Spitting Up/Vomiting Each Morning

Updated on August 06, 2012
K.S. asks from Watertown, MA
12 answers

Does anyone have experience with an infant (mine is 6 mo. old) who vomits every morning after her first breastfeeding? I have tried waiting to feed her, feeding her one breast and then waiting to feed the other, feeding her half a breast . . . . I'm at a loss now. I think her vomiting is her way of spitting up, so I'm not concerned about sickness, but I can't figure out how to stop it - she had done this around 4 mos. and then paused for a bit, but this last week, she has started up again. Also, could it be an allergic reaction??? Thanks to anyone who responds!

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So What Happened?

I can't thank everyone enough for their responses! They were so helpful! I waited to let you all know what happened until I had good news - success for over 3 weeks!

I think she has a lazy digestive system (not a medical diagnosis :-)) in the morning where she is half asleep and just opens up her system and throws up whatever I just put in her tummy. So, I now play with her for 1/2 hour immediately upon her waking and then feed her one breast for 5 minutes, burp her, feed her the same breast for another 5 minutes and then burp her again. Then, we hang out for 10-20 more minutes to make sure that the initial milk stays down and then I feed her the other breast with burps in between! Definitely burping her a lot has helped tremendously.

I did speak to my pedi and he said that maybe feeding her some solids first would help settle her tummy before breastfeeding, but my daughter clearly does not like that suggestion as she is not an early morning solid feeder :-)!

Thank you again, everyone!

Featured Answers

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L.Q.

answers from Boston on

It could be something you are or were eating that is effecting her. Yes she could be allergic or just extra sensitive to the food or if it is something spicy or acidic that could cause it too. Same thing was happening to my son so I tried some formula & changed my diet. He did better on the formula (Good Start DHA/ARA) & then when he went back to the breast he was fine. So I think he may have been sensitive to something I was eating (too many onions I think).

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M.B.

answers from Hartford on

K.,
sounds like she may have a touch of reflux.
it peeks @ 4 & 6 months. i'd call your ped and ask.
good luck. hope she feels better!

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T.A.

answers from Columbus on

When did this stop for you. I am having the same problem with my eight month old. It happens during the first and sometimes the second feeding only. I am concerned and will appreciate any information. Thanks!

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L.D.

answers from Boston on

Did you comment to your daughter ped ? I have 9-month-old daughter she used to spit up when she was new born. We were giving her acid reflux medicine was only for a month. But now she is fine.

Good luck

Luly

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L.Z.

answers from Boston on

I don't have direct experience with this, but could it be reflux? I almost had our second daughter tested for that because she was such a huge spitter until about 11 months, but it did improve when she started solids so I wasn't concerned. The pediatrician always told me that as long as she was gaining weight and growing that it wasn't a huge cause for alarm. It's odd that your baby only does it in the morning, which is why I wonder about reflux, since she was down sleeping all night, presumably on her back. I would ask the pedi at her next appointment, or make one if you've already had the 6-month checkup. Good luck and let us know!

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D.V.

answers from Boston on

If she only vomits after the first feeding and the rest of the day is fine, it may be nothing. However, if she vomits after every feeding (my son projectile vomitted after every feeding when he was 6 mos), after a lot of persuading we found out that he has a milk and egg allergy.

If it is consistent, I would try keeping a food journal for 1 week and try cutting out milk based and other known allergy prone products that you consume, which would be passed over to the baby. If the vomit stops, my guess is she is allergic to something and have her tested. They can do a "rast test" which is a simple blood test that can give you some answers.

Good Luck!

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N.V.

answers from Boston on

My son did that for the first 9 months of his life EVERY morning. He was gaining weight and his pedi found nothing wrong with it. It was just the first feeding so I really didn't make an issue of it either. I honestly think it's because (in my situation) he was taking in too much milk after sleeping all night and his tummy just couldn't take it.

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A.M.

answers from Bangor on

I would say you need to burp the baby more often during the feedings. If she is still hungry, she will go back onto the breast. Try stopping to burp every 5 minutes. Good luck!

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A.Z.

answers from Boston on

Dear K.,

She may be a "happy barfer" like my son. There was no pain or discomfort but it happened until he was about 7 months old or so... Our pediatrician said it was a laundry problem not a medical one. Observe your daughter for any signs of discomfort or pain. If there aren't any it might be that like my son, she is hungry for more than her little tummy can hold down at once. As she gets a bit bigger this should go away.
TIP: An inside out sweatshirt on you is very absorbent and means less laundry for your clothes. I had plain diaper cloths as burp cloths all around the house so I always had one handy. It looks like she's very predictable when she'd throwing up so just be ready for it.

I hope this helps,
A.

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J.M.

answers from Boston on

Burb her well before feeding her. Sometimes infants nurse in their sleep and swallow air. Second hold her vertical for 15 minutes after feeding her. It will help with her motility. If none of this works. Try breaking the nursing and holding her up to burb and then continue to the other side. Good luck.

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K.C.

answers from Providence on

Maybe something in your diet. try to think of anything you might have stopped eating and now started again. good luck

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A.Y.

answers from Boston on

My daughter did the same thing for awhile. She is almost six months old and nearly every morning last month after her first feeding she would projectile vomit. (usually all over me and the couch)I hadn't eaten anything different and she wasn't on solids yet. She had no other symptoms and the only explanation her doctor had was that she might have some acid reflux. I think it was just because she was sleeping for so many hours without eating. Then she would wake up ravenous and my breasts were so full so she was eating too much too fast. She hasn't vomited in several weeks. I'm not as full in the mornings either now which helps. I also only feed her on one side and let her play for awhile before giving her the other just to be safe. (This didn't really help when she was going through that phase though so I know how you feel.) Good luck!
A.

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