Causes of spitting up a child. Why does a baby spit up milk or formula after feeding. What does normal regurgitation look like?

13.10.2019

Is the first year of a baby's life compatible with the absence of stress and worries? Perhaps this is the blue dream of every mom, which was never destined to come true. But if you immediately find the necessary information on various issues, then all worries will be minimized. Almost every mother doubts whether it is normal if a newborn baby does not spit up after feeding? And if on the contrary, spit up?

Spitting up after a meal with breast milk or formula is a completely normal phenomenon in most cases, because it is caused by natural causes. But still, sometimes mom should pay attention to this process, because it can serve as a pretext for some children's problems. Now that a feeding surprise comes with spitting up, you'll know what it means and if you need to do something about it.

Where do regurgitations come from

The statistics on this issue are quite categorical: 70% of mothers face regurgitation in a baby after feeding. Moreover, such a surprise visits them at least once a day. And if you fall into the category of moms who panic at the sight of how the baby spit up, these statistics should reassure you. This phenomenon has several reasons:

Breastfeeding is probably the most popular topic among mothers. And the basis of the basics in this matter is the correct attachment of the baby to the chest. There are many manuals and brochures to help mom learn how to do this. The baby should cover the entire nipple and most of the areola with his small mouth. If this does not happen, air will enter the children's stomach, which provokes regurgitation.
To swaddle or not to swaddle is the personal decision of each mother. Today, there are many theories that either "preach" swaddling, or call for doing without it. But there are parents who go to extremes and swaddle the baby too tight, turning him into a tin soldier. The child often reacts to such squeezing by spitting up and as if declaring: “Mom, loosen your grip!”.
There are children who eat too greedily and breastfeed too intensively. It's one thing when this happens rarely and means that the baby is very hungry. But sometimes this approach to food in a baby becomes a habit. Then he eats more than he should and simply spit up excess food. In this case, we advise you to slightly reduce the feeding time or take breaks in it.
If you are formula feeding your baby and he reacts to it by spitting up, then the type of product may simply not be suitable for him. Carefully study the composition of the mixture: the cause of whims is sometimes a high content of lactose.
Incorrectly selected can be not only a mixture, but also a bottle. To date, the market for children's goods is very diverse, and this is wonderful. You can purchase a bottle with a special valve that prevents air from entering.
Every mother knows the importance of nutrition during breastfeeding. But if she forgot about it (or seemed to forget) and ate something forbidden, then this may be the cause of the formation of gases in the children's stomach, and hence regurgitation.
Excessive activity after a feed is another common cause of a reaction.

These are the most common causes of spitting up and do not pose a threat to your baby. But there are other situations when a mother should, if not worry, then pay attention so accurately.

When is it not normal?

Perhaps the most important rule in raising a child is to take into account his individuality. If a woman does not adjust her child to general standards, does not blindly follow all advice indiscriminately and does not worry if her baby is somehow different from the neighbor's - she is a wonderful mother! This principle also works in matters of regurgitation. Below we have listed the symptoms that often indicate the presence of a problem, but they do not require any independent solution measures, and even more so the mother’s initiative in establishing a diagnosis. The first and only measure here is a consultation with a pediatrician.

If regurgitation occurs after each feeding and its volume gradually increases, this is often a signal to the baby that his digestion does not like something.
Pay attention to what your baby is spitting up. If the consistency is suspicious yellowish or greenish in color with blood or mucus, then it makes sense to consult a doctor to find out the cause and take action.
If the baby's tummy is soft after feeding, then there is no reason to worry. But bloating can sometimes be a bad sign.
Sensitive parents may notice that the process of regurgitation is accompanied by a disgruntled grimace in a child, which quite often symbolizes pain and discomfort in the abdomen.
In the event that the baby is weak, apathetic, not gaining weight, this is a reason for consulting a doctor. Pay attention to the general age norms for your crumbs. Although we are talking about the individual development of each baby, a strong lag is still unacceptable.
When breastfeeding, take a closer look at what the baby spit up. If everything is normal, the mass will resemble cottage cheese or curdled milk. It is easy to check the amount of mass without overly complicated measurements. Just pour a teaspoon of water next to the "surprise" that the baby left after feeding. When all natural, the patches will be about the same in size.

