A one-month-old baby spits up heavily after feeding. Why does the baby spit up?

Why does a baby spit up after feeding? Rarely will a parent be the lucky one who has not asked such a question after the birth of a new family member.

Why is regurgitation dangerous? Why does this process happen? What should you pay attention to? How to behave correctly? You will find out the answers to all these questions in this article.

Causes of regurgitation in babies

Pediatricians also point out the following factors that cause regurgitation:

1. Incorrect daily routine and feeding. Remember, if you want your child to feel discomfort as little as possible, then the feeding process should take place strictly according to the clock. So that the previously eaten milk has time to be completely digested.

2. Too active sucking.

3. When feeding, the nipple is not applied correctly. The result is that gaps form between the baby’s mouth and chest. The same situation can insidiously await artificial children. A large hole in the nipple provokes regurgitation.

4. Increased formation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract. Everything here is directly related to the malnutrition of a nursing mother.

Regurgitation can be caused by one reason or several from this list at once. If you notice errors in the way your daily routine is structured or you do not limit yourself in food, then try to correct the situation as quickly as possible.

The exception to all the rules is banal intolerance to mother's milk. Yes, yes, before you might have thought that milk was the best thing you could give your child, but in reality such unexpected turns happen. If you have such a problem, you should consult a doctor you can trust. His task is to prescribe a mixture that has an antireflux effect.

Physiological causes of regurgitation

By the way, regurgitation in most cases is a common condition that will go away in 6 months. It's all about certain structural features of the upper digestive tract in infants. Among them:

Short esophagus;

Mild narrowing of the esophagus;

Weakness of the inferior orbicularis muscle;

Underdevelopment of the muscular sphincter at the entrance to the stomach;

Lack of formation of the system for moving food through the gastrointestinal tract, and so on.

But as in any process, there are also some pitfalls, or rather factors that you should pay close attention to in order to avoid the occurrence of diseases.

When regurgitation after feeding is dangerous

Of course, each case is individual, so the ideal option is when the mother always knows who to turn to.

Regurgitation can be dangerous if it occurs after each feeding, and the volume constantly increases (the norm is from 5 to 30 ml at a time). If you cannot figure out the volumes that your child “gives out,” then simply pour a couple of tablespoons of milk on the table and compare with the result of regurgitation;

The mass has a greenish or yellowish color, in which mucus or streaks of blood are visible;

The baby indicates to you pain in the abdomen when regurgitating;

The child is not gaining weight and is noticeably behind age standards according to modern standards.

Very often, this unpleasant and alarming process becomes more frequent with ARVI, fever or intestinal infection.

Why do we constantly point to communication with specialists? Sometimes regurgitation is normal, but after a couple of months it is a symptom of pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, nervous system, and metabolism.

Systematic regurgitation "fountain"

This phenomenon in newborns is considered the most dangerous. If you notice this appearance, consult a doctor as soon as possible! No advice from experienced mothers on the World Wide Web will be a lifesaver, but can lead to irreversible processes. The baby may even choke on his own vomit.

What does fountain burping indicate?

Obvious problems with the gastrointestinal tract;

The result of a birth injury to the brain;

Intestinal infectious disease or poisoning.

If there has been a brain injury, then only a pediatric neurologist will help.

Burping through the nose

Rarely, but there are situations when a child burps through the nose. This phenomenon is also very dangerous. It leads to the development of polyps and adenoids. In the future, there will be a need for surgical intervention.

The integrity of the mucous membranes of the nose and sinuses is compromised due to hydrochloric acid and lumps of milk protein. If this happens to your baby regularly, you should definitely consult a pediatrician.

When you don't have to worry about spitting up after eating

But how can you understand whether you should worry and consider regurgitation part of the norm or whether there is some kind of problem? Remember just a few rules that will be very useful to you in the future:

After burping, the baby behaves calmly and does not cry. There is no talk of any irritability or lethargy.

The chair is fine.

The fontanel does not sink.

The baby does not lose weight, but systematically and constantly increases its weight.

The baby does not spit up like a fountain.

The baby does not burp through the nose.

In these cases there is no cause for concern.

