I don't know what is involved, but Lately this topic has become extremely relevant. Having three children, I would never have thought about why a newborn often spits up if I had not had to face this problem myself.

With older children, I escaped this nightmare, but with the younger one I had a chance to experience in my own “skin” what it is like to watch your child literally spew curdled milk like a fountain. My advice to moms:

If, after feeding, the child spits up a lot, the first thing to do is to show the baby to the doctor.

Why? To make sure that the crumbs do not have a pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. Then you can look for the cause of profuse regurgitation and ways to eliminate it.

If the newborn often spits up: what are the reasons?

There are many of them, but by carefully observing her baby, each mother will be able to find the reason why her child often burps after feeding. It is necessary to divide children into GV and into artificial feeding, since the causes and methods for their elimination will be different.

The reason for regurgitation in a child on GV

1. Incorrect breast latch when the nipple is taken without the areola, which allows air to enter the baby's esophagus. Air in the baby's stomach is a sure way to vomit profusely.

2. Overeating. Perhaps the mother is overfeeding her baby too much, which is not entirely correct for babies - the structure of their gastrointestinal tract is such that the child can vomit not an extra portion of milk, but everything that was eaten.

3. High fat content of milk in the mother, which leads to its partial digestibility by the digestive system of the child. In this case, regurgitation is usually cheesy, has the appearance of curdled milk and an unpleasant smell of vomit.

Why does my baby spit up a lot after formula feeding?

1. Wrong bottle nipple:

1) hole too big: you need to buy a nipple with minimal or no hole and make it yourself;

2) irregular shape nipples - you need to pick up the bite of the baby;

3) too soft or too hard nipple - latex ones are usually softer, silicone ones are harder. You need to select individually, by trial and error.

2. Incorrectly selected mixture. If the newborn often spits up, then you should consult a doctor about changing baby food. I solved this problem outside the box and will talk about it below.

3. Wrong bottle shape. It's rare, but it does happen. I'm not sure that this reason is not invented by manufacturers of children's products, but I heard that a special bottle helped some mothers to partially solve the problem of spitting up (some brands are produced).

If after feeding the child spits up a lot: what to do

Once I got into a conversation in a children's clinic with an elderly Moldavian woman who raised six (!) children and already had several grandchildren. This lady turned out to be a real storehouse of folk wisdom and gave me some valuable advice, some of which I still apply. One of them dealt with the problem of regurgitation in infants - I will share it with you.

Folk way for children on GV

I admit, it is somewhat unusual, although quite logical. I myself did not use it (I did not have to), but my interlocutor assured me that they do this in Moldovan villages.

So, if you showed the baby to the doctor, hold him in a “column”, give the breast correctly, but, anyway, the newborn often spits up , then you should do this: cook a little semolina porridge in breast milk and give the child 1 teaspoon before offering the breast.

I myself used only the principle of this method, when at three months my youngest son began to spit up strongly after switching to IV. I did a whole "investigation" on the topic, and how to deal with it.

And here is my result.

How we beat frequent regurgitation after formula feeding

1. I didn’t “bother” with the selection of a bottle, but I had to buy a nipple without a hole and make it myself - burn a small hole with a red-hot needle. In the standard nipple that came with the bottle, the hole was so large that the mixture flowed out in a jet, and not in drops, as it should be.

2. Next, I had to switch to a mixture specifically designed for babies prone to spitting up, constipation and other digestive problems. I chose the Belarusian "Bellakt Bifido" and up to 4.5 months this mixture suited us perfectly. The question of choosing a mixture is very individual, and each mother will give preference to baby food that is most suitable for her baby.

3. When the son grew up and began to move more, regurgitation repeated again. This happens often in IV babies, because even with the right nipple, they eat a large amount of food much faster than babies on breastfeeding. In addition, my baby didn’t eat well, he obviously didn’t have enough liquid mixture, and it’s too early to transfer such a crumb to porridge.

Here I used the principle suggested by an elderly Moldavian woman. It turned out that I was not alone in doing this - in the baby food store, the saleswoman herself told me the recipe tested by many mothers:

If the baby spit up a lot after feeding you need to add to the bottle with a mixture of 1 scoop (cap) of any dairy-free porridge and feed the baby just like that. That is, you make food as usual, but add another capful of dairy-free porridge and stir.

In my case it was porridge Baby (Baby) - oatmeal, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal with an apple, which can be given to a baby from 4-5 months, but you can choose any brand. We didn’t have any troubles (constipation, allergies, vomiting), and this method helped us a lot.

Such mixing thickens the liquid mixture, makes it more nutritious (the child is saturated for 3 hours) and in fact completely eliminates spitting up. You can do this for up to 6 months (and longer) until you switch to milk porridge and complementary foods.

This is just my experience of getting rid of the problem and is by no means a guide to action. Moreover, my baby had it only in the third month of life. If the newborn is spitting up frequently (a newborn is a baby from birth to 28 days old) and the doctor has not found any problems with the gastrointestinal tract, then it is most reasonable to start with the selection of a nipple (IV) or proper attachment to the breast (LB).

