I'm a New Mom Who Is Nursing and Concerned About Gugling Noises and Spit Up

My daughter had projectile spit up when she was an infant. I was concerned about the amount as well, but she kept gaining weight, which is the most important. I found out I was feeding her way more than she needed because my let down was so powerful. She also had a very light reflux, which caused some of the spit up and choking toward the end of the meal. I put her on a perscription initially, but that just made it worse. Then I found Gripe Water. She has been using that for upset stomachs ever since. I like the brand made by Wellements because it also has chamomile in it (normal Gripe Water has Ginger and Fennel), and it has all organic ingredients. Which is nice.
I guess the main thing is whether or not HE feels comfortable. Does he complain? Does he have a lot of gas afterwords? I loved the Little Tummy's Gas drops when she was an infant. It's also difficult to rule out food allergies. I generally stopped with dairy and high acidic foods until the spit up started to subside.
Babies will spit up, but you will be able to tell whether or not your son is uncomfortable because of what's going on in his little tummy. Keep up the nursing! My daughter is 14 months and still going strong!

I have a niece who has a very sensitive stomach and she spits up alotand has really bad diapers too, mostly the doctor recommended pedia-lite and it helps most of the time but she still gets fussy after eating

If you have a fast let down, sometimes they just drink and swallow really fast to keep up with it. As long as he is having a good amount of soiled diapers, you don't need to worry. If he is spitting up after he eats this could also be due to a fast let down. You can try slowing it down by letting him drink a minute and then taking him off the breast for a few seconds. Also, if he's like my new little one (I have a 2 yo also) he is just a noisy eater! :) Good luck! Sounds like you are doing great!

Two of my three kids spit up like crazy. It seemed like they spit up everything that went in, but they were growing just fine. They both grew out of it around 7-9 months old, around the time that solids became a bigger part of their diet. If your son soaks through the smaller burp cloths, then I recommend getting some of those cheaper, thin flannel receiving blankets and fold them in half to use as burp cloths. Good luck!!

Hi, B.! Congratulations on your new little one! My 3rd child (she's 4 months old) is also a big gurgler/spitter. I was worried about acid reflux, but our pediatrician said that since she wasn't crying before spitting up, and she wasn't seeming uncomfortable when trying to latch on for nursing, that it probably wasn't AR. She suggested a sleeping wedge (about $20.00 at Target), and that has helped quite a bit for sleeping. The lactation person I saw at St. V's said I had a really fast milk flow, and that could be part of the difficulty as well. She suggested a nipple shield to slow it down, but I had heard stories of women really having a hard time with nursing when they use the shield. Anyway, in the last month, it has all settled down a lot. This wasn't an issue with my first two kids, so I definitely keep learning along this parenting journey! Good luck!

K. R.

My daughter did the same thing she started losing weight and we found out that she had acid reflux. My Ped. told me that most babies have a little reflux and they eventually grown out of it and you may never even know. Just watch his weight and make sure he is gaining. Also formula is really hard on their little tummies so try to stay away from that if you can. Nursing is the best for them especially if he has something like that. Hang it there it is worth it!!!

B.,
Simethicone is an anti-gas liquid that you can give to your little guy about midway through feeding. My kids loved the taste of it and would get very excited when I brought it out. It is sold under many names like Little Tummies or equate. I liked the Little Tummies brand cause it was naturally flavored and no dyes. If he is taking a bottle you just drop it in the milk or formula. (it is so cool cause you can see it evaporate the bubbles in the bottle right before your eyes) Simethicone is not absorbed by the body and so passes right through the system unchanged but boy does it help with tummy bubbles. They will then burp up the air so you do need to burp them about midway through and at the end. All my kids spit up till 6 mo. old and then they quickly grew out of it. I was always seen with a spit rag on my shoulder for the first 6 mo. of each new baby. I'm guessing it has something to do with the strength of the esophagus which then strengthens with age and time. Even with the spit up this stage passes quickly and they soon become independent... get your snuggles in now while you still can. :-)

B.-

You're such a good mommy! Your story reminds me that we called my second child "chuck baby" because she spit up ALL the time.

The scenario you describe is probably nothing to worry about, but discussing these things with your pediatrician will eventually make YOU the expert, and who couldn't use more knowledge, especially where raising our children is concerned?

