| Mother2Mother Services |
| Education and Support for Nursing Mothers |
 |
| Common Concerns p. 8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| SPITTING UP |
|
| Last Updated February 5, 2004 |
|
| Is spitting up a problem? |
 |
 |
| Maybe, maybe not. If your baby is gaining weight well and is happy & healthy, doesn't have any other signs of being bothered by anything (no rashes anywhere on the body, no eczema, no congestion, isn't having repeat ear infections, etc.), then a spitty baby is basically just a laundry issue. On the other hand, if the baby is not gaining weight well or has other symptoms, such as eczema, a red rash around the anus that doesn't respond well to diaper rash ointments, frequent hiccups, stuffy or runny nose, watery eyes, chest congestion, and/or repeat ear infections, then you may not simply have a "happy spitter" and you should look into what the issue (or issues) may be to try to correct them and make your baby healthier & more comfortable. |
| Excessive spitting up accompanied by fussy behavior could simply be the result of the baby swallowing too much air while nursing or crying. Burp the baby before feeding, several times during a feeding, and after a feeding. If the issue is a strong let-down reflex, see the information at this page. In all cases, it is possible that keeping the baby upright after feedings and limiting nurisng to one breast per feeding will help. If the baby is gaining over two pounds a month in the first few months, using the same breast for any feedings within a 3-hour period (breast "A" when baby wants to nurse at 10, 11:30, 12:15; switch to breast "B" when baby wants to nurse again at 1:30) is another technique that may help. If the main issue is immature muscle control, the "tincture of time" may be what is needed to resolve the spitting-up issue. The baby might also be spitting up in reaction to something else the baby is ingesting -- vitamins, iron drops, fluoride drops, or medication for example. An occasional bottle of formula may also make some babies extremely fussy, gassy, and spitty. You can try stopping these to see if the baby's spittiness improves or not. It is also possible (but not as common as some moms think) for something in the mother's diet, or medication the mother is taking (even prenatal vitamins), to make the baby spitty. In this situation, removing the offending item(s) from the mother's diet removes them from the baby's, and the baby improves. Babies who are sensitive to something in mom's diet usually show other symptoms as well. See here for more information on looking into mom's diet as a way of alleviating baby's problem spitting-up. |
| Why do babies spit up? |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
| How might I solve problem spitting-up? |
|
| According to LLL, typical reasons for spitting up include: |
| a strong let-down, or milk-ejection, reflex; a strong gag reflex; immature muscle control; allergy; disease; consuming too much milk; reasons that are never determined. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| How do I know if my baby has reflux? |
|
| REFLUX |
|
| Just because a baby spits up doesn't mean they have reflux, and not all reflux babies spit up very much -- the reflux may be only within the esophagus, which is called "silent reflux." According to LLL, symptoms of reflux can include: |
|
| choking and coughing; back arching and head turning -- stretching the body out flat; intense crying & irritability during and/or after feedings; feeding resistance and/or breast refusal; the baby may be described as "colicky." |
|
|
|
|
|
| There are various tests for reflux, but they are invasive and usually not needed. (Some in fact are often inconclusive.) Instead, many doctors simply prescribe a trial period of reflux medicine. If the baby has reflux, the medicine may make the baby feel better. |
| What can I do if my baby has reflux? |
|
| One of the first things I would suggest is for the mom to look into her diet. The majority of infant reflux seems to be caused at least in part by something in the baby's diet, and for a breastfed baby, that may mean the cause is, indirectly, something in the mother's diet. Please read this page for more information. Another strategy that may help, according to LLL, is to kep the baby in positions that keep the baby's head elevated. This includes while feeding the baby as well, not just after feedings. A sling or carrier may be helpful in getting the baby comfortably positioned for nursing while maintaining this angle. When diapering the baby, try rolling the baby over to one side rather than lifting the baby's legs up. This will prevent you putting pressure on the baby's tummy. More information here... |
|