How To Deal With Baby Spitting Milk After Feeding ?

My baby vomits or spits out milk as soon I feed him/her. What can I do? Milk spitting is quite a common issue faced by new moms and while at times she tries to do everything possible in her hands and capacity, yet as a mother, she struggles to find answers to certain questions like why does her baby splits milk after every feed? And hence today I am sharing a blog on milk spitting and everything related to it. So let's start with what is milk spitting?

Ways to Avoid Breastfed Baby from Spitting-up?

Did you know that baby spitting milk is quite a common phenomenon? But it can be a cause of worries for a new mom. Here our expert Dr. Surbhi Saini has tried to put all your worries/anxieties to rest.

Q. What Is Milk Spitting?

Answers. Milk spitting is also called as reflux, it is generally regurgitation of milk /stomach contents from the stomach to mouth; more common in children below 1yr of age, because her digestive system is still developing, or probably she overfed.

Q. Why Milk Spitting Happens?

Answers. Milk spitting happens because of two reasons.

1. The baby was overfed Eats too much
2. Swallows too much air (generally happens with fussy eater/feeders)

Q. Spit Up Or Vomiting, What Should I Call It?

Answers. When a small amount of milk/food (1-2tbsp/feed) is regurgitated without making the baby uncomfortable is called as spitting. But, when spitting up makes your baby uncomfortable, the amount of food regurgitated is increased or baby puts in more force, then it is called as vomiting.

Also Read: feeding Schedule For Your Newborn

Q. I Make My Baby Burp After Every Feed, Still It Happens?

Answers. Make the following changes in your way of making her burp.

1. Burp her frequently even if she seems to be comfortable while feeding
2. Changing her position while feeding, will also slow her gulping and hence less air will be swallowed
3. If she's bottle fed, burp her after 80-90ml of feed and if breastfed than burp while switching to another breast

Q. How Can I Lessen Spit Up?

Answers. It can be lessened by following ways.

1. Make each feeding calm, quiet, and leisurely
2. Avoid interruptions, sudden noises, bright lights, and other distractions during feedings
3. Avoid feeding while your infant is lying down
4. Hold the baby in an upright position for 20 to 30 minutes after each feeding
5. Do not jostle or play vigorously with the baby immediately after feeding
6. Try to feed her before she gets very hungry
7. If bottle-feeding, make sure the hole in the nipple is neither too big (which lets the formula flow too fast) nor too small (which frustrates your baby and causes her to gulp air). If the hole is the proper size, a few drops should come out when you invert the bottle, and then stop
8. Elevate the head of the entire crib with blocks (don't use a pillow) and put her to sleep on her back. This keeps her head higher than her stomach and prevents her from choking in case she spits up while sleeping

Q. So, I Should Not Be Worried At All?

Answers. As long as your baby is gaining weight as per her age and is developing there's no need to worry. But, the following signs are a 'Red Alert' signs when you need to consult with your pediatrician.

1. If baby spits more than 1-2 tablespoon feed at a time (associated with symptoms like choking, wheezing, coughing)
2. Increase in volume or force
3. Leads to discomfort, fussiness, poor weight gain, or weight loss
4. Is green or yellow
5. Accompanied with mucus, blood, or bloated abdomen

Spitting food is normal and not painful for your baby. Majority times it doesn't even affect her health. Make sure to feed her at an interval of every 2-3 hours. However, as the child grows the number of feeds decrease but the amount per feed increases. Though make sure to seek a pediatrician's consultation in case you notice any red alert signs. [Also know - Fellow parents issues on milk-spitting]. 

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