Have fun with your little one,

D. T

Nice work for breastfeeding! My friend who is a lactation consultant says that you can never overfeed a breastfed baby. They monitor it themselves. He may have some reflex but that will pass. Sitting him upright after eating will help. Also, massage may help too. There is a good baby massage video and postnatal yoga Shiva Ray puts out on GAIAM. It shows some good massage for upset tummies. Keep it up! It is the best thing you can do for your child. :)

I breastfed all four of my babies, and the gurgling noises are just processing noises. Sometimes they do last awhile, because some babies digest and process slower than others--all babies are unique and different, so there's nothing to worry about. My babies all spit up *alot*, so don't be alarmed if this happens.

Also, just to prepare you in case, and not to scare you, my oldest had even spit up *all over* our bed and it was canary yellow. I called our pediatrician, and he said that was even nothing to worry about. All he had was breast milk, so I asked why it was yellow, and he said sometimes they just get a little too much stomach acid and it comes out like that. Our son was fine, too, he didn't act different, so it was really was nothing! : )

It's easy to make something out of nothing being a first-time mom. I can't count how many times I called up my mom and asked her about different things our oldest was doing, and they all turned out to be normal things.

Hang in there and don't be afraid to ask questions, even if you feel silly. If you don't, you're liable to fret and worry when there really is no need.

Good luck with your little one! : )

*C.*

It sounds like baby is swallowing air while eating, so will need to be burped. This can be caused by him eating too fast, milk let down coming too fast, or a bad latch on, which is letting air in when you nurse. You need to burp baby after each feeding, and perhaps half way through. Keep him upright after (as in a car seat or bouncy chair) and that will help burps come up rather than gurgle through his whole system. If he seems uncomfortable, I'd try Gripe Water (I like the kind you can get it at Walgreen's), and it just helps the whole digestion process and is all natural. I use Gripe Water for every stomach ailment, and it is a cure all. Hope this helps.

stock up on the laundry soap...especially on the stain sticks. The spit-up does not come out of their clothes or your clothes easily :-)

If they spit up a bunch they could be eating too much, or they could have gas in their tummies and don't have room for the milk. If you burp them midway thru a feeding that can help.

If you use formula and don't breast feed, just be aware that they may not agree with the brand of formula. Also, read labels carefully if you suspect a milk allergy. My daughter was nicknamed Wyatt when she was little (as in Urp, Wyat Urp) Yeah bad pun...but turns out she had a milk allergy which caused her to spit up a lot and bad constipation. We had changed to a soy formula--but the soy formula wasn't lactose free! So of course the problem didn't go away! We were new parents and didn't know that stuff then.

Honestly, all that sounds pretty normal to me, but I know how it is to be a first time mom, and you are always wondering if something is normal or not. The spit up is probably just fine. It varies from baby to baby. One of mine spit up constantly, and the other not so much. And the same with the diapers. But don't worry, he is getting plenty of nutrition even if he spits up alot after the feeding. Unless he is really fussy, you really don't need to worry. My best advice to you would be to find a nurse advice line you can call (does your health care provider offer one?) and then I own a great book called "The Mother's Almanac" that addresses almost every situation that may arise while raising babies up to grown children. It is a great resource and many times has put my mind at ease.

Gurgling, coughing,sneezing,etc.. All really normal. If the spit up is big and seems like more than just some spit up on your shoulder it might be he/she is allergic to something in the breast milk or formula. My daughter couldn't have regular(cow's milk)formula and needed the soy formula. It made a big difference. She drinks cow's milk now at 6, but loves soy milk. When they are infants and toddlers their digestive tract is basically learning to grow. Talk to your doctor. You can always call and talk to the advice nurse at the your doctor's office.

Hi B.!
My son spit up A LOT when he was littler. He's 7 months, and sometimes after I breastfeed him, he still spits up.
I've been told, that unless it's projectile then really there's nothing to worry about.
Our Ped suggested to burp more..let him eat for a few mins., then burp him, and so on.
As far as noises...each child is different, my son is the noisest eater to this day. He is a "piggy" too...when he was younger, he'd eat so fast milk would come out his nose. I too was paranoid, then I showed the Ped one day, and she reasured me it was fine.
The pee and poopie diapers will slow down...right now it's a good sign he's getting enough liquid.
Just watch the growth charts, this will assure you he's getting what he needs.
Good Job on Breastfeeding, and Good luck with your son.

