Why does baby spit up look like water. How can you prevent your baby from spitting up clear liquid. When should you be concerned about your baby’s spit up.

Understanding Baby Spit Up: Normal Process or Cause for Concern?

Many parents find themselves puzzled when their baby spits up clear liquid that looks like water. Is this a normal occurrence or something to worry about? Let’s dive into the reasons behind this phenomenon and explore ways to manage it effectively.

What causes baby spit up to look like water?

Baby spit up can appear watery due to several factors:

• Saliva mixed with stomach contents
• Partially digested breast milk or formula
• Excess mucus from a cold or illness
• Overfeeding leading to regurgitation

In most cases, clear liquid spit up is not a cause for alarm but rather a normal part of your baby’s development.

The Science Behind Baby Spit Up: Underdeveloped Digestive System

Understanding the physiology behind baby spit up can help alleviate parental concerns. The primary reason for frequent spit up in infants is their underdeveloped digestive system, particularly the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

How does the lower esophageal sphincter affect baby spit up?

The LES is a muscular valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. In babies, this muscle is not fully developed until around 11-12 months of age. As a result, stomach contents can easily flow back up into the esophagus, leading to spit up. This process, known as reflux, is a normal part of infant development and usually resolves on its own as the baby grows.

Common Causes of Clear Liquid Spit Up in Babies

While spit up is generally normal, it’s important to understand the various factors that can contribute to its occurrence, especially when it appears as clear liquid.

1. Teething and Excess Saliva Production

Teething is a natural process that can lead to increased saliva production. When babies produce more saliva than they can swallow, it may result in spit up that looks like clear liquid. This excess saliva serves to soothe sore gums but can sometimes overwhelm the baby’s ability to swallow effectively.

2. Overfeeding: A Common Culprit

Overfeeding is one of the most common reasons for baby spit up. When a baby’s stomach is filled beyond capacity, the excess milk or formula has nowhere to go but up. This can lead to forceful vomiting or more gentle spit up, often appearing watery due to mixing with saliva and stomach acids.

3. Illnesses and Congestion

When babies are congested or suffering from a cold, they may swallow excess mucus. This can lead to spit up that appears clear or watery. Additionally, the act of coughing or struggling to breathe through a stuffy nose can trigger the gag reflex, causing spit up.

Preventing Clear Liquid Spit Up: Practical Tips for Parents

While some amount of spit up is inevitable in most babies, there are several strategies parents can employ to minimize its frequency and volume.

How can you reduce the likelihood of baby spit up?

Consider implementing these techniques:

1. Feed smaller amounts more frequently
2. Burp your baby regularly during and after feedings
3. Keep your baby upright for 30 minutes after feeding
4. Avoid tight diapers or clothing around the abdomen
5. Use the proper bottle nipple size for bottle-fed babies

These simple adjustments can significantly reduce the incidence of spit up in many infants.

When to Be Concerned: Red Flags for Serious Conditions

While most cases of clear liquid spit up are harmless, there are instances where it may indicate a more serious condition requiring medical attention.

What are the signs that baby spit up may be a cause for concern?

Watch for these warning signs:

• Projectile vomiting
• Green or yellow bile in the spit up
• Blood in the spit up
• Refusal to eat or difficulty feeding
• Signs of dehydration (dry diapers, sunken fontanelle)
• Poor weight gain or weight loss
• Excessive irritability or lethargy

If you observe any of these symptoms, it’s crucial to consult your pediatrician promptly.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Infants: When Reflux Becomes Problematic

While occasional reflux is normal in babies, persistent and severe reflux may indicate Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). This condition can cause discomfort and potentially lead to complications if left untreated.

How is GERD different from normal infant reflux?

GERD in infants is characterized by:

• Frequent and forceful spit up or vomiting
• Visible discomfort or pain during or after feeding
• Arching of the back or neck during feeding
• Refusal to eat or difficulty gaining weight
• Chronic coughing or wheezing

If you suspect your baby may have GERD, it’s important to consult with a pediatrician for proper diagnosis and treatment options.

Pyloric Stenosis: A Rare but Serious Cause of Projectile Vomiting

Pyloric stenosis is an uncommon condition that can cause severe vomiting in infants, typically occurring between 3 to 5 weeks of age. This condition requires prompt medical attention and often surgical intervention.

What are the symptoms of pyloric stenosis in babies?

Key indicators of pyloric stenosis include:

• Forceful, projectile vomiting shortly after feeding
• Persistent hunger despite frequent feeding
• Constipation and infrequent bowel movements
• Dehydration symptoms (dry mouth, sunken eyes, fewer wet diapers)
• Failure to gain weight or weight loss

If you observe these symptoms, seek immediate medical care for your baby.

Nurturing Your Baby Through the Spit Up Phase: Practical Advice for Parents

Dealing with frequent spit up can be challenging for parents, but understanding that it’s a normal part of infant development can help alleviate stress. Here are some tips to help you navigate this phase with confidence:

How can parents cope with frequent baby spit up?

Consider these strategies:

1. Keep burp cloths and spare clothes handy
2. Use waterproof mattress covers and change bedding frequently
3. Dress your baby in easy-to-change outfits
4. Practice stress-relief techniques to maintain patience
5. Seek support from other parents or join support groups

Remember, this phase is temporary, and most babies outgrow frequent spit up by their first birthday.

The Role of Diet in Managing Baby Spit Up

For breastfeeding mothers, diet can play a significant role in the frequency and volume of baby spit up. Some infants may be sensitive to certain foods in their mother’s diet, leading to increased spit up or discomfort.

Can a mother’s diet affect baby spit up?

Yes, certain foods in a breastfeeding mother’s diet can potentially increase spit up in some babies. Common culprits include:

• Dairy products
• Caffeine
• Spicy foods
• Citrus fruits
• Chocolate

If you suspect your diet may be affecting your baby’s spit up, consider keeping a food diary and discussing it with your pediatrician or a lactation consultant.

Bottle Feeding and Spit Up: Finding the Right Balance

For bottle-fed babies, the type of formula and feeding technique can significantly impact the frequency of spit up. Making small adjustments to your feeding routine can often lead to improvements.

How can bottle-feeding techniques reduce spit up?

Try these tips to minimize spit up in bottle-fed babies:

1. Choose the right nipple flow for your baby’s age and feeding ability
2. Hold the bottle at an angle to prevent air swallowing
3. Take frequent breaks during feeding to burp your baby
4. Avoid overfeeding by following recommended feeding amounts
5. Consider trying different formulas if spit up persists (consult your pediatrician first)

Remember, every baby is different, so it may take some trial and error to find what works best for your little one.

The Developmental Timeline: When Does Baby Spit Up Typically Decrease?

Understanding the typical timeline for baby spit up can help parents gauge whether their child’s experiences fall within the normal range. While every baby is unique, there are general patterns in the frequency and volume of spit up as infants grow.

At what age do babies usually stop spitting up?

The frequency of spit up typically follows this pattern:

• 0-3 months: Frequent spit up is common as the digestive system matures
• 4-6 months: Spit up may increase as babies become more active
• 7-12 months: Spit up usually decreases as babies start sitting up and eating solid foods
• 12+ months: Most babies outgrow regular spit up by their first birthday

However, it’s important to remember that these are general guidelines, and some babies may continue to spit up beyond their first year without cause for concern.

The Impact of Positioning on Baby Spit Up

How you position your baby during and after feeding can significantly influence the likelihood of spit up. Understanding and implementing proper positioning techniques can help reduce the frequency and severity of spit up episodes.

What are the best positions to minimize baby spit up?

Consider these positioning strategies:

1. Feed your baby in a semi-upright position
2. Keep your baby’s head higher than their stomach during feeding
3. Avoid placing your baby flat on their back immediately after feeding
4. Try babywearing in an upright position after feeds
5. For bottle-fed babies, ensure the bottle is tilted to keep the nipple and neck filled with milk

Experimenting with different positions can help you find what works best for your baby in reducing spit up.

The Connection Between Sleep and Spit Up in Infants

Sleep patterns and positions can impact the frequency of spit up in babies. Understanding this relationship can help parents make informed decisions about their baby’s sleep environment and routines.

How does sleep position affect baby spit up?

Consider these factors when it comes to sleep and spit up:

• Back sleeping is safest for preventing SIDS, but may increase visible spit up
• Elevating the head of the crib slightly (after consulting your pediatrician) may help reduce nighttime spit up
• Avoid feeding immediately before laying your baby down to sleep
• Consider a dream feed to reduce nighttime hunger and potential spit up

Always prioritize safe sleep practices, even if it means dealing with more visible spit up.

The Role of Gut Health in Baby Spit Up

Emerging research suggests that an infant’s gut microbiome may play a role in the frequency and severity of spit up. Understanding this connection can open up new avenues for managing and potentially reducing spit up in babies.

Can probiotics help reduce baby spit up?

While more research is needed, some studies suggest that probiotics may help:

• Improve overall gut health in infants
• Reduce the frequency of spit up in some babies
• Alleviate symptoms of colic and reflux
• Support the development of a healthy immune system

Always consult with your pediatrician before introducing any supplements to your baby’s diet.

Navigating Solid Foods: How Introducing Solids Affects Spit Up

The transition to solid foods is an exciting milestone that can also impact your baby’s spit up patterns. Understanding how this transition affects digestion can help parents manage expectations and adjust feeding practices accordingly.

Does introducing solid foods increase or decrease spit up?

The effect of solid foods on spit up can vary:

• Some babies experience less spit up as solids help food stay down
• Others may have temporary increases in spit up as their digestive system adjusts
• Certain textures or foods may be more likely to cause spit up initially
• Gradual introduction of solids can help minimize digestive upset and spit up

Pay attention to your baby’s responses to different foods and textures, and introduce new foods slowly to allow for adjustment.

Understanding the various factors that contribute to baby spit up, particularly when it appears as clear liquid, can help parents navigate this common challenge with confidence. Remember that in most cases, spit up is a normal part of infant development and will resolve as your baby grows. By implementing appropriate feeding techniques, paying attention to positioning, and being aware of potential red flags, you can ensure your baby’s health and comfort during this phase. Always consult with your pediatrician if you have concerns about your baby’s spit up patterns or overall health.

Why Your Baby Spits Up Clear Liquid And How To Prevent It

During his early weeks of childhood, you may notice your baby spit up clear liquids at times. While it is fairly uncommon, I assure you that it’s rarely ever a cause for alarm.

Babies usually spit up clear liquid if they’ve been overfed a bit or if they’re suffering from a cold, among other things.

The act of spitting up itself, though, isn’t a cause for worry for parents new or experienced. It’s more of a warning system that lets you know you’re doing something wrong.

What are you doing wrong? Well, you might be using the wrong-sized bottle for your baby, feeding them too much, or it might mean the baby is getting sick.

That said, the spit up will almost never come alone and will usually be mixed with regurgitated baby formula, curdled breast milk and other stomach contents.

Only a few problems, like GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and Pyloric Stenosis, are something you’ll need to call a pediatrician for as they can cause a number of severe health issues for your child.

With that said, I’m here to help you understand everything that might cause your baby to spit up, so let’s get to it.

The 6 Reasons Why Your Baby Spits Up In The First Place

As I’ve already mentioned, there are a few rather common causes of spit ups in babies, but there are also several others that are a bit more unusual that you should keep an eye out for.

1. Spit ups as a normal process in younger babies

There’s a muscle that sits between the esophagus and the rest of the digestive system which helps keep stomach contents down so they can properly digest.

This muscle, called the lower esophageal sphincter, doesn’t develop in babies until they’re around 11-12 months of age and is the main reason why your little one spits up so often during that period – some of the food simply comes back up.

It’s something to be expected and is one of the main reasons why burping your child after a feed is so important.

Burping helps deliver the spit-up in an expected fashion and gives you the chance to have a burp cloth ready rather than having to clean the spit up off the carpet afterwards.

Tying onto that, if you hear your baby burp after finishing with the breast or the baby bottle, a spit up might not be too far off – so be on the lookout for that warning sign.

Though, as I’ve said, it’s not really a problem even if it’s a common occurrence. It’s just their digestive system adapting and evolving into a more mature one.

2. Excess saliva from teething

The process of teething naturally occurs in all children’s development processes and it’s during this process that spit ups might happen as well.

It’s mainly to do with the fact that the inside of your little one’s mouth is bound to get some injuries, such as some cuts and bruises.

Their body reacts to this by producing more saliva to help numb the pain and to allow the mouth to heal.

The problem arises when there’s too much saliva to swallow.

Your child starts gagging on it, only for the throat muscles to contract and spit the saliva back up alongside any food he may have eaten recently.

Again, not really a big cause for concern – it’s just their body learning to adapt to these situations and is part of the process of growing up.

