wondering how much spit up is too much. my 4 month old spits up a few different times after each feeding. at first it wasn't too much but recently it seems to be a little bit more projectile and more volume as well. Although not overwhelming or anything, still seems like "a lot" to me. I know they say as long as he isn't in pain and is gaining weight properly then everything is probably okay - but is that always the case?
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@leighleigh: My 6 week old is a fountain of spit up. His ped told us if he's gaining ok and not in pain, it's just "a laundry problem." We use receiving blankets as burp cloths because normal burp cloths just don't cut it!
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We were told over and over that it was fine but he kept getting sick with respiratory illnesses and finally they just prescribed Zantac at 7.5 months and it's made a huge difference. Apparently, reflux and respiratory issues are related. He was coughing/choking when nursing and drinking bottles and also really disliked laying on his back. Those were the only other "symptoms" of something being wrong other than the repeated illnesses.
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My daughter is 8 weeks and has massive spit ups once a day on average. Huge volumes. No one seems concerned because she's happy, gaining like crazy, sleeping, etc. It's so frustrating though! I'm tired of cleaning it up!
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Oh and just because they eat and gain well doesn't mean they aren't in pain because some babies overeat to soothe the burning. I found this site to be very helpful.
http://www.refluxrebels.com/acid-reflux-signs-and-symptoms-in-infants/ -
@leighleigh My DD was a champion spitter-upper. I obsessed about it but she was super happy and gained just fine. If your ped is not worried and it's not projectile it's just a laundry problem, not a health problem. Try to estimate an average spit up and if it's only a tablespoon or so it's not a big deal. It may seem like a lot, but really think about volume you think your LO is eating vs. what is coming out. It's probably not too bad. It was SO annoying and it didn't get better until she could sit up on her own around 7 months. It seemed like forever but I definitely stressed way too much about it.
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@Mrs. Pajamas: I am in the same boat as you...my LO is 5 months old and has been a happy spitter since 2 weeks old. Done EVERTHING! She is happy and gaining but I stress about it constantly! Its such a pain to deal with and I dread going anywhere....and having to explain to everyone who comes in contact with her. No one has ever made me feel like they are grossed out but its drives me crazy!
Adding oatmeal didn't help (but she loved it!). We are going to start solids next month.
I noticed you said you saw it stop around 7 months...was it gradual or just one day you noticed it had stopped? Did it stop for good or just lessen up.Im in tears over it more times than I care to admit. I would love your advice!
Thanks!
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@Nugget16 Hugs girl. I was totally there and I assure you there is no need for tears but I do understand. I felt so awkward insisting everyone that held her had to put a burp cloth on their shoulder and was embarrassed that she wore a bib EVERY day and often went through many a day. I got tired of explaining the situation to new babysitters/nannies/grandparents but alas, it eventually just eased up. It was not all of a sudden but it did go away. I just scrolled through old pictures (she was so fat and a BABY! Gah!). Looks like she was rocking bibs daily until about 10 months. So yup it took quite a while to go away. She is 2 now and it's kind of hard for me to recall honestly so you will get to this place before you know it! I ended up buying/borrowing cute bibs and that helped a bit for me even though it sounds petty!
We also started solids around 7 months (we did baby led weaning and LOVED it). I think the sitting up was more helpful than anything or maybe just the development of her esophagus/digestive track. Who knows but if you are freaking out feel free to vent to me! It's way better than other health issues my friends dealt with (like ear infections and lack of sleep) so that was helpful to remind myself when I stressed.
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I recently had a conversation about this with a friend. My baby had projectile spit up. One or both of us would get soaked. She was never unhappy before or after it happened. I on the other hand would sometimes cry because I was nervous she wasn't keeping milk in and would not grow. My doctor said the same as others that as long as she was happy and gaining them not to worry as she had no other symptoms of reflux or a milk intolerance. She did stop just after six months and I was so relieved. It didn't help her weight gain at all though. She started slowing at 4 months and is still fairly small at 13 months. Started solids at 6 months and has never been a big eater. So the spit up and lower weight gain weren't actually related.
Anyway, my friend said that sometimes it just does take a long time for kids' stomach valves to adjust and stay closed to keep the milk in. She said spit up and vomit were different and when I though my daughter was throwing up violently she was just spitting up the milk right after-totally undigested. I would be careful to hold her upright for a little bit after and couldn't be sure if I was trying to put too much in. I started putting a towel on me when breastfeeding in bed and anywhere at home. It was a stressful time.
Hopefully it's not reflux or anything and just the case that their digestive system needs to grow and get stronger like it seemed to be with mine.
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@Mrs. Pajamas: Thank you! I think when other people hear me warn them (excessively) they think I am over reacting---but I am a SAHM mommy and my husband travels quite often so I am around it 24/7...it is exhausting somedays!
I guess I should count my blessings and admit that only a few times a week do we have to change her outfit more than once but we go through a bib about every 2 hours (that is how long she is awake after each feeding). I try to not obsess over it but I don't know anyone else who has gone through this and I have googled it to death! Finally, I reached out on here and I think this may help me to talk with others who have gone through (and survived) it
Thanks for your response. We have learned to "time" photos of important events as to not have a bib in every picture but some days there's no escaping it. Everything is "timed"...so our visit to Santa may be interesting LOLThanks again for the encouragement! It meant a lot!
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@nugget16 my son had/has awful reflux (not just spit up) but he definitely had plenty of stuff coming up. I feel your pain. He wore bibs until he was like 13 months I think. Now at 15 months he spits up maybe 2-3x a week, which I NEVER thought would happen. Until he was 10 months and we got his Nexium dose increased, it was pretty normal for him to spit up 20x a day and easily a lot more as a younger baby. It was awful. I remember several occasions holding him in the glider after I nursed him, and he would spit up down my lap and I had baby vomit in my underwear. It will get better.
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@Mrs. Goose: She never seems unhappy about it...I tried to wean her off the Pepcid and I felt she was a bit crankier without out so Dr. was ok to let her stay on it for now, even thought we aren't 100% sure there isn't any GERD related. I am nervous to try solids because we got the ok at her 4 month check up to add oatmeal to her bottle in hopes to help with the spitting up and it didn't help at all. I even tried spoon feeding it before and after a feeding in hopes of some relief, but nothing changed. I don't feel the frequency increased, it was just chunkier and stinkier
She is growing and while she is only in the 16th percentile for her weight, I am petite so she may just be that way. She has doubled her birth weight and the Dr. said that was a sure sign that the spitting up isn't affecting her growth.
She is so cute...that even on the toughest, worst days of her episodes, I would gladly wear her regurgitated formula than to think it could be something much worse!Thank for reaching out! Here's to hoping she outgrows it soon
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@MrsADS: Thank you! I want it to hurry up and stop but I also don't want her to grow up too fast LOL I am trying to embrace it but somedays, I do just throw my hands up and want to cry. Poor thing, she could care less! We have learned to accessorize with cute bibs! So much for cute clothes, HA!
I joke with my hubby that the day she doesn't, I will probably have her at the ER thinking something is wrong with her
Thanks for reaching out! To feel encouraged by those who have walked in my shoes is really helping. I don't think people realize how tough this is unless they have been through it themselves!
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