All 3 of my kids were spitters, but the worst was my oldest girl. They all lived in bibs for a very long time. My oldest girl did the whole projectile spit up and as a first time mom it freaked me out. There were times when I swear she "spit up" everything she had just eaten. I tried feeding her less but it didn't really help. My PED said some kids just have a weaker sphinter (sp?) muscle in thier stomach, and are just prone to spitting up. They all out grew spitting by the time they could sit up on thier own. As long as they are not crying or seeming to be in pain while spitting up(this could mean a reflux problem), there is not really a reason to worry to much.
It helped when I would burp the twins more frequently, about every 2 ounces or so. I only burped my youngest between boobs, I hated to interrupt her.
The gurgling noises you here may be trapped bubbles or just the milk sloshing around. I noticed if my kiddos ate a little to fast thier bellies would gurgle alot. After a huge burp, sometimes it would forever to work the bubbles out, the gurgles would stop for the most part.
There is nothing paranoid about asking questions! I have 3 and still find myself with questions. If only they would come out with a book ......... "On March 29, 2008 I am really gonna spit up alot, but don't worry I just have a little extra gas bubbles in the tummy, and by the way, I am gonna poop out the top of my diaper around 2pm, so make sure to have some extra clothes handy!!" Oh how much easier things would be LOL

Hey! Breastfeeding for the first time can always be a little overwhelming. I fortunately had a mother who had breastfed 8 and I have managed to breastfeed 4 now myself. Every child is different. The gugling noises are probably from air your son is taking in at the same time as his milk. That is probably also what is causing what looks like excessive spitting up as well. The best way to know if the spitting up is excessive is to watch how he is growing. If he is gaining weight and inches then I do not think you have anything to worry about. Have you tried using a Boppy pillow or some other device to prop him up while you are feeding? This can help with the amount of air he intakes. Or, and I know this can be inconvenient so I hesitate to offer it, laying down while feeding is another good way to make sure they do not get as much air with their milk.

It is always better to hold your babys head up when nursing or bottle feeding. Always make sure he or she isn't getting alot of air from the bottle feeding. Don't let the baby suck air from the bottle, hold the bottle up. The best advise is from the baby's Doctor. Also Burp the baby. Hold the baby to your shoulder and pat slightly on the baby's back. Do this after feeding the baby.

Hi. I'm a mom of two wonderful boys now 3 and 5 1/2, both breast fed. You may check with your pediatrician, but I think the gugling noises are just from his little intestines doing their work. My youngest son always had noises that I felt when holding him and his doctor said it was normal and just his intestines digesting...Spit up differs from baby to baby, some have not much, others have a ton and project when they do it. Again, I'd run it by your pediatrician, but it sounds normal. Lots of pee and poopie diapers are a good thing so long as there is not blood in his stool or anything like that. Means his little body is getting what it needs! Hang in there, everything is stressful the first time around...the second too as one kid to the next are so different! Sounds like your doing great and congrats on your little boy! =)

Burp more often. Make sure that he's latched on, so there's no air getting in while he's sucking. If he has an upset stomach, I wouldn't quit nursing. I'd look at what you were eating, maybe cut back on your dairy products, watch the spices you use in cooking, stay away from foods that cause you gas.
These are some of the best days of your life. Enjoy them!!!

Hi B.,

I am a mom with 4 kids, all under age 5!! With my first one, I was worried about the same things you are, but it's really nothing to worry about! all babies are different, my daughter spit up after every meal and in between...I was constantly having to change her clothes...my son, howevre, only spit up if i forgot to burp him! So, spit up is very normal:) as for the gurgly noises, I think that is normal too...Just his belly talking. My DR. told me as long as he is peeing, pooping and happy, that's all you have to worry about! Hope this helps!! Congratulations!!

I'd probably only worry about spitting up if it was projectile. That is what happened with my son at 5 weeks old. We finally figured out that he was just eating too much. The kid was constantly wanting to nurse. We were told to only feed him every 2 hours and if he was sucking on his hands between feedings, then we should give him a pacifier. I hated the idea of my baby sucking on a piece of plastic, but it immediately helped with the vomitting.

