all babies spit up to some degree. Occasionally, though, a baby seems to vomit so much that parents wonder if something is wrong.

Persistent spitting up in babies is called reflux (also called gastroesophageal reflux or GER.) Reflux is never concerning in an otherwise normal baby who is growing and developing normally. It will sometimes seem that a baby vomits more than he eats, and may seem amazing that he grows or gains weight at all! These “happy spitters” do quite well, and are chubby more often than scrawny. Most show significant improvement by 6 months of age, and almost all are better by their first birthday.

In our experience, most “spitty babies” are formula fed. This is because formula flows much faster from a bottle than human milk does from the breast. It’s a lot easier to “overeat” when the baby doesn’t have to work to get the milk. Babies also don’t “know when to say when.” An infant’s stomach is not much bigger than his two fists together; babies will try to eat more, resulting in vomiting. The baby will then be hungry again, causing a second rapid feeding (and often more vomiting.)

Reflux can be very smelly. Many parents are concerned when they see nasty-smelling curdled milk in their child’s vomit. However, this is what milk mixed with stomach acid looks like; it’s not a sign of something strange. Reflux can indeed be messy, but it’s not harmful to an otherwise normal baby. If reflux bothers you, here are some things you can do to help it:

• Feed your baby in the upright position.

• Offer your baby smaller feedings that are more frequent. This is the single biggest change you can make to help reduce spitting up. For example, most one month olds spit up if they take 4 oz at a time every four hours. The same baby will probably be much less “spitty” with 2 oz every two hours – which is still the same total amount of milk in a 24 hour period. Most newborns can only take an ounce or two at a time; most four-month-olds get “spitty” beyond 4 ounces at a time.

• Elevate the head of your baby’s bassinet or crib at an angle of about 15 degrees. This gets gravity on your side. (Let your baby lie flat or stand up; a seated position such as in a car seat can actually cause more reflux.)

• Burp your baby well in the middle of and after feedings. “Barracuda babies” who ravenously take a complete feeding in 10 minutes swallow lots of air with their milk.

• Try a different type of bottle. There are new “airless” bottles that reduce the amount of air babies swallow with feedings, available at some of our local pharmacies. These bottles also result in slower milk flow, helping infants to feed slower overall.

• Add a teaspoon of rice cereal to a bottle to thicken the feedings.

What if these things don’t work?

Let us know if the above suggestions don’t work. Sometimes we can recommend other changes if reflux persists, like prescription medication. Vomiting is rarely caused by formula intolerance, and so we don’t usually recommend changing formulas simply for persistent spitting up.

When is spitting up worrisome?

• Extremely forceful (“projectile”) vomiting. Although seen in many normal children, it can be the sign of severe blockage if it happens more than once.

• Dehydration, as seen by decreased saliva, tears, and urine (see our information sheet on dehydration.)

• Weight loss or minimal weight gain in a child under the age of 1. Ask us if you are concerned about your baby’s weight gain.

• Peculiar vomit, containing bile (bright green) or blood (red or brown. )

• Associated with other symptoms which are themselves concerning, like severe belly pain or distension, wheezing, profuse diarrhea, and/or severe skin rashes. These should be reported to your doctor immediately.

Baby Spitting up Curdled Milk: Should I Be Concerned?

Do you know why babies spit up? Clearly, because they are just being babies! Spitting up after drinking the milk is completely normal and harmless for most of the infants. What they generally do is to gulp milk and air, and when their stomach contracts, the stomach shoots milk back up. Spitting could be sometimes more than just a laundry problem and could reflect a medical problem. This could be pyloric stenosis, formula allergy, or gastroesophageal reflux. Spitting up of milk or vomiting if occurs too frequent, this is the sign that you should consult the doctor. Consult the pediatrician, if he is satisfied with your child’s growth and weight gain, there is nothing to worry as spitting up is very common in infants.

Talking more about gastroesophageal reflux, it can be the result of an immature digestive system or the poor closure of the valve. The spitting could mostly occur during or after a meal. However, if the baby is not showing any significant discomfort and is gaining appropriate weight, it is a sign that your baby is a healthy and normal infant.

When Not to Worry?

• Baby does not have abdominal pain
• Baby is gaining weight appropriately
• The spitting up is less in frequency and volume
• Baby is acting well
• The spit-up doesn’t always shoot out a couple of feet

When to Call the Doctor?

If your infant is spitting up milk with a burp and even if it occurs after every feeding, it is not usually a problem. But, vomiting is different and your baby is vomiting repeatedly or for longer than 24 hours. It could be a sign of illness or infection.

Some of the signs that you should call your baby’s doctor:

• The baby is showing signs of dehydration
• Baby is spitting up too much or too often
• The baby appears to be in pain
• The baby is losing weight

If you see anything unusual with the baby’s health condition, it is suggested to consult your doctor.

Spitting Up in Babies – familydoctor.org

The medical term for “spitting up” is gastroesophageal reflux. It happens when milk or solid food in the stomach comes back up into your baby’s esophagus. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth and the stomach.

Spitting up isn’t the same as vomiting. Babies usually don’t notice when they spit up. Vomiting is forceful and painful.

Spitting up is common for babies because their digestive system isn’t fully developed yet. It most often occurs when they’ve eaten too much or swallowed air while feeding. Spitting up is common for most babies until about the time they can eat solid foods (around 6 months to 1 year of age).

These symptoms can be scary, especially for first time parents. In most cases, simple spitting up can be normal and does not usually mean the baby has an allergy or intolerance. Slowing down or altering feeding often improves these symptoms.

Path to well being

Each baby is different in how often and how much they spit up. There are things you can do to help prevent or ease spitting up.

Feed your baby in an upright position. Try to feed in a calm setting so your baby isn’t anxious or distracted. If you breastfeed, burp your baby after each feeding or when you change breasts. If you bottle-feed, burp your baby every 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure the hole in the bottle’s nipple is the right size. If it’s too large, milk can come out too fast. If it’s too small, air bubbles can form.

After a feeding, let your baby’s stomach settle. Continue to hold them in an upright position for 20 to 30 minutes. Avoid laying them down or moving them around too much.

Try not to overfeed your baby. Some babies spit up less if you give them less milk at each feeding but feed them more often.

Things to consider

Spitting up is messy, but it’s normal during your baby’s early months. It rarely involves choking, coughing, or pain.