3. Overfeeding the baby

Now, this was the reason why I was calling spit ups a warning sign, one of them anyway.

It’s when the parents end up overfeeding the baby, overwhelming the capacity of the baby’s stomach. The food has nowhere to go but back up, usually changing spitting up into full-on vomiting.

It’s a nasty process for the baby as their stomach muscles start contracting and they have to forcefully eject the contents of their stomach in large amounts.

It’s also an equally nasty process to clean it up.

It might not always be your fault, either, since our precious babies can get a bit greedy sometimes and insist on staying on the breast for longer than they should.

This, of course, leads to an upset tummy and a nasty return of everything they greedily consumed in the breastfeeding period.

While normally not a serious problem if it only happens occasionally, it can pose an alarming issue if it starts occurring frequently enough to impact your baby’s weight gain and overall health.

4. Any sort of cold or illness

Just as the baby’s esophageal muscle hasn’t developed to keep his stomach contents down yet, so too his reflex for coughing up mucus or blowing snot out his nose needs more time.

This is why when your little one ends up sick.

They are more prone to spitting up as they swallow most of the mucus, filling their stomach with the icky stuff and essentially repeating the first reason – albeit with something non-food related.

This form of spit up can help to spot signs of illness in your child without having to take their temperature every waking minute.

The clear liquid in this case is the mucus with a bit of snot added into the mix.

So, if you spot the spit-up in this manner, it’s more than likely that your child has contracted something.

Their newborn immunities don’t last long, only about half a year, after which colds are going to be frequent until their immune system develops properly.

Naturally, there are points here that, when crossed, should be a cause for concern. For example, if your baby ends up vomiting or spitting up alongside a heavy fever of around 100°F or heavy diarrhea.

The fever is the more obvious of the two signs as kids can’t withstand a body temperature much higher since they’re still fragile compared to fully grown adults.

Plus, as touched upon earlier, their immune system isn’t as developed either, meaning they can’t cope with those kinds of temperatures.

As for the diarrhea and vomit combo – apart from being your nightmare, it can also cause problems for your child because the diarrhea alone is bound to empty out all of the stomach’s contents.

Then, all that’s left for the baby to vomit up are the clear stomach fluids that need to remain inside otherwise the stomach risks damage from stomach acid.

If the mucus-laden stomach lining is thinned due to vomiting, this is more likely to happen.

Should you see your baby experiencing any of these symptoms, don’t hesitate to call your child’s pediatrician for an appointment or immediate help if the situation is particularly bad.

There could be some underlying problems with your child’s digestive system or it may have been caused by some sort of allergic reaction.

The pediatrician is there to help you suss it out and figure out exactly what it is that’s ailing your child.

5. Pyloric stenosis

This is undoubtedly a new term for many of you so let me explain exactly what this uncommon condition is.

It’s named after a muscle that sits between the stomach and the small intestine, acting as a sort of barrier that expands and contracts to let food through in a timely manner. It’s known as the pyloric sphincter.

Now, normally this wouldn’t cause an issue, but the problem comes when said muscle is narrower and denser than normal, making it act as if it was perpetually contracted and not allowing any food to come through.

Meanwhile, the stomach still tries to push the food down the closed chute, leading to a lot of muscular contractions that grow more and more intense until it reaches a critical point.

That point is when your baby starts projectile vomiting all over the place due to the sheer amount of pressure exerted by your little one’s stomach muscles, propelling the vomit out of their mouth.

Apart from the increased vomit velocity, you’ll notice bits of milk that look like cheese curds or some cloudy spots in the clear liquid from the leftover undigested breast milk.

This is to be expected, given that it was unable to go down the right way.

This is one of the more serious conditions and, if left untreated, can and will leave your baby malnourished and dehydrated.

You’ll also notice a slowing in weight gain, or even outright weight loss, which can cause issues in their development – something you want to avoid at any cost.

The other issue in this case is that despite throwing all of that up, your baby is still going to feel hungry and they’ll want to replace the lost contents, making them cranky and fussy, only adding fuel to the already problematic fire.

Babies don’t realize that they have a problem that simply won’t let them push the food back down the proper way.

Luckily, this isn’t a permanent condition and a safe surgical procedure exists that’ll remedy the issue and allow your child to go back to normal and enjoy food again.

6. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

And the final reason and one of the more serious issues is Gastroesophageal reflux disease – or GERD for short.

While basic spitting up is known as infant reflux and isn’t dangerous in most cases, GERD is a different beast altogether as it involves a more violent form of spitting up, called acid reflux.

This is when a dose of stomach acid comes back up the esophagus on top of the food they’ve consumed and ends up burning their little throats.

You may have experienced this during your lifetime as well, after a coffee or something similar. You’ll have felt that horrid burn in your throat when something didn’t want to stay down.

This is essentially a form of that.

The telltale signs of this are frequent vomiting, a lack of appetite, weight loss and fussiness due to the pain your baby feels in his throat.

Depending on the severity of the GERD, treatments may include simple things like feeding your child more frequently but in smaller amounts to allow their stomach to process the milk more easily.

If the cause is an intolerance or an allergic reaction, an effective solution might be to change the type of baby formula you’re feeding your baby or to cut out any and all dairy products in case of a lactose intolerance.

Formulas like Nutramigen or Alimentum are often recommended in this case. For more severe allergies, many parents opt for Neocate or Elecare.

But, if the issue is too severe, you might have to resort to baby medicine or even surgery to help alleviate the symptoms for the time being.

Thankfully, it isn’t a permanent issue and should fix itself by your child’s first birthday, after which he’ll be free to enjoy solid foods properly.

How To Avoid Having Your Baby Spit Up Clear Liquid

Now that you know the reasons why this phenomenon happens, here are a few ways you can minimize the chances of any of them occurring.

1. Feed the baby in an upright position

This is the easiest method to follow as it just requires a bit of a change in your routine.

You should always feed your child in an upright position to let them control the pace of their feeding, rather than being surprised by a torrent of milk that they’ll struggle with, leading to one of these issues.

Once the feed is done, make sure to keep your little one in a similar position for a short while – 20 to 30 minutes should suffice.

This is to let the food settle properly and to give it time to be digested while gravity helps keep it down ever so slightly.

2. Pace your feedings

By this, I mean that you should be careful how much you feed your child and to keep to a strict schedule. Don’t overfeed them and don’t let them overfeed themselves by drinking more than necessary.

This might require a bit of trial and error but is bound to show the best results once you’ve perfected it.

3. Don’t let the baby lie on his stomach

Added pressure to the stomach is not helpful if your child already has a sensitive tummy or if they’ve just eaten. Should the baby be tired after a feed, always make sure that they lie on their back.

Doing this isn’t just down to the spit up issue, it’s also to prevent sudden infant death syndrome – or SIDS for short – because your baby lacks the ability to reposition themselves should they find themselves suffocating.

A morbid detail, to be sure, but one that’s necessary for you to be informed about so as to not make a grave mistake.

4. Monitor the baby’s food as well as your own

It’s not just what the baby eats, but it’s what you eat or take in by proxy.

For instance, there’s a reason why you shouldn’t be taking certain medication, eating spicy food, or any food the baby might be allergic to.

That’s because some parts of all of these things end up in breast milk and will transfer to the baby, causing an unwanted stomach issue that could lead to the spitting up in the first place, clear or otherwise.

5. Check their diaper size

While this one may sound a bit far fetched, tight clothing (or diapers in the case of babies) applies unwanted pressure on the stomach and may be a possible cause of your baby spitting up clear liquid.

Make sure that the elastic band isn’t too tight around their waist and that they’re comfortable. And make sure to choose the right diaper brand, especially if your baby has sensitive skin.

6. Trapped air is the enemy

During feeding sessions, your child may end up swallowing a bit more air than usual. This can cause discomfort like bloating and cramps, as well as spit ups and general fussiness.

In order to prevent this from being an issue, burping your baby after every meal should become common practice.

It’ll help your baby feel better and it’ll keep you from having to deal with bigger problems down the line.

In Conclusion

Should your baby spit up clear liquid at any point during his early stages of development, you shouldn’t panic as most of the time, as you can see, it isn’t really detrimental to your child.

Spit ups are part of the process and are bound to happen regardless of what you do.

It’s the nastier ones like GERD and pyloric stenosis that you should be on the lookout for in order to fix early so your baby doesn’t have to suffer any ill effects and so he can enjoy food like the rest of us.

Should you have any more questions related to the topic, feel free to send me an e-mail and I’ll try to answer it to the best of my ability.

Until next time, mammas.

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Why is Your Baby Spitting Up Clear Liquid and What You Can Do

When you are a new parent, every little unexpected thing can seem like an emergency. Each strange sound the baby makes will be concerning, as will each red mark on the baby’s skin, each whimper, every whine, and especially every time the baby is silent.

Any of these can send you, as a new parent, calling your Mom, Grandmother, or even the baby’s doctor for advice.

What can be even worse than these concerns, however, is when the baby spits up anything that doesn’t seem normal. Milky, clobbered, and even clear liquids can indeed be expected in a baby’s spit-up.

But let’s look at what could be going on to alleviate your fears. Then we’ll look at what you can do to reduce how much your baby spits up.

Baby Spitting Up: Cut Down Tips

Here are a few ideas on what to do to help cut down on the normal types of spitting up that is common in all babies.

1. Feed your baby while he or she is sitting up

One way to cut down on how much your baby spits up is to feed the baby when he or she is in an upright position. The same way an adult with acid reflux does better when they sleep in a somewhat elevated position, so does the baby.

At least 30 minutes after a feeding, your baby should be sitting up, and not in a swing or playing actively.

2. Try to avoid feeding your baby too much or giving too much water at once

While feeding your baby and giving them plenty of liquids is very important, you should not try to give them too much at one time.

Giving your baby smaller amounts of milk and water more often is the best way to avoid the baby spitting up large amounts.

3. Lay your baby on his or her back to sleep

After your baby has fed and sat up for at least 30 minutes, he or she will likely be sleepy. It may be tempting to place your baby on his or her stomach or side to sleep to avoid the baby spitting up.

This is not recommended. It is important to always lay the baby on his or her back so that you can lower the chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS.

4. Burp your baby often

Burping you baby often while you are feeding him or her and making sure to burp the baby thoroughly after each feeding can help prevent air from building up in the baby’s stomach and causing him or her to spit up more.

5. Check your own diet

If you are breastfeeding your baby, there could be issues in your own diet that are causing your baby to spit up.

You might want to discuss with your doctor which foods you should try to eliminate from your diet in order to help your baby with digestion and issues with spitting up.

But What About Clear Liquid? Should You Contact a Doctor?

Obviously, a pediatrician can help you narrow down other reasons your baby is not spitting up the color and consistency of what you might expect.

Visiting your local doctor though can be stressful for you and your infant, not to mention expensive depending on your insurance.

But if you’re truly concerned with your baby’s spit up and what it looks like, you can chat live with a pediatrician for some immediate answers. And most importantly, peace of mind.

You’ll learn quickly whether the colorless stuff coming from your baby’s insides is something more serious and what you can do to help them now.

We’ve partnered with JustAnswer Pediatrics if you want to try this option – click here to connect with a certified pediatrician.

They have been so helpful for our young kids over the years. Chatting with them is quick and straightforward as they gather info, answer your questions and give clear guidance on next steps for you.

Talking to a verified pediatrician can take the worry away or get you moving in the right direction should you need to.

What is the Main Reason That Babies Spit Up Clear Liquid?

It is very common for a baby to spit up, especially during the first three months of their lives.

At least half of newborns experience having their stomach contents move back up into their esophagus. According to the Mayo Clinic, this is known as infant acid reflux, or simply infant reflux.

In older humans, there is a muscle that sits between the esophagus and the stomach that keeps the contents of the stomach from coming back up.

In most babies, this muscle has not yet developed enough to stop the baby from spitting up.

For most children, this muscle is developed by the age of 12 months and spitting up is no longer an issue.

Why is Your Baby Spitting Up Clear Liquids?

There are many reasons why your baby may be spitting up clear liquids or spitting up more than normal.

Baby spit up is usually made up of milk, water, saliva, or some combination of those.

But why is the baby spitting up in the first place? As we’ve mentioned, most babies spit up because of infant reflux.

But there are several other reasons for your baby to spit up clear liquids. Here are some of them:

Overfeeding

As we have mentioned above giving your baby too much milk or water can cause the baby to spit up larger amounts and more often.

Burping

Sometimes when a baby spits up it is actually something known as a wet burp. This happens when liquids from in the stomach are brought up along with the baby’s typical burps.

Coughs from a cold

When a baby has a cold, he or she might spit up clear liquids pretty often. If a baby has just fed and has to cough, that cough can cause the liquids in the stomach to come back up.