How to prevent (reduce) burping in a child after eating

1. Do not feed your baby in a horizontal position. Semi-vertical is ideal. The head and upper body should be at an angle of 60 degrees with respect to the floor.

2. Before the procedure, practice a little abdominal massage, and also place the baby on his tummy for a few minutes.

3. Always feed your baby at the same time.

4. Don't feed a crying baby. Calm your baby so that he tunes in to a calm and pleasant procedure.

5. If your child is fed formula milk, be sure to keep it warm.

6. Hold the bottle at such an angle that the nipple is completely filled with the mixture.

7. After eating, raise the baby in a “column” position. Sometimes you will have to hold the child for 20 minutes. In this state, regurgitation occurs much less frequently. The baby will simply give up air.

8. Be proactive. Place a diaper on your shoulder or knee when feeding.

9. Forget about active games after feeding. Give your baby some time to rest.

10. Infant formula should be selected based on the recommendations of the attending physician, and not on a discount in a supermarket or pharmacy.

What examinations are needed if there is concern?

If the recommendations do not help and you are tormented by doubts about the nature of the newborn’s regurgitation, or the child is losing weight, then you should figure out which diagnostics will show the most correct result and give you accurate recommendations for treatment.

Ultrasonography;

X-ray;

General clinical blood test;

Stool analysis.

There are other diagnostic tests that your doctor may order if necessary.

Very little time will pass and you will find out the main thing - the reason.

Some conclusions

Statistics show that many children stop burping after they learn to sit. But let us remind you that each case is individual. Sometimes you will see small puddles near the baby even at 7 months.

If regurgitation is a simple immaturity of the digestive tract, and the child feels well, then there is no need to sound the alarm. The body will develop, very soon everything will fall into place.

Remember that now your best friend and assistant should be your pediatrician. Be that as it may, at least one conversation about the nature of the baby’s regurgitation will not take much time, will not become superfluous, will allow you to calm down, and perhaps save the child from negative consequences.

In conclusion, I would like to talk about a method that helps many modern mothers avoid the negative effects of regurgitation on clothes and furniture. Always have a small bottle of water and soda at your fingertips. Simply rub the cloth with the contents of the bottle. This combination will prevent stains from setting and will rid furniture and clothes of unpleasant odors.

The health of your child is the most important thing you have. Be careful and then before you know it, you will see a healthy adult standing in front of you, who is sincerely grateful to his mother for her care. Burping up in babies sounds scary only when you gain experience with your first child. But if you look into the situation in detail, you can understand that the problem itself is not terrible and unavoidable. If you remember everything we wrote about today, then you know what to do in a controversial situation - pay a visit to the doctor.

We wish you and your child good health and good mood!

Young mothers tend to exaggerate problems with their newborns. To understand why a baby often burps, you need to define what often means. Is this harmful for the baby, and then throw a lot of effort into eliminating the supposed frequent regurgitation.

What is regurgitation

Unlike most other organs and systems, the newborn's digestive system is not mature. Therefore, most often the problems of a young mother are related specifically to the baby’s digestion (gas, colic).

Regurgitation, whose scientific name is gastroesophageal reflux, is not a disease. This is a normal phenomenon, the cause of which experts call the swallowing of air during sucking in combination with the immaturity of the lower food sphincter. 70% of babies aged 1 to 4 months regurgitate food at least once every 24 hours.

Moms are concerned about the age at which this unpleasant phenomenon continues. Usually everything goes away by six months, less often - by the child’s first anniversary.

How to tell if your baby is spitting up a lot

There are no standards for the number of regurgitations and the volume of food coming out: everything is individual for each child. There are newborns who spit up after every feeding. Others - less often.

Approximate standards: on average, a child burps 5 times a day, the volume of discharge is no more than 2-3 tablespoons at a time. How do you know how many tablespoons of liquid your baby has burped? After pouring a tablespoon of water onto a towel, compare the size of the stain.

There are several points to pay attention to:

Is there any weight loss?
Have symptoms of dehydration appeared (sunken fontanelle, dry skin and tongue, decreased number of urinations - obvious signs)
Is the child sleeping more than usual or, conversely, is he overexcited?
Does the baby scream during feeding?
What type of waste material is there?