And finally - video

The first months of a baby's life difficult period his habit of diversity environment. At this time, the final adjustment of it takes place. internal organs. In this case, specific problems associated with feeding the baby may appear.

Young parents are especially afraid of such a phenomenon as regurgitation, mainly because it resembles an unpleasant pathological process called vomiting. However, the causes of regurgitation in newborns are completely different and are rarely associated with any disease.

Regurgitation after feeding - a pathology or not?

Regurgitation in infants after feeding is the ejection of a small amount of food out through the mouth from the stomach. Usually the amount of food is small and does not bother the baby, which cannot be said about his parents. We note right away: most often this phenomenon is quite natural. So excess air comes out of the baby’s stomach, and the body makes it clear that the digestive organs are working well.

• Statistics show that about 70% of children under the age of three to six months spit up during or after feeding.
• After nine months, this feature is extremely rare.
• This is often seen in delayed children. prenatal development and in those born prematurely. After all, their process of “ripening” of all functions continues for another five to eight weeks after birth.
• Usually by the end of this period children's body gradually adapts and all unpleasant symptoms disappear.

If this does not bother the baby, he is cheerful and sociable, develops according to age indicators - do not worry. But if the child is restless, if at the same time there is abundant regurgitation with a “fountain”, a full-time consultation of the observing pediatrician is necessary. This condition may be caused by some disease that can be dangerous for the baby.

Define: vomiting or regurgitation

It is important for parents to establish what worries the child:

• perfectly acceptable and natural regurgitation
• or vomiting, indicating a pathology.

regurgitation- At the same time, food flows out without effort, there is no contraction of the muscles of the abdominal cavity. It can appear with a sharp change in the position of the child and often occurs immediately after feeding.

Vomit- And when vomiting, the child is restless and whining. The release of food is often accompanied by spasms, the amount of vomit usually exceeds the amount of fluid released during regurgitation. Vomiting is a complex reflex act. In this case, there is an active contraction of the muscles of the abdominal cavity, diaphragm, press. Spontaneous secretion of the contents of the stomach to the outside (through the esophagus, pharynx, oral cavity) is observed. Vomiting preceded by nausea, pallor skin, sweating, salivation and dizziness. Infants who vomit need immediate medical attention.

It is not difficult to determine whether a baby is vomiting or spitting up. The latter happens 1 time after feeding immediately or after a maximum of an hour, while water or milk is released. Gagging is usually repeated and, in addition to milk and water, bile is added to the contents, so the vomit is yellowish in color.

How to find out if this is a physiological or pathological process?

• Physiological - no vomiting
• The volume of rejected food is small
• Occur no more than 2 r / day
• The child is gaining weight normally
• Gradually spitting up without therapy

Why does a baby spit up?

The main "culprit" of regurgitation after feeding a newborn can be called the functional immaturity of the entire digestive system. At the same time, modern pediatrics identifies the following reasons for frequent regurgitation:

• Ordinary overeating

organism baby, even when satiated, under certain conditions, can continue to eat food. At the same time, he calms down, enjoying the sucking and closeness of a loved one. Well, burping food in this case is an elementary way to get rid of excess food so as not to overload the gastrointestinal tract. That is, in this case, regurgitation serves as protection and prevention various diseases digestive system.

• Aerophagia

The cause can also be aerophagia - swallowing air while eating. This can happen in a number of cases: an uncomfortable position of the baby during meals, excess milk (for example, too large a hole is cut in the nipple of the bottle), the baby does not grasp the breast correctly, the baby is too excited;

• Flatulence

Increased gas formation can also provoke regurgitation, especially if the baby is on breastfeeding(see), as it leads to a periodic increase in intra-abdominal pressure. To avoid this, mom should pay attention to her diet. Foods that cause flatulence should be excluded from her menu - black bread, legumes, fresh apples, cabbage. Stewed cauliflower and baked apples are allowed.

• Constipation

Stool retention can also cause frequent regurgitation in an infant. In this case, there is also an increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity. This reduces the speed of food movement through the gastrointestinal tract and significantly increases the likelihood of regurgitation of food.

• Indiscriminate feeding can contribute to profuse regurgitation.
• If the baby is upright, the air bubble that forms in the stomach can push some of the food out of the stomach.