Mucus from a cold

Mucus from a cold can also cause the baby to spit up as the mucus drain down his or her throat. This is a normal reaction.

Teething and saliva

When a baby is teething, they will produce much more than the normal amount of saliva. This is the body’s way of cooling down the painful areas. If too much saliva is swallowed, it can come back up as spit-up in babies.

The type of bottle that you use

Many parents do not realize that there are different baby bottles for the different stages of infancy. Bottles for younger infants are smaller and have smaller holes in the nipples.

When a baby gets older, he or she will use a larger bottle with larger holes. Feeding a baby from the wrong sized bottle can cause spitting up.

The size of your baby’s diaper

This one may be a bit confusing. You may wonder how the size of the baby’s diaper could be connected with the baby spitting up. It is simple, really; if the diaper is too small for the baby it will press on the abdomen and cause spitting up.

GERD

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease can make your baby spit up huge amounts of clear liquid. Unlike the previous causes for your baby spitting up clear liquids, this one can be painful and cause a lot of health issues for the baby.

Waking up screaming, extreme gagging, and pain can all be caused by this condition. In these cases, you will need your doctor to advise you on the best treatment plan for your baby.

Pyloric Stenosis

When the baby’s stomach muscles are too large for the food to pass through when the baby eats, the muscle can contract and force the liquid to come back up.

Mother’s medications

Medications that the breastfeeding mother is taking, such as certain antibiotics, can also cause the baby to spit up large amounts.

What Can You Do If Your Baby Is Spitting Up Clear Liquids?

At the beginning of this article, we have listed a few things that you can do to prevent your baby from spitting up more than the normal amount.

These suggestions will usually help when the baby is simply experiencing infant reflux.

Here are some other suggestions for what to do if your baby is spitting up clear liquids from any of the above causes:

1. Make sure to always feed the baby on a schedule
2. Use teething toys to help reduce the swallowing of saliva
3. Take time to feed slowly and calmly, do not be rushed or stressed
4. Be careful which formula you feed the baby
5. Treat any coughs or cold symptoms

If your baby is spitting up anything green, red, or yellow, or contains huge chunks that gag the baby it is important to notify your doctor. You should also call the doctor if your baby is:

• Looking thinner or losing weight
• Experiencing forceful vomiting
• Has blood in his or her stool
• Has a fever

You should talk with your doctor about other things you can do to help reduce your baby’s spitting up.

In the meantime, be sure to learn the proper way to burp your baby and make sure that he or she is in the proper position while being burped. Purchasing many burping towels is a must for the parent who has a baby that is constantly spitting up.

In Closing…

While it can be disconcerting at first, most of the time your baby’s spitting up is perfectly normal and harmless. You might want to warn any friends or loved ones who hold your baby that he or she is prone to spitting up. Being prepared for it will make it less dramatic for everyone.

Moving the baby too quickly, or especially tossing the baby in the air can cause him or her to spit up all over the person holding the child.

It might be a good idea to change out of any expensive clothes before holding the baby. If you choose to place the baby on an expensive piece of furniture, be sure to cover it with an old sheet or blanket of some sort to protect it.

Remember that as with most things concerning your baby, this too shall pass. Before you know it, your baby will be asking to drive the car, and spitting up will seem like such an easy thing to deal with.

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12 Surprising Reasons You Should Know

Are you worried why your baby is spitting up clear liquid? You notice that she never runs out of it no matter how she kept on doing it the whole day. Actually, it is not unusual to see them spit. In this article, we are going to find out why they spit and learn some mom facts behind it.

More…

Baby spits usually are saliva, water, milk or a combination of all. Spitting up happens when the food intakes of the baby, go back up and out to her mouth. This should not be a problem if it just goes with minimal volume. However, if your baby frequently spits with a larger amount, it may impose problem in her nutrition. She might not be getting the right amount of food crucial for her development. Watch out for weight loss.

But do you know what’s causing them to spit? Here are reasons behind that every mom should know.

Baby Spitting Up Clear Liquid: 12 Surprising Reasons

1. Undeveloped LES

There is this valve between the esophagus and the stomach that keeps whatever we swallow down. For babies, it is not yet fully developed.

Usually, it takes the whole 12 months for it to develop fully. Along with your baby’s growth, that valve will fully develop. You call this valve LES, meaning, Lower Esophageal Sphincter.

2. Overfeeding

Babies have a very small stomach. When we overfeed them, it will overflow back up. That is why they spit it out. You call this process Functional Infant Regurgitation.

The length of time and the amount of feeding would continue to change as your baby grows. Follow a certain personal program to give your baby the correct amount of milk for her age. The younger your baby is, the shorter time and the lesser volume of milk she will need.

When a baby is full, do not give them many physical activities to prevent them from spitting.

3. Burping

Burping is releasing unwanted gas bubbles through the esophagus then out to your baby’s mouth. Most of the time, these bubbles bring along with them liquids from down as it goes out, thus the spitting of babies. When it does, that is the time that you call it, Wet Burps

Learn to burp you baby the proper way. There are different ways to burp your baby. Do it against your shoulder, pressing her stomach in sitting position, and let her lay down on her stomach.

For better comfort, make sure you have a bunch of burp cloths around, as you will need many of them. You can buy them in bulk from amazon, or you can always improvise by using a towel. From my own experience, however, you will run out of towels, very fast. 

4. A Cough, Cold and Sneezes

Babies who have a cough and cold may spit up clear liquid frequently. When they cough, especially after they have just been fed, milk tends to come up from the stomach and goes out from the mouth. This is because their small stomach contracts with every cough they take. 

Most of the time, it will only be saliva, like when they are sneezing. But when your baby gets a cold, she will have the tendency to swallow the mucus, and will have a reaction trying to spit it out as well.

5. Teething

​When babies are teething, saliva is produced more than the normal amount. This is the body’s aid for the pain of a growing tooth. It helps cool off and soothe inflamed and tender gums. However, too much saliva causes excessive drooling thus the tendency of a baby spitting up clear liquids.

Make sure you have few teethers around for when this happens, because your baby will be in pain, and it is now when he will start biting you, or even worse, his sibling. 

6. GERD- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

This condition causes your baby to spit up clear liquid in large amounts that it gives throat pains and abnormality in breathing. Symptoms like gagging, pain and waking up screaming. Spitting up are also called physiological or uncomplicated reflux. You should contact your pediatrician whenever you are worried. Never try to diagnose your baby all by yourself, unless you are, of course, a medical staff.  

7. Sleeping Position

Frequent spitting up especially with larger amounts happens when you have not put her in the proper position during sleeping. Spitting up may prevent her from breathing.

When lying down, there is a great possibility that spits will go out to the mouth and the nose as well. Most likely it will lead to choking your baby while sleeping. This is a very critical situation that you should be focusing on. Prevent SIDS in all situations.

Make sure you baby sleeps in the proper position, at all times. If you are not sure about what is the best place and position for your baby to sleep in, do not hesitate to contact your health nurse/pediatrician/midwives for help and support. 

8. Pyloric Stenosis

This is an abnormality that occurs when your baby’s stomach muscles are too big to let the food pass through. When the muscles contracts, the liquid coming in will shoot up back where it came from. This forceful spitting of liquid may be a result of medical reaction from antibiotics taken by moms as medication. 

9. Mother’s Diet

One cause of baby spitting up clear liquid is the allergy of dairy products. There are two ways wherein babies can get those allergies. It could be the milk formula that you have chosen to feed her or the diet you as a mother is having. Baby formula can easily be corrected, right?

However, for mothers, this could be a little bit complicated. Concerned moms drastically change their diet pattern as soon as they found out about allergic reactions of their infants. To help you with this, you need to follow some diet programs that would be recommended by your pediatrician. In the case of uncontrollable baby spitting, it is time to call a doctor. 

I had this happen with my daughter, and I had to watch my diet until I finished breastfeeding, which was until 6 months ago (she was 17 months old). Now, I make sure she does not drink milk, or eat diary products that will upset her stomach. The frustration here is that she is not completely allergic to milk/diaries, she can take just fine some types of milk, and others are a total disaster, so it is quite a challenge for me to get the right milk for her when we travel abroad. 

10. Proper Feeding Position

Baby spitting up clear liquid may occur if you are not feeding your baby in the proper position. There are several methods on how to feed your baby. The two popular methods are the breastfeeding method or the choice of bottle feeding. 

Whichever application you decide, there is always a proper position on how to do it. Other not commonly methods are syringe, spoon, cup and SNS finger feeding. Learn to prevent your baby’s spitting up.

After feeding, be sure to let your baby sleep in the proper position to prevent choking.

I cannot stress enough how important is, in case you bottle feed your baby, the type of the milk bottle you use. With my first son, I did not know better, and I bought a normal milk bottle, and he would always inhale air while drinking. He had an upset tummy for the first 6 months, crying at night, and all the package. With my daughter, because she was breastfed, I started to look around to find a special type of bottle that will emulate the breast sucking method. And it is then that I found the “magical” milk bottle, that not only helped her to not “forget” how to breastfeed, but also helped her tremendously with the air inhalation while her father was feeding her.

I am including here a link to amazon where you can  find the bottle that I am talking about, which I totally recommend that every mom should have. Even if you chose to breastfeed (like I did), there will be times, when the father or someone else in the family will have to take care of the “meal” for you, and then you need a bottle, where the baby can drinking from, your on breast milk.  

Buy on Amazon

11. Baby Bottles

​There are lots to consider when buying baby bottles. You should know that every age of the baby, there is a corresponding bottle that fits for her use?

Before buying, consider the age of your baby, and you will find out that the younger the baby, the smaller the bottle and the hole of the nipple as well.

Avoid using big bottles for your baby. The milk will flow fast in larger amounts it would take her a hard time swallowing; this will result to constant spitting of liquid or even lead to chocking.

Again, here again, I recommend the Medela Calma breast milk bottle.  

Buy on Amazon

12. Baby Diapers

​Baby Diapers plays an important role for your growing baby. Choose the diaper that is best for your baby’s age. Using small size diapers for your large baby will give her lots of discomforts. One major problem is the pressure it causes in the abdomen.

Once you feed the baby, the diaper pressure is overwhelming; it will let your baby spit out. Find the right diaper size for your baby.

CONCLUSION

​How did this article help you? Did we cover all the facts that you need to know in connection to your Baby Spitting Up Clear Liquid? As we have written, this natural phenomenon must not cause worry to you parents.

Babies will outgrow it as they grow up. But when things get a little bit over handy, it is best that you should consult a physician. For more inquiries, follow us, and we will guide you on your journey to motherhood!

Preventing and Treating Baby Spit-up

All babies spit-up their food from time to time, especially if they’ve eaten a little too much, are not effectively burped, or have pressure on their tummy.

Spit-up in Babies

Spitting up refers to the regurgitation, or vomiting, of food, milk, or saliva in infants.  Although it may look like or even smell like vomit, spitting-up is not only very common in infants but usually not a sign of a medical problem.

In fact, studies show that about 40% of infants spit up on a normal basis, approximately 1-3 times per day. Spitting up usually occurs following a meal, whether it be formula or breast milk, and the spit up may look a lot like what the baby recently ate (it may also sometimes appear curdled).

Why does my baby spit up?

When we eat or drink, the contents travel down towards the baby’s stomach by passing through the esophagus. Once the contents make it to the first section of the stomach, it begins to get broken down by stomach acids. Between the bottom of the esophagus and the top of the stomach there is a valve called the pyloric sphincter that helps prevent partially digested food from re-entering the esophagus (i.e., coming “back up”).

The problem lies in the fact that this valve is not well-developed in infants and tends to allow a lot of food and drink to go back up, especially when there is too much food for their small stomachs to hold or the baby has swallowed a lot of air. You know how if you’re under water and you blow air from your mouth it will travel up to the surface of the water? That is what the air bubbles in your baby’s tummy want to do: travel up!

How to stop baby from spitting up?

Since spitting up is quite common and typically of no medical significance, usually a baby can go without treatment if they are otherwise healthy. Outside of medical treatment, there are a few things that you can do as a parent to reduce the likelihood of your baby spitting up:

First, ALWAYS burp your baby about every 5-10 minutes during breast-feeding and also when they are done feeding. This will help stop swallowed air from building up inside the stomach.

Second, try to feed your baby frequently enough so that they are not extremely hungry at each feeding. Why? Because a hungry baby will eat too quickly and vigorously fill their stomach with not only a lot of food but also a bunch of air. Preventing spit-up is about making your baby eat slowly and patiently and allowing the stomach contents more time to empty into the intestines.

Third, keep your baby upright, such as holding your baby on your shoulder in the burping position, for about 15 minutes after feeding. The more upright your baby is, the more gravity can work its magic and help keep the food down underneath the pyloric valve.