However, you should contact your doctor if you notice your baby:

• Is not gaining weight.
• Spits up a large amount of milk (more than 1 or 2 tablespoons).
• Spits up or vomits forcefully.
• Has fewer wet diapers than normal.
• Seems very tired or sluggish.
• Spits up green or brown liquid.

See your doctor if your baby has any of the symptoms listed above. First, your doctor will check to see if your baby is healthy and growing well. Next, he or she will check to see if your baby has breathing problems. If your doctor thinks your baby is fine, nothing else needs to be done.

If your baby’s reflux is causing health problems, your doctor may prescribe medicine. This medicine is the same one used for heartburn in adults. The doctor may do other tests if your baby still doesn’t gain weight or develops other symptoms.

Questions to ask your doctor

• Is my baby’s spitting up normal or do they have a reflux problem?
• What is causing my baby to spit up and is there anything I can do to prevent it?
• Is my baby spitting up because of a reaction to something they or I ate?
• At what age can I expect my baby to stop spitting up?
• Is my baby at risk for any health problems?

Resources

National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus: Spitting Up – Self-Care

Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians

This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.

Acid Reflux: When is it more than just spit up?

Spitting up is a common complaint during infancy.  My daughter would spit up after each feeding.  She was exclusively breast fed and would spit up immediately after every feed.  She was my first baby and I was convinced she was starving since she was spitting up so much.  She was never fussy, never had forceful vomiting, and was gaining weight despite all the spit ups.  I was reassured by my pediatrician that my “chubby baby” was indeed healthy and she was spitting up due to gastro esophageal reflux.  My daughter did not require any treatment and outgrew her symptoms by 12 months of age.

 What is gastro esophageal reflux (GER)?  It is just a medical term for spitting up.  It happens because the stomach contents flow back into the esophagus or into the mouth.  It occurs most often after a feed but can also occur when your baby coughs, cries or strains.  Most babies outgrow this by 18-24 months of age.  Most babies with GER are healthy and no tests or treatment is necessary. 

If your baby is fussy and is bothered by the spitting up, a few measures can improve the symptoms.  

• If your baby is bottle fed, thicken feeds in the bottle–add up to 1 tablespoon of rice cereal to 2 ounces of infant milk. You can add cereal to expressed milk if you are breastfeeding. 
•  Burp your baby after feeding 1 or 2 ounces of formula. For breast-fed infants, burp after feeding on each side.
• Do not overfeed.
• If possible, hold your baby upright in your arms for 30 minutes after feedings.

When to call the doctor?

• If it is more than spit up—there is large or forceful vomiting
• vomiting fluid that is green,  that looks like coffee grounds or blood
• difficulty breathing after vomiting or spitting up
• there is weight loss or poor weight gain
• excessive crying and irritability

 My son was also a spitty baby but his symptoms were slightly different.   He would spit up frequently, was very fussy and spit ups would be accompanied by cough.  He also would frequently arch his back and cry as if he was in pain.  His symptoms were more suggestive of gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD).  

 What is gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD)?

 Reflux becomes GERD when the acid in the reflux irritates or injures the esophagus.  This only happens in a SMALL percentage of babies who spit up.  Symptoms that suggest that your baby has GERD are:

• fussiness/refusal to eat
• frequent spit up/vomiting
• frequent crying
• arching of the back or neck as if in pain
• poor weight gain
• frequent coughing or wheezing

How do you diagnose GERD?

Diagnosis is based on medical history and physical examination.  Your doctor may order some tests which include:

• Lab tests: May include blood and urine tests to rule out other causes of frequent vomiting and poor weight gain
• Chest X-ray:  If there is concern for aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs from the history and exam.
• Esophageal pH monitoring. To determine if the fussiness and other symptoms are caused by GERD, a thin tube inserted through your baby’s nose or mouth into the esophagus. The tube is attached to a device that monitors acidity. A diary is kept of symptoms during a 24 hour period and is compared with the pH reading to determine if the symptoms are due to acidity in the esophagus. 
• Upper GI series. A test to determine if the vomiting is due to obstruction in the upper part of the digestive system.  Your baby is given white liquid called barium to drink and then X-rays are taken.  The barium coats the inside of the organs which will show up on X-ray and any abnormalities can be detected. 
• Upper endoscopy.  A test to look directly into the esophagus and stomach using a special tube with a light and camera at the end (endoscope).  Tissue samples can also be taken during this test.  For infants and children, endoscopy is usually done under general anesthesia.

How do you treat GERD?

It depends on the severity and the impact on weight gain and symptoms.  As always, start with conservative measures such as that described above for GER.  Diet changes for the breast feeding mother may also be helpful.  If conservative measures fail, your doctor may prescribe medications similar to those used for heartburn in adults.  These medications may include H-2 blockers, such as cimetidine (Tagamet) or ranitidine (Zantac), or proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (Prilosec) or lansoprazole (Prevacid).  If your baby is not growing well, higher calorie feeding or feeding tube may be recommended.  Rarely, a surgical procedure called fundoplication may be performed. 

More information for GERD can be found by clicking here.

Baby Spit-up: Medical Problem or Laundry Problem?

One of the more common problems we encounter in pediatrics is spit up or reflux.  Sorting through whether a baby has typical reflux or something more can be a challenge for both parents and healthcare providers.

This past year I learned a lot about spit up the hard way.  My son spit up every time he ate for the first three months and continued to have frequent episodes until he was almost 9 months old.  Every time we passed the baby we also passed the burp rag.  He wore a bib at all times to help reduce the number of outfit changes during the day.  My husband and I made sure that everything we wore was washable because inevitably we ended up covered in spit up too. We did laundry every day to keep up with all the clothes, bibs, and rags. Luckily, we had a laundry problem and not a medical problem. He continued to grow and thrive despite the spitting up.

How do you sort through whether spit up is a laundry problem or a medical problem? Spit up is a normal occurrence for most newborns.  All babies have some degree of reflux (medical term for spit up) and most outgrow it by one year of age.  Some babies are more affected than others and within the same family there may be variation in how much each child spits up.

Indications that it might be more than just “spit up”:

–          Weight Gain: If your baby is having trouble gaining weight or is losing weight they should be further evaluated for GERD (gastroesphageal reflux disease) or other underlying health conditions.

–          Sudden change in amount or type of spit up: If your baby all of a sudden starts spitting up frequently or develops projectile vomiting you should contact your pediatrician immediately.  This could be a sign of pyloric stenosis which is an urgent medical condition and usually develops in babies around 4-8 weeks of age.

