Spitting Up

Hi M.. My daughter did the same thing. It's due to the sphincter (little flap or muscle that completly close the stomach) isn't developed all the way. Don't worry, it's completely normal. He'll outgrow it soon enough. As long as he's gaining weight, he's ok. Let us know how he is in a couple of weeks. Each child grows out of it at different intervals. My daughter, who's 6 now, didn't outgrow it until she was well close to 1 years old.

Hi M., I am in the same boat. My 5 1/2 month old son has been a spitter upper from day one. Apparently, my husband was the same way. Our doctor says the same thing that as long as he is gaining weight and does not look distressed it is fine. I don't know if you are using formula but we have found that the Enfamil AR works great (and we tried them all; my son even spit up on breast milk). It has really cut down his spit up quite a bit to where he is able to wear the same outfit all day long (with many bib changes of course:) It is my understanding that some babies are just this way due to their digestive system not being fully developed. They will grow out of it. According to my doctor it can take up to 12 months...Good Luck and welcome to the club of bib babies (ie: every picture of your son he has a bib on:)
Also, don't worry about feeding too much, my son eats 7oz at each feeding as well as one serving of cereal per day (he is also in the 95% for weight and height)...he is a hungry kid.they will let you know when they have had enough!

Hi M.! I know exactly how you feel! My son spit up every time he ate and it seemed like it was everything he ate! I was just like you, I talked to his doctor (who is Dr. Bob Sears) and took him in a few times in regards to this problem and he told me the same thing as your doctor did. He also said if you actually caught the spit up in a empty bottle you would see that it wasn't nearly as much comming out as you think or as it looks on clothing or spit up cloth. I actually did that one day and he was right, it was maybe an ounce at the most that he spit up but it sure looked like 6oz. coming out!
If he is a happy boy and isn't acting like he is in pain or discomfort then rest assured he is fine and this will stop.
I promise you there is an end to this very near! Your boys is 5 months old and you have maybe 1 to 2 months left of this and there will be no more spit up what so ever! My boy stoped the spitting up at about 7 months, he is now 2 in a half and as healthy as he can be.
I hope this helps you feel a little bit better. You aren't alone in your worries and you are a good mom to act on your worries and gain as much knowledge as you can. I think advice from other moms can be the most calming and assuring advice. :)
God Bless,
J. B.

My son was the same way he was gaining weight and all but he would spit up all the time. They finally diagnoised him with having acid reflux. They say it is more common is boys and they treated it with Reglan that is a prescription he was on for about 3 months twice a day and after that he was fine. All it is, is that the flap inside the throat is not developed enough so as soon as they get even a slight burp it comes right back out. Hope this helps...
T.

M.:

As long as the doctor is not concerned, you shouldn't be either. My daughter did the same thing well up to 9 months. As she got older it became less frequent. I noticed that the flare-ups occurred when she hit growth spurts though (probably because she was eating more and her stomach hadn't caught up yet?). Pretty soon you'll just look at the spit ups as annoyances rather than something to be worried about.

hello, i am a mother of now a 9 year old boy. i went through the same experience with the spitting up at every feeding, liquid and solids. i have some questions for you, does your son eat/drink very quickly as though he is starving? does it seem like he has a bottomless stomach? is he on the chubby side? do you have to carry him all the time?
sue

Yes, similar experience: baby was not ready for solids. Try stopping all solids for a week and you will likely see results. You will also be decreasing the chances of having a kid with allergies in the future. I wish I had known all this years ago! Good luck. Alicia

M. Hi!
You have a lot of good advice on here, so I will just add to it. Several people have said he may be overeating, and six oz. at 5mo. does seem a little much, I would first try to cut him back from that just a bit. Also, since we are talking ounces I will assume he drinkd formula? My first daughter would get angry when I stopped mid feeding to burp her, unfortunatly "good" good bottles were a little expenxive then, but now they are reasonable priced. The vent aire bottles seemed to work good for my youngest, and I was able to feed him the entire thing before burping. This actually helped because he was not getting upset about me taking it away in the middle. If you can resolve the problem this way (or simply lessen the occurance) wonderful! Otherwise I would maybe start him on the enfamil gentle ease. It is partially broken down protien, which helps with digestion. The nutritional value is the same as regular enfamil and it costs only a couple dollars more (compared to about $10 more for nutramigen and you don't even want to know the price of Neocate!!
Remember too, you Dr. is right about it not being a big deal so long as he is gaining well, these are all things that will probable just make life easier for you and your son.
Good luck with it all!!

My son was the same. When I asked my pediatrician about it, he said to take a small spoonful of milk and spill it on the counter. It looks like alot but really, it isnt - so it illustrates a point. That's why your son is thriving, he is retaining plenty. But boy, it sure makes a big mess.

Hello M. I had the same situation with my daughter and I had the peditrician check her out as well and believe it or not he also said exactly what yours did and also like you I felt something not right as it continued! I went again and demanded that they check for eveything. Well they did and come to find out she is Lactose intolerent. they tols me to give her rice dream and soy dream from the market. I did and she held down her food after about a week it took her reflexes some getting used to. She is 10 years old now and she is still lactose intolerent. Good luck hun and always trust your motherly instincts that is why we were given them.
sincerly
Terrilynn

My sister in law had a similar experience with her son spitting up constantly. The doctor said he was fine & he seemed fine, but it was quite a mess. He's now a happy & healthy 13 months old and had stopped the major spitting up when he was about 10-11 months old. They just always kept a bib on him and plenty of clean clothes for him & for her packed when they went out of the house, along with a light heart about the situation. Just know...it will pass eventually!

You have got some great responses already, but I will tell you that I too had "spitters" my twins spit up constantly. Long after they turned one. They spit up with burps, they projected and they even spit up little ones hours after feeding. My doc said it was OK since they were big fat babies. But he did suggest that we were over feeding. I figured this was the case. We had been so truamatized in the NICU (they were born at 28 weeks). My boys lived in bibs and I had to have burp cloths everywhere. Blankets worked the best since a lot of times it was a ton of puke and projected! I agree with one post that said the amount is probably not as much as you think, do the tablespoon on the counter test and you will be amazed. Also there are gastric juices and saliva that make up some of the puke too, so usually it isnt the whole feed that is getting thrown up. At any rate, if you still are not convinced it is normal, push your doc to figure out what is going on. You are your childs only voice. At the very least it can put your mind at ease. One thing to look into is allergies? Did he spit up before you began introducing solids, perhaps something he is eating isnt agreeing with him or his system isn't ready for solids? Well, Good luck!

I have 4 children, and one was a spitter like yours. Everything and everyone was covered in puddles of spit-up until she was a little over 6 months old. Then, it stopped just like magic. It's been many years, so I've forgotten some of the details of the explanation, but it was something developmental with her stomach valves - they just needed to mature enough to do their job well. I guess it's fairly common.

Hi.
My son was born with reflux. He also spit up all the time and didnt bother him at all, but as you said, being a mom it is not easy for us to see our kids do that. His doctor prescribed Zantac for him and it went away. He was able to stop the meds on his first birthday.

Both my kids spit up ALOT as well. I mean to the point that they had to wear bibs 24/7 from the day we brought them home from the hospital until about 7 months. I was worried at first too when I had my first but they both always gained weight and also my daughters pediatrician said unless she is acting like its painful or anything its fine. I think thats when they start worrying about reflux. hope that helps!

I have two kids, and my first one(now 4) was a major spitter. It takes a while, but believe it or not, your 5 month old will eventually grow out of it. It is caused by an immature gag reflex, according to my pediatritian. If he is gaining weight, I would not worry because my child was much the same way. It also seems that my 6 week old daughter is going down the same road. Just keep lots of burp rags handy.

