Infants Spitting Up

During the first 3-4 months of infanthood some babies spit up all the time and some hardly. There is nothing wrong with your baby as normally spit up is not a health issue. Unlike vomiting which signals an illness, spitting up is simply a nuisance to which your baby shows little reaction, if any. When your baby spits up she will simply carry on as if nothing happened!

In a gist spitting up is simply a sign of an immature digestive system. Spitting up is more annoying to the parents than the baby because of the laundry problem it poses. But it is a temporary one because by the time baby begins to sit up and crawl, spitting up ceases on its own.


Why the Spit Up

• Typically a newborn's stomach is not developed enough to handle the milk or formula and so the tendency to bring up the food.


• Babies when they drink their formula or milk gulp in air along with their feeds. The trapped air when it comes up brings the liquid does up as well.


• Excess mucus needs to be cleared else it can also cause spit ups


• Overfed babies tend to spit up

Here are some things you can do if your baby spits up far too frequently:

• Burp your baby as you feed instead of waiting for the burping session at the end of the feed.


• Feed your baby smaller meals more frequently


• Don't feed your crying baby because the chance of taking in a lot of air is higher then


• Avoid handling your baby boisterously immediately after a meal


• Keep your baby upright while you feed and for a while after the feed as well


• Sometimes it is the formula; if excessive spitting up continues you may need to try a different brand


• Feed your baby in calm surroundings.


• Sit your baby upright in a baby seat or on your lap for half an hour after feeding


• Elevate the head of the crib a little by placing books under the mattress (and the mattress should be well-fitted into the crib)


• Don't forget to place a burp cloth over your shoulder and keep baby wipes handy to get the spit up out of anything (if used as soon as it happened)

Sometimes spitting up may be a sign that something is amiss. With a young baby, it is best to verify if you suspect illness. If your baby has any of the following, contact your doctor without delay. They can be causing a cold, virus or the more severe form of spitting up known as gastrointestinal reflux.

Fever, congestion, vomiting that increases in frequency and quantity, inconsolable crying, projectile vomiting, excessive restlessness, gagging during feeds, failure to gain weight and change in normal stool or urine (a decrease in wet or messy diapers)