–          Extreme fussiness or irritability with feeds: All babies are fussy some of the time but fussiness may be related to GERD if your baby seems extremely uncomfortable after feeds or in pain when spitting up.

–          If there is blood or bile (bright/dark green color) in the spit up

How to decrease spitting up

–          Feed smaller amounts more frequently:  We ended up feeding my son every two hours during the day.  It was challenging for me because so much of the day was spent feeding, but he seemed happier eating smaller amounts more often.

–          For bottle feeding moms: If bottle feeding, try a slower flow nipple and bottles designed to decrease amount of air swallowed.  You may have to experiment with a variety of bottles before finding the best one for baby. If formula feeding you may find that certain formulas seem better tolerated by your baby and may need to try a different formula.  It is always best to talk with your child’s care provider before making formula switches.

–          For Breastfeeding moms: If you are breastfeeding you may find some improvement in symptoms by eliminating dairy or spicy foods from your diet.  I do not recommend switching from breast milk to formula.  Breast milk in general is better tolerated than formula and comes with many other benefits for both mother and baby.

–          Keep baby upright for 30 minutes after feeds: In practice this can be very challenging.  At times it felt like all we were doing was feeding my son.  I was nursing for 30 minutes and then holding him upright for 30 minutes and starting the whole process over again one hour later.  This was especially not practical at night time when I needed to get some sleep too.

–          Elevating the head of the bed. Some bassinets are designed so they can be set at a slight incline. Otherwise a small blanket or towel can be used UNDER the mattress to raise the head of the bed slightly.  The mattress needs to be very firm and the baby should not slide down in the bed.  Sometimes it can be helpful to let baby sleep in a swing or bouncer chair temporarily.

Remember that this is a temporary problem and most babies outgrow frequent spitting up between 6 months and 1 year of age.  If you are concerned about the amount of spitting up or that your baby seems unusually fussy you should bring up your concerns at your baby’s next appointment.

90,000 Regurgitation of babies

Regurgitation of infants

Regurgitation is one of the most common problems in children of the first year of life. Regurgitation is understood as the throwing of gastric contents into the esophagus and the oral cavity, while, unlike vomiting, only the stomach muscles are involved.

Usually they do not require any specialized treatment, although it is better to resolve the issue with your pediatrician, however, there are signs that should alert you and serve as an obligatory reason for contacting a doctor:
– Abundant regurgitation, sometimes with a “fountain”;
– Frequent regurgitation without dependence on feeding time;
– Regurgitation that occurs 1-2 hours after feeding;
– Anxiety and crying during spitting up, the child bends over, there is an increase in body temperature;
– Regurgitation after drinking or eating a small amount of food, while the child is restless, gaining insufficient weight or even losing body weight;
– Vomiting (yellow color due to bile).

What are the reasons for regurgitation:
– Overfeeding and erratic feeding. The volume of the child’s stomach is limited, therefore, the child’s body gets rid of the excess with the help of regurgitation;
– Swallowing air during feeding. The baby does not properly grasp the nipple or the nipple does not fit;
– Tight swaddling, because the child’s belly is compressed;
– Food allergy;
– Colic;
– Pathology of the central nervous system and malformations of the gastrointestinal tract.

How can you help a child?
– If a child is bottle-fed, you should revise your diet and exclude foods that contribute to increased gas production, such as legumes, cabbage, apples, grapes, etc.
– Eliminate overfeeding. You should learn to distinguish between when the baby is hungry, and when it is crying for another reason, if the baby is being fed on demand. The mixture should be prepared strictly according to the proportion indicated by the manufacturer, and given strictly according to the instructions according to the age (all data is on the packages)
– While feeding, hold the baby at a 45 degree angle so that the head is above the tummy
– With breastfeeding, the baby must correctly grip the nipple and areola, and with artificial feeding, the nipple must be completely filled with the mixture, and the size of the hole must be selected so that the mixture drips, and does not pour out in a stream
– Hold the baby upright in a column after feeding for at least 20 minutes, and also avoid active games with the baby for at least 20 minutes
– Eliminate tight swaddling
– Place the baby on a firm surface before feeding
– The crib must be equipped in such a way that its head edge is raised by 45 degrees
– For certain diseases, consultation of specialized specialists is required to decide further tactics for correcting regurgitation.

Sometimes an antireflux mixture may be required, but its appointment requires the consultation of a pediatrician, it should not be introduced into the child’s diet on its own. There are several types of them, and the features of antireflux mixtures are a topic for a separate article.

• Date of publication: 01.11.
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90,000 How can I help a baby who is regurgitating food? – Aptaclub.lv

What is gastroesophageal reflux, or regurgitation of food?

During meals, food passes through the esophagus into the stomach. In the wall of the esophagus are layers of muscles that contract and relax to move food into the stomach through the esophagus (this wave-like movement is called peristalsis). At the junction of the esophagus into the stomach is a round muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter. The lower esophageal sphincter relaxes when food enters it, allowing food to enter the stomach and then contract to prevent food and gastric juice from flowing back into the esophagus.
If the lower sphincter does not close completely, from time to time stomach contents may drain back into the esophagus.

This process is observed in all people, but especially in children. For the most part, it is impossible to observe this process, because it occurs in the lower esophagus

The retrograde movement of stomach contents into the esophagus is called gastroesophageal reflux.

When does the regurgitation of food occur?

During the first months of life, babies vomit milk together with the air after eating.This is called regurgitation of food. The reason is the anatomical features of babies (short esophagus, small stomach). Spitting up food is seen in babies, regardless of whether they are drinking milk from a bottle or feeding on breast milk.

Most often, regurgitation of food is observed in infants before they reach 4-6 months of age

At this age, a similar phenomenon is observed in every second child at least once a day. From six months on, regurgitation of food decreases.As the baby grows, the angle between the stomach and the esophagus changes, resulting in less reflux. More than 50% of infants stop regurgitation by 10 months of age, 80% of babies by 18 months, and 98% by 2 years of age.

How does food regurgitate?

If the regurgitation of food is observed in a child who has good appetite and weight gain, and does not have symptoms of other diseases, we are talking about a simple form of reflux (the manifestation of which is just regurgitation of food).Regurgitation frequency and abundance can be reduced by more frequent regurgitation during meals and less activity after meals.
Gastroesophageal reflux can develop into gastroesophageal reflux disease, which in severe cases can cause inflammation of the esophagus. This only happens in a small number of babies. Symptoms include refusal to eat, crying, active curvature of the back and neck (as if a baby were in pain), coughing and coughing up while eating and spitting up, severe vomiting or fountain vomiting, frequent coughing, and very low weight gain.