I went thru this with my daughter. Because there was no pain involved, we decided to let it take its course. His theory was that her esophageal sphincter was not maturing as fast as she was growing. Sometimes when you put food in, it would just come out. He felt that she would outgrow it, and thankfully she did. She had projectile vomiting about 6 times a day until she was about 15 months old. I know this probably doesn't help much but under the guidance of a doctor, it may not be something catastrophic.
Also as she grew older we found out that she has the ability to throw up on command. If you ask her to she could just stand there and vomit (gross I know) The Dr. thinks that some of her throwing up was just being uncomfortable after eating too much and resolving the problem her own way. This was a fun trick to deal with when she was going through the "terrible twos". But keep your Dr. informed and just monitor your sons level of comfort with the whole thing and take steps from there. By the way even with all of the throwing up my daughter was in the 90% foe height and weight. Not sure how that happened..but she is very healthy.
If you are really uncomfortable try another Dr. or specialist, a second opinion never hurts. Good luck!

I remember worrying about that too. But I also remember reading that the spit up isn't actually that much. Try this... take a tablespoon of water and drop it on the counter and you can see how much a tablespoon of fluid actually looks like. Is that about the amount you are seeing? I am not a doc of coarse so if you are really worried don't be afraid to bring it up at EVERY appointment. Remember you know your child best.

Don't worry, it is completely normal. My daughter was the same way, except the amount she spit up was rather large. I was quite worried too. My doctor told me the same thing, as long as she is gaining weight she'll be just fine. It's acid reflux and the best thing to do is to let them out grow it on their own. At 7 months old my daughter stopped spitting up completely, all on her own. She is 2 years old now and healthy and happy as can be.

Hi M. -- I have had the same problem with my 7 month old from day 1. He is big, gaining weight, strong, healthy & thriving but has spit up constantly. And, like your son, doesn't seem bothered by it. It is finally starting to get better. Doctors told me that he would eventually outgrow it as long as he is continuing to gain weight. In the last month or so he's gone from spitting up 5+ times in between feedings to maybe 2 or 3. So, where I wish I had "advice" for you as to how to stop it, I think it is really just an issue of their stomachs being immature & needing to time to acclimate. Solids seem to help a lot. I give him as much solids as he'll take. Just thought I'd share that with you...

my daughter spit up a lot too. it wasn't reflux either. the doctor also said no big deal and told me to keep a chart so i could see it wasn't that much after all. of course, when we did we showed him that she was literally spitting up about 50 times a day. after feeding, before feeding, sitting up, laying down, all day, all night. then the tests started. it was a nightmare of barium drinking, x-rays, specialists. they finally said she was just a "happy spitter". she was gaining weight so i had to let the anxiety go. at exactly 10 months old when she started crawling ... boom ... the spitting stopped and NEVER ever started again!!!! i will tell you though that now at a beautiful and healthy 9 years old she is what parents call a "picky eater". textures bother her so things that most "normal" kids like - pizza, etc. - she can't eat. melty on crust - yuk. you get the idea. the doctor said it's probably related. again -let the anxiety go if this happens to you. and just feel blessed.

Sounds like your kido has a bit of reflux. Have you tried keeping him upright after his feedings for at least 45 min?? You can do this by holding, a swing, or a car seat carrier. Also you may want to prop up one end of the crib mattress (put something under the mattress) in case you feed him prior to going down for the night or have any middle of the night feedings and you don't want to wait an extra 45 min before you go back to bed. You can also try putting a bit of rice cereal in his bottle to help weight down the formula/breast milk but may need to use a different nipple so it can pass thru easily. Good luck!

try giving only 4-5 ounces at a time, also spend quite a little time doing the burping thing, but I think its pretty normal, yukky but normal

Have you or the dr's considered Acid Reflux? Both of my nieces have it and this sounds like them too....Unfortunately, I don't have Dr's name...

He might be getting too much to eat. That's when my son would spit up. Does he spit up more after he eats a certain food? His stomach may be sensitive to something, dairy, nuts, etc. Not necessarily allergic, but just sensitive and can't eat it right now.

My son spit up dozens of times a day. Besides being exhausted from all the laundry (ours and his,) I too felt something was wrong. I got what I now call the first time Mom brush off: he's fine, he'll outgrow it, he's gaining weight, he's ahead on the growth charts, all babies spit-up, and my all time 'favorite': despite our best efforts babies do survive our worrying to grow up! Whether he was my first or my last child I knew something wasn't right.
For us the problem turned out to be food allergies. He was getting his allergens through my breast milk and then directly as we started solids after six months. Eating one of his allergens directly (dairy) at 9 1/2 mos earned us an emergency room visit with anaphylaxis. From there the doctors diagnosed a whole list of foods that he cannot tolerate.
For you the problem may be reflux as others have suggested or allergies or something else. Hopefully it is nothing but an immature system, but I highly reccommend pushing your doctor for answers you are comfortable with.

Hi M. -

you have some great responses here, I agree with the oatmeal suggestion & also trying to reduce the amount of the bottle by 1oz to see if he's overeating. Both those things worked for me. Also, some advice I rec'd was to switch from the powdered formula to the liquid formula. I know that it is more expensive & but I was willing to try anything. I really think it made a difference. My daughter is 10 months now & hasn't spit up for 2 weeks, so I'm thinking that the end is in sight for me!! I was worried about her as well, but my doctor as well as my girlfriends all assured me that the spitting was normal. Some advice I'll give you is to invest in the bibs with the snap closure! I can't count how many of those velcro bibs I had to throw away when they stopped closing. A good place to get them is Pumpkin Patch. Hope this helps!

M., My daughter is going on 10 months now and still spits up quite frequently every day! Don't worry it's totally normal in fact if it will make you feel better Google it and you will find the reason why he and other babies spit up so much. It has to do with their digestive system not being fully devoloped. If he is happy and gaining weight don't worry!

I'm sure you've tried everything :o) My first daughter would spit up majorly as well and it sooo scared me - I was certain she had acid reflux etc.! - I got the same response as you did from my pediatrician- but I was also told to burp her often or pump a little bit before feedings. I had very strong/forceful letdown, so she was gulping up the milk, which caused the major spit up. Therefore I made sure to burp her every 5 minutes or so. The feeding time increased, but it did seem to help.

At the time, being a first time mom, I would drive myself crazy on the internet, finding all these terrible symptoms that I was sure my daughter had :o), now with my second child (3 months old), that stress is gone, since I know - for the most part - that whatever she has will pass.

Good luck with everything, I know it's pretty scary when they literally lose their lunch and more.

My son is now two and half but as a baby he was the same. People used to comment on how much he spit up all the time. My sister-in-law actually nicknamed him "Pukey". He was a big eater and a big healthy boy. I would try to keep him sitting up for about 20 minutes after his feedings which seemed to help since he wiggled around on his tummy before he learned to crawl. My instinct says don't worry especially since he's gaining weight and seems to be content.

Hi M.,

My daughter was diagnosed at 5 weeks with GERD (acid reflux)which can cause your child to spit up. All though I do not think your son has it, you may look into the symptoms. My daughter would cry on end for hours and when she would spit up it would be pretty much all of the contents in her stomach. There are different levels of GERD. Maybe check in to that.
Hope the little guy stays healthy and happy :)

My kids did the same thing. After they would spit up, I'd wait a little longer for the next feeding to give their tummies time to settle. I also started giving them smaller meals if they wer spitting up a lot. That seemed to help.
Good luck!

M.,
I have had 4 children and 22 grandchildren so I've had a bit of experience. 0ne of my children and maybe 8 of my grandchildren have had this same problem. When children are born there is a valve that goes to the stomach that should be developed. Can't remember what it is called, but it is very very common for it to not develop before birth. When that happens, it takes about 6-12 months after birth for it to completely close. It is normal, nothing to worry about and my guess, in about 2 to 3 months he will stop spitting up completely. I always just had lots of bibs and we changed clothes alot during the day. If he is gaining and a happy baby, then your doctor is right. There is nothing to worry about. Just a lot more laundry to do.