What if my baby spits up a lot and very frequently?

Sometimes very frequent spitting up can lead to a lack of weight gain. This is usually a sign of a more serious problem such as gastroesophageal eflux, and you should speak to your pediatrician about possible treatment options.

5 Tips About Your Baby’s Spit-Up

Many of us parents worry about our baby spitting-up milk and/or formula. Sometimes it can seem like our little regurgitators don’t keep anything down at all! I often get asked questions about this constant concern, and in my recent poll it was voted the topic of most interest to you. However, since many of the questions I am asked don’t have to do with how to minimize spit-up, I decided to take this opportunity to simply answer some of the most common questions many parents have on the topic.

1. Is spit-up dangerous during sleep?
Laying your baby on his back to sleep is considered the safest position. But this obviously leads to the concern that your infant may choke on his own spit-up. This is not a common problem for most babies. Most babies will turn their head slightly to the side during sleep, and even if they don’t they have reflexes that help them avoid choking on their spit-up. If you have ever dripped water on your little splasher’s face during his bath, you might have seen him arch his head and body backward while waving his arms. This reflex is to help your baby roll onto his side if any thing obstructs his breathing. He will do the same thing, even while asleep, if his airway is not clear. Even swaddling will not keep your baby from arching his back and turning his head. The only time when night-time spit-up might be dangerous is if your baby has a cold that is producing a lot of mucus. If your baby is having trouble breathing anyway, there is a chance some spit-up could be sucked into the lungs on accident. There are some dangers that this could cause, so if you suspect that this has happened I would contact your pediatrician right away. Signs that your baby might have inhaled some spit-up are, excessive coughing, coughing while crying, and a rattling sound to their breathing between coughing.


2. Why does my baby spit up when laying down?
Many babies have trouble keeping their food down when laying flat, because there is a valve that is often under developed or not yet very strong at the top of the stomach that is meant to keep food down once swallowed. When this valve is so underdeveloped that it hardly functions it causes the condition known to most of us parents as “infant reflux”. Even if your baby doesn’t have reflux, when there is still liquid in her  belly and you lay her down, the food will sometimes leak back into her throat (which can be painful because there will probably be some stomach acid mixed in) and stimulate the gag reflex, which causes spit-up. It helps clear food out of the airway before it is accidentally inhaled into the lungs, but also causes a bit of a mess. Most of the time digestion of breast milk and formula is pretty fast, and almost all of your baby’s food will be gone within 10-15 minutes after a feeding. However, every baby is different, and as your little one grows she will change as well. Sometimes this means that digestion will take longer, or that there is something about the feeding that disagrees with your finicky nibbler’s tummy, and there may be a bit more left to toss back up the pipes than normal. As a good rule of thumb, try to keep your baby’s head elevated a few inches above her stomach for at least 20 minutes after feeding to try and ensure that most of the food has been digested before you lay her down flat.


3. Is white chunky spit-up normal?
There are several different types of spit up. The most common is fairly watery with a few chunks of white cheesy-creamy stuff in it. This kind is usually seen pretty quickly after a feeding, and most often in infants that are having a bit of excess drool. The reason the spit-up is watery with little white chunks is usually because the spit-up was triggered by a burp which brought up both bits of partially curdled milk (curdling is a natural reaction to your baby’s stomach acids, and is part of the digestion process), and mixed it with the excess saliva that was both in your baby’s throat, and in his mouth. Another common kind is a large amount of milky-white chunky stuff. This usually comes right up from the tummy, and is often the result of a strong gag reflex getting triggered accidentally by a burp (…or a finger, or a toy, or a pacifier). It can also be caused by a bit too much horsing around too soon after eating. And, more rarely, it can be caused by nausea from a sickness. In general, white chunky spit up is absolutely normal. Other common types of normal spit-up are mostly milky (few chunks) and mostly watery (no milk or curdled milk chunks).

4. Is my baby spitting-up too much?
Almost always the answer to this question is “no”. If your baby is eating regularly, having a normal number of wet and dirty diapers, and is continuing to gain weight, then she is getting enough to eat. It can seem like your baby is spitting up an awful lot, but it is extremely rare for a baby to spit up an entire feeding. The reason for this is, that digestion begins as soon as your baby swallows her first mouthful. And for a baby who is 3-4 months old digestion proceeds at an average rate of 1 ounce (30 ml) every 10-15 minutes. So if your baby eats approximately 5-6 ounces (150-180 ml) and a feeding lasts around 15-25 minutes, a great deal has been digested by the time your adorable little lactarian has finished. Even if your baby occasionally empties everything left in her stomach within 5-10 minutes after eating, the most that would come up would be around 2 ounces (60 ml). Now, don’t get me wrong, 2 ounces (60 ml) can seem like an awful lot when poured down your neck, but as far as it being a sign that your little tulip isn’t getting enough nutrition, it is unlikely. However, trust your instincts, and if you feel like something is really wrong with your baby, always check with your pediatrician.


5. How can I tell if my baby’s spit-up is not normal?
In some cases there are conditions that cause strange spit-up. Some signs that you should immediately bring to your pediatrician’s attention are:

• If your baby’s spit-up is discolored (Yellow, green, red, blue, etc).
• If your baby spits up something that looks like coffee grounds.
• If your baby is not gaining weight appropriately.
• If your baby is forcefully expelling spit-up type fluid (projectile vomiting) frequently.
• If your baby resists feedings and is still spitting up large amounts.
• If your baby spits up constantly throughout every feeding.
• If spitting up seems to be causing your baby sharp pain (screaming and crying immediately after spitting up on a regular basis).

 Unless you see one of these strange types of spit up, your baby’s spit up is probably normal.

Although there are many things to worry about with your new baby, generally spit-up shouldn’t be one of them. The worst thing about spit-up for most parents is the inevitable spoiling of a favorite shirt, or getting some splattered on  your face. If you have found these tips helpful, please forward them to any new, or expecting parents you know. As always questions and comments are always welcome! Happy Parenting!

There is a NEW post from NAOMI up today (9/5/14)! Check it out HERE.

Should You Worry? – Forbes Health

Over half of all babies—breastfed and formula fed—are what pediatricians call “happy spitters.”  They smile while drenching your shoulder, your carpet and every burp cloth you registered for in foul-smelling milk. 

These fun times in parenting can lead you down a road filled with no shortage of information (and misinformation) about spit up and solutions and strategies for dealing with it. In this guide, we provide evidence-based information on reflux, ways to reduce the milky mess and signs it may be time to talk with your pediatrician.

Find a Pediatrician Near You

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Why Do Babies Spit Up?

Many articles tell you “all babies spit up,” but Mark Fishbein, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, says to shift the focus to whether the reflux is “complicated or uncomplicated.” And remember: The problem is mechanical.  

• Uncomplicated reflux (gastroesophageal reflux, or GER) refers to those happy spitters who may spit up several times a day but are otherwise healthy and not bothered in the slightest by it. This is considered a normal part of infant development, as the valve between the esophagus, the tube connecting the stomach to the mouth, needs time to mature and tighten over the first several months of life.
   
• Complicated reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) occurs when there are what medical literature calls “troublesome symptoms that affect daily functioning and/or complications.” In other words, this is when spitting is a true problem and may involve your baby refusing to eat, frequently crying in pain with an arched neck and back, forceful or projectile vomiting, frequent coughing and/or not gaining weight. These behaviors are not normal and warrant further testing to determine whether GERD (or another condition) is the cause. 

“This is why it’s so important to maintain your regularly scheduled well-baby visits with your pediatrician,” says Dr. Fishbein. “We’ll monitor your baby’s overall height and weight on a growth chart and provide guidance if your baby isn’t gaining weight appropriately; hopefully, we can also provide reassurance.” 

When Do Babies Stop Spitting Up?

Spitting up disappears in more than 50% of infants by 10 months of age, 80% by 18 months of age, and 98% by 2 years of age, according to research published in BMC Pediatrics. 

“If I have a 2- or 3-month-old infant come in with uncomplicated reflux, I will tell the family it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better,” says Dr. Fishbein. “As a pediatric gastroenterologist, we usually look for it to get better by a baby’s first birthday, but it can go on until age 5 and still be uncomplicated.” 

Studies show infants who spit up frequently for more than three months are somewhat more likely to have gastrointestinal symptoms later in childhood.

Spit Up vs. Vomit: What’s the Difference?

Although the terms “spit up” and “vomit” are often used interchangeably, there is a big difference between them from a medical perspective:

• Spit up is effortless and occurs in smaller amounts.
• Vomiting requires force and occurs in large amounts. 

While vomiting can be caused by a number of problems depending on your child’s age, it’s most concerning in newborns and young infants under 3 months of age. Your pediatrician may want to rule out hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, a condition that affects one out of every 500 babies and occurs when the pylorus―a muscular valve at the bottom of the stomach—becomes too thick for breastmilk or formula to get through to the small intestines. The result: excessive, projectile vomiting that needs special treatment.   

Other reasons to call your pediatrician about infant vomiting: 

• Your baby is noticeably uncomfortable or crying after or during vomiting.
• Vomiting is a new symptom that started today or yesterday.
• Vomit contains bile (a green color).
• Diarrhea is also present. 
• Your baby looks or acts sick.

5 Pro Tips for Reducing Spit Up

“Spitting up or reflux should never be looked at in isolation,” explains Dr. Fishbein, who is also co-author of The CALM Baby Method: Solutions for Fussy Days and Sleepless Nights. “Other issues regarding the quality of breast or bottle feedings and understanding baby’s different temperaments and how to settle them are important, as well as at-home strategies for parents.” 

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind if you’re struggling with baby spit up:

1. Hold your baby upright after feeding. Dr. Fishbein says this method is “the best way to support and treat a baby with uncomplicated reflux” and recommends 20 to 30 minutes of chest-to-chest time after every feeding, if possible. However, he tells parents not to stress if they haven’t heard a burp. “Burping a baby after breastfeeding or bottle-feeding is more of a cultural phenomenon than a necessity,” he says. In fact, a 2015 study in Child: Care, Health and Development found burped babies actually spit up more—about eight times a week, on average, compared with about four times a week for un-burped babes.
2. Reduce your baby’s time in car seats, swings and bouncers. Supported sitting, especially in infants younger than 6 months of age, places too much pressure on the belly and can make reflux worse. If your baby falls asleep while riding in their car seat, transfer them out of their seat when you reach your destination and place them on their back in a crib, bassinet or playpen.
3. Feed your baby at scheduled times. “Parents will tell me their baby is spitting up, so they started to lower the amount of feedings,” says Dr. Fishbein. “I would equate that to being hungry for a full cheeseburger and only eating half of it.” 

   Many infants require smaller but more frequent feedings at scheduled times, which decreases the acidity within the contents of the stomach and can reduce spit up. Fortunately, there are many infant feeding tracker apps available to help you stay on schedule, but always talk with your baby’s doctor before making any changes to your baby’s feeding regimen.

4. Don’t use reflux medications with “happy spitters.” A 2014 report from the American Academy of Pediatrics notes there’s mounting evidence showing acid-blocking and motility agents like metoclopramide (the generic form of Reglan and Metozolv ODT) are not effective treatments for GER. “Most infants I see have already been taking reflux medication prescribed by their pediatrician,” explains Dr. Fishbein, who says these medications are overprescribed by many pediatricians as a result of reflux disease treatment not being a part of their formal training. “I don’t prescribe reflux medications much, particularly in children who are typically developing and growing well.”
5. Always use caution with at-home allergy tests. Many parents will want to blame spitting up on the formula or a milk allergy. While home allergy testing kits are widely advertised, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology says they aren’t useful or effective. Instead, talk to your pediatrician or a pediatric allergist. 

When to See a Pediatric Gastroenterologist

Further testing is usually not necessary for happy spitters with uncomplicated reflux. However, you should always bring up any feeding concerns with your pediatrician. For example, if your baby’s symptoms become worse, appear for the first time after 6 months of age or don’t get better by their second birthday, an evaluation by a pediatric gastroenterologist may be recommended.  

To find one near you, talk with your child’s pediatrician, visit your local hospital’s website or search the member directory of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (simply enter your state).

Consult a Pediatrician

ZocDoc helps you find and book top-rated doctors, on demand. Visit them in their offices, or video chat with them from home. Check out the Pediatricians in your area.

Pediatricians Near Me

Sources

Abbott AL, Bartlett DJ. Infant motor development and equipment use in the home. Child Care Health Dev. 2001;27(3):295–306.  

Help for Babies with Forceful Vomiting. HealthyChildren.org. Accessed 05/06/2021.