Reflux disease is most common in patients with neurological disorders. This causes constant regurgitation after eating, as a result of which the child may have problems with growth and nutrition, dislike for food and eating it through the mouth, inflammation in the esophagus, pneumonia, shortness of breath and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract can be added.

During the first months of life, regurgitation of food (gastroesophageal reflux) can also be a sign of food allergy or food intolerance

In this case, your family doctor and pediatrician (gastroenterologist or allergist) can provide the most qualified assistance.
Infants who feed on breast milk have been shown to have severe cases of reflux less often than children who use formula milk. The mother’s milk is well absorbed, and the baby’s stomach is emptied from it twice as fast as from the formula. This is very important because slow gastric emptying is more likely to spit up stomach contents. Mother’s milk is less irritating to the esophagus than formula milk.

How can I help my baby and reduce regurgitation of food?

With a simple form of reflux, which manifests itself in the form of regurgitation of food, you do not need to use special thick milk formulas.

• Babies who are breastfeeding should continue to breastfeed because such food reduces regurgitation, as well as the risk of its occurrence in the future.

• Try to reduce annoying factors and maintain a calm atmosphere while feeding your baby. The child’s room should be quiet and calm, without bright lights. You can play soothing music in the room.

• Try feeding your baby when he is sleepy.

• Wake your baby up more often to feed him small portions, because this way it will be easier for him to digest food. 2 – 3 hours should pass between meals.

• At night, the child can stay close to the parents.

• Caress and hug your child more often.

• Bathe your baby regularly in a warm water bath.

• Hold your baby upright during and after feeding.After every 30 to 60 ml of milk, induce him to burp. After feeding, the baby should be in an upright position on the chest or on the parent’s shoulder for about half an hour. Do not put the child on a chair at this moment, because accompanying pressure on the abdomen can make regurgitation worse.

• Do not overfeed the baby and stop feeding the baby as soon as he has lost interest in food.

• If you suspect that regurgitation of food may be due to food allergies or food intolerances, try to determine which foods on the mother’s and baby’s menu may be causing reflux / regurgitation.One of the most common factors causing reflux is dairy in a mother’s diet. If your baby is not breastfeeding and you suspect formula may be causing the reaction, talk to your pediatrician. Parents are advised not to experiment with different milk formulas without consulting a doctor. The cause of the reaction can be established more easily and more accurately if the mother keeps a diary of her meals.

• Thick formula may reduce the frequency of regurgitation.Be sure to check with your pediatrician before making any changes to your baby’s menu. Bottle nipples for babies who drink thick formula should have holes large enough, but not so large that food can suddenly spill into the baby’s mouth and choke. For children suffering from frequent spitting up, the doctor may advise the use of special formulas (they are indicated by the letters AR (antireflux)). Before giving a thick mixture to a child, parents should consult with a doctor about whether the child needs it.

Be sure to consult your pediatrician before making any changes to the baby’s menu

When does your baby need medical attention?

It is imperative to go with the child to see a doctor if the child has frequent regurgitation of food (reflux), as well as the following symptoms of the disease:

• bloody stools, severe diarrhea, persistent vomiting or vomiting of blood;

• repeated pneumonia;

• the child is gaining weight poorly;

• the child has been crying for more than two hours;

• refusal to eat and drink for a long period;

• massive vomiting after each meal;

• changes in behavior, the child is constantly sleepy, sleeps a lot, the reaction is slow.

The brochure was compiled in cooperation with the gastroenterologist of the Latvian children’s hospital, Dr. Inita Kaže.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

Breast milk is the best food for a baby. It nourishes, protects and develops! You can wean your baby from breastfeeding with bottle formulas. Aptamil milk formulas are only used if the mother is unable or unwilling to breastfeed. Formula is used only on the advice of a doctor, midwife, nurse, or pharmacist.

90,000 reasons to see a doctor and preventive measures

Digestive problems, Symptoms and treatment

Spitting up or regurgitation in a baby is a condition in which gastric contents are passively thrown out and into the mouth. It is a functional digestive disorder. However, with him, even if the child often spits up, the functions of any systems and organs are not impaired, his state of health does not suffer. More often, the baby can spit up towards the end of the first month of life.

Authors: Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Pakulova-Trotskaya Yu.V.,

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Prof. Niankovsky S.L.

The baby spits up a lot, as the anatomical and physiological features of the digestive system contribute to this. This condition occurs in babies who eat greedily, swallowing a lot of air during feeding. The newborn also spits up in cases where the composition and volume of food does not correspond to the functional capabilities of the crumbs, in case of a violation of the diet and improper technique of attachment to the breast.

Reasons for regurgitation of a child

In newborns, regurgitation is facilitated by the features of the gastrointestinal tract and its general immaturity. But sometimes infant regurgitation can be a symptom of a serious illness. Therefore, you need to consult a doctor to determine the reason why a newborn spits up. It is important not to forget that in rare cases, regurgitation can provoke dangerous complications: esophagitis (inflammation of the esophageal mucosa), aspiration pneumonia (pneumonia), anemia (lack of hemoglobin), and sometimes sudden infant death syndrome.

After the reason why the child spits up has been found and serious illnesses have been ruled out, we can talk about the diagnosis of infant regurgitation. The following criteria are taken into account:

• Spitting up two or more times a day, more than three weeks, while milk or mixture can flow out both through the mouth and through the nose.
• The baby’s general condition is not disturbed, he swallows normally, there are no apnea attacks (respiratory arrest), there is no vomiting and aspiration, there are no blood impurities in the contents.

There are several reasons why the baby spits up formula or breast milk:

• There is more food than the baby’s stomach can “hold” and digest. It is believed that the main reason why a baby spits up like a fountain is “on demand” feeding. The first 6 months of life, the cardiac part of the stomach is not perfect, the cardiac sphincter is poorly developed, which prevents food from being thrown into the esophagus. Liquid food quickly enters the intestines, peristalsis occurs, which contributes to an increase in pressure in the fundus of the stomach.This provokes food to be thrown away.
• Flatulence – air bubbles put pressure on the walls of the stomach, provoking regurgitation.
• Excessive activity of the neonatal nervous system.
• Constipation.

