Why the newborn spit up
More than 70% of babies spit up 5-6 times a day.This is due to unstable stomach function or gas formation due to improper mother's diet. Sometimes children simply overeat, and the excess comes out. And sometimes they swallow air with food, which then pushes the food out of the stomach.
A newborn may spit up due to overeating Photo: GettyWhen you shouldn't worry about spitting up:
- the general condition of the child is normal;
- no signs of dehydration - sunken spring, weight loss, weakness;
- burped food undigested, the volume is not more than 1-2 tbsp. l .;
- during feeding and regurgitation the baby does not cry.
Some children may burp more than 5 times, after each feeding. This is not necessarily a pathology, perhaps the newborn is not properly attached to the breast, and he swallows a lot of air.
Should I go to the doctor if the newborn often regurgitates
If a newborn burps like a fountain, it leadsrestless, refuses to eat or shows other additional symptoms, you should show him to a pediatrician. Such regurgitation is more like vomiting and may mean that the child has food poisoning, dysbacteriosis or other diseases. When to see a doctor:
- the child spits up more often 5-6 times a day;
- the amount of vomiting is greater than 2–3 tbsp. l .;
- he spits up after 1 hour after feeding;
- the baby is losing weight or not gaining it;
- there is blood in the vomit.
In addition to diseases, such symptoms can occur with congenital pathologies. For example, if the child is premature, there was a difficult birth, the fetus suffered from oxygen starvation.
How to prevent regurgitation
It is impossible to stop a baby from spitting up at all. But you can try to reduce the frequency of spitting up. What to do:
- put the newborn on the belly before feeding;
- after eating, hold it for 10–20 minutes in a column;
- make sure that while eating his head was slightly higher than the body;
- correctly attach the baby to the chest so that he does not swallow air.
Pediatricians recommend at least 30 minutes afterfeeding leave the baby alone. Do not bathe him, change his clothes, rock him, etc. Spitting up after eating is normal for a newborn. But sometimes it can mean that there is something wrong with the baby's health. Therefore, be more attentive to the baby when spitting up and as soon as you notice that something is wrong, immediately contact a doctor. See also:
