Babies are messy. Poop and pee are bad enough \u2013 but then there\u2019s the spit up. Once my daughter spit up right into her uncle\u2019s mouth as he played airplane with her! These are normal body functions, but parents often worry about spit up. Does their baby need some kind of treatment?<\/p>\n
All babies have reflux. When they swallow milk, it goes from the mouth down the esophagus and into the stomach (or \u201cgastrium\u201d). There\u2019s a muscular area called the lower esophageal sphincter that joins the esophagus and stomach. It tightens to keep food and drink in the stomach. In babies, this muscle isn\u2019t strong enough yet to prevent liquid from bubbling back up the esophagus and out of the mouth.<\/p>\n
We call this gastroesophageal reflux (GER). It\u2019s a normal, expected, and yes \u2013 messy \u2013 part of being a baby! At 4 to 6 months about 2\/3rds of all babies spit up every day. This slows down after 6 months, and usually stops by age 1. Most babies aren\u2019t bothered by GER at all. My daughter was the embodiment of what we pediatricians call \u201cThe Happy Spitter!\u201d She was a very happy baby who urped up all day long. I changed her clothes and mine about 5 times a day, every day.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the difference between spit up and vomiting?<\/p>\n
I remember one father in my office who took offense at the term \u201cspit up\u201d:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sounds like you don\u2019t understand how much is coming up – It’s not a small little spitty amount!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Vomiting is a forceful process accompanied by stomach contractions. Spit up or GER can involve what seems like large amounts of liquid, but it comes out of the mouth in a relaxed or flowing way. It usually happens with a burp or with a change of position after a feeding.<\/p>\n When is GER really GERD?<\/strong><\/p>\n Some babies have symptoms that are caused by the reflux. In that case we say the baby has gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). These symptoms can include:<\/p>\n What helps?<\/strong><\/p>\n There are several things that can help decrease spitting up until your baby outgrows it. You can:<\/p>\n Does GER or GERD need treatment?<\/strong><\/p>\n Not usually. Spitting up rarely needs medical treatment. It\u2019s a normal process that babies outgrow. Sometimes parents ask for, or doctors offer, medication to reduce the acid of stomach contents in hopes of decreasing symptoms. These medications have potential risks that should be considered before using them.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no current evidence that probiotics, herbal, or homeopathic treatments help infant GERD.<\/p>\n Call your pediatrician right away if your baby has any of these symptoms:<\/p>\n Call 911 or go to the nearest hospital if your child has difficulty breathing or is turning blue.<\/p>\n Babies do outgrow spitting up. This happens as a few things take place. The esophageal sphincter gets stronger as they get older. Solid foods stay down better, so as they eat more of those, you\u2019ll see less reflux. And as they spend more of their time pulling upright to stand and walk, gravity helps keep the food down in their stomach. Until all this happens may your baby be a \u201cHappy Spitter\u201d and you survive the laundry<\/a>!<\/p>\n Resources for Parents:<\/strong><\/p>\n The American Academy of Pediatrics\n
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\nGastroesophageal Reflux & Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Parent FAQs<\/a><\/p>\n