When regurgitating, it is important to monitor how the baby is gaining weight. If he is normal, the baby sleeps well, smiling, then regurgitation is not a health problem. But do not forget that the reasons why a child often spits up can be congenital malformations of the esophagus, a foreign body in it, diaphragmatic hernia, pathologies of the nervous system, lactase deficiency, infectious diseases.

How often the child regurgitates

Anatomical and physiological features contribute to the fact that the child regurgitates a lot at an early age. The tone of the lower esophageal sphincter is reduced, therefore, as soon as intragastric pressure rises for one reason or another, food is thrown out.

Often regurgitation occurs at 2 weeks of life. The frequency and intensity of infant regurgitation increases in the second month and lasts for about six months. After 6 months, the baby spits up less.In some children (about 10% of cases), this condition can persist for up to 1 year. The child often spits up the first 3 months of life – this happens in almost 100% of children. In 4-6 months, regurgitation can persist in about 60% of cases, from 6 to 12 months – 20%, very rarely – after 1 year (about 2% of cases). Each baby spits up at a different rate after feeding. Sometimes even completely healthy babies can spit up 20-30 times a day.

If a newborn spits up a lot, this is a normal reaction of his body.Regurgitation can occur in completely healthy children, but in a small volume (up to 3 ml) and not too often. Often, such a condition goes away on its own until the end of the first year of life, but sometimes, if the child spits up heavily, an examination may be necessary.

The following moments should be alerted:

• the presence of bile, blood in the masses;
• the baby is losing weight;
• progression of regurgitation;
• crown ripple;
• the child spits up like a fountain, the situation repeats itself many times;
• deterioration of the general condition;
• delayed physical development;
• hepatosplenomegaly.

Contents of regurgitation

The main indicator of a child’s health in the first months of life is his physical development. What if my baby is spitting up breast milk while breastfeeding? If he systematically gains weight, height, behaves normally, do not worry. When the baby grows up a little and switches to a more solid diet, regurgitation will disappear over time.

Sometimes a newborn spits up curd. Such content does not indicate disease or malformation.Most often, this situation occurs if during feeding the baby swallows a lot of air, he has bloating or the usual overfeeding. If the child spits up curd, the following actions will help to eliminate this:

• The baby should be fed often, but in small portions;
• after feeding, hold it at an angle of 45 degrees for a while so that the baby spits up air;
• Apply correctly to the chest;
• Give anti-gassing agent.

Sometimes a baby regurgitates formula while on artificial feeding, because it may not be suitable for him in composition. In this case, picking up a different food, you can get rid of regurgitation. Alternatively, simply making a smaller opening in the nipple is sufficient to prevent large amounts of air from entering.

Regurgitation is considered to be physiological, if its volume is not more than 2 tablespoons, they appear an hour after feeding and disappear at about 9 months.In this case, the child spits up milk, a little curdled or unchanged, normally recovers and grows.

We can speak of a pathological nature in cases where:

• regurgitation occurs later than an hour after eating;
• are more frequent at night;
• frequency of regurgitation – more than 7 times a day;
• rejected food in the amount of 3-5 ml and more;
• goes into vomiting, which does not stop;
• poor weight gain;
• spitting up with blood, bile;
• the process does not pass by the age of one year.

All this may indicate the possible presence of any disease. If you notice at least one of the listed signs or their combination, you should immediately contact a gastroenterologist or pediatrician.

What is the difference between regurgitation and vomiting?

The main difference between regurgitation and vomiting is that in the first case it is more often a physiological act, and in the second it is the result of a particular pathology.

• Vomiting is a reflex of the nervous system, in which skeletal and smooth muscles of the digestive system are involved (when regurgitating, only smooth muscles).In this case, the emptying of the contents of the stomach through the mouth occurs due to the coordinated work of organs such as the esophagus, stomach, intestines and diaphragm. During vomiting, much more fluid is lost compared to spitting up, as a result of which dehydration can occur and the baby’s condition is disturbed. Vomiting can occur at any time, regardless of whether the child has just eaten. Often occurs in abundant quantities, can be repeated several times in a row. Older children may complain of nausea and abdominal pain before vomiting.
• There is no discomfort during regurgitation, the baby is calm. Don’t worry if your baby spits up water. During feeding, milk that has entered the stomach curdles. Thus, it is separated into curd and whey, which looks like water. It is she who comes out when spitting up. This is normal. Another reason is profuse salivation, then the spit up water is saliva that the baby has recently swallowed.

It also happens that the child spits up through the nose.This happens with improper feeding of the baby. If spitting up through the nose is repeated often, you should consult a doctor, as this violates the integrity of the nasal mucosa, and polyps may develop over time.

If the newborn spits up yellow, this is definitely not the norm. This is possible with various infectious diseases, intestinal obstruction, lactose intolerance, food allergy to the mixture, adverse effects on the intestines of antibiotics.

In some diseases, the newborn spits up like a fountain.These are pylorospasm and pyloric stenosis. In the first case, medication is enough, and in the second, the baby needs an emergency operation. It is especially important to act quickly if the child does not gain weight, his general condition is disturbed.

When should you consult a doctor?

If a newborn spits up in small amounts, this is a common functional disorder that often occurs in young children. But sometimes it happens that such a condition may indicate some diseases and developmental anomalies.

Cases in which you need to see a doctor:

• spitting up more profusely than before;
• the general condition of the child is disturbed;
• if the child often spits up compared to how it was before;
• there is a strong weight loss;
• body temperature rises;
• regurgitation began suddenly in the second half of the year;
• copious regurgitation of the “fountain”;
• signs of dehydration;
• regurgitation of yellow color, with blood;
• bulging of the crown;
• feeling hungry after spitting up in large quantities;
• regurgitation continues after 1 year of age.

How to help a baby with profuse regurgitation?

Many parents are interested in what to do if the child spits up more often than before. In this case, the treatment must necessarily be comprehensive, taking place in several stages:

• It is important to pay attention to feeding the baby – to follow the rules of eating and preparing food. Remember that if regurgitation is a physiological condition, it will go away over time.
• During feeding, the newborn should be in a semi-upright position (45-60 degrees angle).After eating, it must be held in the same position for another 20 minutes. The child often spits up due to swallowing air. This will also help to avoid raising the head end of the bed 30 degrees.
• Diet and normalization of diet. If the baby spits up, it is recommended to feed him frequently, in small portions. The pediatrician may prescribe a special antireflux mixture as an additional food for breastfeeding and the main one for formula feeding. Such mixtures are more viscous, as they contain special thickeners.When a newborn spits up, the volume of the antireflux mixture and the duration of its intake are selected individually. Sometimes 20-40 ml before feeding may be sufficient. If the effect is achieved, the child can be transferred to regular formula or breastfeeding. If the need arises, the baby can eat antireflux mixture for a long time as the main food.

