Baby spits up curdled milk: causes and treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Finally you became parents! Every day yours is filled with new pleasant emotions and impressions. Are you happy! But sometimes some events make moms and dads very worried. One of the causes of unrest is regurgitation. Do not worry if your baby in the first months of life spews out the contents of the stomach - this is quite normal. For some it happens often, and for some it happens less often. What it depends on and whether you can help with something, you will learn from this article.

Reasons

To understand why a child spit up often and a lot, you should delve into all the details of the process, this will help to distinguish the physiological norm from a dangerous situation. This happens involuntarily. The contents of the stomach are ejected into the esophagus, and then into the mouth. You will not be able to completely get rid of this natural process, but you can reduce the frequency and amount.

Usually a baby spits up after eating. This is due to the fact that during feeding, along with milk, air enters, which, in turn, provokes abdominal pain - colic.

What to do?

In order for the air to come out, you need to press the baby with your stomach to your own body in an upright position. In other words, a column. The head should rest on the shoulder of an adult, since he still does not know how to keep it even. If the air does not come out, you can try to lightly pat on the back. This usually helps. Do not be alarmed if milk comes out with air. The question often arises: "A month old baby spit up - why does this happen?" Yes, because he likes to suck milk, and he does this not only to satisfy his hunger. This brings him pleasure and brings him closer to his mother. If you pay attention, you can see that even in a dream he makes sucking movements. At the same time, he even smiles. The child spits up after eating because he overeats. Carried away by the process, he sucks out more milk than required. This is not a reason to worry - he has not yet learned to control the process of saturation. He will grow up a little more and will eat exactly as much as he should.

More than 80 percent of babies under 7 months spit up every day. The number of regurgitations and their frequency depends on some factors, for example:

• term baby or not;
• weight gain dynamics;
• birth weight;
• Mom's desire to feed on demand.

Remember: Overeating is never he althy!

Dissonance between pharynx and intestinal motility is another reason

When a baby sucks milk, he does it in series, 3-5 times. Between them, making small pauses, he swallows whatthat managed to pump earlier. Breast milk quickly reaches the intestines, as it is a liquid food. When food enters the intestines, perist altic waves appear. At this time, the pressure in the stomach rises. This pushes food back up into the esophagus.

The next reason why a baby spit up curdled milk is that the cardial part of the stomach is imperfect. When he gets older, a cardiac sphincter will appear between the esophagus and the cardia of the stomach, which will not allow food to be thrown into the esophagus by contracting movements.

All troubles from nerves

If the child is too active, then you can observe the stretching of the walls of the stomach. But this cause is rare. And only a specialist can correctly determine it. So, dear moms and dads, if you have any suspicions, see a doctor, do not self-medicate.

Regurgitation and weight gain

Relatives should be primarily concerned about weight gain, not how often the child spits up curdled milk. If he is gaining weight well, then you should not worry about it. The system of the gastrointestinal tract is just beginning to form, so this process is the norm. Your baby sleeps well, he is cheerful and smiles often, which means you have no reason to worry. But if he's not gaining weight, or worse, losing it, don't put off seeing the pediatrician.

Baby spits up and loses pounds at the same time

Ifthe child began to spit up and at the same time does not gain weight, then you should sound the alarm, and not hope that this is a physiological norm. The doctor will just examine him, ask his parents about the details and, possibly, prescribe tests. Here are the most common causes of weight loss through regurgitation:

• Infectious disease. The gastrointestinal tract immediately responds to infections in the body. Usually the color of the regurgitated mass is yellow or greenish. This is due to the fact that food is mixed with bile. If you notice that your baby is spitting up greenish milk - seek medical help immediately! If there are any other threatening symptoms, call an ambulance.
• Lactose intolerance. A woman's breast milk contains a protein called lactose. It is broken down in the stomach by the enzyme lactase. When this enzyme is absent or produced in small amounts, milk intolerance appears. Naturally, if the body cannot digest it, the child will spit up often and a lot.
• Incorrect development of the digestive tract. The digestive system is very complex. And not everyone immediately after birth has organs of the correct size, shape and arrangement in the correct order. Quite often, something is small, and something is pinched or twisted. Only a doctor will be able to correctly identify the "wrong" organ, because of which the child spits up curdled milk.

Is it really possible to reduce the amount of regurgitation?

Everyone is convinced that spitting up in babies who are gaining weight well is a physiological norm (that is, they will not bring danger). True, not everyone will like the fact that all things will start to smell like a burp.

