Spitting up milk is a common phenomenon in babies. Many parents wonder, "Why does my baby spit out all of its food?" However, this is not necessarily a cause for concern. It is a normal physiological occurrence that can have several causes.
Regurgitation
Regurgitation, also known as "spitting up," is a process in which the contents of the stomach flow back into or outside of the mouth. This happens spontaneously and involuntarily. It often occurs because the baby has swallowed air or drank too quickly. Additionally, the baby’s stomach is still very small, which limits its capacity to store food.
Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER)
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a common cause of babies spitting up their food. In reflux, the contents of the stomach flow back into the esophagus, causing discomfort and spitting up food. This happens because the lower esophageal sphincter, which separates the stomach from the esophagus, is not fully developed in babies.
Too much food
Sometimes, your baby drinks more than its stomach can hold. This can also result in spitting up milk. Parents often worry that their baby isn’t getting enough nutrition when it spits up a lot. However, if your baby is urinating enough, having regular bowel movements, is alert, and is growing well, there is generally no need to be concerned. If you're unsure, it’s recommended to consult with your health center or midwife.
What can you do if your baby spits up milk?
There are several steps you can take to help your little one and reduce the frequency of spitting up:
- Keep your baby upright while feeding
This promotes digestion and reduces the chance of reflux. - Keep your baby upright after feeding
Don’t lay your baby down immediately after feeding, but keep it upright for a while. - Wait with bathing or changing
Don’t put your baby in the bath immediately after feeding and also wait before changing. - Provide a calm environment during feeding
This helps your baby drink more calmly. - Let your baby burp
Ensure that your baby burps during and after every meal. - Slow down the feeding pace
Your baby may be drinking too quickly. For bottle feeding, using a nipple with a smaller opening can help slow down the drinking pace. A good drinking pace is about 15 to 20 minutes per bottle. - Divide the feeding amount
It’s important that the baby doesn’t receive too much food at once and that the feedings are evenly distributed throughout the day. - Prevent air swallowing during bottle feeding
The nipple should be well-filled with milk to prevent your baby from swallowing air. - Ensure proper latch during breastfeeding
With breastfeeding, it’s crucial that the baby is latched correctly to the breast to prevent swallowing too much air. - Calm your crying baby A crying and upset baby often swallows a lot of air. Therefore, it’s important to calm the baby down first before feeding.
- Use carob bean gum
You can add a scoop of carob bean gum to the bottle feeding to make the milk thicker. This may help reduce reflux. Be sure to consult with your health center or your doctor before using carob bean gum. Together with your health center or doctor, you can determine the right amount for your baby, as it can vary from baby to baby. Sometimes just a pinch is enough. It’s best to gradually increase the amount, as too thick a feeding can also be uncomfortable.