All my kids spit up but my son was the most! When I burped him I could hear the "splat" on the floor behind me clearly. Even after that every time I put him down he spit up again. It was so bad and I could not find any bibs that worked. I change dhim a zillion times a day! (OK, maybe ten, not a zillion.)

I ended up building a whole business around it called Baby Chaleco, a line of bibs designed especially for droolers and spitters. They look and wear like stylish little tops, but with waterproof protection built right in. Now you can get them in boutiques around the country and on the website at www.babychaleco.com. I hope you and all the mamas who answered this question will take a look!

This is just a little something my midwife taught me about poopie diapers. When a baby is going through a growth spurt, he will have fewer dirty diapers (maybe even days between), because his body needs more of the nutrients he's getting leaving less waste(poop). On the other side, if they are not in a growth spurt, then his body may not need all that he's getting, causing there to be more waste thus more poopies for you:). Babys go through several series' of growth spurts off and on.

Some babies are just really spitty. As long as they are gaining weight and it's not projectile vomiting, it tends to be just a bother and not anything to really worry about about. It always seems like the spit up is more than what went in though.

The gurgly stomach is probably just it working after he has milk in it. Weight gain in children is really one of the biggest factors that shows that all is well.

One of my 4 children was very spitty - I always smelled like sour milk until he was weaned.

I'm a perinatal nurse and see all kinds of babies - some are very spitty, some swallow air and have tons of gas, some suck their tongues - there are all kinds.

Hi B.,
I would check with your doctor. It sounds like something your eating is not settling very well with your son. Start writing everything that you eat down, and choose different things to take out that might be upsetting his tummy. Just remember, your milk was made for him, don't let anyone tell you different. When we are nursing we just have to be more careful about what we eat or drink, but it is soooooo worth it. Good luck.

Our daughter spits up all the time also. I've read in the books that poor a tablespoon of water on the counter and see how much that looks like but you know it is only a tablespoon. Your son probably isn't spitting up as much as you think. Also if he is gaining weight and your pediatrition is not concerned then I would worry about it. We have invested in a lot of bibs so we don't have to change her outfit all of the time. And since he is going to the bathroom a lot then it would seem that he is digesting enough. Our baby's stomach gurles a lot too but it doesn't seem to make her upset. Good luck I know the feeling.

My kids spit up so much that it looked like they couldn't have possibly gotten anything down. The mucous in their tummies makes it look like a lot more than it really is. As long as he's gaining weight and having wet/poopy diapers, he's probably ok. Some babies do have reflux, so you might ask the doctor the next time you take him in.

If it seems like a tolerance issue, you could try changing up your diet a little. I had a friend that had to cut dairy out and switch to Soy while she was nursing her first child. That really helped. Something to try. Good luck and good for you for breastfeeding, keep up the good work!

Hey my name is Desiree and I had one like that to he was fine and the noise form his stomach was fine too. The spit up was a lot but he was fine and the only child that I know of where that was a bad thing was when the child could not keep any down. But remember this is your baby and if you think you need to take him in for anyreason do it. It will take the stress off you and you will sleep better and feel better knowning that your baby is fine. Being a first time mom is hard but my advise always do what you feel is right with for your baby, 'cause he is yours and no one will do better then you as long as you love him. So don't worry a bout being paranoid do what feels right to you.
God Bless you and your family will be in my prayers.

B.~

When I was breastfeeding my son (he's 17 months, now) I noticed the same thing with him. It was as if I could hear the milk sloshing around in his tummy. We also had TONS of spit up. I mean TONS. The little guy was never without a bib on. I worried that sometimes it seemed like all the milk he had just drank came back up. And I would have to burp him vigorously after each feeding to make sure everything that needed to come up did. It was hard (and I did a lot of laundry!). His pediatrician said that if it didn't seem like the spitting up was painful - like if he wasn't making faces or whimpering, then I shouldn't worry. Some babies spit up more than others and it's normal. But if the spitting up seems painful to the little guy, then it could be Acid Reflux, and would need to be attended to by your pediatrician. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Its a normal thing dont worry about it. as long as every thing is going in and out okay he'll be alright. he's probably just having gas or his tummy is growling and spit up is normal and it will happen a lot even for the months to come. ~Have fun~