How dangerous is regurgitation?

There is an important rule regarding regurgitation: you should not put your baby on his back after eating. Why? If he burps, he may choke if milk gets into his windpipe. What to do if the baby has eaten and fallen asleep? Shouldn't you let him sleep? If it is not possible to carry your child upright, place him on his side and prop him up with pillows. You can buy a special U-shaped pillow, or use regular, not too soft pillows, or a folded blanket.

How to reduce the volume and frequency of spitting up

Place your baby on his tummy before feeding
Don't put it on your stomach after it
Keep after column feeding
Don’t wait for your baby to get very hungry - he will eat greedily, which is why he will swallow air
After feeding, do not play or touch the baby
Attach your baby to the breast correctly
When feeding through a horn, check whether the opening is too large. Use special bottles with an anti-colic system - they will help reduce regurgitation, among other things.
Do not put clothing on your baby that puts pressure on the stomach. Do not use tight swaddling
Don't overfeed your baby! A lot is not always good. Don't cover his mouth with your breast or bottle every time he screams.
If bottle feeding: try changing the formula
Massage your tummy regularly. It trains the abdominal muscles

How to carry a baby in a column

Even in the maternity hospital, medical workers teach mothers to carry their babies in a column after feeding. At the same time, the procedure for such wearing is not taught directly.

Before you pick up your baby, decide on which shoulder you will carry him and put a soft towel on him - otherwise there is a chance of getting dirty
Hold the baby close to you, supporting the head, back and bottom, without sitting the baby down
The newborn's head should be on your shoulder or slightly lower, the body should be vertical to the floor
Stroke the baby's back to facilitate the release of air. You can also pat him lightly on the back.
You can walk around the room with him or sit in a comfortable chair - it doesn’t matter
You need to hold it in a column until the air burps out. This may take from 2 to 25 minutes. It won’t take much time if you help your baby with a massage

Sometimes, in the first days of life, a newborn does not burp. This is most likely due to the fact that he still eats little. Several days of observations in this case are not an indicator. When the child begins to eat more, this procedure will be mandatory.

Around the second week after birth, the mother's milk becomes mature, and the volume and number of regurgitations increase. This phenomenon stops on average by six months, when the child spends more time in an upright position and his gastrointestinal tract matures.

Regurgitation or vomiting?

Essentially, regurgitation is a type of vomiting. Why do we talk about these phenomena as two separate ones? The first is a normal physiological phenomenon, and the second is a sign of a serious illness (fever, poisoning, infection, disruption of internal organs). Regurgitation does not lead to serious anxiety for the baby, and therefore is not a reason to seek medical help. A summary table will help you distinguish between these two phenomena:

Another important sign of vomiting is that the masses come out as a “fountain,” that is, under great pressure.

Burping up like a fountain

The flow of milk in a fountain frightens mothers, even if there are no other signs of vomiting. The reasons for infrequent cases of masses escaping as a fountain may be:

Overeating – then the phenomenon occurs immediately after weaning from the breast or bottle
Aerophagia, that is, swallowing air and associated belching
Fatigue of the baby - after an unusually long stay of wakefulness or nervous tension (arrival of guests, going to the doctor). Occurs a few minutes after eating

If your child spits up frequently or always, seek help from your pediatrician to rule out the following options:

Staphylococcus infection
Serious digestive disorders
Gastrointestinal malformations
Neurological problem

Regurgitation of mucus

If regurgitation of mucus occurs in a newborn during the first days of life, it’s okay, these are the remains of amniotic fluid that the little person swallowed for several months of uterine life. But if the masses are separated by curds with mucus at an older age, you need to consult a pediatrician. Mucus is a possible sign of colds or intestinal diseases, as well as pathologies of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Vomiting water

Many mothers are interested in why their baby spits up water or something similar. This especially seems strange if the child’s mother does not drink water. Typically, regurgitation of water occurs a long time after feeding.

Please note that your baby may now have increased salivation (this is normal at some stages of development of a child’s body). In this case, the water may be swallowed by drool.