Prevention of physiological regurgitation

There is a mass effective ways how to prevent it. An attentive mother, having observed the baby, will easily determine why they appear, and first of all eliminate negative phenomena. To help her, we give a list of the most common methods of prevention:

• It is great that before the start of feeding, the baby and mommy would be in a calm state. You can put the baby on the tummy, or stroke the baby's tummy with the palm of your hand, make a light massage in the navel area. Make sure that the baby's head is not thrown back, and his nose breathes freely. It is important. Since with nasal congestion, the baby is forced to grab air with his mouth, and this will be accompanied by subsequent regurgitation;
• If the baby is fed with mother's milk, then it is necessary to control that he takes the breast correctly. The baby should grab the nipple along with the areola, and its lower lip should be slightly turned inside out;
• If the baby is artificial, it can be useful to use anti-colic nipples and bottles for feeding, which prevent the swallowing of excess air. It is useful to learn how to hold the bottle correctly when feeding: milk should cover the base of the nipple, the angle of the bottle is 40 degrees (for a baby in a lying position) and 70 degrees (for a baby sitting in her arms);
• Do not touch the baby immediately after feeding, do not swaddle him tightly. To facilitate regurgitation, gentle pats on the back of the baby help. The baby should be placed on your lap. Hold it with one hand, and lightly slap it on the back with the other;
• If the baby is prone to frequent spitting up, put him in the crib on the barrel. This will help prevent vomit from entering the respiratory tract. If the baby burped while lying on his back, lift him up and turn his face down;
• If regurgitation is caused by overfeeding, then you should try to reduce the time of feeding. And to determine whether the baby ate enough, you can weigh him before and after eating;
• To correct regurgitation in babies, the use of an antireflux mixture is effective. It is an indigestible supplement made from carob. It consists of natural fibers, which, when released into the baby's ventricle, form a clot that prevents regurgitation.

In most cases, functional regurgitation can be easily corrected, and then go away on its own. Moms and dads should not be especially worried if the child feels normal and gains weight confidently. If burping occurs due to pathology, then the unusual behavior of the baby, his poor health will prompt that medical consultation is urgently needed.

When to Seek Medical Help

• Regurgitation of milk does not stop after six months of life;
• If there is abundant regurgitation of the "fountain" more than twice a day;
• Appear - refusal to eat, low body temperature, rare urination or, conversely, more than 10 times a day, weakness, drowsiness
• Accompanied by a feverish state;
• The baby is not gaining weight appropriate for his age;
• The vomit has the appearance of sour milk, an unpleasant odor, and a changed color.

Pathological regurgitation in the baby

Most children are prone to regurgitation syndrome, the causes of which are various. This is not always normal and acceptable. Sometimes abundant and frequent regurgitation appears due to violations of the intrauterine development of the child during the pathological pregnancy of the mother (intrauterine infection).

• Perinatal encephalopathy

This collective diagnosis is often made in newborns, it can be caused by a difficult course of pregnancy and childbirth in the mother. It includes a violation of the central nervous system, which can be manifested by profuse regurgitation, including a fountain, sleep disturbance, the child may be restless, maybe. The risk increases significantly with prolonged fetal hypoxia during pregnancy, as well as in children who at birth had less than 5 points on the Apgar scale or there was a short-term respiratory arrest.

• Hydrocephalus

• Other pathologies of the central nervous system

With birth injuries, circulatory disorders of the brain or underdevelopment of the central nervous system due to prematurity, regurgitation of undigested milk or a mixture occurs, usually after each feeding, accompanied by belching.

• Pathologies and anomalies in the development of the gastrointestinal tract

Diaphragmatic hernia or pyloric stenosis can cause frequent, persistent regurgitation. With pyloric stenosis, symptoms appear as early as the second day after birth. Regurgitation of cottage cheese can talk about this pathology. The baby loses weight because food does not pass beyond the stomach and is not absorbed. There is also no stool in the child, even after an enema.

• Infections - food poisoning, sepsis, hepatitis, meningitis of various etiologies

They are accompanied by a rise in temperature, lethargy, pallor or yellowness of the skin in a child. Spitting up with mucus may indicate the presence of an infection of the gastrointestinal tract or intestinal dysbacteriosis (see,).

• Hereditary pathologies - adrenogenital syndrome, phenylketonuria.

• Kidney failure is often accompanied by episodic regurgitation after eating.

Fountain regurgitation in infants

This may indicate a serious pathology of the brain or problems in the gastrointestinal tract. This may be a symptom of serious poisoning. With such a process, you must contact the pediatrician immediately. Since this threatens the child with dehydration and weight loss, which can lead to very dire consequences.

It is important to note that if a child has abundant regurgitation or a fountain, then there is a big risk that in a dream, in a supine position, the baby may choke. Therefore, even with single regurgitations, you only need to put him to sleep on his side and fix the position with rollers.

If a child suffering from pathological regurgitation is artificially fed, then a special mixture (antireflux mixture) must be selected for him. It is impossible to give the mixture to children who are breastfed.

Parents are worried if the child often burps: the process is very unpleasant, uncomfortable, stains clothes, and contributes to the development of various diseases. Involuntary release of stomach contents into the mouth is characteristic of all babies from birth to 1.5 years.

But if this happens too often, intensely and abundantly, this may be due to improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. You need to watch the baby and count how many times a day he spits up food to determine if this is a norm or a pathology.

There are specific indicators of how often a child should spit up to determine if he has health problems.