He will grow out of it believe me. My doctor said the same thing, it is hard as a mother to hear, but if he is growing he is getting enough nutrients. Hang in there, it will get better.

My 2nd son was a "spitter". Not a lot of volume, but frequently. And he would smile and go on with his day. He was gaining weight and healthy in every way. He grew out of it around 8 months. He was just a kid who spit up a lot.

My little guy does that as well. About a month ago it started to get a little better. He is almost 8 months now. With that said he will still spit up quite often between feedings. My Dr.'s told me the same thing. My son also had the projectile vomit but it all seems to be getting better. Hang in there!!

Hi M.,

My friends son had Acid Reflux and spit up constantly. It wasn't detected until he was a little bit older, and they found some other things that affected his eating, but a few other friends of mine had babies with acid reflux too, and it would cause alot of spit up, especially after eating certain foods.

I would see if it happens more after certain foods and then go to the doc and see what he thinks.

Good luck! Hope this helps.

Hi M.,
My son also had problems with spitting up. He is now a healthy 18 month old. I think I overreacted and insisted on getting him on medication - probably not necessary. He was also arching his back like he was in pain while nursing. He was diagnozed with mild GERD. I too think that the spitting up will subside and those burp clothes will soon be tucked away in your drawer. Good luck!

I have three kids and everyone of them spit up A LOT, actually I wouldn't even call it spit up, it was projectile vomit. This happenend after every feeding. I tried everything and nothing worked. All I can say for you is that once your little one starts crawling and sitting up it gets better. Once my third child started to drink milk (around 10 months) I gave him soy milk and that seemed to help quite a bit. With my first I was so worried about how much she threw up that I made my doctor schedule testing for her. She got strapped to a board and they put her in an x-ray machine, all of that to say that she was perfectly fine. I felt the exact same way you did, that I didn't feel it was normal and I was concerned. But, it really was normal and I just had to get used to the fact that it was going to be messy for awhile. There is light at the end of the tunnel, it will go away.

Hi M.! I can relate as my son spit up a TON as well. I took to breastfeeding on one breast at a time b/c he was overeating and spitting up "huge" amounts.
Is he sleeping? I became more concerned when my son was spitting up and not sleeping. But same as you, my son was putting on weight and happy so the docs didn't think anything was wrong.

Give your son more time, as he is 5 months, soon he'll be moving and sitting up with assistance. This is where I noticed a lot of spitting up STOPPED.

Keep the spit rags around because it doesn't stop but lightens up significantly. I don't do as much laundry that is for sure.
Good luck!

It could be acid reflux. My daughter had it for the first six months. It was very uncomfortable and painful for her. The doctor put her on baby Pepcid and we kept her upright for about 1/2 hour after feedings. Another thing that helped was the doctor told us to put her to sleep on her tummy (but no blankets or bumpers to get tangled with!)and we elevated the head of the crib with blocks.

Check with your doctor to see if is acid reflux.

Both my kids spit up like yours for their entire first year. I took both to dr and both times they were fine... Then at one year it got better and better until no more. Hang in there!

Hi:
Some babies ar just more projectile than others. My daughter did, but my son didn't. Does he do this with all foods? Try different textures. Perhaps you need to puree some of the more coarse meals. Make sure with or without teeth that the chewing process is long enough so there will be better digestion. That can be aided with smaller bites. If all is normal, I would not worry too much. If possible, you may want to have the pediatritian recommend a good ENT doc. (ear,nose,throat) Look into his digestion sensitivity. You have to remember, he came from a water worl where he was fed after your body brokedown the food for him. Be patient with him and just keep extra cloth diapers handy.

Hello M. and "Welcome" to Motherhood! I've had four children and was 25 when I had the first, 39 when I had the last. They are all different, but my experience tells me that Matthew might be overeating....a bit....he certainly is healthy but maybe just an ounce less or a bit less solids? And is he getting enough water? Also, think about what position he's in when he does spit up. Is he laid on his stomach or leaning forward too much or is there perhaps too much pressure on his tummy when he spits up? Maybe jostling? It seems that he is very full and his body is rejecting the excess. Just a guess.

Keep up the great work, you're doing a great job and don't worry too much, you learn as you go.

Lucy M.

Hello M., well when my daughter was that age she was starting to get her teeth. When they teeth there is a lot of extra saliva and that increases spit up as well. But also we had to switch her from regular enfamil to enfamil Gental Ease. After we switched her she didn't spit up anymore. Hope it helps.

I too am a first time mom, and my eighth month old is still doing the same thing. He too is very healthy. I would not worry about it, as long as it is not bothering him, and he continues to gain weight. I know that it is a pain, with having to clean everything so often, I am hoping that my son grows out of it soon. My pediatrician said that it is not a problem, he is still developing the muscle that closes off his stomach. Some babies seem to have a lot of spitting up and some just don't. We just happen to be the lucky mother's of ones that do.
H. B.

M.,
My daughter is now 10 years old. She spit up a LOT when she was a baby. I can't remember how old she was when it subsided but it must have been 10 months or so? And it was totally fine. My doctor kept reminding me that while it looked like a lot, she was taking in more than she was spitting up. It just was her underdeveloped something or other and she did get over it. She didn't mind at the time (though ever since she seems to have had a fear of throwing up?). And my second child did not have it. Not to fear. It will go away and he's gaining weight. It's great you're listening to your instincts. Maybe it'd make you feel better if you were able to determine how much he really is spitting up! Even an ounce looks like a lot when they spit up. All my best, G.

I raised 4 boys and little boy babies stomaches have spinter problems more often then girl babies. My last one weighted 11 pds. 2.5 ozs. at birth, gestation diabetis, and took 8 oz feeding. Then he'd have projectal vomiting and decorate the coach, bed, wall. My doctor had me sit him in his car seat at a 45 degree angle for an half hour to hour so that the food would get in his intestines before he had the opportunity to vomit or spit up. I didn't try to burp him until after he had sat in that position. Stomach gas can be behind the spitting up but can escape at the 45 degree angle. I also put him on rice cereal at two weeks. I breast fed him and learned by using a baby scale how much he was taking in. Regardless of whether he soiled his diaper, that is what he weighed before I feed him and what he weighed after.

Years later, I found out that my son was very alergic to the cleaners I used in the house and in the laundry. Once I switched to non-toxic cleaners and laundry system, his queasyness and picky eating went away, and so did my asthma, eczsema, and skin rashes and itchiness. If you like to know about the brand I use send me your name and number and I share it with you. :^D

If you are giving him formula you should try different brands. If you are nursing watch what you eat to see if he spits up more or less. My daughter had the same problem. I had to only nurse her. I could not eat anything spicey or acidic. When I gave her the bottle she spit up twice as much. She out grew it at 10 months.

Hi there, I too a frst time mom of a 5month, my son has been spitting up since day one. My doctor also said that I have nothing to worry about becuase he is gaining weight but she did give me two different medicines for him and it didnt work so I stopped giving to him. . He is still spitting up all the time but I am getting used it. I did read an article about it and it says that it usually peaks around 4-5 months and then tapers off a little bit.

My little girl was a spit up baby as well. And my Dr. told me also that as long as she was gaining weight she was ok. He said I could try Zantac for her to see if it was acid reflux. Believe or not I guess babies can suffer from that as well. I only tried it a couple times with no improvement. It finally got better around 4 months of age for mine. I guess she just outgrew it. I hope for you yours does soon.

