Eight Month Old Still Spitting Up!

Updated on August 18, 2011
A.C. asks from Sparta, TN
12 answers

Hi Moms,

I'm not too worried about it yet, but my hubby is so I thought I would get some other opinions on the matter before I talk to her doctor about it at our next appointment.

My eight month old has always been what I termed my "throw up" baby. Since birth she has spit up after every feeding. She was breast fed for four months, but when she wasn't gaining enough weight, I started supplementing with formula. She took to it really well and started gaining weight. She also seemed to stop spitting up as much. I should mention that she is and always has been on Similac Sensitive formula. She now additionally eats baby food three or four times a day. The weird thing is, she doesn't spit up right after she eats. It's usually 20-30 minutes later. And once she starts, she'll do it three or four times. Let me very clear here, it's not large amounts, and it's not projectile. It's pretty much normal spit up just way late. My husband is concerned that she isn't getting enough nutrition since she spits up so much and because she is still spitting up at eight months of age.

So what do you think? Should we be worried or is this normal?

(PS. I also have a 20month old, but she hardly ever spit up, even as a newborn!)

Thanks for your help!!!

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So What Happened?

Hey guys...thanks for your quick responses! I guess I should have been more clear that even when she just has bottles, she is still spitting up, just not so much as when we were breast feeding (weird I know). I have noticed certain things affect her more though...sweet potatoes for instance. So we do avoid certain foods

Thanks again!

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

It sort of makes sense. It takes about 20min for food to really start getting digested. I would look at the ingredients of the solids. Its possible that there is something in there - whey, wheat, milk, carrots, pears, peaches - that she is having a reaction to. Which would make sense also if she had MORE problems while you were breastfeeding.

I would also consider contacting a pediatric allergy specialist to see if some blood-based testing can be done.

M.

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N.K.

answers from Philadelphia on

I got barfed on in a very similar way by my daughter till she was solidly, I'd say, 10-11 months, even at just a year. There was nothing wrong, it didn't hurt her, and she's completely healthy still, 2 years later. I used to keep her sitting upright for awhile after a bottle, but the timing could be strange, like you say--you'd think it was past time for a barf, and then my shoulder would get a dousing.

2 moms found this helpful
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D.M.

answers from Boston on

Have you talked to your pediatrician? My daughter was the same way but for her it started at 2 weeks and continues until 6 months old. She was diagnosed with acid reflux. Perhaps the change into solid food has given her reflux (or maybe certain solid foods). Although the amount she is spitting up doesn't sound like much you may still want to mention it to your doctor.

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A.D.

answers from Norfolk on

my daughter is 11 months and still occassionally spits up, it's common for a baby to spit up for the first year or so. There's a "valve" covering the top of our esophaguses and it isn't fully formed in infants up until the end of the first year, so milk/food comes back up pretty easily. If she's gaining weight fine, i wouldn't be worried about her spitting up and not getting enough to eat. If you actually measured it, it's probably barely a teaspoon full of spit up. I wouldn't be too worried about it

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K.E.

answers from Buffalo on

3 Things come to my mind
1. GERD or reflux
2. Lactose intolerant
3. Allergy
I would talk to you Doctor.
With that said if she is gaining wait and everything looks fine her nutrition is fine. she is only spitting up teaspoons to tablespoons at a time right not cups? But she is eating cups? then she is getting what she needs, but still talk to you doctor.

UPDATE:
Lactose intollerance still is affected while breast feeding it all maters on what you eat. my son did this, until we found out he was lactose intollerant and allergic to eggs. They tested him for GERD 1st. I think talking with your doctor is the best move at this point.

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B.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Have you had her checked for blockages in her stomach? My sister's baby did this a lot and the doctor shrugged it off as normal behavior. Turns out he had something wrong in his belly.

Not trying to scare you, just be extra cautious!

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

I think you should take your baby to a pediatric gastroenterologist. Your "throw up" baby shouldn't have to go through this. I didn't know any better with my middle daughter, but had I known I would have brought her to a pedi gastro specialist. It's not healthy for her stomach lining or her esophageal lining either.

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M.B.

answers from Phoenix on

My son also spit up until he was about 13 months. Totally normal just had to wait for the valve to tighten up (the worst was when he would eat baby food chicken then spit up 20 min later - nasty smelly, staining stuff!!!!) He wore a bib till he stopped. Our ped said all was normal and my son was growing and putting on weight. It seems like a lot when it is being spit up but it really isn't all that much. As long as she is growing and gaining weight, I wouldn't worry.

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

yup normal. my son spit up for 14months.. every day.. happy baby.. crawled around puking all over the place.. he gained weight.. the puking gradually got less and less and stopped.. he is fine now..

you are waiting for hte valve on hte top of her tummy to tighten up.. it will tighten and she wont spit up anymore.. someday..

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K.N.

answers from Cleveland on

could be reflux, but honestly if she's not fussy after eating then it probably isn't. reflux hurts, my now 10 year old had it. My 8 month old still spits up, he's on alimentum due to allergies to my milk and normal formula. My Dh worries about it too, but DS is otherwise healthy, growing well and doing all the things he should be doing, so for me it's just normal baby stuff.

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

It sounds pretty normal to me as well. My daughter was a spitter and she stopped around that age. She went to all solids at 8 months (no baby food) and that really helped. For her, I think she needed something with a little more substance to help her keep the liquid down. If she's not throwing up a lot, I would chalk it up to annoying but normal, although I would mention it at your next appointment just to be sure.

S.T.

answers from Kansas City on

sounds like maybe reflux and/or lactose intolerance maybe. is she spitting up the baby food as well or just the formula/breastmilk? my 3 sons all had/have issues with reflux and lactose intolerance. our oldest, 2 1/2, had reflux and lactose intolernace and was on prescription zantac until just after his 1st birthday. he outgrew the lactose intolerance at about 14 months old or so. our twins, almost 9 months old, both have reflux, but not as bad. they were on zantac until about a month ago, i am weaning them from it to see is they can handle not being on it anymore. i'd talk to your pedi and see what they say.

and my twins who are almost 9 months old spit up still. one very rarely and the other at almost every feeding and sometimes like your little girl it's 20 or so minutes later.

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