Avoid using acid blockers and motility agents such as metoclopramide (generic) for physiologic gastroesophageal reflux (GER) that is effortless, painless, and not affecting growth. Do not use medication in the so-called “happy-spitter.” American Academy of Pediatrics. Accessed 05/06/2021.

Curien-Chotard M, Jantchou P. Natural history of gastroesophageal reflux in infancy: new data from a prospective cohort. BMC Pediatr. 2020;20(1):152.

Dienelt K, Moores CJ, Miller J, Mehta K. An investigation into the use of infant feeding tracker apps by breastfeeding mothers. Health Informatics J. 2020;26(3):1672-1683.

Di Lorenzo C. Patient education: Nausea and vomiting in infants and children (Beyond the Basics). UptoDate. Last updated 01/06/2021. Accessed 05/06/2021. 

Fishbein M, Ideran P. The CALM Baby Method. American Academy of Pediatrics. Published 2021.

Kaur R, Bharti B, Saini SK. A randomized controlled trial of burping for the prevention of colic and regurgitation in healthy infants. Child Care Health Dev. 2015d;41(1):52-56.

All About Allergy Testing. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Accessed 05/11/2021.

Lightdale JR, Gremse DA. Gastroesophageal reflux: management guidance for the pediatrician. Pediatrics. 2013;131(5):e1684-e1695.  

Martin AJ, Pratt N, Kennedy JD, et al. Natural history and familial relationships of infant spilling to 9 years of age. Pediatrics. 2002;109(6):1061-1067.

Rosen R, Vandenplas Y, Singendonk M, et al. Pediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux Clinical Practice Guidelines: Joint Recommendations of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2018;66(3):516-554.

Reflux | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

beginning of content

3-minute read

Reflux is when your child brings the contents of their stomach back up into their food pipe or mouth. They may bring up small amounts of milk along with air when they are burped. Reflux, also called spitting up, posseting or regurgitation, is very common in newborns.

The medical term for reflux is gastro-oesophageal reflux, or GOR. If GOR is more serious or has complications it may lead to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or GORD.

Reflux occurs because a muscle at the top of the stomach, called the sphincter, is loose. It can also be caused by air bubbles in the stomach or by eating too much food too quickly.

Spitting up may not cause discomfort and your baby may seem not notice.

Reflux is not the same as vomiting. Vomiting is forceful, is usually more than a tablespoon or 2, and upsets the baby. Vomiting can be a sign of illness.

Reflux is not the same as drooling and blowing bubbles, which is especially common once babies start teething.

Spitting up often peaks by 4 months of age and by 7 months many babies no longer do it, although for some it takes longer.

Tips for managing reflux

Here are some things you can do to minimise your baby’s reflux:

• Make each feed calm and relaxed.
• Hold your baby in an upright position, not lying down, while you feed them. Keep your baby upright for 30 minutes after feeding. An infant seat or car seat works well.
• Feed your baby smaller amounts at a time.
• Feed your baby without delay. If the baby has cried for a long time before a feed, they may have swallowed air. Spitting up is more likely if the baby has air in the stomach at the beginning of a feed.
• Check the size of the opening in the teat if you are bottle feeding. The bottle should leak several drops of milk per second. A hole that is too big will let the baby swallow formula too quickly and baby is likely to spit up the excess. A hole that is too small forces the baby to suck very hard and swallow air.
• Burp your baby several times during each feed. It works best to support the infant’s head and burp them sitting on your lap. Burping your baby over your shoulder may put too much pressure on their stomach.
• If you are supervising your baby, you can place them on their tummy for an hour or so after the feed. Take care not to let baby sleep on their tummy because of the link with sudden unexpected death in infancy. Always place your baby on their back to sleep.
• Make sure nappies are not too tight and do not put pressure on the baby’s stomach.

When to see the doctor about reflux

If your baby is otherwise healthy and happy and they are just bringing up milk, nothing needs to be done. Talk to your doctor or child health nurse if:

Reflux and lactose intolerance – video

Video provided by Raising Children Network.

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Last reviewed: January 2021

90,000 Preventive measures against regurgitation in children

03/08/2017

Regurgitation is a spontaneous discharge of gastric contents into the esophagus and mouth. This condition is common in infants and is often a cause for concern for parents. The frequency of regurgitation syndrome in children of the first year of life is 18-50%: up to 4 months – 67%, up to 6 months 24%, up to 1 year 5%. In most cases, the regurgitation is “benign” and disappears on its own after 12-18 months.In this case, “benign” or physiological regurgitation characterizes:

• child’s age up to 12 months;

• regurgitation 2 or more times a day for 3 or more weeks;

• sufficient weight gain;

The child has no signs of metabolic disorders, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or the central nervous system.The child has no difficulty in swallowing or feeding, there is no forced body position.

Do not confuse regurgitation with vomiting. When a child regurgitates, the abdominal muscles do not tighten. When vomiting, on the contrary, muscle tension occurs and the release of food flows by pressure not only through the mouth, but also through the nose. In some cases, general anxiety, pallor, cold extremities may occur. Often, with vomiting, the temperature rises, loose stools appear, which is a sign of an infectious disease.Vomit may contain unchanged milk, mucus, blood or bile.

What explains physiological regurgitation

What is the reason for the tendency of babies to regurgitate? This phenomenon is explained by the peculiarity of the structure of the gastrointestinal tract of young children. At the age of one year, the esophagus is shorter and wider, physiological narrowing is poorly expressed. The stomach is located horizontally, its capacity is small, and the muscles that close the entrance to the stomach and prevent the return of the contents into the esophagus are poorly developed.As the baby begins to walk, the axis of the stomach becomes more vertical. The capacity of the stomach increases by the year from 30-35 ml to 250-300 ml. The secretory apparatus matures, the work of the closure muscles (sphincters) improves, which leads to a gradual decrease in frequency and the disappearance of regurgitation. The listed features explain the predisposition of young children to regurgitation and even the inevitability of this condition. However, there are measures to help reduce the frequency of regurgitation.

Factors contributing to physiological regurgitation include:

1. Overfeeding.Overfeeding begins to suffer, as a rule, actively sucking babies, with abundant milk production, as well as when switching to artificial or mixed feeding with incorrect calculation of the required amount of milk mixture. Regurgitation appears immediately or some time after feeding in an amount of 5-10 ml. The milk can flow out unchanged or curdled.

2. Swallowing air while feeding (aerophagia).A similar situation occurs if the baby is eagerly sucking on the breast, and the mother’s milk is not very abundant; due to the inverted, flat nipple of the mother’s breast, since the child cannot fully capture the nipple and areola; with artificial feeding, if the opening at the nipple of the bottle is large enough or the nipple is not completely filled with milk. Infants with aerophagia often feel anxious after feeding, and the abdominal wall swells up (the abdomen swells up). After 10-15 minutes, the swallowed milk flows out unchanged, which is accompanied by a loud sound of airy belching.

3. Intestinal colic or constipation. These conditions lead to increased pressure in the abdominal cavity and disruption of the movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract, provoking regurgitation.

Until the child is four months old, regurgitation of up to two teaspoons of milk after feeding or one regurgitation during the day for more than three spoons is considered the norm. You can check the volume of regurgitation in the following way: take a diaper, pour one teaspoon of water on its surface, and then compare this spot with the spot formed after the next regurgitation.

Pathological regurgitation can occur due to:

• surgical diseases and malformations of the digestive system;

• hernia of the diaphragm;

• pathology of the central nervous system, trauma of the cervical spine during childbirth;

• food intolerance, lactase deficiency;

• increased intracranial pressure.

Such regurgitation is characterized by intensity, systematicity, the child regurgitates a large volume of milk. At the same time, a violation of the general condition of the baby is noted – the child is crying, loses or does not gain weight, cannot eat the amount of food necessary for his age. In such a situation, an examination should be carried out by a pediatrician, gastroenterologist, surgeon, allergist, neurologist. It also requires examination and exclusion of anomalies in the structure of the upper gastrointestinal tract, the preservation of regurgitation for more than 1 year.

Scale for assessing the intensity of regurgitation:

1. Less than 5 regurgitation per day with a volume of no more than 3 ml – 1 point.

2. More than 5 regurgitation per day with a volume of more than 3 ml – 2 points.

3. More than 5 regurgitation per day with a volume of up to half of the amount of formula or breast milk no more than in half of feedings – 3 points.

4. Spitting up a small amount of milk for 30 minutes or more after each feeding – 4 points.

5. Regurgitation from half to full volume of formula or breast milk in at least half of feedings – 5 points.

Regurgitation with an intensity of 3 or more points requires a visit to a doctor.

Preventive measures against regurgitation in children

If regurgitation is of a physiological nature, then treatment or correction in this case is not worth it.It is necessary to deal with the elimination of the cause, if possible, and carry out prevention.

Prevention of regurgitation in children includes the following measures:

1. Postural therapy: when feeding, it is necessary to hold the baby at an angle of 45 °, make sure that he completely captures the nipple with the areola; after feeding, keep the baby in an upright position (“column”) for 20 minutes to evacuate the swallowed air.Thanks to this, the air trapped in the stomach will be able to escape. If nothing happened, then put the baby down and after a minute or two, lift him vertically again.

2. Make sure the hole in the bottle is not too big and the nipple is full of milk. Experiment with your nipples – maybe the other will be better. Milk should come out in drops, not in a trickle.

3. Lay your baby belly down on a firm base before feeding.

4. After feeding, try to minimize the physical activity of the baby, do not bother him unnecessarily, but change clothes only if there is an emergency.

5. Do not allow diapers or clothing to squeeze the baby’s abdomen.

6. If the baby’s appetite is good, then it is better to feed him often, but in small portions, otherwise, due to the large volume of food, the stomach may overflow, and this, as a result, leads to regurgitation of excess food.

7. The surface in the bed on which the baby lies should rise by 10 cm at the head of the bed.

8. In addition, it is possible to use special milk “thickeners” or antireflux mixtures, which will help the doctor to choose.

In the case when regurgitation begins to increase in frequency, or becomes abundant, or first began after six months of the baby’s life, or does not decline by one and a half to two years of life, the child should be consulted with a pediatrician.Additional help from a gastroenterologist is likely to be needed.

In our Family Medical Center you can always find highly professional help.

Memo upon discharge from the maternity hospital

Memo upon discharge from the hospital

The first month of life (neonatal period) is the period of the child’s getting used to new conditions of existence. He now has a different environment and a different diet. You and your baby are getting used to each other again.We hope that our memo will help you during this period. You will succeed! Love works wonders. We wish you every success!

Feed the baby on demand, and if the baby does not wake up for more than 3 hours, you can try to wake him up for feeding, including at night. Keep your baby on your chest for at least 20 minutes. Do not give your child any drink or food or food other than your own milk, unless your pediatrician has specifically prescribed it for you. There is no need to express milk, just give the baby the opportunity to completely empty the breast, and then there will be as much milk as needed.If, in your opinion, the baby is not full, you can offer him another breast, but in the next feeding, start with the breast from which he was supplemented.

The temperature in the room where the baby is located should be 22 – 25 degrees (if your baby weighs more than 3 kg). At this temperature, the baby can be dressed in a diaper, romper suit, and a long-sleeved blouse. If his legs are cold, then you can put on socks. You do not need to wear a hat. Brief air baths are beneficial for strengthening the baby’s immune system.They are carried out while changing clothes, leaving him naked for 5 – 7 minutes. Do not swaddle your baby in a diaper. For many months he had the opportunity to move freely, and when it became too cramped for him, he was born to find new freedom. You need to change the undershirt at least 2 times a day (in the morning and in the evening after bathing), and the sliders as they become dirty.

Ventilate the room at least 3 times a day. During airing, take the baby to another room or put on a little warmer (put on a hat, cover with a blanket).

It is possible to bathe a child even if the umbilical cord remains in it. Just dry the umbilical cord after bathing. Wash your baby every time he has a bowel movement. If the child has just urinated, it is not necessary to wash away. Wash the girl from front to back. Do not allow your baby to be in a soiled diaper. It is not necessary to boil the water. Potassium permanganate should not be added to water – it “dries the skin” and kills not only “harmful”, but also “useful” microbes for our blood. No more than 2 times a week, you can add a decoction of the baby’s collection for bathing to the water.The baby should be washed with soap only once a week. The temperature of the water for bathing is 36 – 37 ° C, and for rinsing after the end of the bathing is 35 – 36 ° C. Water should be poured so that the baby’s body is completely covered with water. Do not be afraid that water gets into the ears (a child lived in water for up to 9 months, and, as an adult, he will swim and dive), just dry them after bathing and until your hair is dry, put on a hat. Where you bathe, the air temperature must be at least 22 ° C. If you are bathing in a room, do not forget to cover the window.