Most often, regurgitation is an absolutely normal process, because it is characteristic of many children. But sometimes it can be an indicator of pathology. In any case, it never hurts to consult a pediatrician to eliminate all doubts and guesses.

Main measures

Often, the simplest measures help to get rid of spitting up, or at least reduce their recurrence. Here is a universal memo with actions that can be very handy:

Do not feed your baby in a horizontal position, an inclination angle of about 60 degrees is ideal.
After feeding, hold the baby upright in a column so that the air can escape.
Watch your diet to avoid foods that cause gas.
Try to reduce the portions of feeding and the frequency of meals.
After eating, let the baby rest a little.
If the baby eats the mixture, offer it only in the form of heat.
Before eating, put the baby on his stomach for a couple of minutes.
If you are bottle feeding, position the bottle at an angle so that the nipple is filled with formula.

All mothers faced such a problem as spitting up milk. This phenomenon occurs in all infants. But sometimes the baby spit up a lot almost at the end of each feeding. Spitting up is very worrying for parents. Why is this happening? How to determine if this symptom is some kind of alarming sign? What to do to solve the problem?

During the first months of life, regurgitation is a physiological process. It is due to the following factor: the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus, which prevents the reverse movement of food eaten, is finally formed only by the year. The slightest errors in the technique of feeding, handling the child before or after feeding often cause profuse regurgitation, even a "fountain".

The main reasons why children spit up:

too much food - everything superfluous is displayed back. It happens because of too much milk, a mixture, or maybe too little time has passed since the last feeding and there was still some content in the stomach;
problems with the digestive system (constipation, colic, congenital anomalies) that interfere with the proper movement of food;
improper feeding - it is necessary to monitor the position of the child and how he captures the nipple. Otherwise, there is a high probability of the baby swallowing air with milk, a mixture;
prematurity;
disturbances in the work of the nervous system (a common cause of nutritional problems in children of the first months);
incorrectly selected mixture (in infants who are bottle-fed);
improper handling of a child, especially a newborn, after feeding: active games, rocking, turning from one side to another.

In addition, the reasons are different depending on the age of the baby:

in newborns, regurgitation is mainly due to weakness of the muscles of the esophagus and sphincter near the stomach;
at 1 - 2 months - with improper nipple grip, air swallowing and overfeeding;
at 4-5 months, when the baby is already turning over well, regurgitation is often associated with increased activity of the child during and after feeding;
from 6 months of regurgitation, recurring often, sometimes indicate diseases of the digestive system.

In most cases, the problem of frequent and profuse regurgitation is easily solved simply by observing the rules of feeding and handling the infant before and after feeding. But in some situations, you need the help of a doctor.

Signs of pathology

There are some warning signs. These include:

regurgitation is observed with a fountain, occurs often, despite strict adherence to the rules of feeding;
the mass that appears outside as a result of regurgitation has become unusual in texture, color, smell;
there are problems with stools and urination (usually there is a delay or a noticeable decrease in the amount - a sign of dehydration);
the baby does not gain, and sometimes loses weight;
the baby spits up and then cries and bends;
abdomen swollen, not very soft to the touch;
after regurgitation, the temperature began to rise;
regurgitation began at the age of 6 months;
regurgitation is observed at the age of more than 12 months.

When assessing how normal a baby's spitting up is, it is very important to consider his age. At the age of up to a month, the phenomenon occurs in most absolutely healthy children. But with age, as the digestive system develops, regurgitation should appear less and less. For many, the symptom disappears by the age of four months, and after 10 to 12 months, regurgitation indicates the need for medical intervention.