Hi M.! I am no way an expert on the subject as my twin boys are only 8 weeks old, but I do know that spit-up is completely normal. I have a friend that has a 6 month old and he used to projectile vomit a few times a day...it was amazing what this kid could do with spit up. But overall he is healthy and gaining weight like a champ. Now that hes 6 months its getting better, but it still happens. From what Ive read on the subject there is a muscle at the opening of the stomach that keeps the food in there and in babies it take time to strengthen that muscle. I would say it should start to get better soon. As long as he is gaining weight properly there shouldn't be anything to worry about especially if it doesn't seem to cause him any distress. Also, one thing I have heard and am anxious to try, is if he has reflux then I have heard that if you put a little bit of rice cereal in with the bottles it is supposed to help. Not sure if its true, but its worth a shot?

Hi M. B,

My first instinct is that your 5 month old is eating too much. How often are you feeding him formula/breastmilk in addition to solids? My 6 month old started spitting up a lot when she turned 5 months. At that point, I was breastfeeding 4-6 times/day in addition to solids 1-2 tmes/day. I cut back her solids to once a day and the amount of solids as well. She stopped spitting up immediately. Hope this helps. Good luck!

R. S

My daughter was the same. I was so worried about her for so long because of it. I found that Gripe Water would help (you can buy it at Walgreens)... but other than that, she just had to grow out of it. My pediatrician prescribed her some zantac I think, it supposedly lessens the acidity of the spit-up so its not as harsh on the esophagus, but it didn't lessen the frequency (which was upwards of thirty times a day!) She started so spit up less at 5.5 to 6 months and now at 7 months she only spits up once or twice a week!!! YAY, so hopefully your little one will start to ease out of it soon, in the meantime, try the Gripe Water!

Hi. If your doctor says your son's growth/development/weight gain is fine, than I wouldn't worry.
There is a difference between "spitting -up" and "vomiting" however. Spit up, if you look it up on the web searches, can often look like a lot when it comes out.
On the other hand... "vomiting" is different. I say this because I used to babysit a child that the parents warned me about... they said "she spits up a lot, so don't worry." Okay, so I cared for their child/baby. But, to me, the child was not spitting-up, she was VOMITING, and at times it would shoot out of her mouth. I informed the parents MANY times, but they "chose" to do nothing about it, and ignored it. The child would have these episodes whenever she ate/drank something. Or sometimes just whenever, not necessarily associated with eating. In this child's case, it was not normal. I explained to the Parents, but they repeatedly "ignored" my concerns. This baby/child would "spit-up" about 1/4 of a cup of "stuff"
and this was a "puddle" to me. I actually scooped it up and measured it once. It didn't seem to bother the child, and her parents just thought it was "normal." BUT along with this vomiting, the child also had developmental delays and was only in the 10th percentile for her weight etc., and was not on par with other developmental issues.

For you, at least you are checking about it with your doctor. That is so great, because, as you can see in my experience, not all parents do. You are a good Mom to investigate this even though it is probably nothing. I just wanted to share my story, in case others may have vomiting type of spit up. Spit-up and vomiting are two different things.

Take care and all the best,
~Susan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo

My daughter was a spitter also. I would be cleaning up puddles on the floor, couch, my clothes, etc all day. I used to have to bring cloth diapers as burp cloths to catch the spit up, and I'd bring a lot of them. It was an inordinate amount. She's a year and a half now and I just found an old sweatshirt of mine with her spit up on the arm! Gross, I know. There was nothing else wrong with her and Dr just advised to try to keep her sitting up more but nothing really helped. I think some babies just spit up a lot and there is nothing to be worried about. He's happy otherwise so he's not in pain or anything. Don't worry! It will go away eventually!!!

My now two year old and my almost five mo. old is/was the same way. It does seem like alot but most of it I have been told is just drool. It will end eventually as they start to sit up by themselves. Just hang in there and it will pass.

that's the peak spit up age..are you giving him oatmeal? that's what helped my son..rice sucks..makes them constipated..
try oatmeal..good luck..it will stop soon.

My daughter now 5 years old was a big time spitter upper. She basically would spit up her entire bottle after eating and would spit up about every 3 mins on average all day long (serious). She never went anywhere without a bib and would go through about 15 thick bibs a day. When my Mother watched her, she was only allowed to lay or sit on a thick blanket, never, never the carpet. I also thought that something was wrong but the doctor told me the same thing as you. If she is gaining weight, and eating normal and going to the bathroom, she is fine. She now weighs 57 lbs and is 5 years old.

Fortunately, when she was around 1 years old, she stopped spitting up. I remember though when she was around 10 months old, I started her on whole milk. She would spit that up as well and it was a vomit smell, much worse than formula spit up.

Hang in there!!

J. S

M. my 7 y/o spit up all the time too and I felt the same way and had test after test done, bottom line acid reflux , sounds crazy but eh was gaining weight and hitting all the mile stone's on or before time, I know it's easier said than done but relax he is fine, my son was nursed and still spit up it is a normal thing until it is your child, you ever need to talk or anything let me know, good luck , and no need to worry about him spitting up , if he si gaining weight he's fine really .

Hi M.! Well, my first child (who is now 7) was a chronic spitter-upper! I was worried the same as you are, and was told the same thing by his pediatrician. My son was solely breastfed until he was about 9 months, and he still spit up. ALOT. He pretty much spit up every time I burped him, and even more if he didn't burp. (I am talking soaked through clothing, mine and his sometimes!) So, part of me thinks that your doc is probably right, since he is gaining weight, etc. but you could always ask him about acid reflux. Which can cause babies to spit up a lot more then usual, but usually reflux is accompanied by a lot of fussiness, which my son, for instance, never really had. Are you formula feeding or breastfeeding? Could he have an intolerance to something that is in the formula or that you are eating if you are breastfeeding?
A dairy or soy allergy for example? Please let me know if you have any more questions, that I might be able to help with! Good Luck! :)

Both of my kids did that at about the same age... My doc said that the different muscles that separate the stomach and esophogus aren't fully developed yet and will continue to get stronger over the next few months. As long as he's still gaining and hasn't "crossed percentiles" in weight, i.e. on the growth chart-the lines within the growth curve. It is spooky how much kids are completely unable to control their bodily functions at times. I am still ocassionally flustered by my thirteen year old's apparent lack of said control....
Of course if your not getting answers from your doctor that you are satisfied with, you may mant to shop for a second opinion, or a doc with a better bedside manner. Don't be intimidated to find someone to PARTNER with you in caring for your child. YOUR INSTINCTS NEED TO BE HONORED.
Good Luck! Hopefully he'll be eating all kinds of things and keeping them in, soon.

How "fast" does your baby drink/eat? I baby-sat a kid once with this problem and I realized that the hole in the nipple was way too big and he was finishing his bottles way too fast. Always spitting up. I took it upon myself to buy some nipples with smaller holes and stop him half way through and sit him up to burp... it worked! His mom was so happy! Can't hurt to try!

Hello M.
Have you tried to feed him more often and giving him smaller amounts? It worked for my son. We reduced his intake to about 4 ounces and after eating solids we waited at least one hour before giving him a bottle. He is 13 months now and we still have to be careful not to give him to much food at one time.

If you still think something is wrong you should get a second opinion. It will give you peace of mind.

M.

Hi M.,

Its been several years (about 10)that I had a similar situation with my son. At first, my doctor didn't think nothing of it. However, like you said, my mother instincts didn't agree. I was fortunate enough because my health insurance changed and I had to get a new doctor. When I told our new doctor about my son continuouslly spitting up, she ran several tests and found out that my son had acid reflux. Once that was diagnosed, my doctor had me stop nursing and switch to a soy based formula. The doctor didn't want me to be nursing my son because of the angle he was at when feeding. He had to be in an at least 45 degree angle when feeding. Also, at night time, this may sound korny (but it worked), the doctor recommended he sleep on this traingle shaped foam pillow (I don't remember the name of it). It fit inside the crib and the baby was secured in it by being placed in a cloth looking like diaper that was attached to the pillow. Once he was feeding in a more upright position and did not lay flat while sleeping, the spitting up decreased immensely. An added perk is that this was an inexpensive alternative, it really worked and that when my son outgrew the triangle-shaped foam pillow, he and his sister used it as a slide and got many hours of enjoyment out of it. I hope this helps and good luck!!!!

