Why does a baby spit up after breastfeeding?

The situation when the baby spits up milk after feeding is most often the norm. This condition is common in most infants. However, in rare cases, vomiting can occur as a symptom of a specific medical condition. To cope with the problem, you need to understand why the baby spits up after breastfeeding.

Spitting up after hepatitis B is not the most pleasant, but natural process for an infant.

Why does the child spit up

The most common cause is overfeeding. With a large amount of milk, the baby eats very intensively: it swallows food and does not feel full. As a result, the baby's stomach fills up quickly and expels excess food. The same happens with formula feeding if the bottle has too large aperture.

The second common reason why a newborn baby spits up after breastfeeding is because air enters the infant's esophagus during lactation. This situation can arise when the baby is not properly attached to the breast (in such cases, the baby usually smacks his lips while sucking), which means that the nipple is not captured correctly. As a result, the stomach pushes air out along with the food.

Important! A child may spit up if, immediately after eating, he begins to shake, turn over, squeeze.

There are 2 groups of factors that cause regurgitation:

Typical for HS;
Arising from bottle feeding.

When breastfeeding, these can be:

Overfeeding;
Wrong way to attach the newborn;
Features of the digestive tract in infancy - in babies under one year old, the muscles of the esophagus are not yet sufficiently developed;
Mechanical pressure on the child, a sharp change in his position immediately after eating:
Disruption of the digestive tract (colic, bloating);
Sometimes serious gastrointestinal pathologies.

On a note. The problem most often occurs in infants around 4 months of age.

The reasons for spitting up if the baby is fed with milk formula:

A sharp transition from one type of feeding to another (from HS to substitute);
The hole in the bottle is too large;
Binge eating;
Unsuitable baby food.

Worth knowing! With HB, the baby can burp more often than with artificial one. In most cases, this process is normal if it occurs infrequently and in a small volume within half an hour after lactation.

Causes of regurgitation by a fountain

This type of regurgitation can be caused by:

Prematurity of the child;
An abrupt transition from HS to artificial feeding;
Colic;
An altered form of internal organs.

If the baby spits up like a fountain after lactation, but this happens only once a day, then there is nothing to worry about. However, it is important to remember that if the stomach empties profusely, the child may become dehydrated. On this issue, it is better to consult a pediatrician.

Spitting up with a fountain can signal internal pathologies

Causes of pathological regurgitation

In addition to natural causes, there are also pathological factors:

Disorders in the digestive system;
Increased intracranial pressure;
Violations of the central nervous system;
Congenital and hereditary diseases.

Signs of pathological regurgitation are:

Intensity;
Regularity;
Large volume of vomit;
Weight loss;
Tearfulness, restless behavior.

Anomalies and pathologies of the digestive system

If the child systematically spits up and at the same time loses weight, then the baby can be suspected of:

Abnormal development of the organs of the digestive system. Due to the complex organization of the gastrointestinal tract, not every newborn's organs involved in metabolic processes have the correct shape, the right size, the correct location. There are many variants of anomalies. Only a qualified specialist can establish the exact "breakdown" of the digestive system.
Infection. When infected with pathogens, the first reaction to the infection comes from the gastrointestinal tract system. In this case, the color of the vomit takes on a yellow or greenish tint. This color is obtained by mixing bile with milk eructation.
Lactose intolerance. Human breast milk (like any mammal) contains the protein lactose. In order for the product to be absorbed, the stomach secretes a special enzyme - lactase, due to which the protein is broken down. If this enzyme is produced in insufficient quantities or is completely absent, then hypolactasia (lactose intolerance) occurs. Obviously, with this pathology, the child is unable to digest breast milk, so he is forced to expel it by spitting up. In such cases, the pediatrician selects a special formula for the baby that does not contain lactose.

Lactose intolerance is one of the reasons for spitting up in an infant

How to distinguish the norm from pathology

Physiological regurgitation most often occurs due to the immaturity of the digestive tract:

In a newborn, the stomach has a very small volume;
The shape of a child's stomach is different from that of an adult;
The esophagus is thickened and short;
Weak sphincter (muscle that prevents stomach contents from getting out)

Physiological regurgitation is typical for the age of 4-6 months, then they go away on their own. Also, they are not a symptom of a serious pathology, therefore, they do not require diagnosis and treatment.

So, signs that the child's regurgitation is within the normal range are:

The baby can regurgitate up to 2 times a day (no more);
A small amount of food is expelled;
No gagging is observed;
The baby's weight is gradually increasing.

On a note. In most cases, even frequent regurgitation (6-8 times a day) does not pose a threat to the life and health of the child, provided that they are not profuse. Over time, the newborn's digestive system will get stronger, and the baby's stomach will be able to digest food normally. The problem usually disappears when the baby reaches six months, but in some cases it can persist up to one year.

The need to see a doctor

Frequent profuse regurgitation, weight loss by a baby give a serious reason to see a doctor. An alarming signal is a sharp profuse vomiting in a fountain. Such a symptom may be the result of poisoning or pathology caused by deformation of internal organs.