Help

At the end of feeding, do not put the baby on his back, especially with frequent spitting up. And in order to prevent the contents of the stomach from entering the respiratory system when regurgitation, the baby should be turned over on the stomach, you can pick it up, preferably giving the body a vertical position.

The modern pharmacological industry produces drugs that help fight the problems that arise due to belching and the causes of its occurrence. If medical treatment is necessary, the doctor will prescribe them. But you should not make an appointment yourself, as the reasons are different.

Summing up

Regurgitation - the exit through the mouth of the milk or mixture eaten - occurs in all infants. But improper feeding or health problems increase the intensity of the process. When a child spits up a lot, you should try to find out the cause and methods of dealing with the problem.

When the substance that comes out has become similar to vomit, has some other unusual color, the smell is already a pathology. A very large amount of regurgitation, deterioration in the general condition of the baby, regurgitation in children older than 12 months, its frequent appearance in those who have almost reached 12 months of age - a reason to consult a doctor.

You should not force the child to eat if he is not yet hungry and does not ask or refuses.
Before feeding, it is necessary to give the baby the opportunity to lie on his stomach for several minutes.
When feeding occurs, the newborn should be in a reclining state, but the head is slightly raised.
Make sure that the child does not swallow air. It is very important to help to properly latch on the nipple, and when feeding with formula, to choose the appropriate size of the hole in the nipple.
At the end of feeding, any vigorous activity is contraindicated. It is best to hold the baby in your arms in an upright position for a while.
If there are any changes in the color, smell, volume of the mass coming out during regurgitation, or if the baby is very anxious, be sure to tell the doctor.

Parents are worried if the child often burps: the process is very unpleasant, uncomfortable, stains clothes, and contributes to the development of various diseases. Involuntary release of stomach contents into the mouth is characteristic of all babies from birth to 1.5 years.

But if this happens too often, intensely and abundantly, this may be due to improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. You need to watch the baby and count how many times a day he spits up food to determine if this is a norm or a pathology.

There are specific indicators of how often a child should spit up to determine if he has health problems.

Norm

Normally, up to 1.5 years of regurgitation should pass on their own. If the baby has already stepped over this age line, and the problem still exists, this is a deviation.
Up to 4 months, it is considered normal if the child spits up no more than 2 teaspoons each time after eating.
Regurgitation in the amount of 3 teaspoons once a day is also considered the norm.
It is allowed, even if the child spits up after feeding the mixture with a fountain, but this happens no more than 1 time per day.
The norm, if at the time of regurgitation he does not show much anxiety, at the rest of the time he is cheerful, cheerful, active, has an excellent appetite, and gains weight well for his age.

Pediatricians suggest using a scale for assessing the intensity of regurgitation to determine the norm and deviations.

Scale

1 point: the child burps no more than 5 times a day, the volume is no more than 3 ml (it has to be determined by eye).
2 points: more than 5 times, volume - 3 ml (but not more).
3 points: more than 5 times, the volume is half of what he ate. This doesn't happen every time.
4 points: more than 5 times, the volume is half of what he ate. It happens every time after eating.
5 points: more than 5 times, most of the milk eaten.

Spitting up with an intensity of 3 points or more requires contacting a pediatrician.

Pathology

On a scale of regurgitation intensity, the child "scored" 3 or more points.
Often and profusely spits up a baby older than a year.
Regurgitation is accompanied by symptoms such as refusal to eat, lethargy, weakness, tearfulness, dehydration, drowsiness.
Poor weight gain.
The expelled contents of the stomach smell bad or change color.

Vigilant parents should regularly monitor the child, who spit up very often and profusely. This may be a wake-up call for health problems that require immediate treatment.

Medical encyclopedia. Regurgitation in medicine is indicated by several concepts at once: gastroesophageal or gastroesophageal reflux, GER.

Classification

If a child burps often and a lot, it is necessary to determine whether this is an individual feature or a malfunction in the internal organs. From this point of view, regurgitation is divided into 2 types.