M. -

My daughter was taking Enfamil Lipil with Iron and did OK at first then at about 2 or 3 months she just started spitting up every time she ate. My pediatrician said to switch her to Enfimil Gentle Ease, however, I bought the wrong thing, Enfimil Lacto-Free by accident. She did great after switching and we didn't have anymore problems. If you're breat feeding it could be somthing in your diet, possibly dairy.

My son will be a year in two weeks and when i first starting feeding my son solids i noticed spitting up again also. I found that he was eating more solids than he could handle because i think he enjoyed the taste/texture. I cut back on the amount i gave him at his feedings, and it got alot better!

Dear M.,

We came home at 10 p.m the day after my son was born. The next morning, my husband asked if I needed anything. I told him I needed plain white t-shirts and burp cloths. He said okay, and was set to take off. I asked if he knew what burp cloths were and he thought a minute and asked what they were. I told him to get a pack of day/night cloth diapers. I don't know what it was that made me think I needed these - must've been the voice of God that I was hearing. - From the beginning, my son was a "spitter." He ALWAYS had a burp cloth around, because he was always spitting. I put him down for a nap with one under his face - I nursed with one between us, because I would get soaked while he nursed, because he would spit while nursing. It was just a constant thing - it didn't signify that he was sick. He was never distressed, he was happy, he didn't seem uncomfortable. I worried a little about pyloric stenosis, but that is usually projectile vomiting, which he didn't have - he just spit up all the time. I even stopped burping him - he just seemed to spit up when I burped him, so . . . He eventually stopped, grew out of it around 12 months. Yeah! Then around 15 months, all of a sudden, he started vomiting. Not constantly, but pretty regularly. It never seemed to mean that he was sick - in fact, he almost always ate right after. I got the feeling that it was almost like he had taken a bite or two too many. The night I was laboring with his sister, he threw up down the hallway over my shoulder as I was taking him to bed - woohoo - he was 22 months old at this point. I don't remember when he finally grew out of this stage. I do remember thinking as I cleaned up his vomit one more time that I would never complain about baby spit up again, especially the breast milk spit!

In our house, security blankets were burp cloths. I loved it. You could always take one away to wash, and just hand them another. They were the right size, and didn't get dragged around on the floor like regular blankets. My son's had iron-on (bear) decals in the lower corner. One daughter had pink, the other purple (thank God for Rit Dye!). I got more comments on the "night-nights." Everyone wanted to know where I got the purple burp cloths. This all started with my son becoming attached to the burp cloths because of his being a spitter and always having them around. One day when he was about 18 months old, I got him up from his nap, and he was pulling back toward the crib, saying, "Night-night, night-night . . .," I told him he had just gotten up, he didn't have to go night-night. I finally realized he wanted his burp cloth and was calling it a night-night. They have been night-nights ever since.

He is 19, and a college freshman. He no longer spits up or throws up just because - he eventually grew out of both - thank God! Neither of my daughters had that trait - again, thank God! I think it is just something some babies have a tendency toward. We did have some weight issues with my son as a baby, but the doctor was never worried about the spitting or vomiting related to that . . .

Don't worry about it too much!
Remember, this too shall pass.
B.

My son actually did the same thing. He had reflux...they do have a test they can do for this, they gave my son a reflux medication to take, we did that for awhile and stopped it because it didn't seem to do any good. We ended up switching his formula to Enfamil AR which is gentler on their tummies, this really seemed to work for us along with elevating him at night when he slept...we bought a wedge at bed bath and beyond and cut it to fit his crib. I would say my son outgrew this by about 9-10 months old. My son didn't have it very bad though, I read that quite a few kids get it pretty bad and it can last for a few years. You may want to look it up on the internet..there is a lot of information..again it's infant reflux. Hope the information helps.

Hi M.!

My daughter is five now, but when she was a baby she spit up so bad all the time. So she was diagnosed with reflex,also known as gerd, and she was prescribed baby zantac. It worked so good, and as she grew and learned to sit up and had more control of her body she stopped throwing up so much. We went to a pediatric gastrontoligist, sorry i probably spelled that wrong. But we would go twice a month and they would check her out and would lessen her doses until she was fully off the medicine. I hope this helps you, i was really concerned about her when she was going through all of that. She was my first baby too, and none of my friends had ever had babys that spit up like that. So good luck and tell your doctor about the gerd, you can always get a second opinion from another doctor if you feel your doctor is not listening to your concerns.

I also have a 5 month old who is very "spitty" but continues to gain weight. She also spits puddles between feeds and her pediatrician is says she's OK as well. I am a nurse and this is the standard practice. The kids ususally grow out of this by 1 year and it's more of a mess than anything else. Luckily this won't last forever :)

K.

M.,
Seems very normal to me. Both my girls did that. Heck, you tip them slightly and out it would come. Apparantely their spinkter muscle wasn't fully developed/closed. So, a slight squeeze on their belly or my husband, while lying on the couch, picks up one of the girls and holds her above his head, gets it! Yep, right on his head. I had to take a picture because, I of course, said "don't do that" knowing what would happen! I had to have them sleep on an incline because they also had acid reflux. We determined that because every time they ate they would scream and cry. They were then put on baby zantac and then taken off of it at 6 months. I think about that same time they quit spitting up. So, I wouldn't be concerned unless he is crying which would make it acid reflux as well.

Both of my boys spit up a lot - tons! But your doctor is right. As long as your baby is gaining weight you have nothing to worry about. It is totally normal.

Enjoy your baby!

Don't worry a bit. My first son did that for 10 months. I kept wondering how he got enough nourishment to grow, but he was chubby and happy. I also wondered how long it would go on, since I got very tired of "decorating" my house and wardrobe with burp rags! If the doctor is not concerned and your child appears healthy and content, then just grin and bear it for awhile longer. Some practical advice - to help keep the laundry loads down (we were going through many outfits each day at first), I almost always had him wearing a bib.

Hi M. B,

Have you considered trying a different formula? They make partially digested formulas in every brand (we used Enfamil's Gentlease.) Our daughter had a touchy tummy, and our Dr recommended smaller, more frequent feedings. We never gave her more than 4 ounces at a time and it really worked for us. Also, it never hurts to get a second opinion. I read a really interesting article about "pediatricians" and that doctors have to take extra training to be called a Pediatrician. Some doctors just open a "pediatric practice" but didn't go the extra mile to be a certified pediatrician (by the American Board of Pedicatrics." They may be really good doctors and really great people, but they don't have to keep educating themlseves on the latest and greatest. You can go to www.abp.org to look up your doctor and see if he/she is certified. Just a thought, if you just don't feel right about something your doctor says, than get a second opinion. :)

Good Luck!!
A. N. :)

My first son spit up all the time, a lot just like your son. He spit after every feeding, and as a toddler he would barf up his food sometimes - so as someone that has experienced this I think your pediatrician is probably right. As long as the doctor says everything is ok I wouldn't stress. :)

All 3 of my little ones would spit up - they would crawl and leave trails of spit-up. My middle child had reflux - it seemed like she would spit up every thing she ate. I nursed all three and felt that maybe it was something that I was eating - but when it comes right down to it, they are little and have little tummies and their little bodies are learning how to digest food. I have learned that spitting up is something that all infants will do (some more than others). If your 5mo. old is againing weight I don't think that you have anything to worry about - BUT if you are still concerned talk to your dr. and ask more questions until you feel better. Good luck.

