Newborn Spits up a LOT!

Updated on February 04, 2009
A.B. asks from Lathrop, CA
4 answers

My son is about 3.5 weeks old, he nurses frequently. After he nurses he spits up, whether he nurses on one side or both. It seems like he spits up everything he drinks. I also tried supplementing with formula once a day for 3 days and he spits that up even more and it seemed to constipate him too because he had a bm every diaper change before and since the formula it has been two days without a bm. My other two sons were breastfed, but my first was only breastfed for maybe two or three weeks and my second was breastfed and bottle fed (I pumped for the first six weeks) until we moved from CA to AZ six weeks after he was born. So I have limited breastfeeding experience, but neither of them spit up when I was breastfeeding them. My second spit up a lot on formula, he would spit up so violently that it would shoot out of his nose until he was about 8 months old.My son has his one month check up on the 10th so I plan on talking more to the pediatrician about it then, but he spits up so frequently and he is crying whenever he is awake from what seems like gas pains that I feel terrible for him. I am constantly trying to burp him which does not help much, I also have tried gas drops and colic tablets. I just went & bought gripe water & it seems to be helping a bit. I do not really eat/drink milk products myself because I'm sensitive to them so I know that isn't it. I also have been eating pretty bland. Any suggestions are much appreciated, thanks in advance!

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L.G.

answers from Austin on

My daughter spit up a lot when she was very young. It wasn't due to me nursing her but it was something under-developed in her system that didn't keep the food down. They probably have a name for it these days. We had to position her differently to allow gravity to help keep it down. Keep breastfeeding unless the doctor tells you otherwise. Not only is it a huge savings, but there are so many other benefits.

Because it seemed like may daughter was spitting up so much and she was a small child already, I was concerned (and so were so many older ladies, including my mother-in-law). But the doctor said it was not a problem because she was still gaining weight. So I would reassure these other well-meaning ladies, that "my doctor said..." That always works well when you get unsolicited advice or concern.

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E.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I'd open the phone book and ask and experienced lactation consultant for help...they are affordable in my experience ($45 an hour...home visit in california). I would even put it on a credit card...it is so worth it to not need formula.

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J.F.

answers from Phoenix on

This sounds like acid reflux. The acid in his stomach has irritated his throat from throwing up. The doc can give him medicine, Zantac or something like it, to control the acid. It will take a full 2 weeks for him to feel better, but after that, he should be much happier. It will not stop him from throwing up, but it will make him more comfortable. 4 of my 4 babies have had acid relux. It can be really h*** o* Mom to have a miserable baby so make sure you take breaks and have some help. God Bless!

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J.W.

answers from Phoenix on

Could be your diet with him breastfeeding (he may be allergic to milk products) and could be the formula you are feeding the baby. I would talk to the pediatrician about a GI specialist as I found my son was allergic to cow protein. We tried everything prior to (acid reflex medicine, changing formula). We eventually saw a GI specialist since nothing changed and our son continued to cry during and after feeding and was in so much pain with gas and spitting up. One thing I realized too was changing formulas wasn't the best thing, it can take up to 2 weeks for a formula to completely be out of a babies system.

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