Physiological

A natural process due to the still unfinished formation of the gastrointestinal tract and esophagus. are the norm in healthy children.

Pathological

Indicate a serious internal disease. An examination of specialists is required to establish the correct diagnosis: a pediatrician, a neurologist, a surgeon, a gastroenterologist, an allergist. Laboratory and instrumental examinations will be carried out.

Physiological and pathological regurgitation is due to different reasons that parents need to know about. By eliminating provoking factors, you can reduce the frequency and intensity of this unpleasant phenomenon.

through the pages of history. Gastroesophageal reflux was first described by Heinrich Quincke (a German physician) in 1879.

The reasons

The causes of the physiological and pathological process differ significantly.

Causes of physiological regurgitation

The child often spit up a lot due to the following structural features of the gastrointestinal tract:

short and straight esophagus;
vertical position of the stomach;
the sphincter (circular muscle) between the esophagus and the stomach is not yet sufficiently developed;
when contracted, it prevents the food from flowing back.

As the child grows older, the digestive system gradually matures and is finally formed. Then he stops spitting up so often.

Parents should understand that it is impossible to avoid this condition due to physiology. But it is in their power to make the baby spit up less often. To do this, you need to know the reasons why this happens too often and eliminate them in a timely manner.

artificial nutrition

Often parents are interested in why the child spit up after feeding the mixture. Despite the fact that it is maximally adapted for small children, it does not contain substances found in breast milk. Therefore, it is very difficult for an unformed stomach to digest it.

preterm birth

A premature baby often spits up because his esophagus and stomach are even less developed than those of a normal newborn.

Overfeeding

If the baby is actively suckling at the breast with a large amount of milk from the mother, he may spit up often and profusely. The same situation develops when switching from breastfeeding to mixed or completely artificial, if the amount of the mixture is incorrectly calculated.

Aerophagia

This is called the swallowing of air during feeding. This is due to:

- insufficient amount of breast milk in the mother;

- an inverted, flat nipple that the baby cannot completely capture with his mouth;

- a large hole in the nipple of the bottle during artificial feeding;

- insufficient filling of the nipples on the bottle with milk.

Aerophagia usually affects children with small or large weight.

Intestinal colic, constipation

With constipation, the pressure in the peritoneum increases, which disrupts the movement of food. Therefore, the child often spits up.

Wrong care

If, after feeding, the child is bathed, dressed, shaken, he will often and profusely spit up, because physical activity will not allow the stomach to calmly digest food.

hyperactivity syndrome

They cannot sit still in one place. After feeding, they twist their arms and legs, turn over, and are in an active, restless state. This interferes with the normal functioning of the stomach, and profuse regurgitation occurs.

Causes of pathological regurgitation

Diseases of the digestive system: chalazia, pyloric stenosis, gastritis.
Diaphragm hernia.
CNS pathology.
Increased intracranial pressure.
Food intolerance (most often - lactose).
Hereditary disorders: phenylketonuria, galactosemia.
Infectious diseases.

Parents can eliminate the causes of physiological regurgitation on their own by taking a number of appropriate measures. But diseases that cause pathological regurgitation require consultation with a specialist and qualified treatment.

According to statistics. Physiological regurgitation is observed in 80% of children, pathological - only in 20%.

Symptoms

If the baby often burps, it is necessary to determine not only the intensity of this phenomenon and the volume of the food masses expelled. It is necessary to trace what symptoms accompany this process in order to correctly and timely determine the pathology. And for starters, it is desirable to learn how to distinguish regurgitation from vomiting, which has the following clinical picture:

tension in the abdominal muscles;
the ejection of food occurs under such strong pressure that it even goes through the nose;
vomiting is preceded by blanching of the face, anxiety, cold extremities;
elevated temperature;
liquid stool;
in the vomit there are impurities of bile, blood or mucus.

