Breastfeeding: Is it normal to spit up following a feed?
My exclusively breastfed 10-week-old son, has just started spitting up. He does it regularly after some feedings and sometimes spits up an hour after nursing. He seems otherwise healthy and is gaining weight. He seems to be taking more milk in at each feeding now, and his feeding times have stretched out to every two to two and a half hours. He also had lots of gas. Is spitting up normal for breastfed babies?
Question:Debbi Donovan
Debbi Donovan is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant, as well as a retired La Leche League Leader. For more than a decade, Debbi... Read more
Almost all babies spit up occasionally, so don't be alarmed.
Babies spit up for different reasons. When a baby taken in more milk than he needs, spitting up allows him to get rid of the excess. Fussy, colicky babies tend to swallow more air and seem to be more prone to spitting up. If a baby is jostled, or vigorously burped following a feed he may easily lose some of his meal. Usually the amount spit up looks like more than it actually is.
It can help to feed your baby in a more upright position. Following the feed, gently handle your baby, keeping him upright about 20 minutes. When you lie him down, place him on his right side, slightly elevating the head of his crib.
When a mom has a very abundant milk supply, it can also help to offer one breast per feeding, expressing just enough milk from the other breast for comfort. This provides a better balance of foremilk and hind milk, while cutting down on the total volume of breastmilk the baby receives.
If your baby is otherwise healthy, happy, and growing well it is unlikely that spitting up is anything other than a nuisance. If your baby has projectile vomiting, where his stomach contents shoot across the room, or if he seems to cough and choke a lot after spitting up, it would be wise to discuss this matter with your prediatrician to rule out any underlying medical condition.
Once your baby begins to spend much of his day in an upright position, spitting up usually subsides.
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