The milk coagulates in the stomach, becoming curds and whey. The water you regurgitate may be whey. This is no more dangerous than regular regurgitation.

Artificial feeding

Why increased regurgitation may occur when bottle feeding:

Due to incorrect feeding position. The position should imitate positions familiar to breastfeeding
Unsuitable bottle - too large a hole in the nipple or poor design of the bottle causes increased air swallowing
Because the formula is not suitable for your baby. Use a special anti-reflux mixture with a thickener (for example, rice powder). Use a palm oil-free formula formulated and/or based on partially hydrolyzed milk protein. Such mixtures are a treatment and should be prescribed by a doctor.
Due to the incorrect tilt of the bottle when giving it to the baby. Too much of an inclination leads to the baby choking while eating the formula; too little of a tilt leads to swallowing air. The bottle needs to be selected taking into account the age of your baby.
Due to the small amount of mixture in the bottle. The formula should fill the bottle completely before feeding.

Conclusion

New moms worry about a lot of “whys,” and that’s normal. Regurgitation is an unpleasant phenomenon, but there is no need to worry about it. Just follow simple tips to reduce the frequency and volume of regurgitation, and be philosophical about the phenomenon.

Here's what experts say about baby spitting up after feeding.

According to statistics:

In the first weeks of life, regurgitation occurs on average in 80% of infants.
By 3 months this happens less frequently.
By about a year (for some a little earlier, for some a little later) it stops completely.

The maximum age at which regurgitation should completely stop is 1.5 years. Otherwise it should be considered a deviation.

Up to 4 months, the norm for a child to burp is no more than 2 teaspoons after each meal. Also considered normal is a condition in which the baby burps once a day in a volume of 3 teaspoons. In some cases, even regurgitation in a fountain is acceptable, but not more than once a day.

Important! Pay attention to the fact that at the time of burping the child does not show much anxiety. The rest of the time, he should eat well, be alert and active, and gain weight based on his age.

Differences from vomiting

Regurgitation is a normal process that does not require treatment. As for vomiting, it is a sign of disease. In both cases, the contents of the stomach are released, so you need to be able to distinguish between these 2 processes.

You can find out whether a child is regurgitating or vomiting by the following signs::

When regurgitating, a small amount of substances “comes out” from the body, and their separation occurs without problems. After this, the baby behaves normally.
Regurgitation in a baby usually occurs after feeding, and vomiting occurs at any time of the day, regardless of food intake.
Regurgitation is often a one-time process (per day), and vomiting can occur again and again.
When regurgitation occurs, unchanged or slightly coagulated nutrition leaves the body. Attacks of vomiting are characterized by digested food and gastric juice with bile.
When regurgitating, the child’s well-being should not worsen, but vomiting invariably leads to poor health.

Reasons: Why does this happen to newborns?

Why does my baby spit up a lot? There can be many reasons for regurgitation in a baby. Let's list some of them:

When should you see a doctor?

What to do if a child often spits up like a fountain?

What should you do if your baby vomits like a fountain?

Massage. If a child is vomiting like a fountain, abdominal massage will be an excellent help. His technique is simple - just lightly stroke the abdominal area clockwise, while applying light pressure.
Standing in a column after feeding. After you have fed your baby, you should hold him upright for at least 20 minutes, and then carry him exclusively in an upright position. When all the excess air has come out of the stomach, let the baby lie down and rest.
Reducing portions. If you can't figure out why your baby spits up frequently after formula feeding, make sure you don't overfeed him. This is very simple to do - just cock the baby before and after feeding.
Other methods. It is recommended to keep your baby in the correct position during feeding. This will prevent the baby from swallowing air along with the mixture, which leads to subsequent regurgitation.

Medicines

Drug treatment may include taking the following medications:

Antacids. This group includes drugs that adults take for increased stomach acidity and heartburn, for example, Phosphalugel and Maalox.
1. Children under 6 months of age should be given 1 teaspoon after meals.
2. From 6 to 12 months – 2 teaspoons. The drug should be taken for 3 weeks.
Medicines that stimulate gastrointestinal motility. These drugs have many side effects, so they should be given to infants only when absolutely necessary. Motilium causes the least harm. These drugs should be taken at the rate of 0.25 mg per kg of body weight 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment usually lasts from 10 to 14 days. The purpose of taking the drug is to speed up the passage of food through the stomach.
H2 receptor blockers. Used in extreme cases: in case of continuous and profuse regurgitation, when there is a risk of dehydration. This group includes the drugs Ranitidine (5-10 mg per kg of weight) and Famotidine (1 mg per kg of weight). The course of treatment is up to 3 months.