If the child simply burps, this happens involuntarily, that is, without effort, the abdominal muscles do not tense up.

Hiccup. If a newborn baby often spits up and hiccups at the same time, you need to see if this is constantly repeated. If once - it's okay, he just swallowed air. If this happens regularly, it may be due to the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.
If your baby is spitting up a lot after breastfeeding and has skin rashes, they may be lactose intolerant.
If the baby spits up immediately after eating or after a short time in a volume of about a teaspoon (5–10 ml), and the mass is unchanged or partially curdled milk, this is a sign of overfeeding.
If the baby becomes restless after feeding, his tummy is distended, and 10 minutes after feeding, milk is poured back unchanged, accompanied by a loud burp, these are symptoms of aerophagia.
If a child burps frequently and profusely, becomes whiny, does not gain or even lose weight, does not eat the amount of food necessary for his age, this is a pathology, and a visit to a doctor is required.
At the moment of regurgitation, the baby can tilt the head back, and very strongly, at the risk of choking - this is an alarming signal of hydrocephalus or problems with the central nervous system.
Staining of the regurgitation mass in an intense yellow or greenish color is a symptom of an infection introduced into a small organism.

The more attentive parents are to the symptoms, the safer their baby will be. The sooner they suspect a pathology, the sooner the necessary treatment will be carried out. If there is no cause for concern, you can independently reduce the frequency of regurgitation.

Note. Children who often spit up are recommended to drink a mixture from a special bottle of Dr. Brown. In its upper part, where the nipple is located, there is a valve that prevents the swallowing of air. Air bubbles and vacuum are excluded. Vitamins are not destroyed in such a bottle. The sloping top allows the baby to take the most comfortable position for feeding, which prevents aerophagia.

Actions of parents

If the child often spit up after feeding formula or breast milk, but this is purely physiological, parents should know what to do in such cases. It is completely impossible to eliminate this phenomenon, but it is in their power to reduce the frequency and volume of rejected food.

After each feeding, hold the baby in a “column” (vertically). In this position, the air from the stomach will come out without food. If this does not happen, put it on for 1-2 minutes, and then repeat again.
If the baby spit up frequently while formula feeding, check if the hole in the bottle is large.
During feeding, make sure that the nipple is completely filled with milk.
If the child often spits up breast milk, it is necessary to monitor the correct posture at the time of feeding. He should suckle at the breast while in a semi-upright position. It is necessary that he captures the nipple completely, along with the areola.
Spread the child before eating on the stomach on a hard surface.
After feeding, limit the activity of the baby: do not play with him, do not change clothes, do not bathe.
Make sure that diapers and clothes do not press on the stomach.
Feed often, but little by little.
The head of the crib should be raised by 10 cm.
Don't feed a crying, screaming baby.
Ensure an active lifestyle: regular bathing, walking, massage and daily gymnastics strengthen the muscles responsible for the digestive tract.
Mom needs to follow a diet while breastfeeding: eliminate foods that cause flatulence from the diet. These include cabbage, black bread, legumes, apples, pastries (you can read about the menu for a nursing mother).
Give your baby some dill water or fennel tea.

All of these steps should fix the problem. But if the situation remains the same, if the child still burps often, despite all the measures taken, a pediatrician should be consulted. After examination, he can issue a referral to a gastroenterologist, who will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Useful advice. If the child is fed formulas, they should be free of palm oil or based on whey protein, partially hydrolyzed.

Treatment

Treatment of regurgitation takes place in several stages.

Conversation with parents

The doctor explains to parents that regurgitation is a physiological event that goes away spontaneously in most babies by 12 months.

Use of thickeners

If the examinations did not show pathologies, and the actions of the parents did not lead to the desired result, the doctor may prescribe special milk thickeners (mixtures). They contribute to a long delay of food in the stomach and prevent its return to the oral cavity.

