Every baby spits up, even breastfed babies. And even when babies just spit up a little bit, it can seem like a lot. Most of the time, spitting up is only inconvenient, not harmful.
Making Sure Baby Gets Enough
If you are worried that your baby isn’t getting enough milk, you should always make sure that your baby has 6-8 wet cloth diapers (5-6 disposable diapers) every 24 hours and at least two bowel movements. If he is over 6 weeks old, fewer bowel movements are normal.
Why Do Babies Spit Up
There are many reasons that a baby spits up. Take notice ofyour milk-let down reflex. If it seems your baby may be choking after let-down, this may be the problem. A strong gag reflex in the baby may cause spitting up. Other reasons may be allergies, immature muscle control or the baby’s nursing too much milk.
Preventing Spitting Up
Here are a few tips you might try to help prevent spitting up:
Check positioning to ensure that the baby is lined up (head,shoulders and hips in line, no twisting.) Try to turn your head and swallow. It is very difficult to swallow with your head turned. If the baby is positioned in this way, he may turn his head back straight to swallow, thereby swallowing air.
Nurse the baby in a football hold with the baby sitting up.
Burp the baby often.
After nursing, hold the baby in a vertical position, ratherthan horizontal.
Nurse only one breast at a time.
What To Watch For
If your baby regularly spits up after nursing, or has projective vomiting, you should check with your baby’s doctor to check forpyloric stenosis, a narrowing of the muscular wall of the tube between the stomach and intestines.
Note if you baby is taking something new such as a vitamin or supplements. These may be causing an allergy in the baby.
Remember that spit up is messy and inconvenient, and most babies grow out of it. Breastmilk doesn’t have and odor and won’t stain. You can be thankful for that!
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