Prevention

To prevent repeated regurgitation of the baby, it is necessary to prevent this process:

If the baby cries, feed him a little later.
When feeding your baby with a bottle, tilt the bottle at an angle so that the formula completely fills the nipple.
When buying a new pacifier, be sure to check that it has medium-sized holes.
Make sure that clothes or diapers do not put pressure on the baby's stomach. It is also not recommended to swaddle babies tightly, and instead of pants with an elastic band, it is better to dress the baby in rompers that fasten at the shoulders.
When sleeping, it is preferable to place the child on his right side. This will reduce the intensity of the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. You need to place a small pillow from a pair of folded diapers under the baby’s head or raise the crib legs at the head of the bed by 5-10 centimeters.

If a baby experiences frequent and profuse regurgitation after feeding with formula, this is due to purely physiology. In such cases Parents could use some advice:

before eating, the child should be placed on a hard surface with his stomach down;
after feeding, you need to limit the baby’s mobility and activity as much as possible;
you need to feed the baby more often, but in smaller portions;
provide the child with an active lifestyle outside of feeding: bathing, walking, massage and daily gymnastics will strengthen the muscles responsible for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Often these actions are enough to fix the problem.

Reference! However, if the situation does not change, the frequency of regurgitation does not decrease, you should contact your pediatrician for advice.

The various causes of regurgitation in infants have been listed above. As already mentioned, in addition to physiological and functional reasons for regurgitation, there are also organic ones. This problem sometimes requires surgery. Fortunately, organic causes are extremely rare. If your baby spits up frequently, seek help from a doctor, even if the rest of the time the baby feels well and shows no signs of anxiety.

Useful video

We invite you to watch a video about the reasons for regurgitation in a child after formula:

Regurgitation

Regurgitation is a type of vomiting, but occurs easily, without effort. When a baby regurgitates, a small amount (5–30 ml) of milk is released a short period of time after feeding in the form of dripping or weak eruption of semi-digested milk. Don't be alarmed, in most cases, spitting up in a child is a natural process. Spitting up in a baby can occur when he is changed, turned over, and even during feeding: he sucks, turns away, burps and takes the breast again. Regurgitation is the result of an immature nervous system baby and weakness of the muscular valve that is located at the top of the stomach. Regurgitation does not lead to a significant change in the general condition of the child.

Causes of regurgitation:

overfeeding, which leads to stomach distension;
swallowing air (aerophagia) during feeding, which occurs when the baby is not properly attached to the breast or if the baby has a short frenulum of the tongue or upper lip. The air bubble, released from the stomach, pushes out the milk. This is accompanied by belching of air and regurgitation of a small amount of milk. Due to the distension of the stomach, the baby may spit up, scream, or be restless;
flatulence (accumulation of gases in the child’s intestines);
a quick change from the horizontal position of the baby’s body to a vertical position after feeding;
inhibition of the child immediately after feeding;
tight swaddling.

Noticeable regurgitation in a child appears after the arrival of mature milk - approximately 14 - 30 days after birth. Regurgitation becomes more abundant and frequent from the 20th to 30th day of the child’s life. As a rule, by 6 months, regurgitation stops or greatly decreases.

When baby burps often, count how many times a day he pees. If 12 or more times, then the baby has enough milk and regurgitates the excess. The norm for ages 1 to 4 months is regurgitation after each feeding of up to 2 tablespoons of milk or regurgitation of more than 3 tablespoons once a day. It is not dangerous for the child. To check how much milk your baby spit up, pour 1 tablespoon of water onto the diaper and compare the water stain to the size of the spit-up spot.

Too much and frequent regurgitation may be a sign of improperly organized breastfeeding (improper attachment to the breast; infrequent feedings - agree that everything will be absorbed better if you eat little and often; any others that do not coincide with the basic rules of natural feeding - see above) .