If the baby often spit up after breastfeeding, rice, corn starch, flour, gluten bean ceratonia legumes, or carob beans are suitable as thickeners. 1 teaspoon is diluted in 30 ml (3 teaspoons) of milk. Pediatricians recommend in such cases to use the well-known "Bio-rice water" from the German company Hipp.

For artificers, antireflux mixtures of therapeutic action are used. They are divided into groups depending on the type of thickener:

- having ceratonia (locust bean) gum as part: Humana AR, Frisovoy 1 and 2, Nutrilon Antireflux, Nutrilak AR - are highly effective, the duration of treatment is about a month;

- developed on the basis of rice starch: "Enfamil AR", "Samper Lemolak" - act gently, the duration of treatment is up to 2 months.

Prescribing drugs

Appointment of the prokinetic cisapride (to stimulate the motility of the digestive tube), domperidone (to increase the rate of gastrointestinal peristalsis), metoclopramide (to eliminate the gag reflex).

Support measures

In the absence of the effect of the treatment at the previous stages, the reverse Trendelenburg position is used as an auxiliary measure, when the child lies on his back with his head raised by 30 °.

H2 blockers

To treat digestive problems, your doctor may prescribe H2 blockers (Ranitidine, Cimetidine, Omeprazole).

Surgery

If examinations show serious pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, a surgical operation will be required.

The last word in medicine. In 2013, the head of the Committee of Gastroenterology and his co-authors presented for discussion a new algorithm for the treatment of infants who often spit up. It is currently in the approval phase.

With frequent spitting up of the baby, parents should not panic. They need to determine whether this process is within the normal range, or whether it is a pathology that requires appropriate treatment. If there are suspicions of deviations, an immediate consultation is necessary not only with a pediatrician, but also with a gastroenterologist.

How to relate to regurgitation in the first months of a child's life, whether it is possible to avoid them and whether to be afraid.

1. Why is this happening?

Infantile regurgitation is a process in which a certain amount of food returns to the pharynx and mouth from the stomach or esophagus. Often, air that the child swallowed during feeding also comes out at the same time as the food.

Regurgitation occurs in most infants under the age of six months, but the reasons for this can be different, ranging from an unsettled feeding process to congenital pathologies.

There are two groups of reasons: the so-called banal (those that can be eliminated by making changes in the regimen, lifestyle or diet of the child) and reasons that require serious treatment.

2. Banal reasons.

1. Overfeeding. The volume of the baby's stomach is small, and if the child overeats, then he gets rid of the excess. Regurgitation in this case is just a defensive reaction of the body.
What to do? Some pediatricians recommend feeding according to the regimen, as the regimen helps to clearly track the volume of milk or formula, which means that the baby will not overeat and spit up too much. On the other hand, in accordance with the recommendations of the working group of the European Society of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, clinical nutrition in the treatment of regurgitation includes, first of all, more frequent feeding of the child in smaller portions than usual. This approach corresponds to feeding on demand, in which the baby is more often applied to the breast, which means that he receives a smaller amount in each specific feeding (although he eats the norm per day). The question of the regime or its absence is decided individually.

2. Swallowing large amounts of air during feeding (aerophagia). Children who swallow a lot of air behave restlessly after feeding, cry, their tummy is clearly “inflated”. At the same time, they burp with a characteristic loud sound of outgoing air.

risk group. Regurgitation often occurs in premature babies, babies with intrauterine growth retardation. The "maturation" of all processes in such children continues for about 6-8 weeks after birth. During this period, the baby masters the complex process of coordinated sucking, swallowing and breathing. Since this is not easy for him, spitting up can be intense. If there are no other complicating factors, as the body matures, regurgitation disappears.

Aerophagia can have many causes:

the child is hungry, worried, crying (breathing is disturbed, he is in a hurry, gasps for air); Incorrect attachment during breastfeeding (the baby does not grasp or does not grasp the areola correctly, or the mother has a flat, inverted nipple);

wrong when feeding or too big hole in the nipple.