Norm

1. Normally, up to 1.5 years of regurgitation should pass on their own. If the baby has already stepped over this age line, and the problem still exists, this is a deviation.
2. Up to 4 months, it is considered normal if the child spits up no more than 2 teaspoons each time after eating.
3. Regurgitation in the amount of 3 teaspoons once a day is also considered the norm.
4. It is allowed, even if the child spits up after feeding the mixture with a fountain, but this happens no more than 1 time per day.
5. The norm, if at the time of regurgitation he does not show much anxiety, at the rest of the time he is cheerful, cheerful, active, has an excellent appetite, and gains weight well for his age.

Pediatricians suggest using a scale for assessing the intensity of regurgitation to determine the norm and deviations.

Scale

• 1 point: the child burps no more than 5 times a day, the volume is no more than 3 ml (it has to be determined by eye).
• 2 points: more than 5 times, volume - 3 ml (but not more).
• 3 points: more than 5 times, the volume is half of what he ate. This doesn't happen every time.
• 4 points: more than 5 times, the volume is half of what he ate. It happens every time after eating.
• 5 points: more than 5 times, most of the milk eaten.

Spitting up with an intensity of 3 points or more requires contacting a pediatrician.

Pathology

1. On a scale of regurgitation intensity, the child "scored" 3 or more points.
2. Often and profusely spits up a baby older than a year.
3. Regurgitation is accompanied by symptoms such as refusal to eat, lethargy, weakness, tearfulness, dehydration, drowsiness.
4. Poor weight gain.
5. The expelled contents of the stomach smell bad or change color.

Vigilant parents should regularly monitor the child, who spit up very often and profusely. This may be a wake-up call for health problems that require immediate treatment.

Medical encyclopedia. Regurgitation in medicine is indicated by several concepts at once: gastroesophageal or gastroesophageal reflux, GER.

Classification

If a child burps often and a lot, it is necessary to determine whether this is an individual feature or a malfunction in the internal organs. From this point of view, regurgitation is divided into 2 types.

• Physiological

A natural process due to the still unfinished formation of the gastrointestinal tract and esophagus. are the norm in healthy children.

• Pathological

Indicate a serious internal disease. An examination of specialists is required to establish the correct diagnosis: a pediatrician, a neurologist, a surgeon, a gastroenterologist, an allergist. Laboratory and instrumental examinations will be carried out.

Physiological and pathological regurgitation is due to different reasons that parents need to know about. By eliminating provoking factors, you can reduce the frequency and intensity of this unpleasant phenomenon.

through the pages of history. Gastroesophageal reflux was first described by Heinrich Quincke (a German physician) in 1879.

Causes

The causes of the physiological and pathological process differ significantly.

Causes of physiological regurgitation

The child often spit up a lot due to the following structural features of the gastrointestinal tract:

• short and straight esophagus;
• vertical position of the stomach;
• the sphincter (circular muscle) between the esophagus and the stomach is not yet sufficiently developed;
• when contracted, it prevents the food from flowing back.

As the child grows older, the digestive system gradually matures and is finally formed. Then he stops spitting up so often.

Parents should understand that it is impossible to avoid this condition due to physiology. But it is in their power to make the baby spit up less often. To do this, you need to know the reasons why this happens too often and eliminate them in a timely manner.

• artificial nutrition

Often parents are interested in why the child spit up after feeding the mixture. Despite the fact that it is maximally adapted for small children, it does not contain substances found in breast milk. Therefore, it is very difficult for an unformed stomach to digest it.

• preterm birth

Often spitting up premature baby because his esophagus and stomach are even less developed than those of a normal newborn.

• Overfeeding

If the baby is actively suckling at the breast with a large amount of milk from the mother, he may spit up often and profusely. The same situation occurs when moving from breastfeeding to mixed or completely artificial, if the amount of the mixture is incorrectly calculated.

• Aerophagia

This is called the swallowing of air during feeding. This is due to:

- insufficient amount of breast milk in the mother;

- retracted, flat nipple, which the baby cannot completely capture with his mouth;

- a large hole in the nipple of the bottle during artificial feeding;

- insufficient filling of the nipples on the bottle with milk.

Aerophagia usually affects children with small or large weight.

• Intestinal colic, constipation

With constipation, the pressure in the peritoneum increases, which disrupts the movement of food. Therefore, the child often spits up.

• Wrong care

If after feeding the child is bathed, dressed, shaken up, he will spit up often and profusely, because physical activity will not allow the stomach to digest food calmly.

• hyperactivity syndrome

They cannot sit still in one place. After feeding, they twist their arms and legs, turn over, and are in an active, restless state. It gets in the way normal operation stomach and vomits profusely.

Causes of pathological regurgitation

1. Diseases of the digestive system: chalazia, pyloric stenosis, gastritis.
2. Diaphragm hernia.
3. CNS pathology.
4. Increased intracranial pressure.
5. Food intolerance (most often - lactose).
6. Hereditary disorders: phenylketonuria, galactosemia.
7. Infectious diseases.

Parents can eliminate the causes of physiological regurgitation on their own by taking a number of appropriate measures. But diseases that cause pathological regurgitation require consultation with a specialist and qualified treatment.

