How to Prevent Baby Spit-up: Effective Feeding Techniques
A panicking new mommy is a common scenario since they are not acquainted with the common issues that usually occur in newborns. Everything just freaks them out, and they wonder if their bundle of joy is fine or if they are being good mothers.
One very common issue that mums face in the initial days is baby spit-up. This occurs in both breast milk and formula-fed children, and the frequency varies extensively.
So, is spitting up a problem that mommies should be concerned about? Not really, as during the first few months, most babies spit up the contents of the stomach through the oesophagus. Some mothers confuse it to be a vomiting tendency, but this phenomenon is entirely different, and there is not anything to worry about.
When the baby spits up on clothes, it has a peculiar smell that moms may find irritating. So, there may be some cloth-changing sessions every day due to the spitting up, which can be tiring for new mommies as they are already handling many other tasks simultaneously.
Small steps and proper feeding techniques for babies can help in baby spit up prevention significantly.
Helping Anxious Mothers
In this blog, we from the R for Rabbit team will discuss the probable causes and effective baby spit-up remedies to help all those anxious mommies. To make the information more valuable, Dr Robin Sharma, a licensed Ayurvedic practitioner, shared simple methods that mothers can adopt in everyday life and make a significant impact on nurturing the child.
But before we dive into the details, let us understand spit-up and whether it can affect the baby’s growth and well-being.
So, spitting up is normal in babies and occurs because the body organs and digestive system of the child mature in the first few months. There is a muscle between the stomach and oesophagus that keeps the food in place, but since it is not fully developed in the initial months, the spit-up issue co, commonly known as infant reflux, occurs.
This becomes more common when the baby is overfed, or pressure is exerted on the pressure after a feeding. So, babies who spit up do not face any issues until they feed well. Now, let us focus on the baby spit-up prevention techniques.
Feeding Techniques
The most common yet important aspect of stopping baby milk reflux is following suitable feeding and lying positions. Every mother-child has a different routine, so there aren’t any defined rules for feeding sessions. However, experts have an opinion that every mom should follow for a seamless feeding routine. These rules apply whether you are breastfeeding or formula-feeding the little one.
There are opinions stating that formula-fed children tend to spit up more compared to breastfed babies because formulas are heavier to digest, which means they stay in the system for longer.
Hence, if you use feeding formulas, you need to be careful about the feeding techniques and the gap between each session to ensure that the delicate system isn’t overburdened. For breastfed babies, though feeding on demand is promoted, as mommies, you need to decide if the baby is really hungry and set up a routine according to your baby’s comfort.
These specific techniques are simple, but mothers tend to neglect them, which sometimes becomes the prime reason for spitting up.
- Avoid Lying Down: The first point is that moms should avoid lying down when breast-feeding babies. It is recommended that they sit straight and keep the child in the correct position so that the feed doesn’t accumulate in the upper part.
- Upright Position During Feeding: The upright position during feeding is crucial since it lets the child gulp the feed quickly, reducing incidents of choking. The best approach for holding the child in an upright position is to sit in a chair and keep the head higher than the legs.
- Food During Sleep: When a baby asks for food during sleep, mothers should sit on the bed with back support and elevate the child’s head by supporting it with their hands. When the head is lower than the rest of the body, children tend to spit up milk often, which can be irritating to manage.
- Track Feeding Sessions: It is also essential to keep track of feeding sessions, in addition to laying the baby in an upright position.
Burping Techniques
During the first few months of infancy, newborns tend to demand feed frequently since they are still adjusting to the new routine. The demand sometimes could only be an urge to feed rather than an empty stomach, and if mothers let the child do so, it can lead to spitting up the feed.
Thus, as a mother, you need to know the limits of sessions rather than feeding the little one just because he wants to, even if his stomach is already full. The right approach is to let the child have smaller and more frequent feedings.
Also, make sure that the baby gulps the milk properly rather than hurriedly sucking on the breast or feeding bottle. This poses a choking hazard, and hence, a calm and slow-paced feeding is the best approach.
Some infants develop a habit of feeding whenever they wake up from sleep or wish to doze off, but as a mommy, you need to decide if it is necessary or not. If you fed the child a few minutes ago, and he is demanding a feed just to sleep, you need to make a choice. Avoiding overfeeding is essential for eliminating spitting up and reducing stress on the maturing digestive system.
Also, once you are done feeding the infant, you should take him on the shoulder and rub his back up to down, letting the feed settle down and encouraging the baby to burp. Make sure you render proper support to the neck, as these are delicate.
Also Read: How To Use A Feeding Bottle For A Newborn?
Suggestions on Burping by Experts
Experts suggest that burping after every session is necessary, and hence, you need to put in effort to encourage the child to burp properly to reduce baby spit-up after feeding.
Some children take more time to burp compared to others, so you need to put in some effort to ensure burping every time you feed. This becomes more crucial in the case of bottle feeding since the child gulps in the air along with the milk in the process. The air leads to an increased probability of reflux and also induces colic, which makes burping a must.
Another critical point to avoid spitting up is to avoid exerting pressure on the stomach after feeding sessions. There may be instances when one unknowingly pressure is exerted during play or holding the baby; this causes spitting up the milk, so you and your family members need to be vigilant when handling the baby.
As the child grows, make sure you do not give him tummy time immediately after feeding, as this will again cause infant reflux.
When to Seek Professional Help
Now you know how to avoid baby spit up, but there still are instances when the baby would throw up milk, which is absolutely normal, but you need to observe the child closely to make sure that there aren’t any other underlying severe reasons for spitting up. Here are some pointers that you should know and connect with the child’s paediatrician in case you have any doubts:
- Your child isn’t gaining appropriate weight even after regular feeding sessions.
- The spitting up is forceful, and the child cries loudly after it.
- The colour of the spit-up is yellow or green. A usual spit-up is usually water and white curdled milk-like residue.
- You notice blood residues in the spit-up.
- The child is not interested in feeding frequently and makes an abnormal sound when sucking on the bottle or breast.
- The baby showcases signals of stress to breathe or is suffering from an ailment that may interfere with the growth.
- Your child is older than 6 months and is still spitting up.
- There are fewer wet diapers compared to a routine.
- The child is irritated and crying, and you feel he is having pain in the abdomen region.
The doctor will diagnose the ailment and discuss probable causes that may be interfering with the little one’s well-being. He may also suggest remedies or prescribe medications to manage the situation. Most cases of infant reflux fade away as the child gets older, but as a mother, you need to be cautious and eliminate all possible causes of the problem.
Also Read: Which Feeding Bottle Is Best For Your Baby?
Key Takeaways
Even though spit-ups are normal and every child does it a few times during infancy, some techniques can help reduce the frequency of such encounters and let the child digest the feed with the least effort. You need to stay calm and adopt the proper feeding techniques to keep a check on the frequency.
If, in any case, you have apprehensions about your tot’s development, it is best to confer with an expert and discuss the matter in detail. Slight shifts in your lifestyle and diet (when breastfeeding) can also have an optimistic impact on the child's overall growth.
Be an aware mother who knows how to observe issues and the right time to consult an expert for advice, and this will take you a long way as a parent. Stay positive, enjoy this phase, and watch your lovely angel grow into a healthy and happy soul.