After bathing, pat your baby dry with a soft towel. Do not rub your skin, it is very delicate. Treat the folds with vaseline (or baby) oil. First behind the ears, then the neck, armpits, elbow folds, popliteal, inguinal and gluteal folds. When using disposable diapers, lubricate the skin of the buttocks with a special diaper cream.

If the umbilical cord has not come off, do not worry. By 2 weeks of age, falling off usually occurs on its own. If this does not happen, you will be consulted by your pediatric health visitor or your local pediatrician.

The most important thing is to keep the umbilical cord clean and dry. If the umbilical cord has fallen off, then the so-called umbilical wound is formed. It can be treated with a 0.5% alcoholic solution of chlorhexidine, it can be treated with an alcoholic solution of brilliant green. Stretch the edges of the umbilical wound well with a cotton swab moistened with one of the listed solutions, treat the wound in a circle from the inside to the outside. If the umbilical wound is dry and clean throughout the day, the skin around the normal color after bathing, simply dry it with a clean cotton swab.Seek medical attention immediately if the skin around the umbilical sore is red or if the wound has pus or cloudy, whitish discharge.

Wash your child in the morning using cotton wool soaked in boiled water, and when the baby grows up, wash under running water, just as you wash yourself. It is necessary to rinse your baby’s eyes only if it is specifically recommended by your doctor. If necessary, you can clean the baby’s nose (because if nasal breathing is difficult, the baby cannot suckle at the breast).Remember not to use hard objects when cleaning the ear and nasal passages. Twist the cotton cord between your fingers or palms, moisten it with vaseline oil and clean the nasal passages in turn. Sometimes instilling 3 to 4 drops of saline into each nasal passage can help. The auditory canals should not be cleaned. You can only clean the auricle (for example, if the baby spits up and milk gets into the ear). If you think that the auditory canal still needs to be cleaned, then seek the help of a healthcare professional.Never put your milk in your baby’s nose, eyes and ears. It is a breeding ground for microbes.

Cut nails very carefully with special scissors. First, treat the scissors and marigolds with rubbing alcohol, then trim your nails carefully.

Never leave your child unattended on a table, bed or sofa (even if you think he cannot roll over). Do not leave your child alone for a long time! Sharing sleep in the same bed with parents (and with other children) is not safe from the point of view of possible asphyxia.Sleeping together can be a risk factor for strangling your baby. Sleep in the parent’s bedroom is optimal, but not in the parent’s bed. Place the crib next to yours, lower the side grill. On the one hand, this will ensure the safety of the baby, on the other, you will be in close proximity to your child and you will not have to jump up several times at night. It will be convenient for you to feed the baby at night, and then, without getting up, transfer it to the crib.

We wish you and your baby health and happiness and are always ready to help you.If you have any difficulties, you can consult by phone about breastfeeding or the condition of the baby.

Contact phone number of the breastfeeding support group: 8 (8443) 31-71-43, 8 (8443) 31-01-89

Conditions requiring urgent consultation with a local doctor:

1. Regurgitation is the process of returning (through the esophagus and the genus) milk that has just been eaten, but not yet digested in the stomach. Regurgitation can occur during or immediately after feeding.If the number of regurgitations per day is more than 5, they are abundant and come out in a fountain, while the child is slowly gaining or losing weight, restless, sleeping poorly and often crying – these are reasons for immediate medical attention.

2. Colic is attacks of irritability, excitement or crying in children associated with pain in the intestines with excessive gas formation. Often, colic occurs during feeding: the baby unexpectedly screams, behaves restlessly, tightens his legs. Anxiety episodes lasting more than 3 hours a day and at least 3 days a week require medical attention.

3. The stool of a newborn should be homogeneous, mushy, without admixture of blood and mucus. If the child’s intestines are emptied less than 1 time in 2 days and there is anxiety, bloating, loss of appetite, as well as the presence of frequent watery stools, consultation is required.

4. A healthy child sleeps 18 – 22 hours a day. He wakes up, asks for a breast, begins to suck, and here at the breast honey agaric falls asleep, completing the meal. Reduced activity and lethargy during the day are indications for examining a child.

5. The appearance and intensification of jaundice after 3 days (jaundice is a condition in which the level of bilirubin in the blood increases, which is deposited in tissues, gives the skin, mucous membranes and whites of the eyeballs a shade from lemon to orange), pallor, marbling, cyanosis – indications for visiting a doctor.

Yours faithfully, the staff of the perinatal center No. 1

Lactase deficiency – articles from the specialists of the clinic “Mother and Child”

what is it

The main food for babies is milk (breast milk or formula).It contains many different nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), which are broken down into simple components with the help of special digestive enzymes and are digested. But in young children, the gastrointestinal tract is still immature, there are few enzymes in it, others are absent at all, or they are not yet working at full strength. When the baby grows up, there will be more enzymes, the digestive system will mature, but for now there may be various problems with it.

In any milk (in women’s, cow’s, goat’s, in artificial mixtures) and dairy products there is a carbohydrate lactose – it is also called “milk sugar”.In order for lactose to be absorbed, it must be broken down by the enzyme lactase, but if the child has little or no lactase enzyme, then lactose is not broken down and remains in the intestine. As a result, there is always a large amount of milk sugar in the intestines, which begins to ferment, and where there is fermentation, conditionally pathogenic flora actively multiplies there. What we feel during fermentation: intestinal peristalsis increases (it hums), plus gas production increases (the stomach is inflated). But for an adult, this is usually a one-time situation due to some inaccuracies in nutrition, and it quickly passes.But in infants, everything is different, especially since they do not have enough enzyme not once, but constantly. What it looks like: milk sugar lactose retains water, hence loose stools. The child’s belly “hums and rages”, colic begins, the stool becomes frothy, greens, mucus and even blood may appear in it. If at first the stool was liquid, then constipation appears, and all this changes in a circle: yesterday there was diarrhea, today and tomorrow there is no stool at all, the day after tomorrow it is liquid again. And the most unpleasant thing is endless colic and endless crying, there is no peace for both the parents themselves and the baby.At some point, mom notices that the baby is crying after feeding, and then a variety of advice falls on her. “You have bad milk, you’d better give a mixture,” says the beloved mother-in-law. “Only chest and nothing else!” – advise breastfeeding gurus. As a result, the mother tries one or the other, but neither breast milk nor an artificial mixture gives the child any relief. Colic, crying, and stomach and stool problems continue. The parents are in a panic because they do not understand what is going on. In fact, this is a typical picture of bright lactase deficiency (LN), or insufficient production of the enzyme lactase.
various reasons

Lactase deficiency is of several types, and this is where confusion arises.

Congenital lactase deficiency is a genetic and very rare disease (one case per several thousand newborns), it is difficult to confuse it with something, since it is very difficult. The diagnosis is made even in the hospital or in the first days after birth, the child does not have lactase at all, he quickly loses weight, he is immediately fed intravenously or through a tube.Some experts (but not doctors) on breastfeeding read once that congenital lactase deficiency is an extremely rare disease, and they all began to assure young mothers: “In fact, FN is extremely rare, you do not have it, you do not need to listen to doctors “, etc. Yes, congenital FN is a rare disease, but the key word here is “congenital,” and there are also other types of lactase deficiency.

Transient lactase deficiency in infants .But this is exactly the condition that occurs very often. The baby was born, and so far he still has little lactase enzyme, plus little normal intestinal microflora. Hence colic, and loose stools, and mucus, and greens, and crying, and the nerves of the parents. After a while, the child’s digestive system will fully mature, all enzymes will begin to work actively, the intestines will be populated with what is needed, and “lactase deficiency” will disappear. Therefore, such a LN is called “transitory”, that is, temporary, or passing.It goes away in someone a month after birth, in someone longer – in six to seven months, and there are children whose lactase deficiency completely disappears only by the age of one year.

Secondary lactase deficiency. This condition appears if a person has suffered some kind of intestinal infection, and it does not matter if it is an adult or a baby. For some time after the illness, the child does not tolerate milk (any), and then with proper nutrition and sometimes even without treatment, everything goes away quickly.

Lactase deficiency in adults. There are people who begin to lack the lactase enzyme only in adulthood, this happens for various reasons: someone stops producing lactase in the required amount after some illness, in other people, over time, the activity of this enzyme fades away by itself. yourself. As a result, at some age, a person begins to tolerate milk and dairy products poorly, although before that everything was fine. Symptoms are the same as in babies: he drank milk and after that the stomach growls, boils, and the stool is runny.Sooner or later, a person realizes that milk is not his product, and simply stops drinking it in its pure form.

what to do

If there is transient lactase deficiency, then what to do with it? First you need to understand if it exists at all. Why does the child have problems with the stomach, stool, why does he cry all the time? Is it neurology, common colic, inaccuracies in the mother’s diet, inappropriate formula (if the baby is bottle-fed), inappropriate breastfeeding technique, lactase deficiency or a reaction to the weather? It can be difficult to figure it out right away, but if the tests show that there is lactase deficiency, then the matter is most likely in it.Now what to do next – to treat it, wait for the enzymes to mature, or something else? Firstly, everything here will depend on how much the enzyme is lacking and, therefore, on how much LN worries the child and the parents. Some children lack the enzyme quite a bit, so their colic is mild and children cry quite to themselves. Plus, the violation of the stool is also not very bright: there is a little liquefied stool a couple of times, but that’s all. In other children, the lack of lactase is more pronounced, the child does not cry, but simply yells after each feeding, if at first he gained weight well, then after two months the increase is minimal, problems with stool begin in parallel (day – constipation, day – diarrhea), stool sometimes green, sometimes with mucus.Atopic dermatitis appears on the skin (the skin is the first to react to problems with the gastrointestinal tract). Parents have no rest day or night: the baby cries – they feed him – he cries again, they try to calm him down in other ways. But nothing helps. Mom and Dad are in a panic, and no one has the strength.

If the parents see that, perhaps, the child has signs of lactase deficiency, that he needs help, he should first of all look for a good doctor. Only an experienced pediatrician will be able to figure out why the baby has colic or green stools, what the numbers in the analyzes indicate, and what is the norm for one baby and pathology for another.And of course, you do not need to cancel breastfeeding and immediately prescribe lactose-free or low-lactose artificial mixtures (even if as a supplement). By itself, the milk sugar lactose is very necessary for the child, when lactose is broken down, its components (glucose and galactose) go to the development of the brain, retina, for the life of normal intestinal microflora. So do not completely eliminate this sugar, you need to help it break down. With a strongly pronounced LN, a missing enzyme is given before each feeding (it has long been learned to produce it and it is sold in pharmacies), with a dim clinic, its dose can be reduced.And it is possible that there is lactase deficiency (even according to analyzes), but it does not need to be treated, there are almost no symptoms.

But what you can’t do is listen to non-specialists who deny either the lactase deficiency itself or its treatment. They see the cause of all problems with the child’s stomach and stool either in the wrong breastfeeding technique, or partially admit that the enzyme is immaturity, but this will naturally go away on its own. Yes, some people have LN expressed easily and will pass quickly, but what about those parents whose child is screaming day and night, covered with a crust from atopic dermatitis and stopped gaining weight? Wait, that the time will come and the enzymes will ripen? Alas, with pronounced lactase deficiency (even transient), enterocytes (intestinal cells) often suffer, so it is simply necessary to help such a child.
If you see your baby is showing signs of lactase deficiency, seek out a breastfeeding-minded and experienced doctor. He will definitely help to find out why the baby is crying, why he has a stomach ache or has problems with stool. And then the life of the parents and the child will return to normal.

“Transient” (temporary) lactase deficiency in someone goes away within a month after birth, in someone longer – after six to seven months, and there are children whose lactase deficiency completely disappears only by one year

If analyzes show that there is lactase deficiency, then the matter is most likely in it

Milk sugar lactose is very necessary for a child: when lactose breaks down its components (glucose and galactose) go to the development of the brain, retina, for the life of normal intestinal microflora

Memo for parents

1.In infants, transient (temporary) lactase deficiency is most common.

2. Symptoms of lactase deficiency usually appear some time after birth. These are colic, frequent crying, increased gas production, stools – either constipation or diarrhea (over time it becomes foamy, greens, mucus and even blood may appear in it).

3. The simplest study that can reveal lactase deficiency is the analysis of feces for carbohydrates.
4. Cancellation of breastfeeding or partially replacing it with lactose-free or low-lactose formula is usually not necessary. You can give the missing enzyme from the outside.

Nestogen Comfort Plus 1 mix 350g from 0 months

Nestogen 1 Comfort Plus mix – nutrition designed to correct the minimum manifestations of colic, constipation and regurgitation. The complex of bifidobacteria and prebiotics helps to normalize the composition of the intestinal microflora and improve digestion, starch helps to correct regurgitation, and the reduced lactose content helps to eliminate digestive discomfort.Nestogen® 1 Comfort Plus is suitable as the sole source of nutrition for babies from birth.