Hi M.,

Well, my thought is to reduce his feeding to 3 - 4 ounces for a while, but more often, so he gets the proper nutrition. This will allow his little stomach to digest the food better. Maybe he just can't handle 6 oz at a time. Then, keep him upright until he burps and let him burp 2 - 3 times before you put him down. I know it's a bit more work on your part for the moment; however, once he doesn't spit up anymore and you can slowly increase his food intake, it will get easier for you.

Good luck.

Hi M.,
My oldest just turned 24 yesterday and my youngest is 21, but I remember the spitting up very clearly. Both of my girls did a lot of spitting up until they could sit up. I had been told that they had immature sphincter muscles and that by the time they could sit up on their own the spitting up would stop, and it did. One thing that seemed to help some was making sure to burp them after they ate. Sometimes I got sloppy about that. They were both very big babies, almost 10 pounds each. They were always very healthy kids. They both played soccer at a very high level from age 5 until they graduated from college (Division I NCAA). I add this to reassure you that despite the spitting up, they were and are healthy and strong. Don't worry.
L.

My 6 months old still spits a lot , I say like your baby about 5 times each feeding. Don't worry
about it your baby is healthy, my doctor says this completely normal as their digestive system is not fully developed yet. I have 2 kids,the first one is almost 6 years old now. He used to spit a lot more than the second one. HE is now perfectly healthy.I read so many books also it says the same thing that their digestive system is not developed yet.

Hi M. B.,
My 7 month old baby girl, Sara, had similar issues when she was first born and continued for at least 3-4 months. Our doctor recommended switching formulas-Enfamil AR for babies who spit up frequently. The formula base is made from rice and it apparently sits well in their gentle stomachs. On the negative side, it did give Sara constipation issues that were a side effect of this formula. She is since outgrown this stage, but you should get a second opinion, as it could be signs of acid reflux..which is common as well. Good Luck.

he may have a food alergy, this is what my son did. we cut down on the amount of intake at one time and fed more often.

My best friend had something similar with her son...ended up he had allergies...

I had a similiar experience with my daughter who is now 6yrs. old. Mine was not just spitting up it was throwing up. I had the same concerns she was 5months old and breastfeeding along with solid foods. I of course like you was concerned the doctors at first were not too concerned. They figured it was a virus. Then as it continued for a month with me repeatedly bringing her in, they responded. They scared me with the idea they thought she may have leukemia! They did a ton of tests even had a special x-ray done thinking her intestines may have been twisted. Which I found was not normally done on a child so young. I was sooo scared! Everything turned out to be fine and she eventually stopped throwing up! I think it just comes down to trusting your doctor. Maybe get an opinion of another doctor just to put your mind at ease.

First of all, my little boy was a puker too. So I know where you are coming from.
If I were you, I would focus more on the bottle feedings than solids. When your baby is taking a bottle, how much does he drink before you burp him?
I would literally burp him after every ounce or two, to help get that milk down.
Also I would add a little bit of rice cereal to the bottle, just to thicken it a little bit.
I assume that you are formula feeding b/c you told me the ounces. I know that Enfamil makes a formula called Enfamil A.R. The A.R. stands for added rice, rice starch is already added in to the formula.

If you are breastfeeding, take him off of your breast every couple of minutes, burp him really good, and then put him back on.

I hope that this information helps you. ;-)
Good luck!

Three out of four of my children had an acute case of acid reflex, so they would spit up after eating or gulp a lot. I tried to feed smaller amounts for feedings, and burp after a couple ounces to ensure there wasn't too much gas. Our pediatrician actually suggested to have them lay on their tummies to sleep and put them on their tummies more. Try not to move them around too much after feedings, and feed them smaller amounts more frequently. It worked for us.

My son was spitting up quite a bit until I switched him from Rice Cereal to Oatmeal. I also decreased the amount in his bottle by 1oz. I saw vast improvement within 3days. I don't know what your feeding him for solids but if you haven't tried Oatmeal you might want to give it a shot.

When my son was a baby he also sipt up A LOT! I mean A LOT...to the point where I had to have a spit cloth with me ALL THE TIME. I am not kidding. I just started giving him less milk or food at a time but more often. I would also make sure he burbed in the middle of a feeding and make sure after eating keep him up right for a little bit and no bouncing him around. If he doesn't have a reflux problem (reflux developes later) then he is probably fine. As long as he is gaining weight and still eating and also it doesn't seem to bothering him then no need to worry I PROMISE!!! Also.......thry another formula....I used Enfamil® Gentlease® LIPIL®
Enfamil Gentlease LIPIL is the first and only formula for babies with fussiness or gas that combines all of the following features:

A special blend of easy-to-digest milk proteins, patterned after the blend of proteins found in breast milk, that have been partially broken down. Comparison to breast milk is based on whey-to-casein ratio of typical mature breast milk (15 days to 6 months after birth).
A balance of carbohydrates, with reduced lactose, designed for babies with fussiness or gas.

Hi M.:

Sometimes spitting up like that is the result of allergies. You may want to consider looking into it. My suggestion to you is that you visit NAET.com, order and read the book "Say Good-Bye to Children's Allergies." If you decide to make an appointment to consult with an NAET certified doctor, you can find one at naet.com. I go to Dr. David Karaba in Fullerton and absolutely love him. His phone number is ###-###-####. One of the wonderful things about NAET is that for babies/children or the infirm, they can be treated through a surrogate, i.e., you. Here is the description paragraph from the book information.

"Say Good-bye to Children’s Allergies
By - Devi S. Nambudripad, M.D., D.C., L.Ac., R.N., Ph.D.

In Say Good-bye to Children’s Allergies, Dr. Devi S. Nambudripad, the developer of NAET®, will help you understand your child’s illness and will assist you in finding the right help to achieve better health for your child. This book will show you how certain commonly used products in your foods and environment can cause health problems in your child; how you can test your child in your privacy of your own home using the Nambudripad’s Testing Techniques described in the book. This book will educate you how your child’s health problems can relate to allergy, a traditionally under-diagnosed or misdiagnosed condition; and, how allergies can manifest into myriad symptoms that might seem unrelated. The author also provides remedies for mild conditions of common childhood ailments arising from allergies and how to find help in assisting your child find the right help for serious problems such as, asthma, hay-fever, common colds, sinus problems, milk allergy, peanut allergy, sugar allergy, hives, gastritis, vomiting, colic for newborns, ear infections, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, bronchitis, drug reactions, and many other conditions. Dr. Nambudripad explains how allergies are often the underlying causes to pediatric problems and how NAET® testing procedures and NAET® treatments can offer relief from these allergies. The book is supported by NAET® practitioners’ testimonials and patients’ success stories."

Best wishes,

M.

Spitting up is very normal. My son that is now 3 spit up all the time. I had the same concerns, but he had sufficient weight gain...so they said not to be worried. I even fed him in the office, and let him spit up for him. My Dr. got out a tea spoon. Then spilt it on a napkin. It's not that much, but it looks like a lot. I have a 4 month old also....and he's another spitter-upper. Sometimes if I don't get a good burp, I get more spit up. Some times the things you eat can make them spit up more than normal. Like things that are very acidic. Juices, sauces.... Good Luck

I so feel your pain :) My son is now 10 months old, and I was losing my mind re his constant spitting up. My doctor also told me that in some babies it is normal - just a "loose connection" that would disappear by the time he was a year old. In the meantime, I tried every formula possible (I don't know whether or not you are breast-feeding), but the one that worked best, by far, was Gentlease - Infamil. It didn't eradicate the problem, but it did help. And, little by little, he stopped spitting up so frequently... By 8 months, it had almost stopped entirely.

It WILL stop, just try to be patient.