According to statistics. Physiological regurgitation is observed in 80% of children, pathological - only in 20%.

Symptoms

If the baby often burps, it is necessary to determine not only the intensity of this phenomenon and the volume of the food masses expelled. It is necessary to trace what symptoms accompany this process in order to correctly and timely determine the pathology. And for starters, it is desirable to learn how to distinguish regurgitation from vomiting, which has the following clinical picture:

• tension in the abdominal muscles;
• the ejection of food occurs under such strong pressure that it even goes through the nose;
• vomiting is preceded by blanching of the face, anxiety, cold extremities;
• elevated temperature;
• liquid stool;
• in the vomit there are impurities of bile, blood or mucus.

If the child simply burps, this happens involuntarily, that is, without effort, the abdominal muscles do not tense up.

1. Hiccup. If a newborn baby often spits up and hiccups at the same time, you need to see if this is constantly repeated. If once - it's okay, he just swallowed air. If this happens regularly, it may be due to the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. If the baby spit up a lot after feeding breast milk and at the same time there are skin rashes, perhaps he has lactose intolerance.
3. If the baby spits up immediately after eating or after a short time in a volume of about a teaspoon (5–10 ml), and the mass is unchanged or partially curdled milk, this is a sign of overfeeding.
4. If the baby becomes restless after feeding, his tummy is distended, and 10 minutes after feeding, milk is poured back unchanged, accompanied by a loud burp, these are symptoms of aerophagia.
5. If a child burps frequently and profusely, becomes whiny, does not gain or even lose weight, does not eat the amount of food necessary for his age, this is a pathology, and a visit to a doctor is required.
6. At the moment of regurgitation, the baby can tilt the head back, and very strongly, at the risk of choking - this is an alarming signal of hydrocephalus or problems with the central nervous system.
7. Staining of the regurgitation mass in an intense yellow or greenish color is a symptom of an infection introduced into a small organism.

The more attentive parents are to the symptoms, the safer their baby will be. The sooner they suspect a pathology, the sooner the necessary treatment will be carried out. If there is no cause for concern, you can independently reduce the frequency of regurgitation.

Note. Children who often spit up are recommended to drink a mixture from a special bottle of Dr. Brown. In its upper part, where the nipple is located, there is a valve that prevents the swallowing of air. Air bubbles and vacuum are excluded. Vitamins are not destroyed in such a bottle. The sloping top allows the baby to take the most comfortable position for feeding, which prevents aerophagia.

Actions of parents

If the child often spit up after feeding formula or breast milk, but this is purely physiological, parents should know what to do in such cases. It is completely impossible to eliminate this phenomenon, but it is in their power to reduce the frequency and volume of rejected food.

1. After each feeding, hold the baby in a “column” (vertically). In this position, the air from the stomach will come out without food. If this does not happen, put it on for 1-2 minutes, and then repeat again.
2. If the baby spit up frequently while formula feeding, check if the hole in the bottle is large.
3. During feeding, make sure that the nipple is completely filled with milk.
4. If the child often spits up breast milk, it is necessary to monitor the correct posture at the time of feeding. He should suckle at the breast while in a semi-upright position. It is necessary that he captures the nipple completely, along with the areola.
5. Spread the child before eating on the stomach on a hard surface.
6. After feeding, limit the activity of the baby: do not play with him, do not change clothes, do not bathe.
7. Make sure that diapers and clothes do not press on the stomach.
8. Feed often, but little by little.
9. The head of the crib should be raised by 10 cm.
10. Don't feed a crying, screaming baby.
11. Ensure an active lifestyle: regular bathing, walking, massage and daily gymnastics strengthen the muscles responsible for the digestive tract.
12. Mom needs to follow a diet while breastfeeding: eliminate foods that cause flatulence from the diet. These include cabbage, black bread, legumes, apples, pastries (you can read about the menu for a nursing mother).
13. Give your baby some dill water or fennel tea.

All of these steps should fix the problem. But if the situation remains the same, if the child still burps often, despite all the measures taken, a pediatrician should be consulted. After examination, he can issue a referral to a gastroenterologist, who will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Useful advice. If the child is fed formulas, they should be free of palm oil or based on whey protein, partially hydrolysed.

Treatment

Treatment of regurgitation takes place in several stages.

• Conversation with parents

The doctor explains to parents that regurgitation is a physiological event that goes away spontaneously in most babies by 12 months.

• Use of thickeners

If the examinations did not show pathologies, and the actions of the parents did not lead to the desired result, the doctor may prescribe special milk thickeners (mixtures). They contribute to a long delay of food in the stomach and prevent its return to the oral cavity.

If the baby often spit up after breastfeeding, rice, corn starch, flour, gluten bean ceratonia legumes, or carob beans are suitable as thickeners. 1 teaspoon is diluted in 30 ml (3 teaspoons) of milk. Pediatricians recommend in such cases to use the well-known "Bio-rice water" from the German company Hipp.