Ingredients: skim milk, a mixture of vegetable oils (palm olein, low-erucid rapeseed, coconut, sunflower), demineralized whey, lactose, starch (potato, corn), prebiotics (GOS, FOS), calcium citrate, s potassium citrate, magnesium chloride, amino acids (L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-carnitine), sodium chloride, calcium phosphate, vitamins (L-sodium ascorbate (C), DL-alpha-tocopherol acetate (E), nicotinamide (PP ), calcium D-pantothenate (B5), thiamine mononitrate (B1), retinol acetate (A), pyridoxine hydrochloride (B6), riboflavin (B2), folic acid (B9), phylloquinone (K), D-biotin (B7) , D3 cholecalciferol (D), cyanocobalamin (B12)), taurine, iron (II) sulfate, inositol, zinc sulfate, sodium citrate, culture of bifidobacteria (at least 106 CFU / g), copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, potassium iodide, selenate sodium.Packaged in a modified nitrogen atmosphere.

Contraindications: the mixture is not intended for children with an established allergy to cow’s milk proteins (or suspicion of it), lactose intolerance and congenital metabolic diseases such as galactosemia / glucose – galactose intolerance. Not for parenteral (intravenous) use.

• Breastfeeding is preferable for feeding young children. The ideal food for an infant is mother’s milk.Breastfeeding should continue for as long as possible. Ask your healthcare professional for advice before deciding whether to formula feed with infant formula.
• The mixture should be prepared just before feeding. Follow the cooking instructions carefully. The diluted mixture remaining after feeding is not subject to storage and subsequent use. During feeding, it is necessary to support the baby so that he does not choke. When the baby is older, switch to cup feeding.

WARNING! The product is presented in the old and new packaging designs. Pre-selection is not possible when ordering, because the specific option is determined based on availability.

One month old baby: important steps and concerns for parents

The first few weeks at home with your baby can sometimes seem very exhausting. Over time, you will get used to the new person next to you and gain confidence. But stay vigilant! Newborns change so rapidly that you won’t have to relax in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth weeks.In this article, we will try to prepare you for some stages in the life of a 1 month old baby, tell you what you need to know about feeding and sleeping at this stage, as well as about possible problems like colic and seborrheic dermatitis.

Baby development in 1 month

Your baby is unique, and of course you yourself know it. Therefore, it will grow at its own pace. Do not worry if within a few weeks the child’s developmental pace does not correspond to the usual for this age – soon he will catch up with everyone, and maybe even surpass.Here are the most important events that will happen with a month old baby.

Growth and physical development: Chubby cheeks

Do you think that a baby is growing out of clothes at supersonic speed? On average, at this stage, babies add 700-900 grams in weight and 2.5-3.5 centimeters in length per month. At a regular check-up, the pediatrician will measure the child’s weight, length and head circumference and compare these indicators with the child’s growth charts. The main thing is that the growth rates are sustainable. But we should not forget that sometimes children have growth leaps.

You may have noticed that the baby’s head is disproportionately large compared to the body. This is normal – the head is growing faster now, but the rest of the body will catch up soon. Also, the baby begins to grow in length, and his muscles become stronger. Fortunately, he will still have cute chubby cheeks for a while.

Sensations: All attention to the rattle

When the baby is awake, he carefully examines everything that he sees, hears and catches the sense of smell. At this stage, the baby focuses better on faces and objects, and very soon begins to follow moving objects with his eyes.In about a month, he will begin to reach for objects. For example, if you bring a rattle to a baby, he will knock on it.

Movement: We train the muscles of the legs

This month, the baby basically retains reflex movements, but some of the reflexes of the first four weeks gradually disappear and are replaced by more conscious movements. When the child is on his tummy, he briefly raises his head, begins to pull the arms, and not press them to the body. Some children begin to stretch and straighten their legs with force.It seems that the movement is simple, but this is how the kids train the muscles of the legs. Remember that even very young children can sometimes roll over, so keep an eye on your baby and hold him when placing him on an elevated surface, such as a changing table or low bed.

Crying and socializing: Mom, I’m tired (or I’m hungry)!

At this age, the baby begins to communicate with you more clearly. For example, if he is bored, he will cry until he is shown something new.If he is having fun, he will smile. Around this time, mothers begin to distinguish between types of crying: when the baby is hungry, when he is tired or when he is naughty. This month you will be able to see his first real smile if you have not. Sometimes this smile is called social. The child smiles when awake, in response, for example, to the sound of the mother’s voice. Get ready to melt with tenderness.

What to do for the child to develop correctly

Here’s what you can try to do with your baby:

• Hugs. Take your little one more often – this way you will only strengthen your bond with him! Experts say that the faster and more often a mother picks up a crying baby in her arms in the first 6 months, the more independent he will be at an older age.

• Visual stimulation. At this stage, the child enjoys looking at objects with a pattern of straight lines, such as stripes or checks. Present him with several toys of bright contrasting colors or patterns – the kid will not be able to take his eyes off such visual entertainment!

• Tactile toys. Touch is another important channel for learning about the world. Choose toys in different textures, shapes and sizes.

• Conversation with the child. Talk to your child more often. Let him say something to you with a hum or a smile, and in response you utter words, sounds and change your facial expression. Over time, your baby will be able to imitate you, which is why these early “conversations” are so important to his development.

• Physical games. Gently move the baby’s arms left and right, as if clapping your hands.Play “bicycle” with the child’s legs and often put it on the tummy. All of these activities strengthen muscles and promote movement.

• Strengthening attachment. A sense of security and trust is essential to the healthy development of a child.

There are many ways you can play with your baby. But keep in mind that small children cannot perceive large amounts of information. Monitor your child’s condition. When he is tired, he turns away or cries.In this case, give it a rest.

Monthly Baby: Feeding

Many mothers are worried about how to feed their ever-growing baby. Keep up the good work – feed him when he is hungry. At this stage, breastfed babies need about 8 feeds per day, and bottle-fed babies need one feed every 3-4 hours. If a baby’s growth spurt occurs during this time, more feeds may be required.

If you are breastfeeding and have questions, breastfeeding advice may be helpful.

Breastfeeding mothers may find breastfeeding tips helpful, from signs of hunger to expressing.

Helping your baby to burp

Babies sometimes get breath when feeding. This is more common with bottle-fed babies. Due to the ingress of air inside, babies have unpleasant sensations. To avoid this, let the baby burp between feeds or when moving from one breast to the other. Cover your clothes with a special towel or other cloth to prevent any spit milk or mixture from spilling onto it. Here are the poses and techniques for spitting up:

Counting wet and dirty diapers: At this stage, the child needs to change 4-6 wet diapers a day.The number of dirty diapers varies. Most babies have stool once a day, but sometimes a month old baby doesn’t poo for days or a whole week. There is nothing to worry about if the consistency of the stool is normal, that is, soft, somewhat watery, and the baby is eating well and gaining weight. If you rarely need to change diapers and are worried, see your pediatrician.

Baby’s delicate skin needs not only a lot of diapers, but a lot of soft and comfortable diapers, for example Pampers ProCare Premium Protection.

Promotions and discounts for young parents will help you save money.

How much sleep does a month-old baby need?

At this age, children sleep 14-17 hours a day, including daytime sleep (about 5 times). From 6 weeks on, your baby sleeps longer at night if you’re very lucky. Yes, you must be tired as hell, but there is also a light at the end of the tunnel. Over time, your baby’s sleep cycle syncs up with yours. After a while, your bedtime ritual will improve, and your baby will develop biological sleep rhythms.But now it is important to put the child to sleep when he wants to. Then sleep will be of maximum benefit. The child must be laid on the back.

If, when laying down, the baby is crying, try to beckon him, turn on calm music, say gentle words to him. Take him on the arms for a couple of minutes and when he calms down, put him back in the crib.

One day in the life of a baby

An ordinary day in the life of a month-old baby includes bathing, sleeping, feeding, playing and goes like this:

Hygiene from an early age

Perhaps you and your baby have already established a bathing ritual.If you’re still unsure, here are some tips on how to properly bathe your newborn.

Baby health: When does crying mean a baby has colic?

All children cry from time to time. However, sometimes crying means the baby has colic. This is accompanied by the following signs:

• the child cries for hours every evening;

• high-pitched crying;

• the child is crying for no reason;

• it is difficult to calm him down.

Colic is diagnosed if the baby cries for more than three hours a day in a row or more than three days a week for at least three weeks in a row. Colic in children often begins at 2-4 weeks of age and stops by 3-4 months.

There is no consensus about the causes of colic, but there are several factors that are sometimes associated with the occurrence of this condition:

• Gases. The baby may be crying because of the discomfort associated with gas.If the child has a swollen tummy, he releases gas and cries, the reason may be this. Don’t overfeed your baby. If the tummy is swollen, place it with its bottom up on your lap – it may feel better from the pressure on the tummy.

• Sensitivity to stimuli. The child may be tired and crying, because he does not yet know how to calm himself. Take him in your arms and walk with him around the room or sit with him in a rocking chair, put him in a child seat with a vibration effect and ride him in a car.

• Food sensitivity. Sometimes children have an intolerance to any of the components of the mother’s diet. Because of this, unpleasant sensations arise, to which the baby responds with crying. In rare cases, a child may be hypersensitive to the milk protein in the formula. The pediatrician will be able to determine exactly if your child has a food allergy or intolerance.

• Medical reasons. In some cases, this is how the child reacts to discomfort caused by illness or other problems, such as a hernia.The doctor will examine the child, determine the cause, and prescribe treatment.

Although colic usually goes away after a couple of months, when the baby cries continuously, the time goes on indefinitely. Sometimes it is impossible to calm him down in any way, and, naturally, many mothers are at the limit. But in no case should you shake the baby. Better to leave him in the crib for a while and go to another room or ask someone close to watch him for a couple of hours so you can rest.Remember that crying attacks with colic will go away very soon, especially if you are ready for them mentally and psychologically.

At this time, the following diseases also occur in children:

• Seborrheic dermatitis. It is a scale on the head of a child. Sometimes combing out the scales after washing the head helps, in more difficult cases the doctor will prescribe a special shampoo, but most often this physical condition goes away on its own and does NOT require intervention.Here is a whole article on seborrheic dermatitis.

• Diarrhea. If your baby has loose, watery, foul-smelling stools that occur more often than the number of feedings, see a doctor right away.

• Constipation. If your toddler has not had a bowel movement for several days, which usually does not happen to him, or if you think that he is constipated, the child is restless, the abdomen is tense, see a doctor.

• Vomiting. If a child has severe vomiting (“fountain”), vomiting lasts more than 8 hours or occurs after several feedings, and is accompanied by a high fever or diarrhea, the smell of acetone, consult a doctor immediately.

• Regurgitation. It is normal for a baby to regurgitate some milk after feeding or after being placed on the regurgit bar, especially within an hour after eating. If during feedings the baby is naughty or does not feel well, refuses to eat, then show it to the pediatrician.

• Infant pimples. At the beginning of the month, pimples may appear on the baby’s face. It is believed that they are caused by hormones that enter the baby’s blood through the placenta and strengthen the sebaceous glands.Place a clean towel under the baby’s head when he is awake, and wash him with special baby products once a day.

Regular check-ups and vaccinations

As a rule, at the age of 1 month, the child undergoes the first regular check-up, and at 2 months – the second. But you can contact the pediatrician at any other time, even between appointments, if something bothers you. The medical examination includes:

• monitoring the growth and development of the child;

• objective examination;

• delivery of the necessary tests, if they have not yet been submitted;

• consultation on the current state;

• answers to all your questions;

• An explanation of what awaits you in the next months;

• prescribing or performing the necessary vaccinations.

Frequently asked questions

Can a pacifier be given to a newborn or baby at 1 month old?

If you are breastfeeding, wait until your baby is at least 1 month old before giving a pacifier. It is recommended to give the pacifier after feedings so as not to interfere with this process. Laying down teats often reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Some babies love the nipple and the sucking process calms them down, but if the baby refuses to nipple, don’t force him.Sometimes the nipple is indicated for children (with disorders of the maxillofacial apparatus or neurological pathology), but more often, especially with natural (breastfeeding) feeding – you can do without it altogether.

Why do little babies cry?

Babies cry when they need something, such as food or to be taken on handles, or when they are uncomfortable and need, for example, to change a diaper. They also cry when they get tired of a variety of visual and auditory stimuli. Sometimes children cry for no reason.If you think your baby is crying too much or is strange, see your doctor.

How to calm a crying child?