The increase in the volume and frequency of regurgitation is directly influenced by increased stress on the baby’s psyche, such as: early swimming, prolonged crying, frequent trips to the city, visits of a large number of people to your home, family quarrels and other gross shortcomings in caring for the baby.”

A child who takes in air during feeding must be held upright after feeding so that he can burp the swallowed air. If your baby attaches correctly to the breast, does not make any sounds when sucking and does not take in air, you don’t have to stand him up after each feeding. If your baby spits up while in your arms, simply turn him over onto his stomach. It is better to place such a baby on its side in bed.

There is no need to hold the baby upright after each attachment, especially if the baby has fallen asleep. Most of the time the baby lies on his side. If he spits up a little, then the diaper just changes under his cheek. It is necessary to hold the artificial one vertically so that it does not spill the 120g poured into it. And we are talking about infants who are fed on demand and receive small portions of mother's milk. In addition, the cardiac sphincter of the stomach needs exercise, which it can only receive if the child is lying down.

If your child spits up frequently, is accompanied by poor weight gain and infrequent urination, or if every spit up is a fountain of vomiting, take your child to the doctor immediately.

The digestive system of a newborn baby is still imperfect, so it often cannot digest even the most suitable food for it - mother’s milk.

It is for this reason that after eating, his stomach can involuntarily push some of its contents into the esophagus and further. The result of this is a phenomenon that is commonly called regurgitation - that is, the child spits out food.

Sometimes the regurgitation is weak, and sometimes it resembles a real fountain - it depends on the force with which the walls of the stomach push out food. In 80% of cases, regurgitation is a physiological norm, however, there are situations when they are a symptom of certain diseases and developmental pathologies, that is, a young mother should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Causes of regurgitation in a baby: norms and pathologies

How can we determine whether this phenomenon is normal or pathological? Usually mothers anxiously monitor the frequency and quantity of regurgitation in the baby, but in fact these factors are secondary.

First of all, you should pay attention to the general health and well-being of the child, as well as the dynamics of weight gain. If the baby is smiling, happy and cheerful, and is also gaining weight, there is most likely no reason to worry.

In this case, the child may burp for the following reasons:

Overfeeding Among the causes of regurgitation, many doctors name overeating, as well as the “on demand” feeding style, and in such cases the baby often spits up like a fountain.
Features of peristalsis. A newborn baby sucks food in series - that is, he takes several sips, followed by a pause, during which he swallows what he managed to suck from the breast or bottle. Milk or formula is a simple, liquid food, so it reaches the intestines quickly. Immediately after this, peristaltic waves arise in it, which cause the bottom of the stomach to tense and push the contents out.
Colic and gas formation. Excessive gas formation can also cause frequent regurgitation, as air bubbles put strong pressure on the walls of the stomach and intestines.
Aerophagia. If, during artificial feeding, the nipple does not fit tightly to the bottle, or its hole is too large, this can lead to swallowing air - this is also one of the reasons for regurgitation.
Hyperactivity syndrome. In highly excitable, hyperactive children, regurgitation is observed much more often than in calm babies.
Developmental delay. Often a similar phenomenon is observed in premature babies or infants with intrauterine growth retardation, since their digestive system needs several more weeks to finally “ripen”.

Pathology options

If parents still feel worried about the fact that their baby regularly spits up, they should try to assess their intensity.

Of course, it is almost impossible to measure in milliliters the amount of milk that the baby regurgitated, so this can be done using a teaspoon (its volume is approximately 5 ml). You should pour one or two teaspoons of water onto a dry diaper and compare the stain with the amount of mass that the baby burped.

To assess the intensity of regurgitation, there is a special scale:

Regurgitation can be a symptom of a disease or pathology in the following cases:

If the baby “scores” 3 or more points on the regurgitation intensity scale;
When regurgitation is observed in children older than one year;
If regurgitation is accompanied by additional symptoms: refusal to eat, weakness, tearfulness, drowsiness, dehydration;
If the child spits up frequently and profusely, and at the same time does not gain weight well;
When the contents of the stomach have an unpleasant odor or change color.

