Baby regurgitation problem: what to do?
Regurgitation problems are common during the first months of an infant's life. Although not serious in most cases, these phenomena can be limited or reduced with a few simple measures to apply on a daily basis. Discover all our advice on how to avoid baby's spit-up and thus reduce his discomfort.
Why does baby spit up?
Spitting up is common in newborns because their digestive system is not yet mature: the muscle that acts as a valve between the stomach and the esophagus is not yet functional, so the liquid in the stomach flows back into the mouth more easily. Reflux is also accentuated by repeated lying down or by eating only liquid. Regurgitation usually disappears when the baby starts to eat and sits up.
A benign phenomenon
Don't worry: the vast majority of infants spit up frequently during their first months (up to 6/8 months). This is one of the main reasons for consulting a pediatrician at that age. Spitting up is often considered a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and occurs suddenly and involuntarily, with milk being spit out after feeding or shortly afterwards.
How can you prevent your baby from spitting up?
There are several simple steps you can take to avoid, or at least limit, baby's spit-up.
Giving a suitable milk
Thickened infant formulas can help reduce spit-up. Of course, check with your pediatrician before switching to a different formula.
Do not put baby to sleep after feeding
Avoid putting your baby to sleep or in a horizontal position right after eating: lying down encourages food to rise up into the stomach.
Take breaks during feeding
Help your baby let out the air breathed in during feeding by burping several times during the meal. If your little one doesn't burp all the time, take breaks to prevent him from absorbing his milk too quickly.
Prepare the bottle well
A well-prepared bottle avoids the formation of lumps, or the presence of an incorrectly measured liquid, which will not be easy for baby to digest.
Giving the bottle correctly
Giving the bottle in the right way can affect the frequency of spit-up. Find all our advice online on how to give baby a bottle correctly!
Baby's spit-up: Discuss it with your pediatrician?
As we have seen, spit-up, even if it is very frequent during the first few months, is generally benign. However, it is important to go and discuss with the pediatrician in several situations:
- baby is vomiting - vomiting is clearly distinguished from regurgitation by the presence of more abundant and thicker (and often smelly) liquid. Unlike regurgitation, vomiting also causes muscle or abdominal contractions at the time of discharge.
- baby is uncomfortable with pain after spitting up - baby squirms, cries or shows discomfort
- baby has frequent episodes of spitting up after 6 months of age.
Don't hesitate to ask your pediatrician for advice if you are unsure about your baby's spit-up. Babybio offers several other tips to limit and calm your baby's digestive discomfort. Find all our advice articles online!