HEDI - Babies Throw Up

It's not uncommon for babies to throw up frequently. It can often happen that the milk ends up on a burp cloth when the baby has drunk hastily. Sometimes the contents of the baby’s stomach also moves up when the baby gets excited. As long as your baby continues to gain weight and seems lively, everything is probably fine. Then you just have to remember to pack spare clothes for you and the baby in your diaper bag. A few extra burp cloths won't hurt either.

Quite normal: The baby spits the milk back up

In the first few months of a baby's life, milk can often spill back into the baby's mouth. The reason for this is usually that the sphincter muscle at the entrance to the stomach does not function properly yet. This type of spitting is also called ‘flaccid vomiting’. You see it in many babies.

Getting more milk to stay in the baby’s stomach

You should not delay your baby's meals for too long. After all, if the baby is very hungry, they drinks more greedily and swallows too much air. This can also happen if you use a nursing cap or if too much air is drunk from the teat of the baby bottle. In any case, make sure the environment is as relaxed as possible during mealtimes. Your baby should remain in the same position throughout breastfeeding or bottle feeding. After the meal, hold your baby upright in your arms for a while. You can also carry them around and gently pat them on the back. This way you support the baby to burp. If your baby swallows a lot of air, you can also pause halfway through the meal to allow your baby to burp in between.

In the case of pathological burping, thicken the food

If your baby burps heavily and often, then the condition could be pathological. This is called reflux and can be diagnosed by paediatricians. Under professional guidance, you can then switch to anti-reflux food or use an anti-reflux thickener. Although some of these products can be found in drugstores, you should never use them without the advice of a midwife or paediatrician. It is only really safe and healthy for your baby to use if a medical diagnosis has been made.

When does my child need to be examined?

If your child is throwing up noticeably often, or if they seem groggy and listless, you should visit a doctor's office or the emergency room. The same applies if your baby loses weight or does not gain weight for more than a week. Special care should be taken if you observe other signs of illness, such as fever and diarrhoea. You also need to act if your child not only spits up a lot and frequently, but also cries regularly after being fed. Severe, explosive vomiting can also be an indication of a problem.

Babies Throw Up

Quite normal: The baby spits the milk back up

Getting more milk to stay in the baby’s stomach

In the case of pathological burping, thicken the food

When does my child need to be examined?

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