My sister-in-law's baby had acid reflux. You might want to research that and see if it might be what your son has. She's a year and 9 months now and she's fine but she did a lot of spitting up as a baby. They put her on Nexium or something like that for babies and she seemed to do better. They also bought her the wedge that goes in the crib under the fitted sheet.

I know that I have friends that have kids that either don't spit up at all, or spit up alot. My child did the same thing yours is, but on a higher level. After months of doctors telling us the same thing (he's gaining weight, etc.) we found out he had pyloric stenosis. That is when the flap to the stomach doesn't close all the way so the food comes up. It's kind of rare, but you might want to read up on it. Hope this helps you. Good luck!

If you live in Santa Clarita I would go talk to Kim at the Welness center next to the Valencia pharmacy in Newhall california. She is full of wisdom on natural ways to help our bodies. I believe there is homeopathic to help. Tell her you want drops. Is your baby allergic to milk? Good luck. MR

Both of my boys were major spitters! They are big, healthy guys, and I don't think you have anything to worry about.. Pack lots of extra onsies and bibs! Good Luck! It will eventually stop!
C. W

Sounds like maybe he is downing his milk too fast. Try stopping him every 5 minutes or so to burp and try not to let him back on until he has burped. That should help keep him from taking in too much air and keep the milk down afterwards! Hope it helps!
-Mom (of 8 year old twin boys and 6 year old daughter)

My doctor said the same thing. But, my son was border line premature and something in his throat he needed to learn to control. They were not worried because he was gaining weight. Give it time, he'll be o.k. He's my third son.

Hi M.!

I see you have a lot of responses so I will make mine short and sweet. My daughter did the same thing.. She is now 9 months old and only spits up a couple times a week. She stopped spitting up when she was able to sit up/ crawl. I too thought it was abnormal to spit up so much but she still was smiling,normal, and healthy like your son. I know its hard to wait, but hang in there. There is probably nothing wrong with him.

Hi M. -

My middle son did the same thing! After I fed him, he would literally filled my two cupped hands with spit-up, and was always "puking"! We even had to replace our couch after he finally outgrew it, because it had been through the ringer! He was diagnosed with reflux, but since, like your baby, he consistently gained weight, and didn't seem bothered by it, his pediatrician recommended not treating it. He did outgrow it, (although nowhere near as sonn as we would have liked :) )and all was fine. The alternatives are to treat them with a medication for reflux, which is usually a baby size dose of the same medicine used for adults (Zantac, etc.).

I would say that as long as he is thriving, and isn't in pain, he's probably OK. BTW, a common sign of babies with reflux is a frequent thrusting out of the tongue -- does he do that? It is often caused by an "immature stomach" that is not completely "Sealed" or folded over on top, so things don't stay in. Don't worry though, it will eventually correct itself.

Hope this helps, and good luck -- get a good dry cleaner :)

Hello M..
Do not worry about a thing, just make sure he's not laying down when he happens to spit as you doon't want him to suffocate on his own food/milk.
As a mother of 3, I think everyone has experienced the "spitting up" issue. My son used to not only would he spit up through his mouth, but milk would come out through his nose. Yes it would freak me out, but my mother said that was normal, that it was sort of burping, and since they can't control their muscles very well yet, that's why he would spit. Also keep in mind specially if your child is already started on solid foods, experience with different flavor and such, maybe it's also a way to let you know he didn't like the flavor.
Good luck.
D.

Hi M. - I have a 14 yr old and a 10 yr old amd did alot of daycare in my days. Try smaller feedings, I think it might be he's just getting too much all at once and when they burp it sometimes just comes back up on them if it's too much in their little stomach. He might not be ready for so much of the solids either, you may want to back off on them a bit if he doesn't seem too hungry.
Hopefully that helps out. Good luck.
K. A.

My son spit up alot also. I really thought he had reflux but the doctor said it should get better because the percentage of babies that actually have genuine reflux issues is low. My son was a big baby and they told me the same thing, that it's not interfering with his weight so don't worry. Well, I still worried about it but it did eventually go away. By 8-9 months it got alot better as he was eating more solids. Hang in there. It gets better.

Dear M.,

It could be that his tummy is too full and the excess comes up. I noticed that my gr grand daughter does it too. ...and she doesn't seem to mind it either. She is 10 1/2 months old now.

If you still feel worried:

then you need to talk to the doctor or get online to the pediatrician sites. About.com/pediatician, or www.drgreene.com, or I am sure that the other mommies have good ideas too.

C. N.

M.,
I had a similar problem with my first son. I have a couple of thoughts for you:
1. 6 oz plus solids for a 5 mo old sounds like a lot of food. Could he be over eating and then spitting up because he is too full?

2. Take a tablespoon of milk and hold it shoulder height over a counter. Then allow it to spill onto the counter. You will be surprised how big a puddle one tablespoon will make = maybe your son isn't spitting up as large an amount as you think. My lactation consultant suggested trying this!

3. If your son is happy, meeting milestones and gaining weight I would take those as a sign all is well.

I hope this helps! Good luck!

HB

It's sounds like your feeding him too much. Baby's stomach is only the size of his fist. My daughter is 8 mos. and only now am i feeding her twice a day...i nurse and don't know exactly how much milk she gets after her food but i think it's about 4oz along with 1/2 c. of food (fruit/veg and oatmeal/rice). Just my thinking.

Hi M.,
My older son, who is now 2 1/2 years old spit up alot too. He had a condition called laryngomalacia, which is the softening of the cartilage on the vocal cords. My son made little noises, because of the change in breathing, and it also caused him to have reflux, which he needed medication for. If your baby has any of those symptons too, ask your doctor about it. My son is fine now, the condition usually spontaneously clears itself.

Hi M., You may be overfeeding your baby. I expierenced the same with my first who is now a healthy beautiful young woman.Again this was my personal expierence, if it continues I would see your pediatrician to ease your mind. As a first time mom we try to be perfect & make sure all there needs are being met,however babies do not come with a manual. Good Luck & Relax & enjoy your baby.

My advice: Listen to Toni K., She gave sound advice.
My daughter’s pediatrician told me to give my (then 3 mo.) daughter all the Pedialite that she wanted in the summertime: that it would keep her hydrated... He and I were idiots! It rotted her teeth! She is a healthy 9yr old now w/ a stunning smile.

My point.. Never question that instinct!
My advice: Listen to Toni K, she sounds like she knows!

My son did this too. It turns out that he's lactose intollerant. That might be something for you to check out. Good luck!

M.

Hi a friend of mine was just telling me about her son having acidreflux. Have you asked your doctor about that. If not my daughter use to spit up all the time when she was a baby and I changed her formula to soy and that helped alot. Hope this helps T.

Hi M.-

Don't stress too much. My 9 month old used to spit up alot. We discovered several things that helped.

1. Don't over feed. Perhaps six oz at a time is too much. My munchkin prefers only 4 or 5, even at 9 months.

2. We have to feed him sitting up. If you recline him he will spit up everywhere.

3. If he's the least bit congested, I give him Mylicon (gas drops) right before I feed him.

We also figured out, after realizing that there was mucus in the spit up, that spitting up was his way of expelling mucus.

Good luck and try not to stress!

Hi There,
It's not totally abnormal for your baby to be spitting up. I have 3 boys, including a five month old and they all went through the same thing. My 5 month old is actually going to see a GI doctor soon because he lost weight in the very begining...a lot of weight. Now he is finally gaining a lot of weight. Unless he is in a lot of tummy pain, and losing weight you don't really have to worry. A lot of babies have this problem, and it is common. It usually stems from a premature valve. The valve between the tummy and the asophagas should fully close, but in babies it sometimes doesn't because it's too small, causing a bit of reflux. In most cases it will close fully by the time they are around 1 year old.
Best of luck, I hope this helps,
B.