The reason why the baby spits up a lot is also an allergy to cow’s milk protein. In this case, it is important to change the diet of a nursing mother – to exclude foods that contribute to excessive gas production (dairy products, legumes, cabbage, spices, eggs).Artists should avoid mixtures that contain any amount of undigested protein, however small. You need to choose a mixture with complete protein hydrolysis.

To normalize the motility of the digestive system, if necessary, the doctor prescribes special means according to an individual scheme.

Often, due to the anatomical and physiological features of development, children in the first months of life may regurgitate. These disorders can be effectively dealt with with diet therapy.

Nutrilon Antireflux helps to reduce the frequency and severity of regurgitation in children thanks to its natural gum content.

Thanks to the presence of whey proteins and casein in a ratio of 40:60 – the mixture helps to improve the functioning of the digestive system.

In addition, Nutrilon Antireflux contains:

• Long-chain Omega-3 / Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids – essential for the normal development of the nervous system and brain, which is closely related to the child’s intelligence level.These acids are also involved in the development of the retina and have a general positive effect on the emotional state of the child ^1-2 .
• A balanced set of over 30 vitamins, minerals and other trace elements that meets the special needs of a child at an early age and gives him what he needs for normal growth and development.

Nutrilon Antireflux mixture has no restrictions on the duration of use.

If breastfeeding is not possible, choosing Nutrilon Antireflux, you can be sure that your baby receives the necessary components for the development of intelligence, brain and nervous system without regurgitation.

More information.

Source:

1. Randomіzovane podvіyne slіpe doslіdzhennya efektivnostі novoї dityachoї sumіshі scho mіstit chastkovo gіdrolіzovany bіlok, a temple rіven beta palmіtinovoї acid, i neperetravlyuvanі olіgosaharidi / Schmelz, Vіrs, ​​Skopnіk that іn .// Journal dityachoї gastroenterologії that grabbing. – 2003. – No. 36. – S. 343–351.
2. Nyankovskiy S.L.L. Nyankovskiy, O.S. Ivakhnenko, D.O. Dobryanskiy // Sovr. pediatrics. – 2010. – No. 5 (33). – S. 147-150.
3. Willatts P, Forsyth JS, DiModugno MK, Varma S, Colvin M. Effect of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in infant formula on problem solving at 10 months of age. Lancet. 1998; 352 (9129): 688-691.
4. Koletzko, Berthold & Lien, Eric & Agostoni, Carlo & Böhles, Hansjosef & Campoy, Cristina & Cetin, Irene & Decsi, Tamás & Dudenhausen, Joachim & Dupont, Cristophe & Forsyth, Stewart & Hoesli Wolfgang & Lapillonne, Alexandre & Putet, Guy & Secher, Niels & Symonds, Mike & Szajewska, Hania & Willatts, Peter & Uauy, Ricardo.(2008). The roles of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation and infancy: review of current knowledge and consensus recommendations. Journal of perinatal medicine. 36.5-14. 10.1515 / JPM.2008.001.

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Nutrition – Maternity in Khabarovsk

Nutrition,
from
6 months
7 days
before
6 months
13 days

Let’s talk about the need for vitamins and supplements in the child’s diet.

First of all, it is vitamin D. It is necessary from the very first day of life. helps to absorb phosphorus and calcium, without which the normal formation of the skeleton, bones, muscles will not occur. Vitamin D is recommended as a supplement for breastfed babies (there is very little of it in breast milk.) Vitamin D is often added to concentrated and pasteurized milk and is usually marked on the packaging. Also, this vitamin is produced in the sun, but this does not mean that you need to constantly expose your child to the sun’s rays.

As for other vitamins, only your doctor can advise you, as solid foods containing essential vitamins and minerals are gradually added to your child’s diet.

However, in certain cases, vitamin supplements may be essential. This applies to premature and weakened babies, but only on the recommendation of a pediatrician. Moreover, never give your vitamins or dietary supplements, even in reduced doses.

Vitamins should be taken according to their instructions only in a specific dosage, like any other treatment. Overdose of a certain vitamin can be very dangerous for your child.

90,000 Why does a newborn spit up so often, what is normal spitting up.

Regurgitation clears up space in your baby’s tummy. Some babies spit up more than others. What is normal and what is not, why does the newborn spit up and can spitting up affect the development of the child? We will find out the causes of regurgitation and what can be done to reduce them from the pediatrician and leading expert of the online school for future and successful parents “SMART Mama” Polina Aleksandrovna Kizino.

– Polina Aleksandrovna, for what reasons does a newborn often spit up on breastfeeding, mixed and artificial feeding?

– A newborn and a child under one year old can normally spit up several times a day due to the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract. In an adult, the angle of the esophagus is acute – it is difficult for food to rush into the esophagus. In a small child, this angle is more obtuse, and in a horizontal position it is easier for the contents of the stomach to enter the esophagus and exit through the mouth.This is true for breastfeeding, mixed and formula feeding, since it is not a matter of nutrition, but of the structure of the gastrointestinal tract.

Regurgitation can provoke:

• severe anxiety of the child;
• active play – tossing, flipping, especially after a recent feeding;
• overeating while breastfeeding – the stomach is full, and excess milk leaves it;
• Infant formula – Infant formula is denser than breast milk and stays in the stomach longer, so there is a higher risk of backfilling into the esophagus.

Read also: “Why does a newborn hiccup and how to help him”

– Does the newborn spit up a lot?

– The younger the child, the more often he can normally spit up.Regurgitation after each feeding in a newborn will not be a pathology if the volume of regurgitation is not more than 5 ml (for older babies, about 10 ml). From the stain on the diaper, it seems to mom that this is a lot, but in fact it is not so – if you put 5 ml of water into a syringe and pour it onto a cloth, the stain will be quite large.

The most important thing is that the number of regurgitation should not increase, but decrease. If in the first month the child regurgitated 1-2 times a day and suddenly began to regurgitate 10-15 times, of course, this is very alarming.