If the basic needs of the child are met, that is, he does not want to eat and does not need to change the diaper, try to calm him down with gentle words, play with him, take him for a ride in the stroller. You will soon find out what the baby responds to better. If the child does not calm down in any way, colic may be the cause. If you are worried about why the baby is crying, see your pediatrician.

Young parents: One head is good, two is better

At this stage, the insecurity that mothers usually feel in the first weeks gradually disappears. Nevertheless, everything that worries you can and should be discussed with your family or your doctor. As they say, one head is good, but two are better. You yourself will not notice how your soul will become easier.

When breastfeeding, some mums sometimes develop a breast infection called mastitis. If you develop symptoms such as chest pain, fever, or nausea, see your doctor.However, keep breastfeeding your baby or it will only get worse. Remember that with mastitis, the baby may well drink breast milk, because it does not contain infectious agents. To treat mastitis, you need to remove excess milk from the mammary glands in a timely manner (for example, by simply feeding the baby or using a breast pump), but doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics. Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water to help your body fight infection better. Until then, check out our article on what mastitis is and how to treat it.

This month’s checklist

• If you haven’t seen a pediatrician yet, take your baby for a regular check-up.

• Take a first aid course for children and ask everyone who helps you to care for your baby to enroll in this course. If you are unsure where such courses are available in your area, ask your pediatrician.

• Want to know what will happen next month? We will tell you about what awaits you when your baby turns 2 months old.

• And to find out even more, subscribe to our newsletter:

A child under one year old: what is worth fearing and what not to pay attention to?

Infancy is the most dangerous period in a person’s life. Up to a year, the baby is completely defenseless, and even a harmless cold can lead to serious consequences.

In the first year of life, the child grows more actively than in all other periods.Its weight increases fivefold, the bones harden, the fontanelle on the head grows, the first set of teeth appears, the internal organs are rearranged to accept solid food. The child learns to roll over, smile, chew, play, crawl, and then walk. Therefore, everything that you put into a baby in the first year is laid in him for life.

Doctors determine the neonatal period from birth to four weeks. And this period has its “own” diseases, which are primarily determined by the neonatologist immediately after birth.Then, after discharge, a nurse will come to your home, bring the newborn’s first aid kit, explain how to care for the baby, and conduct another examination. A full examination in a polyclinic must be carried out monthly for up to a year.

Newborn

Certain diseases dominate at a certain age. In the first month of life, the child is still protected by the mother’s immunity, but at the same time, his body is actively adapting to an independent life. Therefore, almost all ailments of a newborn are not associated with external factors.

What to expect from this period?

• Poor navel healing

The umbilical wound should heal 10 days after birth, and if this has not happened and the navel is wet all the time, treat it with hydrogen peroxide, and then greenery. Repeat the procedure as often as possible. Do not bathe your child until the next treatment.

If by the end of the first month of a child’s life the navel is still wet, consult a doctor.

• Umbilical hernia

  This is a muscle weakness in the anterior abdominal wall, due to which the intestines fall into the abdominal ring.Tell your doctor about the hernia, but there is no need to treat it : in newborns, it almost always resolves itself over time.

With jaundice in newborns, the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow. You don’t need to do anything about it – it will pass by itself by the end of the first month of the baby’s life.

• Peeling skin

This usually happens in post-term babies: the lubricant, which should protect the skin in the first days of life, dissolves in the amniotic fluid and the defenseless epithelium dries in the air.Boil regular vegetable oil, cool to a comfortable temperature, and lubricate flaky areas as needed.

Acne of newborns (infantile acne, neonatal pustulosis) – occurs in about 20% of newborns. A rash on the face in the form of pimples. The causes of acne in newborns are hormonal in nature. They do not require treatment.

White dots similar to acne are visible on the baby’s face. Believe it or not, there is no need to treat them and they will pass within two to four months.

Colic is the accumulation of gas in the baby’s tummy. A large accumulation of gases causes spasms, which give the child pain and anxiety. If earlier the child received food through the umbilical cord, now you have to work hard to get enough. And along with food, be it breast milk or formula, new bacteria enter the body. Accordingly, different food will be digested in a different way.
The mother needs to review her menu and how she lays the baby to the breast.Perhaps he swallows air with milk.

It is easy to treat colic: after feeding, hold the baby upright so that he regurgitates excess air, often lay the baby on his tummy and drink a weak decoction of dill and it is also recommended to take simethicone preparations. Colic will pass by the fourth month of the baby’s life.

Baby

Infant age – from one month to one year. Diseases gradually transform and “mature” together with the child, although up to a year, completely inexplicable symptoms continue to appear periodically.Periodically disturbed by colic, hernia may not go away ( the doctor must know about it ). All infant diseases can be divided into three categories: skin diseases, internal diseases, and colds.

Skin diseases of infants

A small child has many folds: in the groin, on the neck, armpits. They either wet or dry out. Wet diaper rash should be sprinkled with powder, dry ones – lubricated with baby cream or sterilized vegetable oil.And also lower the temperature in the children’s room to +22, +23 C ⁰ . Diaper rash goes away pretty quickly – you just have to add a little to the baby in height.

What does prickly heat look like? Reddened skin, on it – an accumulation of small red pimples, sometimes with white purulent tips. Usually they are poured out on the ass, neck, head, groin, armpits, can be on the back, on the chest, behind the ears. Unlike allergies, prickly heat does not itch and does not irritate the child. Wash the affected areas with a weak decoction of calendula, chamomile or string and lubricate with baby cream, you can sprinkle with powder.

Prickly heat can appear even in children over a year old, and she says only one thing – you dress the child too warmly. Try to remove one layer of clothing from him and leave him to lie naked at least once a day – air baths have a beneficial effect on the skin.

• Diaper dermatitis (diaper thrush)

Dermatitis manifests itself as a small rash in the form of vesicles that are crowded together, but do not go beyond the well-defined border of the affected area.You can see them in the groin, perineum, in the folds of the legs, around the genitals. For treatment, it is better to use ointments based on nystatin or clotrimazole (strictly according to the doctor’s prescription).

Soon after birth, large bubbles (pea-sized) filled with a yellowish liquid may appear on the baby’s body. Gradually they burst, leaving a pink speck in their place. Pemphigus is treated with antibiotics and special ointments (prescribed by a doctor).

• Oral thrush .

The child’s tongue and the inner surface of the cheeks are covered with white uneven spots, similar to pieces of cottage cheese. They are not washed off with breast milk or water – they must be cleaned off with a tissue or gauze pad dipped in baking soda. Mom can also get thrush. It is imperative to treat thrush; sterilization of nipples, bottles is required, while breastfeeding – thorough rinsing of the breast before and after feeding. Antifungal drugs are used to treat thrush.The doctor will pick them up and write them out.

Diseases of internal organs

This is an metabolic disease that occurs when there is a deficiency in the body of vitamin D (calciferol), while the child’s musculoskeletal system, internal organs, nervous and endocrine systems are affected. Rickets is a very dangerous disease that only doctors should treat. It is necessary to prevent rickets with vitamin D. However, it should be borne in mind that an overdose of vitamin D can also fatally hit the baby’s body, as well as its deficiency.

• Hormonal crisis

In a baby, the mammary glands swell, girls may have white or bloody discharge, and boys may have a swollen scrotum. Call your doctor if redness or fever develops. In other cases, it is enough to observe the hygiene of the newborn – and everything will go away by itself. To relieve severely swollen glands, it is advisable to apply a bandage with Vishnevsky ointment.
The baby’s eyes turn red, purulent discharge accumulates in their corners.After sleep, the child hardly lifts the cilia stuck together. The eyes are cleaned with a weak decoction of chamomile or calendula, then you need to drip eye drops, which the doctor will prescribe.
Torticollis is a very common condition that manifests itself immediately after birth. This defect means an incorrect position of the head, asymmetry of the shoulders and further deviation of the development of the spine. Treatment is carried out using electrophoresis, massages, magnetotherapy, gymnastics – all this will be prescribed by a doctor.It is imperative to treat torticollis.

A breastfed newborn can poop every five days. However, when the baby grows up, it may have difficulty in defecating. If he cries, the feces are very dense, it means that he has constipation. Massage your tummy with light clockwise movements. Alternately press the legs bent at the knees to the tummy, as if kneading it. If the child was unable to poop and after these procedures, pushing, crying, then you can give him lactulose syrup or use a candle with glycerin.

Very frequent (more than 4-5 times a day) loose stools with mucus, accompanied by pain in the abdomen, bloating, sometimes even vomiting, is a sign of diarrhea. Call 103 urgently, and while the ambulance is on its way, give your baby as much water as possible, because diarrhea dehydrates the body very quickly. From the age of one month, you can breed diosmectite, two sachets a day.

Spitting up is a real problem for young parents. After eating, hold your baby upright to vomit air.This is usually sufficient. If the baby does not stop spitting up, see a doctor, because this may be the beginning of more serious diseases (for example, dysbiosis).

This is a malformation of the joint and all its elements. Depending on the degree of displacement of the femoral head in the acetabulum, dislocation, subluxation or pre-dislocation of the hip is distinguished. In a newborn, the formation of the joint has not yet been completed, therefore, early diagnosis of the disease and the earliest possible start of treatment are important. A preventive examination by an orthopedist and a neurologist, as well as an ultrasound examination of the joints, is recommended for every child, even if the parents do not have any suspicions of developmental abnormalities.

Colds

A cough in 90% of cases indicates that the baby is beginning to have ARVI. Therefore, it is worth giving him herbal cough syrup immediately. In infants, as in adults, cough (hyperlink to cough material) is dry and wet, and should be treated accordingly.

• Temperature rise

If a newborn has a high fever, it is better to bring it down immediately: up to two months, the newborn’s body temperature should not rise above 38 degrees.It helps to bring down the temperature in the smallest common ibufen. To speed up the process, soak a cotton swab in vodka or a mild vinegar solution and wipe off any wrinkles on his body. Then put on and give a warm drink. If the temperature persists for a long time and continues to rise, it is better to call a doctor.

Partner material

Thrush in a newborn

Young parents should be very careful and responsible for the health of their babies.Very often, parents are faced with such a problem as thrush in a newborn. You should not panic; with timely treatment, this disease passes quickly.

Thrush is popularly called the disease, in fact it is called “candidiasis”. This name comes from the fungus Candida albicans, which begins to develop in the mouth of a newborn. This fungus is present on all mucous membranes of a person, as long as its numbers are normal, there are no fears. But if the fungus begins to multiply uncontrollably, it is worth thinking about the disease.Most often, such reproduction is observed with dysbiosis and against the background of a weakened immune system.

When the first signs of thrush appear in a newborn, you should not start self-treatment of dysbiosis or give the child drugs that increase immunity. Babies are developing their own immune systems, and any interference can disrupt the natural process.

Thrush can appear with a mild cold or during teething. It is necessary during this period to pay great attention to child care and personal hygiene.Prevention of candidiasis can be a thorough treatment of the mammary glands before feeding, washing toys, bottles, pacifiers.

Symptoms of thrush in a newborn

The initial signs of the disease appear on the mucous membrane of the child’s mouth. The focus of inflammation has an oblong or rounded shape, whitish curd bloom. Thrush should not be confused with a simple bloom on the tongue. If in doubt, take a medical spatula or a clean spoon and gently swipe over the tongue.If swelling and redness are found under the white bloom, we can talk about candidiasis.

Thrush can start anywhere. It can show up on the tongue, on the inside of the cheeks or lips, on the upper palate or on the gums. If left untreated, thrush can spread to the back of the throat. With thrush, the child becomes restless, may refuse to feed. With a bacterial infection that can join thrush, the child may have a fever.

Treatment of thrush in a child

Currently, there are many drugs that inhibit the growth of the fungus Candida albicans. Their use is possible only after consultation with a pediatrician.

Treatment of the child’s oral cavity with a weak solution of soda will prevent the development of the fungus. The fungus Candida albicans multiplies well in an acidic environment, and dies in an alkaline one. The oral cavity is gently cleaned with a gauze swab every two to three hours.

It is necessary to carry out the treatment carefully, candidal plaques cannot be removed, inflamed tissue will open under them, this is dangerous, since the inflammation can intensify and infection can join.

Medicines can only be used after a doctor’s prescription. Antifungal agents are used for topical treatment. With proper treatment, thrush disappears within 3-4 days. But to consolidate the effect, it is necessary to continue treatment for several more days.

Prevention of thrush

Thrush most often occurs in the first six months of a baby’s life.At this time, the baby’s digestive tract and immune system are not working perfectly yet. Later, the baby’s health is strengthened, and the risk of candidiasis is reduced.

Everyone who communicates with a newborn, and especially a mother, must follow the rules of personal hygiene. The fungus can be transmitted in the household through dishes, kissing, during breastfeeding.