For artificers, antireflux mixtures of therapeutic action are used. They are divided into groups depending on the type of thickener:

- containing ceratonia (locust bean) gum: "Humana AR", "Frisov 1 and 2", "Nutrilon antireflux", "Nutrilak AR" - are highly effective, the duration of treatment is about a month;

- developed on the basis of rice starch: "Enfamil AR", "Samper Lemolak" - act gently, the duration of treatment is up to 2 months.

• Prescribing drugs

Appointment of the prokinetic cisapride (to stimulate the motility of the digestive tube), domperidone (to increase the rate of gastrointestinal peristalsis), metoclopramide (to eliminate the gag reflex).

• Support measures

In the absence of the effect of the treatment at the previous stages, the reverse Trendelenburg position is used as an auxiliary measure, when the child lies on his back with his head raised by 30 °.

• H2 blockers

To treat digestive problems, your doctor may prescribe H2 blockers (Ranitidine, Cimetidine, Omeprazole).

• Surgery

If examinations show serious pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, a surgical operation will be required.

The last word in medicine. In 2013, the head of the Committee of Gastroenterology and his co-authors presented for discussion a new algorithm for the treatment of infants who often spit up. On the this moment it goes through the approval phase.

With frequent spitting up of the baby, parents should not panic. They need to determine whether this process is within the normal range, or whether it is a pathology that requires appropriate treatment. If there are suspicions of deviations, an immediate consultation is necessary not only with a pediatrician, but also with a gastroenterologist.

Questions regarding spitting up in babies are among the most common among young parents and experienced moms and dads. And all because there are practically no newborns who would not do this. According to medical statistics, 8 out of 10 toddlers do this. The difference is only in the frequency, volume and intensity of the process. The famous doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky tells what to do if the baby regularly “throws out” part of what he has eaten, whether it needs treatment.

About the problem

In medicine, regurgitation has a scientific name - gas esophageal reflux. For the first time, as a medical phenomenon, it was described in the 19th century. Reflux develops mainly after eating. It manifests itself in the fact that part of the contents of the stomach is passively thrown back into the esophagus, into the pharynx and into the mouth. As a result, the baby “pleases” the mother by giving back what was eaten recently, sometimes quite plentifully.

In an adult, food most often cannot go back, as a whole barrier mechanism of various sphincters of the esophagus is triggered. In newborns, especially premature babies, these "locking devices" are poorly developed. As they improve, episodes of regurgitation occur less frequently, and then completely disappear. The underdevelopment of the digestive organs is considered the main cause of gasoesophageal reflux.

In the first months of life, such a phenomenon is considered physiologically justified, normal. In a third of children, digestion normalizes at the age of 4 months, most of the little ones stop spitting up at 5-6 months. Only in a small part of babies this is observed after 7 months, but by the year such a “late” child completely stops spitting up.

If the general condition of the child is normal: the baby is gaining weight well, the pediatrician does not see any abnormalities, and the neurologist has not made a serious neurological diagnosis, then regurgitation does not cause any harm to babies.

Treatment

There is no magic pill for this phenomenon, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. Therefore, the treatment of reflux is always a complex of psychological and pedagogical measures aimed primarily at parents. They, alarmed and panicking, need to be explained in an accessible and understandable way that there is nothing pathological in this process, the child is not sick, does not starve, does not suffer and does not need hospitalization.

If this succeeded, then mom and dad explain one more important point. Spitting up is not vomiting. You should urgently consult a doctor if vomiting has opened, because this symptom is very dangerous for infants. With vomiting, in addition to the food thrown out of the stomach (its large volume), the baby will have other symptoms. With reflux, nothing but a small amount milk or mixture that has come out, no longer happens to the child.

There are children with increased activity of the vomiting center, which can react with vomiting even to a slight overeating. Such crumbs need to be underfed, says Evgeny Komarovsky, that is, limit the time they spend at the breast. And if the baby eats an adapted milk formula, then dilute it in a smaller amount than the age norm requires.

The main treatment for any regurgitation should be to ensure that the child does not overeat, because he will “throw out” the excess anyway. In especially severe cases, drugs are prescribed to reduce gas formation - "Diflatil" or "Espumizan". Often and abundantly spitting up a baby, especially if his reflux does not appear immediately, but half an hour or even an hour after eating, Komarovsky advises to swaddle and put to sleep on his side so that the baby does not choke in a dream.

If the baby is outraged by the need to sleep on his side (and this is not uncommon at all!), Then you can put an adult pillow under the mattress of the crib. On this elevation should be the back, but not the head of the baby. It can be laid on the back at an angle of about 30 degrees, in this position the risk of choking is minimized.

When you need a doctor

If the child is not gaining weight well, noticeably lags behind in development, then regurgitation needs to be corrected, which the specialist will think over after the examination. You also need to consult a doctor if, after an episode of reflux, the baby behaves restlessly - it starts to cry piercingly, tighten its legs, and writhe. This can occur when the esophagus is irritated by gastric juice. As a rule, this becomes possible with some pathologies of the digestive system, with neurological problems.