3. What to do?

If the child woke up very hungry and worried, postpone all hygiene measures for later - feed the baby first.
Strictly observe the feeding technique - the baby must capture the areola, and not just the nipple. If you are feeding from a bottle, then hold it so that the entire nipple is filled with milk, and the size of the hole is appropriate for age (1 - for a newborn).
In order for the air to come out, which the baby could swallow during feeding, it is enough to hold the baby vertically (putting it on his shoulder) for 3-5 minutes. This can be done both after feeding and during it: if the baby is worried, crying and you see that he swallowed air.
If the air still does not come out, you can put the child on his stomach on a soft pillow.
It is necessary to ensure that the baby can breathe easily when feeding: regularly clear the nose of mucus and crusts, and when breastfeeding, make sure that the baby does not rest his nose on the chest.

The digestive system of a newborn baby is still imperfect, therefore, it often cannot digest even the most suitable food for it - mother's milk.

It is for this reason that after eating, his stomach may involuntarily push some of its contents into the esophagus and further. The result of this is a phenomenon that is commonly called regurgitation - that is, the child spits food out.

Sometimes regurgitation is weak, and sometimes it resembles a real fountain - it depends on the force with which the walls of the stomach push food out. In 80% of cases, regurgitation is a physiological norm, but there are situations when they are a symptom of certain diseases and developmental pathologies, that is, a young mother should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Causes of regurgitation in a baby: norms and pathologies

How to determine whether this phenomenon is the norm or pathology? Usually, mothers anxiously monitor the frequency and amount of regurgitation in the baby, but in fact these factors are secondary.

First of all, attention should be paid to the general health and well-being of the child, as well as to the dynamics of weight gain. If the baby is smiling, happy and cheerful, and also gaining the required kilograms, there is most likely no reason for concern.

In this case, the child may spit up for the following reasons:

Overfeeding. Among the reasons for spitting up, many doctors cite overeating, as well as the style of feeding "on demand", and in such cases the baby often spit up a fountain.
features of peristalsis. A newborn baby sucks food in batches - that is, takes several sips, followed by a pause, during which he swallows what he managed to suck out from the breast or bottle. Milk or formula is a simple, liquid food, so it reaches the intestines quickly. Immediately after this, peristaltic waves arise in it, which cause the fundus of the stomach to tighten and push the contents out.
Colic and gas. Excessive gas formation can also cause frequent regurgitation, as air bubbles put a lot of pressure on the walls of the stomach and intestines.
Aerophagia. If the nipple does not fit snugly against the bottle during artificial feeding, or if the opening is too large, this can lead to air swallowing - this is also one of the reasons for spitting up.
hyperactivity syndrome. In highly excitable, hyperactive children, regurgitation is observed much more often than in calm babies.
developmental delay. Often this phenomenon is observed in premature babies or infants with intrauterine growth retardation, as their digestive system needs a few more weeks to finally “ripen”.

Options for pathology

If parents are still worried about the fact that the baby is spitting up regularly, you need to try to assess their intensity.

Of course, it is almost impossible to measure in milliliters the amount of milk that the baby burped, so you can do this with a teaspoon (its volume is approximately 5 ml). You should pour one or two teaspoons of water onto a dry diaper and compare the stain with the amount of the mass that the baby burped.

To assess the intensity of regurgitation, there is a special scale:

Regurgitation can be a symptom of any disease or pathology in the following cases:

If, on a scale of regurgitation intensity, the baby “scored” 3 or more points;
When regurgitation is observed in children older than a year;
If regurgitation is accompanied by additional symptoms: refusal to eat, weakness, tearfulness, drowsiness, dehydration;
If the child often and profusely spits up, and at the same time gains weight poorly;
When the contents of the stomach have an unpleasant odor or change color.

