It is very common for healthy babies to spit up and usually will not cause any issues in regards to the baby’s growth and development. Baby spits up because his digestive system is yet to mature, making it easier for their stomach contents to flow back up into the esophagus.
Babies typically spit up after they gulp down some air with breastmilk or formula. As baby’s stomach is still very small, milk and air can fill it up quickly. With a full stomach, any change in position such as bouncing or sitting up can force the flap between the esophagus and stomach opens, causing baby to spit up some milk.
Babies usually spit up less as they grow. Most will stop spitting up by 12 months of age. Although spitting up in babies is common, there are ways and hacks to reduce baby spitting up and how to deal with it.
- Feed your baby is a more upright position and continue to hold your baby upright after feeding for at least 20 minutes.
- Burp your baby mid and after feeding to keep air from building up in your baby’s stomach.
Hack: Prepare Gauze Handkerchief or Sweat Pad when burping to catch any spit up.
- Avoid overfeeding. When baby’s stomach is filled up too fast and too full, it’s likely for him to spit up. To reduce the likelihood of overfeeding, feed your baby smaller amounts more frequently.
Hack: When feeding your baby, lay a piece of Gauze Handkerchief over his/her neck so you can wipe any milk spills or spit ups mid-feeding.
- Let your baby sleep with his head tilted to the side to prevent choking if baby spits up
Hack: Use Gauze Swaddle Bath Towel as baby’s “pillow” to catch the spit up. It can help absorb sweat from baby’s head and neck too!
- Limit post-feeding activity. Do not go straight into playtime or tummy right after feeding. Wait for at least 30 minutes after feeding.