All this may be evidence of the presence of certain pathologies or diseases, including:

Improper development of the gastrointestinal tract. The human digestive system is very complex in its structure and principle of operation, therefore each of its organs must be located in the appropriate place and correctly perform its functions. If there is one slightest defect in it, the entire functioning of the gastrointestinal tract will be disrupted. There can be a lot of options in this case, so the cause of excessive regurgitation should be determined by a doctor.
Lactose intolerance. Breast milk and any formula necessarily contain a protein called lactose, which is broken down in the stomach by a special enzyme - lactase. If the body produces an insufficient amount of this enzyme, milk intolerance occurs - that is, the child’s stomach cannot digest milk and “throws” it out in large quantities.
CNS pathologies or hydrocephalus. With such diseases, the child may burp frequently and violently after each meal, and the child becomes whiny, restless and often throws his head back.
Infection. The digestive system is the first to react to any infection, so the frequency and intensity of regurgitation in a sick child may increase, and the contents of the stomach may turn yellowish or greenish. If a mother notices a similar phenomenon in her baby, she should immediately go to the doctor, since all infectious diseases in children require immediate treatment.

How to distinguish regurgitation from vomiting

Many inexperienced mothers are very frightened by every burp of their baby, as they mistake it for vomiting. How to distinguish these two phenomena from each other?

Regurgitation occurs immediately after feeding, or about an hour after it, sometimes with a sudden change in the child’s position, and the food flows out without much effort or contraction of the abdominal muscles. In this case, the baby does not show any signs of anxiety or additional symptoms.
When vomiting, the contents of the stomach are released in large quantities and is accompanied by active contraction of the abdominal muscles. It is preceded by attacks of nausea, during which the child becomes restless and tearful, and his skin turns pale and covered with sweat.

In addition, in addition to milk, vomit often contains bile, which is why it turns yellow. In this case, the child requires immediate and immediate medical attention.

How to reduce the frequency and intensity of regurgitation?

Even if regurgitation is not a symptom of any pathology, many parents do not want to wait until this phenomenon goes away on its own. It should be noted that there are currently no drugs that can quickly and safely eliminate it. In order to reduce the frequency and intensity of regurgitation, doctors recommend:

Carry your baby in an upright position as long as possible after each meal until he burps air. You can also hold him in a “column” before feeding so that all the air that has accumulated in his stomach also comes out.
Do not feed your baby when he is crying. A crying baby will swallow air along with food during feeding, so after eating it will probably burp.
Choosing the right formula and bottle for your baby who is bottle-fed. Often the reason for regurgitation in artificial babies lies precisely in the incorrect selection of the formula. In addition, today there are special anti-reflux mixtures that slightly reduce regurgitation. Read about how to choose a formula. As for the bottle, the hole in the nipple should not be too large, and during feeding it should be in such a position that the nipple is completely filled with liquid. Read about how to choose the right nipple for your bottle
Do not arrange active games with your child immediately after feeding. To reduce the intensity of regurgitation, it is necessary that immediately after eating the baby lies quietly for at least 15-30 minutes.
Feed your baby more often, but in smaller portions. To prevent the child from passing it on, you can try to slightly reduce his usual portion, but the daily amount of food should remain unchanged. Read about the signs of nutritional deficiency and excess.
News active lifestyle. Swimming, walking, getting a massage and daily gymnastics help strengthen muscles, including those responsible for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Follow a diet while breastfeeding. A nursing mother should eliminate from her diet all foods that can cause flatulence: brown bread, apples, legumes, baked goods, cabbage, etc. Read about mother's nutrition during breastfeeding
Eliminate constipation and colic. By reducing the pressure in the baby's stomach and intestines, you can reduce the intensity of regurgitation. For this purpose, special products and teas are used - for example, based on fennel, and in more serious cases, anti-reflux medications.

To summarize, spitting up that is not accompanied by weight loss or other alarming symptoms is not a cause for concern.

In this case, the mother just needs to make sure that regurgitation does not interfere with the baby’s comfortable existence, and in due time this unpleasant phenomenon will become a thing of the past.