All this may be evidence of the presence of certain pathologies or diseases, including:

Improper development of the gastrointestinal tract. The human digestive system is very complex in its structure and principle of operation, therefore each of its organs must be located in the appropriate place and perform their functions correctly. If there is one slightest defect in it, the entire work of the gastrointestinal tract will be disrupted. There can be a lot of options in this case, so the doctor should determine the cause of excessive regurgitation.
Lactose intolerance. In breast milk and any milk formula, there is always a protein called lactose, which is broken down in the stomach by a special enzyme - lactase. If the body does not produce enough of this enzyme, milk intolerance occurs - that is, the baby's stomach cannot digest milk, and "throws" it out in large quantities.
CNS pathology or hydrocephalus. With such diseases, the child may often and strongly spit up after each meal, and the child becomes whiny, restless and often throws his head back.
Infection. The digestive system is the first to react to any infection, so the frequency and intensity of regurgitation in a sick child may increase, and the contents of the stomach turn yellowish or greenish. If a mother notices a similar phenomenon in her baby, she should immediately go to the doctor, since all infectious diseases in children require immediate treatment.

How to distinguish regurgitation from vomiting

Many inexperienced mothers are very frightened of every regurgitation of their baby, as they take it for vomiting. How to distinguish these two phenomena from each other?

Regurgitation occurs immediately after feeding, or about an hour after it, sometimes with a sharp change in the position of the child, and the food flows out without much effort and contractions of the abdominal muscles. The baby in this case does not show any signs of anxiety and additional symptoms.
When vomiting, the contents of the stomach come out in large quantities and are accompanied by an active contraction of the abdominal muscles. It is preceded by bouts of nausea, in which the child becomes restless and whiny, and his skin turns pale and covered with sweat.

In addition, in addition to milk, bile is often present in vomit, which is why they turn yellow. In this case, the child needs immediate and immediate medical attention.

How to reduce the frequency and intensity of regurgitation?

Even if regurgitation is not a symptom of any pathology, many parents do not want to wait until this phenomenon goes away on its own. It should be noted that drugs that can quickly and safely eliminate it do not exist today. In order to reduce the frequency and intensity of regurgitation, doctors recommend:

Carry your baby upright as long as possible after each meal until he burps air. You can also hold him in a "column" before feeding, so that all the air that has accumulated in his stomach also comes out.
Do not feed the baby when he is crying. A crying baby will swallow air along with food during feeding, so after eating it will probably spit up.
Choosing the right formula and bottle for your baby who is artificially fed. Often the reason for regurgitation in "artificial" babies lies precisely in the wrong selection of the mixture. In addition, today there are special anti-reflux mixtures that slightly reduce regurgitation. How to choose a mixture, read. As for the bottle, the hole in the nipple should not be too large, and during feeding, it should be in such a position that the nipple is completely filled with liquid. How to choose the right pacifier for the bottle, read
Do not arrange active games with the child immediately after feeding. To reduce the intensity of regurgitation, it is necessary that immediately after eating the baby lie down quietly for at least 15-30 minutes.
Feed your baby more often, but in smaller portions. So that the child does not pass on, you can try to slightly reduce his usual portion, but the daily amount of food should remain unchanged. Read about the signs of undernutrition and oversupply.
News active lifestyle. Bathing, walking, visiting a massage and daily gymnastics help strengthen muscles, including those that are responsible for the work of the digestive tract.
Follow the diet while breastfeeding. A nursing mother should eliminate from the diet all foods that can cause flatulence: black bread, apples, legumes, pastries, cabbage, etc. Read about mom's nutrition during breastfeeding
Eliminate constipation and colic. By reducing the pressure in the stomach and intestines of the baby, the intensity of regurgitation can also be reduced. For this, special products and teas are used - for example, based on fennel, and in more serious cases, anti-reflux medications.

In summary, regurgitation that is not accompanied by weight loss or other warning signs is not a cause for concern.

In this case, the mother just needs to make sure that regurgitation does not interfere with the baby's comfortable existence, and in due time this unpleasant phenomenon will remain in the past.