Mom needs to see a doctor as soon as possible if the baby burps not just milk or a mixture, but a brownish or greenish liquid, as this may be a sign of a serious pathology - intestinal obstruction. Yellow masses from the stomach should also be the basis for a visit to the doctor, as they can indicate disorders in the work of the stomach or pancreas.

Be sure to visit the pediatrician should be mothers whose babies did not burp until six months, and after 6 months this problem has just begun. Spitting up a fountain is also a reason to seek help from a qualified specialist.

If the child often spits up, parents should heed a few simple tips:

• during feeding, babies can swallow air - this is also one of the reasons for spitting up. After eating, the baby should be held vertically, leaning against your shoulder and lightly tapping the back with your palm until the excess air leaves;
• if the child is bottle-fed, after a preliminary consultation with a doctor, you should buy him not just an adapted mixture, but a product marked "antireflux". It contains special safe thickeners such as rice starch;
• after spitting up, do not try to feed the baby, his digestive tract needs to be given a little rest;
• if the baby spits up through the mouth and through the nose, it is imperative to clean the nasal passages from the remnants of the contents of the stomach in order to prevent the development of bacterial inflammation;
• do not entertain the baby immediately after eating, but you need to leave it alone - so the likelihood of regurgitation is reduced.

Regurgitation is a problem that affects all breastfeeding mothers and their babies. What to do and how to behave mom in this situation? Tips from Dr. Komarovsky from the video below will help you figure it out.

Regardless of the form of nutrition, whether it is breastfeeding or artificial, a newborn may hiccup and spit up during feeding or after some time. What is the reason and is it dangerous when month old baby spit up milk after feeding? Regurgitation is a physiological process in which food slowly flows out or is thrown out in a fountain out of the stomach through the mouth and nose. How to help the baby if he often spits up? What to do when the burped mass looks like yellow vomit, with mucus and blood?

Causes of regurgitation in the baby

"Why does a newborn baby spit up?" - young mothers are interested in pediatricians. The reason for regurgitation lies in the immaturity of the internal organs and the digestive system. Belching is air entering the esophagus during feeding. The body gets rid of air through the mouth and nose along with part of the milk. Up to 3-4 months, the newborn burps 5-10 minutes after each meal, sometimes after half an hour. Later, regurgitation is reduced to 1-2 times a day.

The reason that the baby hiccups and is able to spit up a lot of milk is considered:

• Wrong food or diet. With early introduction of complementary foods, large portions, very liquid food, the walls of the stomach are stretched, which causes regurgitation.
• Lying position after feeding. When the child has eaten, he is raised in a column and stroked on the back until a burp appears. If this is not done, the baby will regurgitate most of what he ate.
• Disturbance of rest after eating. A newly fed baby should not be changed, turned over, laid out on the tummy. Once breaking this unwritten rule, mommy will find a whole puddle of milk, which the baby will immediately burp.
• Teething. This is a real test for the baby. Some children react to it with fever, crying, anxiety, increased salivation. Others, when teething, burp more and more.
• Tight swaddling, squeezing the delicate little body, makes it difficult to motility of the stomach. Food, not getting to him, goes back.

Spitting up while breastfeeding

• Often regurgitation of milk occurs due to overfeeding. Mom needs to adjust the feeding process so that the newborn learns to eat as much as he needs. No need to give a breast when he does not ask, distracting from crying and anxiety. It is unlikely that a 2-3 month old baby will refuse to kiss the breast, but he will definitely spit up an extra portion of milk.
• Air entering the intestines during feeding. With improper attachment to the chest, a lot of air is swallowed, which can cause the baby to burp and hiccup. It is necessary to ensure that it captures the entire nipple and part of the areola. The chin should touch the chest, and the lower lip should turn outward - about the correct attachment.
• Bloating and colic provoke regurgitation. Mom needs to stick to a diet and not eat foods that provoke indigestion, massage the tummy.
• Greedy sucking. With the rapid absorption of milk, the newborn swallows air along with food. A hungry child, intensively sucking large portions, can burp them. Feeding should be carried out more often, arranging short breaks between them.

regurgitation after formula feeding

• In formula-fed newborns, spitting up is due to overeating, as is the case with breastfed babies. The volumes eaten in this case are easier to control. The amount of food offered in the bottle should be age appropriate.
• Mixture containing a lot of lactose. Such food is difficult for babies to digest and provokes regurgitation. If the baby often spits up, it makes sense to transfer him to anti-reflux mixtures. They contain components that fix food in the stomach, preventing it from being thrown out.
• Large hole in the nipple. Choose an anti-colic bottle with a valve to prevent excess air from entering during feeding. It is important to hold the bottle at a slight angle. In this case, the nipple should be filled with the mixture entirely.

Spitting up due to health problems

When a child spit up frequently, it can signal serious health problems. Basically, the reason lies in neurological disorders and disorders of the digestive system.