– Why does a newborn spit up after feeding and when can you feed him again?

– Given the anatomical and physiological characteristics of babies, there is no need to look for a connection between regurgitation and feeding.

For example,

• the child ate a long time ago, the milk practically left his stomach, but if he was taken awkwardly and the position of the body changed, then he would vomit a small amount of milk remaining in the stomach.This is not an indication to feed the baby;
• the baby spat up immediately after feeding – no need to supplement him, most likely, he ate a little. Wait for the next meal and feed;
• regurgitation is not voluminous – no need to adjust the feeding regime for them. Abundant regurgitation is a subject of discussion with a doctor and a search for tactics based on the baby’s problem.

– Is pylorospasm and pyloric stenosis somehow related to regurgitation in infants?

– Food enters the stomach through the esophagus, then into the duodenum.Between the stomach and the duodenum there is a junction where the sphincter muscle contracts so that the contents do not flow in the opposite direction.

Pyloric stenosis – constant narrowing of the opening between the stomach and duodenum, in which the sphincter is excessively enlarged. The hole can be completely closed or very small, and the child will always spit up, because food from the stomach has nowhere to go. The child develops dehydration, weight gains poorly.

Pylorospasm – a violation of nervous regulation, when the muscle periodically spasms and blocks the opening, and food cannot move from the stomach into the intestines. But at one point, the muscle relaxes, and part of the food passes into further sections. With a spasm of regurgitation, it is unstable, the manifestations are noticeable after two to three weeks.

Pylorospasm and pyloric stenosis are diagnosed by a doctor. If a newborn regurgitates like a fountain or regurgitates in the form of curdled milk, this is a reason to consult a doctor and examine the child so as not to miss the disease.

– Regurgitation with a fountain – what else can this be caused?

– Regurgitation by a fountain in infants can be associated with food intolerance, viral infection and intoxication, in which the body is cleared of food because it is not able to digest it.

– What does spitting up curdled milk mean?

– Regurgitation of curdled milk suggests that the food has been in the stomach for some time and fermented a little.If a newborn spits up curdled milk, it may be pyloric spasm or pyloric stenosis, or the baby simply regurgitated the rest of the milk when the position of the body was changed.

– Why does a newborn spit up through the nose?

– The oral cavity and the nasal cavity are adjacent, the organs are interconnected. Food partially flows out through the nose with profuse regurgitation or at a certain position of the body, when the milk that the child spit up, according to the laws of physics, fell into the nasal cavity.Due to frequent regurgitation through the nose, inflammatory diseases can develop. Such children are monitored by a doctor, measures are taken so that such situations do not recur. If spitting up through the nose happened once, it is not scary and does not mean that something is wrong with the child. You can just clean the spout with a baby aspirator and not worry.

– Polina Alexandrovna, how to deal with the fact that a newborn spits up in a dream?

– If the child has a tendency to regurgitate, you can try to give him a more elevated body position in a special cocoon.The baby cocoon is designed to help children with digestive problems and a tendency to gas production, regurgitation. In the cocoon, the child’s upper body is slightly raised. Thanks to this, the influence of the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the child is neutralized, and milk does not flow upward.

– Another warning sign is profuse regurgitation.

– The main criterion for regurgitation is the condition of the child. If the child is worried, does not gain weight well, he lacks nutrition due to regurgitation, then you need to look for a solution to the problem at the pediatrician’s appointment.

Read also: “How to improve the digestion of a newborn”

– In some babies, spitting up becomes a sign of neurological problems – is this really so?

– Yes, and pylorospasm is one of them. Children also have so-called central vomiting, when the problem is localized not in the gastrointestinal tract, but in the brain, the center of which controls the gag reflex.And if there is a neurological problem that leads to a malfunction of the center, the child can spit up profusely.

– Is the diagnosis made by a pediatric neurologist?

– When a child begins to regurgitate, one cannot immediately say that it is a surgical, neurological or other problem, it is necessary to understand the complex. First of all, the pediatrician must examine the baby and understand what is happening to him. Next comes the reception of a surgeon, neurologist and gastroenterologist.Each specialist, for his part, prescribes an examination and, based on the results, concludes whether there is a pathology according to his profile or not.

– How old do babies spit up?

– Normally, regurgitation ends by 12 months, in isolated cases they can last up to 18 months. It is important that regurgitation does not become more frequent, but becomes more rare. With the introduction of solid food, there is no basis for regurgitation.

– Returning to the beginning of the conversation about the relationship between regurgitation and baby food: is it true that with artificial feeding babies can regurgitate a little more often, but a special mixture helps to solve this problem?

– With the frequency of regurgitation, everything is individual.When regurgitation brings discomfort to the child, but there is no violation of the passage of food, the doctor may prescribe an antireflux mixture. In the composition of such a mixture there are various thickeners that make the lump of food in the stomach thicker and more viscous so that the product does not flow back and reflux does not occur. The antireflux formula is given in a specific way and does not replace 100% of the baby’s nutrition.

– Polina Aleksandrovna, to help mom – how to hold a newborn so that he spits up after feeding?

– During feeding, the baby should lie with his head elevated.After that, it is advisable to hold it in a “column” (“soldier”) and in an upright position wait for the characteristic sound of belching – this is how air comes out, the stomach does not overstretch and the risk of regurgitation is reduced.

A child in the first year of life has anatomical and physiological features that predispose to regurgitation. Regurgitation is considered normal if it is not profuse and does not lead to a violation of the child’s condition. Abundant regurgitation, anxiety, fever, poor weight gain, signs of intoxication are dire symptoms that require a mandatory visit to a doctor.

Pediatrician
Polina Alexandrovna Kizino

* Mother’s milk is the ideal food for an infant. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. MAMAKO ^® supports this recommendation. Before introducing new products into the baby’s diet, consult with a specialist.

90,000 Regurgitation in babies 9,0001

Regurgitation in children is associated with the anatomical features of this age.The newborn eats liquid food, is in a horizontal position most of the time, has a relatively high intra-abdominal pressure and weak muscles. This indicates a tendency to belch, but does not “oblige” to them. The amount of regurgitation is very individual. In some children, this phenomenon is observed constantly, and some spit up so rarely that they frighten their parents with it. However, there is a special medical name for belching – gastroesophageal reflux. From the point of view of medicine, this is a passive reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus and the oral cavity.If there is such a term, it means that the condition requires attention from the parents. What should it be and what should be regarded as an alarm signal?