Greenish vomiting is a sign of infection or intestinal obstruction. In the latter case, immediate hospitalization will be required, followed by surgical intervention.

Signs for which you need to immediately seek help from a doctor:

Profuse regurgitation more than 2 times a day;
Weight loss in a child;
Sharp profuse vomiting by a fountain;
Vomiting mixed with bile;
The problem occurs in an infant older than 6 months;
The kid refuses to eat, has difficulty swallowing;
Vomiting contains blood;
The child has an increase in temperature above 37.5 degrees;
There are signs of dehydration (weakness, fatigue, drowsiness, rare urination);
Regurgitation has the character of a curdled mass with a pungent unpleasant odor;
The general condition of the child worsens, anxiety, crying, whims appear.

If a baby has a similar problem, it must be shown to a pediatrician, surgeon, gastroenterologist, neurologist. It is also recommended to check the baby for an allergic reaction. You should not treat the child on your own.

Prevention of regurgitation

To prevent a recurrence, you must carefully consider the vomit. If it is milk or a mixture that looks like cottage cheese, and its amount does not exceed the volume of a teaspoon, then you should not worry. You can solve the problem yourself.

The following steps will help prevent repeated regurgitation:

Compliance with the feeding technique. It is important to ensure that during lactation, the baby does not swallow air with food. If the baby is crying, he must be reassured, otherwise the air will definitely enter the stomach.
Do not overfeed your baby. It is necessary to follow an established feeding schedule that takes into account the nutritional norm suitable for the baby.
During lactation, the baby's head is slightly raised. After the "meal" the newborn is recommended to be held upright for half an hour. Thanks to this, the assimilation process will go better, and air will come out of the stomach without any negative consequences.
Before lactation begins, the toddler should be placed with its stomach down.
After feeding, the child should be in a calm state, he should not be squeezed, turned over.
It is not recommended to feed the baby if he is in a folded position - in this position the food will not reach the stomach.
Before you start feeding, you need to create a calm environment. Bright lights, loud noises, and other distractions will draw your child's attention to themselves. As a result, the baby will become anxious and will likely swallow a significant amount of air with food.
It is important not to allow the baby to be very hungry, otherwise, during lactation, he will capture air along with milk.
It is necessary to ensure that nothing presses on the baby's stomach, including clothes and diapers.
It is better to refuse to travel by car immediately after a meal.
During lactation, the baby must properly latch on to the breast.
If feeding with a bottle, you need to make sure that the hole in the nipple is not too small (will lead to swallowing of air) and not too large (it contributes to overeating, and the baby may choke).
It is important not to overfeed your baby. To do this, the portions must be very small, and the frequency of feedings may increase.
If the problem is persistent and often recurs, despite all the above measures, you should seek help from a pediatrician.

Correct attachment looks like this

How to feed a newborn correctly

There are several effective ways to reduce regurgitation during hepatitis B. To do this, you need to do the following:

Apply the baby correctly and make sure that the baby normally grips the nipple. If numerous attempts have failed, it is best to contact a breastfeeding counselor.
When feeding in a sitting position, the baby should be laid at an angle and its head slightly raised.
After lactation, the baby should be worn in an upright position for 30 minutes. As a result, belching should appear, along with which air will come out of the stomach. In this case, regurgitation will not occur. Immediately after belching, you need to walk with the baby for a few more minutes. Thanks to this, the food will pass into the stomach and begin to be digested.
After the "ritual" of walking, the baby should be placed on its right side. It is also recommended to place a small pillow under the child's head. In this position, the baby should lie down for about 15 minutes. Mom or Dad should be close to the child and make sure that he does not turn over on his face.

Hold the baby upright after feeding

How to tell the difference between regurgitation and vomiting

Signs of regurgitation include:

When spitting up, the child's abdominal muscles do not contract. Spasms characteristic of vomiting are absent in this case;
Breast milk or formula flows out of the mouth in a small trickle. Most often this happens immediately after lactation with a sharp change in the position of the child;
Often, after spitting up, the baby begins to hiccup. This sign indicates that the baby has swallowed air.

Vomiting has the following characteristic features:

The volume of vomit exceeds the volume of undigested food ejected by the stomach during regurgitation;
The child feels discomfort, stomach cramps torment him. The kid cries and worries;
In many cases, the baby will burp several times in a row. In addition to food debris, bile comes out with mucus. That is why vomit has a yellowish tint;
Before the start of the process, the baby's breathing quickens, there is severe sweating.

Important! If a newborn baby vomits, seek immediate medical attention.

Regurgitation, unlike vomiting, occurs with less discomfort for the baby

So, spitting up after feeding in most cases is the norm for an infant. It is possible to reduce the frequency of such an unpleasant process through several preventive measures and the establishment of the correct diet. Gradually, the baby's stomach will get stronger, and the problem will go away by itself. At the same time, it's important to remember that sometimes spitting up is a sign of a serious illness. In such cases, consultation with a pediatrician and other doctors is required.