Hello Miss M. B.
So sorry that I am a litte late in posting this, but I can completely relate to your situation. Have you gotten accustomed to your wet shirts and pants smelling like the Mother's perfume of baby spit-up? LOL. I understand your situation. Two of my three kids had this problem. My first child, I, too was worried sick, so I had my daughter put on prescription meds to decrease the spit-ups, I personally, don't think that I saw much improvement. Some of them, such as Reglan, have some side effects that you might not want your little one to face. She eventually grew out of it by the time she was about 7-8 months. Then, my third child, had the same problem. I was changing his soaked clothes, seriously, like 6-7 times a day. He too, had no problem climbing the growth chart despite all of the spit-up episodes. When he was about 8 months old, the spitting up had pretty much resolved. So, for your little one, since he is gaining weight, he obvioulsy is not being affected by this. Just wait and see, he will grow out of it soon.

Have fun with your little one, they are such a joy!!

A. Nichols
Work At Home United
Personal Mentor, Mommy of 3
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www.enriched1.com

Yep! My oldest (now four years old) had quite the spit-up days for his first year of life. I breast-fed him and remember having towels all around me during every feeding. We called him the "spit-up king". He too was gaining weight, and we just had to trust that this phase would end one day. When that phase ended, we were quite relieved. It did last nearly a year, but did decrease with each month. Hang in there, trust your doctor, and know that the day will come when this will be in the past.

I also went through this w/ my little one.... Her first Pedi brushed it off as "you're a new mom, you don't know anything". Well, after I switched Pedi's and she did it in his office right in front of him, He determined it was acid reflux. He said that anything up to 15 minutes after eating is normal but not anything past that. She had to be on the meds for almost a yr. before we could wean her off. She did great w/i a week or so of getting on the meds. Go w/ your instinct and demand answers.

Hi M.,
I am now a grandmother of 4. I have three children, and they all spit up, and they are all fine. Your Dr. is absolutely right: Don't worry. Your baby is fine. Spitting up is common (my first sounds like yours, A LOT, but there is nothing to worry about. It ends somewhere around 6 months.
B. H.

Hi M.,
All that you had described is ok.....well.....this is my opinion. My third child was my spitting up child and sometimes more than a puddle. I would say your son has a reflux problem. It's not big deal. As soon as he is sitting up as well as walking, it will go away. Check out this website. http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/04
_spitting_up.htm

D.

i am a fifty eight year old with three children of my own and several grand children and my first born grandson did that if i remember correctly . And as it seemed to me at that time when very young he use to do that .
It turns out that the formula he was on at the time was the culpret . My daughter was mixing it to strong . Once she found that out and delt with it he never did it again .
Hope this was of some help to you . Or maybe he is just allergic to the one you are using !!!!!!!!!!!!!
If he is gaining weight and doc . Says he is ok . I wouldn't worry much about it unless it gets much worse .
A use to be young mom , tt

Hey M., it sounds like your little one does not have enough acid in his system to break his food down. When he eats, all the acid he does have goes rushing to break the food down, causing him to spit up. Give him a little organic apple cider vinegar, diluted with water. Squirt some in his mouth and to the back of his throat. The vinegar needs to be unpasturized and unfiltered. It has friendly bacteria and enzymes in it. If you give him the acids that his body needs before he eats, then he will not spit up, because the acid will not go rushing, because it is already there. It is common for babies to have a little acid reflux. It can be fixed easily by doing this remedy. Google it for yourself. Works like a charm. Braggs is the best brand.

My son, who is now 13 months old did the same thing. He stopped around 9 months, and is pefectly healthy and happy. According to his pediatrician he had mild Acid Refllux. He spit up all day long after every meal. The main indicator for a problem is if the baby isn't gaining weight.

I hope that info will set your mind at ease. It's the mountains of laundry that were the killer!

Enjoy your baby!

L.

Does your baby spit up just after feedings with milk or food? In my experiences, my 3 yr. old never spit up, but my 2nd baby whos 6 months spit up a lot. My 6 month old went through the same thing when I started giving him solids, so I lowered his intake on those, till his digestive system was a little stronger, and hes much better now. I also dont mix up the solids, but stick to one kind a day, so his body could consentrate on digesting that one food. Although, as long as hes gaining weight, Im sure hes healthy! Good luck!

Normal? Each child is independent moma, so try not to find the "normal" gauge or you'll be worried all the time. My middle (I have 3) boy did the same thing and he is a healthy happy nine year old today. Since I was breastfeeding, I took into account what I was consuming and made some adjustments to my diet which helped a bit. Also my own stress level affected him too. I started drinking some chamomile tea with peppermint tea blended (tea bags) and that also helped. Maybe his tummy is a bit too full. Take care and good luck. Soon you'll be on to something new in his development and you'll do fine if you stay in the calm so you can find solutions.

I would say your maternal instincts are correct. My son used to do the same exact thing and we discovered it was actually an allergy. Although there was ALOT of other things going on as well. He was also very cranky after eating and we had a difficult time getting him to take his bottle, his sleeping wasn't going well either. This carried on for about a month, with us thinking, like you, that it was just normal baby stuff. Then he busted out in hives and wouldn't take the bottle at all. So we tried all different kinds of formula, finally discovering that a hypoallergenic formula made him the happiest baby in the world. The change was like night and day. So I say if your son is showing signs that his formula is actually bothering him other than the spitting up, go with your instincts. If he seems happy to eat and doesn't complain a lot and then just spits up, try researching the different kinds of reflux. It maybe something that he actually grows out of, and it may be completely normal for him that he grows out of eventually. This may be why your doctor didn't explain it much, except to say that he was ok. Babies bodies develop at different rates, and his may just not be where other babies tummies are at at this point in time. But I say trust your instincts and research things and watch how he responds to things. It very well could be nothing, but if you ignore it and it is something, the guilt will drive you nuts. Better safe than sorry, especially with our little miracles. Good luck.

Does he burp well? It might be that he's maintaing some air in there and between feedings he's spitting up because of the gas. My grandson burps like a construction worker (no offense to anyone who works in construction...my late husband use to and boy did he sound the alarms when he burped!) so spitting up isn't an issue BUT sometimes when he hasn't burped well, he does spit up.

Also, do you feed solids and milk at the same time? Maybe just solids and water.

Hope this helps.

A. M.

My daughter did the same thing, but a little more! She was a happy little thing, but that was just her disposition! I knew she was uncomfortable! Anyway, I went to a doctor who specialized in digestive issues and he diagnosed her as having Reflux! Me put her on I think Zantax and she immediately stopped and even gained more weight! I did us a world of good! Follow your gut, even babies do spit up, you know deep down if something else is going on!

Hi M.,
It's been a long time since I had a infant, but I am fairly sure that is not "normal" and should be checked more thoroughly. I have a hiatal hernia (GERD) which produces similar symptoms (gastric "splashing" up through my esophagus and throat, and although that may not be it, it could be a gastric symptom. It could also be a reaction to the type of formula. Maybe you could try and alternative? Just a thought.
I would seek another Doctor's opinion first...matbe even a specialist.
Have a good day!
L.

My son, Daniel, used to spit up all the time also.(A Lot) Like you say, a puddle, and I wouldn't call it small. Any where we would go, I would have to take several changes of clothes for him and me, and I was afraid to let anyone hold him for fear he would spit up all over them. As with your son, he was also gaining weight appropiately and it never seemed to bother him either. His doctor said it was something underdeveloped in his esophagus, I believe, it was a long time ago, so I don't remember the exact name. She said it should resolve itself at about a year old, and it did, practically to the day my son turned a year it finally stopped. But his doctor said it was nothing to be worried about and that it was common. So I didn't worry because he was gaining weight and he was happy and healthy. He is now 12 years old and still happy and healthy. Hope that helps.