Key facts

Here are 4 postulates that all parents should keep in mind:

• Reflux occurs in almost all children.
• The first eructations appear at the age of 2-3 weeks.
• The most “large-scale” and frequent regurgitation occurs in 4-5 months.
• By one year of age, belching usually stops.

Why reflux passes

To stop belching, full development of the lower esophageal sphincter is necessary. This is facilitated by the physical development of the baby (increased muscle tone), a decrease in the time spent in a horizontal position, the introduction of solid food into the diet. Obviously, all this happens naturally – as the child grows up.

How to deal with regurgitation?

The intensity of the manifestations of reflux sometimes depends on the actions of the parents.Accordingly, with simple interventions, adults can reduce or minimize the frequency and volume of belching. For this you need:

• Do not overfeed. If a child eats more than his stomach can hold, then all the excess will soon come out.
• Maintain the correct posture. Arrange the baby’s sleeping place so that the head end is raised. Use a wedge-shaped pillow, and also do not be lazy to rub the crumb on your hands in a “column” after eating.Make sure that the child is in a position with a slightly raised upper body for the next half hour.
• Avoid activity after eating. Try to organize your leisure in such a way that the first half hour after the meal is calm. Plan your gymnastics and games later.
• Follow the feeding technique. When breastfeeding, it is important to properly attach the baby to the breast. It will not hurt to take breaks in feeding and continue it after belching with air.When breastfeeding, use special nipples that prevent air from being swallowed.
• Change power supply. If the baby spits up profusely, it makes sense for mom to reconsider her own diet. Perhaps the child’s body does not accept the substances that she uses. With artificial feeding, it is worth discussing the issue of regurgitation with a pediatrician. Sometimes it is necessary to change the mixture.
• Change mode. Belching, as a result of overeating, can be eliminated by feeding the baby more often, but in smaller portions.

Is it dangerous?

Reflux can be a symptom of a medical condition. Parents should be alerted:

• lack of appetite and complete refusal to eat;
• arching of the back and harsh crying when feeding;
• greenish or bloody inclusions in the masses;
• “fountain” vomiting;
• too frequent belching;
• rare urination;
• poor weight gain;
• onset of cough, apnea, fever;
• late onset of belching (after 6 months).

Physiological regurgitation is not a sign of illness. They cannot cause malnutrition. If the child is active, eats well and is gaining weight, parents should not worry.

If in any doubt, consult a qualified pediatrician!

90,000 Why does a baby spit up after breastfeeding?

Root causes

Often the reason for regurgitation depends on the chosen feeding method: whether the mother puts the baby to the breast or bottle feeds.

Breastfeeding:

• Overfeeding the baby. If the baby eats too much, the excess milk will naturally come out.
• Incorrect breastfeeding technique, as a result of which a large amount of air enters the baby’s stomach along with milk. Try to hold your baby so that he completely captures the nipple and can breathe freely through his nose.
• Peculiarities of the digestive system of young children.In infants under one year old, the muscles of the esophagus are not yet fully formed, so regurgitation is often a natural process.
• Abrupt change in the position of the child. After feeding, do not turn the baby over, squeeze, swaddle or swing in a stroller.
• Disorders of the intestines, for example, bloating, colic and other causes that interfere with normal digestion.
• In rare cases, serious diseases of the digestive system.

Note that regurgitation is more often observed not in newborns, but in children aged about 4 months.

With artificial feeding:

Valio Baby’s adapted milk formulas are as close as possible in their composition to breast milk and contain prebiotics necessary for intestinal health, as well as vitamins and microelements. All Valio Baby ingredients are natural. The balanced composition allows you to maintain the cholesterol level in the child’s body at an optimal level. The mixtures are designed for three age categories, taking into account the peculiarities of the development of babies in a particular period:

First aid

If the baby lies on his back and begins to spit up, immediately turn him over on his stomach, or pick him up – this will prevent food from entering the respiratory tract.

If your baby feels uncomfortable while feeding, or if he comes off the breast and starts crying, let him burp. There are two ways to do this:

• Place a tissue on your shoulder to avoid getting dirty. Hold the baby on your chest so that its chin rests on your shoulder. Carefully pat or pat his back with your palm.
• Place the fabric in your lap. Flip the baby over onto its tummy and position it perpendicular to your body.Support your chin with one hand and pat or rub the back with the other. Please note that the child’s head should be higher than other parts of the body so that blood does not rush to it, and food is not thrown into the respiratory tract.

When you need a doctor

As a rule, spitting up 6-8 times a day (in small portions) does not pose a health hazard. Over time, when the baby’s muscles get stronger, he will better absorb food. Most babies stop spitting up after 6-7 months, but in some situations this problem persists up to one year.

If the regurgitation is persistent and strong, prevents weight gain, the child cries after this process, then you should consult a doctor. Such symptoms may indicate that the baby’s esophagus walls are irritated.

Call the doctor immediately if the child starts vomiting violently and violently. This may indicate either the presence of food poisoning, or a disease associated with deformation of internal organs.

If a baby vomits with an admixture of greenish bile, then this may be a sign of intestinal blockage, which requires urgent hospitalization and, possibly, even emergency surgery.

Prevention

If the newborn spits up a lot after feeding, follow these guidelines:

• Do not feed your baby while he is lying on a ball or in a car seat, as milk or formula may not reach the stomach.
• Create a calm atmosphere. Keep noise and other distractions to a minimum. If the baby is distracted and worried about something, there is an increased risk of swallowing large amounts of air in formula or breast milk.For the same reason, don’t let your baby get very hungry.
• Make sure that nothing is pressing on the baby’s tummy. Make sure his clothes and diaper are not too tight.
• Try to avoid driving immediately after feeding.
• Hold the baby for about 30 minutes. upright after eating.
• When breastfeeding, make sure that the baby is correctly latching on to the breast (his lips should cover not only the nipple, but also the areola, as much as possible).
• If you are feeding formula or expressed milk from a bottle, make sure the opening of the teat is not too small – this can interfere with your baby’s drinking and lead to air being swallowed. The hole should not be too large, so that the child does not choke.
• Do not overfeed your baby. Try feeding him less milk or formula. Observe the reaction. The baby may agree to drink less at a time, however, he will want to eat more often.

If regurgitation occurs frequently after each feed, consult your doctor.