In the pediatrician's office, the question is often asked: "Is there a solution to the problem of regurgitation?" Doctors respond to this that everything will pass with time, you just have to wait. Babies stop inadvertently regurgitating stomach contents through their mouths when they begin to sit up on their own, that is, at about 6-7 months. But what about moms and dads who can't wait? Pharmacies do not sell medicines or special devices that will help solve the problem. The only thing you can use is funds from excess gas formation. Some are produced on the basis of simethicone (drugs "Sab simplex", "Espumizan", etc.), while others are made on the basis of fennel fruits (drugs "Plantex"). You can also use the dill water known in Soviet times or brew the dill composition at home. You just need to know the recipe. Regardless of what you choose, the drug will remove gases from the tummy, which means that pressure on the walls of the stomach will decrease, and the amount of regurgitation should become less.

Dealing with regurgitation

After finishing feeding, carry the baby in an upright position (as described just above) for about 20-30 minutes. If you don't have that time, use a sling. The more air the baby releases, the less it will spit up. Do not rush during feeding (both breastfeeding and artificial). It is better to feed more often, but in smaller portions. ArtificersPediatricians advise helping to release air after every 90 grams of formula, and for breastfed babies when changing breasts or during a sucking pause. Give both of them another half an hour to rest, do not play with them and throw them up. Trust me, you will still have time to do it.

Is your child an artificial? Then check that the hole in the nipple is the correct size. It shouldn't be too big. Why does the child spit up a lot? Yes, because in our time it is not customary to swaddle. But in vain. Doctors advise to do this (just do not tighten the legs). When the baby is wrapped in a diaper, his activity decreases, and with it, the pressure on the walls of the ventricle.

Don't forget to stay active, it will do you good too. Every day, go outside with the baby in the fresh air, bathe him before bedtime. If you have the opportunity to visit the pool with him - fine, do not miss it. Every time before going to bed, do a tummy massage, gymnastics. It all strengthens the muscles. When putting your baby to sleep, give him a pacifier. This is very helpful. Sucking movements stimulate intestinal activity, and food is no longer supplied. And this means that it will be digested faster.

Doctors do not recommend

You should not use rollers and pillows for up to a year, and also put the baby to sleep on his stomach, face down. Never leave the little one unattended if he lies on his tummy in a dream. This all increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. It is better to put a flat pillow under the mattress (ora towel folded several times) so that the head lies at an angle of about 30 degrees and is turned to the left or right. Even if he burps in this position, he will definitely not choke.

Don't worry

You may think that it is your baby who is spitting up a lot of milk or formula. You will feel sorry for the milk that mommy's body produced so diligently, or formula for which you had to pay a considerable amount. Most likely you are exaggerating. Try spilling a big spoonful of milk on the table and see what a huge puddle you get. Now look at your clothes, is there the same stain? Children usually regurgitate only a teaspoon.

Baby spits up fountain

A month old man can spit up a fountain due to an immature digestive system. But why does a child spit up curdled milk at the age of 3-6 months? The reason for this may be neurological diseases or abnormal development of the digestive system. Check with your doctor.

When else should I seek medical help?

• If your baby is spitting up between feedings.
• Cough occurs while throwing food out of the gastrointestinal tract.
• The outflowing milk or mixture has a specific unpleasant odor, as well as a brown or green tint.

Babies with such symptoms should be examined first by a pediatrician, and then by narrower specialists - a gastroenterologist, a neurologist. If any pathologies are detected, doctors will prescribe a comprehensive treatment, which is mandatorywill help. The main thing is to apply in time.

Blood in spit up

Most often, at the sight of blood, moms and dads immediately start to panic. First of all, calm down. If you are still breastfeeding the little one, then most likely this blood belongs to you. It can flow from cracked nipples during feeding. Another option. It happens that during regurgitation, the baby is very tense, thereby provoking a rupture of a small blood vessel at the end of the esophagus. All this will quickly heal, and you will forget about it. However, you should still see a doctor or even call an ambulance if bleeding continues.

Summing up

If your baby is spitting up, the reasons can be varied and depend on age. If in parallel with this process kilograms are not lost, then this is a physiological norm that does not bring discomfort and harm. Over time, this will all go away on its own. But it happens that children simply “melt” before our eyes, in which case you should definitely contact a pediatrician. Pharmacists have not yet come up with a safe cure for spitting up. The only thing you can do is reduce the frequency and amount. Spend as much time as possible on the street, do massage and gymnastics, bathe your baby. Use products that reduce gas formation. There are a lot of them in pharmacies. Consult with a pharmacist, he will help you make the right choice. Well, here you have found out why the child spits up a lot. You just have to wait until he grows up and gets stronger. Time will fly by quickly, but the memory will remainonly good times.