Spitting Up

I'm a breastfeeding mom of two spitters and one failure to gain.

Cut out all dairy, gluten, and acidic food from YOUR diet. (tomatoes, citrus). Make sure you take good vitamins to allot for what you're not getting.

Follow that for two weeks and see how he's doing.

If it improves, you can add back one food for two weeks. If he doesn't start spitting you can keep that food and add another. If he does start spitting, go back to eliminating all suspect foods for two weeks - then add another for two weeks.

One of my spitters ended up with surgery for GERD, another is heavily lactose intollerant and can't eat much acidic food, and my FTT had celiac.

If I'd listened to my pediatrician, it all would have been found with testing - but it would have made for an unhappy nursing experience.

S.

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I haven't been able to breastfeed so far, because my milk didn't come in, but I have always heard that things that the mother eats can affect the baby. For example, if you eat anything that makes you gassy, your milk could make the baby gassy. Just a thought.

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Yes, my 3rd child did that too. He is 6 months old now and still spits up although it is not as frequent as when he was older. He is a very healthy baby at 21 lbs so I got the same response from my Dr. as you have gotten. It really bothered my husband though. My Dr. also told me that the meds that they give for spitting up don't really help that much anyway. Mine is totally breastfed too (except for some solids now).

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He may have some reflux his muscle in his throat has not yet develope enough to hold the food down, he should grow out of this. Till then here is some things to do: feed small amounts like an oz or two then burp, also try haveing him in an inclined position for some time after he has eatin to help keep it down with gravity, dont have him hunched over though that will put pressure on his stomach and may cause food to come up. You could also look into getting him a wedge so when he is laying down he will be at an incline.

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Hi E.,
This is not uncommon. A couple of thoughts: 1. A fast let-down; 2. Lactose You might try initiating let-down before putting your little one to breast; and try feeding your little one in a more upright position, burp more often, keep baby upright after feedings for awhile. If it is a lactose issue, feeding from only one breast at a feeding often helps.
Diet, if allergies are suspected, is another consideration and can be discussed with your pediatrician.
P.

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Hi!

It sounds like your son may have reflux. Does he seem in discomfort or is he just spitting up? There are "happy spitters" who vomit frequently but don't seem to experience any discomfort, and then there is the other end of the spectrum on which the infants are miserable. My daughter was diagnosed shortly after birth, and she screamed 24/7 her first six months. Reflux does tend to go away in most children by the 1st birthday, as gravity and GI tract maturity work their magic. At nearly 3, my daughter is still medicated daily, but she is the exception and not the rule.

If your son is uncomfortable and you want a ped who acknowledges there is a problem, our ped is outstanding as is my daughter's gastroenterologist (GI). Her ped is Dr. Marshall Benbow at Southwest Children's Center, and her GI is Dr. Ben Elizondo. He has an office in the Methodist complex and once a week is at an office on Stone Oak.

I also moderate an Infant Reflux Disease discussion board. I've provided the link below. You may want to check it out and just ask questions. It can help you be better armed the next time you want to approach your ped about your son.

http://www.infantrefluxdisease.com/forums/index.php

L.
Mom to Trey (12) and Catherine (2 3/4)

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You can contact your local la leche league at http://www.lllusa.org/web/SanAntonioTX.html.

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both my girls had gastric reflux really bad and they both would spit up all the time, even the 2nd one who was totally breastfed. my pediatrician just said to hold her more upright during feedings, burp frequently, and keep her upright for at least 15 min. after feedings. also, with her head slightly elevated helped. if it's still bad, you can ask about medication for her

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Hi E., my son spat up all the time and I had heard they wouldn't do that if they were breastfed. I only breast fed him also. I had a hard time believing the docter also about my baby being ok. But really I guess if he is gaining weight and not projectile (although sometimes it seemed like it was projectile), he is ok. My docter said if it is something bad, the baby will be in pain while spitting up and you will be able to tell. So I went through many months and many spit rags and many shirts with spit up. It got alot better as he got older, so I am sure yours will too!

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Mother always knows best when it comes to her child if you are not comfortable with the advice or information from your doctor you always have the right to get a second opinion. Not always will your insurance carrier pay for that you may have to pay out of pocket. Good luck hope everything gets better.
A.

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Yes my baby is two months old and I have the same problem.My peditrician said spitting up is normal two but I pushed for the reflux testing.It is no big deal.To do the test they ask you to not feed them for four hours before the appointment so that is the worst part.Then when you go in they give him a liquid to drink(mine drank it wiht no problem) and then they do some exray and watch him for about 10 min then that is all.My baby did end up having some reflux.He is on zantac and reglan he loves both of them and takes them twice a day now he hardly ever spits up.Hope this helps.

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I'm surprised your Pedi hasn't mentioned reflux. I would ask about that, it's really common and you shouldn't have to wait for your child to stop gaining weight before seeking treatment. My daughter was treated for it for 12m!

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Does he cry, or act like he's in pain with it? Both of my kids had gastric reflux, and were VERY fussy. Projectile vomiting is one of the signs of it (that's why your dr. was asking), but neither of my kids had that symptom. After the diagnosis, we would just give them a little medicine before meals, and it really helped. Both outgrew the condition by the time they turned 1.
Good luck to you!
K.

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I have three kids, now 14, 11 and almost 8 years old. I breastfed all three kids for a few years each. My youngest son did the same thing! I felt like he spit up half of his feeding! A midwife told me she didn't know why, but some babies do that and it is no big deal as long as they are gaining okay. I found the problem lessened greatly as he got older, so just hang in there and keep lots of towels around!! It will get better as his digestive system matures.

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My baby has spit up since she was born. It doesn't seem to bother her, she just spits and goes! She is also breastfed. My Dr says unless its bothering her or she is loosing weight that he doesn't bother medicating it. IT is reflux, but common. And no nee for a medication if its not hurting her. Eventually it just stops, he says. I've had other friends whos babies did it too and they said that one day it just stopped.

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Hi E.,

I just had my fourth and he too is having the same problems. I was hospitalized for a week, and he was given formula, and broke out in hives. Turns out that he is allergic to dairy. So I have been trying my hardest to stay away from products that contain milk. Watch the labels, and you may notice a difference in your child soon. Also if it is bothering him you might ask for some zantac that has helped my little guy too with the fussiness after feedings, but I tell you he has done so much better by me avoiding dairy. Its hard but for a happy baby it is worth it..though I do put up with some spit up and fussiness for a bowl of ice cream now and again. Good luck, C.

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That's totally normal. Like your doctor said, if he's not gaining weight and it's projectile, then you should worry. My 4 month old did that. Actually, he still kindof does. My 2 year old never did that. So every baby is different. It's very annoying to clean up spit up constantly, but just hang in there. it will pass. Good luck.

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Burping burping burping! Do it in between sides or even pull him off half way through each side. And don't give up if they don't burp right away just keep on patting. Also when my son dosen't burp from just the patting on the back I rub firmly on his back in cicrles and alot of times that brings it out!

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Hello, My 3rd child was also a spitter upper. Everyone knew that when you picked him up you should have a burp rag. (Including church) My pediatrician said the same thing. He also said he would outgrow this. We eventually had to go to the bottle because we didn't know how much of the breast milk he was actually keeping down. He did outgrow the spitting up. He is now 21 and is in the Navy (submarine). Hope this helps. I'm a mother of 5 - 25yrs to 14yrs. B.

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