Neurological abnormalities:

1. Intrauterine abnormalities or birth trauma. Pathologies of the nervous system, hypoxia, high intracranial pressure, trembling of the chin and limbs, muscle tone in a child.
2. Injury to the cervical vertebrae, received at birth, can cause regurgitation with a fountain. The baby is tormented by vomiting, pain when turning the head. The doctor prescribes massage, physiotherapy, medication.
3. Premature babies lag behind physical development and vomit frequently. Their esophagus and stomach are underdeveloped. In order to catch up with peers, the baby will take time.

Disorders of the digestive system:

1. Dysbacteriosis. It occurs due to the use of antibiotics, when introducing complementary foods, or when the child consumes an inappropriate mixture.
2. Infectious diseases. Intestinal infections, meningitis, gastroenteritis, pneumonia, causing toxic poisoning. Inflammatory processes are accompanied by high fever, vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, colic. In the products of regurgitation, streaks of blood, mucus, bile can be found.
3. Increased gas formation, bloating, colic. A large number of gas in the intestine helps push fluid out through the nose and mouth.
4. Constipation. It interferes with the normal digestion of milk, which is why it burps. At the same time, the child strains, groans, worries - how to cope with constipation in a newborn.
5. Allergy. Artists often suffer from allergic reactions to cow protein. In addition to skin irritations, discomfort, colic, regurgitation occurs.
6. lactase deficiency. The absence of this enzyme causes digestive disorders. Milk sugar is not broken down and fermentation begins in the intestines. You can determine lactase deficiency with the help of tests. The child's well-being improves when he is transferred to lactose-free formulas and given lactase enzymes.
7. Congenital gastric pathologies.
8. Narrowing of the passage connecting the stomach and duodenum.

Danger of regurgitation

Constant regurgitation in a child is fraught with fluid loss in the body and weight loss, which is the main indicator in newborns. It is especially dangerous if the baby spits up in a dream. He may choke and cough. Pediatricians recommend laying the head of a baby up to 6-7 months old on a small pillow so that regurgitation products do not enter the respiratory tract.

Spitting up a fountain is very similar to vomiting. When vomiting, the abdominal muscles tighten, and food is thrown out through the baby's mouth and nose. It starts suddenly, without bouts of nausea. The kid is worried, turns pale, the limbs get cold. Vomiting is accompanied by fever and diarrhea. And vomit may be yellow or contain blood. You can distinguish ordinary regurgitation from vomiting with the help of water. The norm for the volume of regurgitation is 10 ml. After filling 2-3 tablespoons with water, they are poured onto a diaper. The resulting stain is compared with the amount that the child burped. If the baby is able to burp more, and this happens regularly, you need to visit a doctor. It is advisable to take a closer look at the composition of the stain. If a newborn is spitting up curdled milk resembling cottage cheese, there is no need to worry - this is not vomiting.

Spitting up is not a pathology. But when it is noticed that a newborn burps after each feeding with a fountain, his urination is disturbed, his stomach is upset, he loses weight - you cannot delay consulting a pediatrician.

A doctor is needed when:

• after spitting up, the child pushes, arches, cries;
• after feeding, he always burps in a fountain that looks like vomit;
• cheesy regurgitation has changed color and has an unpleasant odor.

regurgitation with yellow or blood speak of diseases of the digestive system. If bile and blood are seen once, there is no need to worry, perhaps this is a temporary accidental phenomenon. When the baby pushes, burps, straining hard, a blood vessel in the esophagus may break. It will heal soon and there will be no more blood. But if blood and yellow regurgitation are observed several times a day, then this is a clear violation that requires medical attention.

What to do if the baby spit up often

Mom can figure out what to do when a baby under 12 months of age burps. Only she is nearby and controls the frequency, volume of regurgitation, its smell and color. If there are any doubts and worries, it is better to visit a specialist.

What is done to help the child if he spits up a lot, but gains weight and feels good?

1. When an infant lies on its back and burps, airway blockage can occur, leading to pneumonia. It is necessary to take the baby in your arms or turn it on its side. This way, food residues will flow out without danger to health.
2. If the newborn burped through his nose and started crying, you can help him by putting him on his stomach. When fluid flows out through the nostrils, the nasal mucosa is subjected to irritating injury. In the future, this leads to the formation of polyps and adenoids.

As a preventive measure, to avoid regurgitation, you need to:

• lay the baby on the stomach before feeding;
• when applying to the chest of a newborn, monitor his position. The head should be slightly raised and the nipple properly grasped;
• after eating, the child must be picked up. Sometimes a baby, already in a dream, begins to push, worry and spin. It is necessary to raise it with a column and shake it until it burps.

At what age does a child stop spitting up?

A healthy baby stops spitting up at 6-7 months of age. At this time, he actively learns to sit, being more and more upright. Thick food in complementary foods, reduces the frequency of regurgitation. In children, the muscles of the stomach develop slowly, and finally reach maturity by the age of 8. Because of this, spontaneous vomiting in a child is much more common than in an adult.

When a one-year-old child spits up, this causes concern. By this age, regurgitation in healthy children finally disappears. If it does not stop, the child may have pathologies that require diagnosis and treatment.