MY BABY REGURGITATES, WHAT CAN I DO?

Mild or moderate regurgitation (milk expulsion) during or after feeding the baby under six months happens very frequently.

It is a common and physiological phenomenon that is solved over the months. In the absence of any other symptoms, no treatment should be performed, but this fact must be distinguished from gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is more worrying.

Reflux disease or regurgitation?

A baby who regurgitates (simple or physiological reflux) does not suffer with milk expulsions, which are usually of small quantity. It is even likely that after "returning" they will feel better and smile (or do so while they sleep, without flinching), because what they had were gases and these are expelled when they burp next to the liquid.

The baby gains weight properly week by week, then What your baby has is regurgitation or simple "reflux", which is uncomfortable, yes, but does not affect your health.

The cause of regurgitation or physiological reflux is the immaturity of the valve that closes the stomach, which sometimes causes part of its contents to leave the stomach effortlessly. We all have this type of regurgitation from time to time, but in babies they are much more evident by such immaturity.

On the other hand, we can suspect that it is a gastroesophageal reflux disease (commonly abbreviated in "reflux") if we are facing violent vomiting, the baby cries and writhes when expelled. This vomit is the active, abrupt and annoying expulsion of abundant gastric content. Generally we can detect nausea that precede them, and these vomits are also expelled with arches or convulsions and are less frequent and more numerous than "mild" regurgitations.

In these cases we see that the baby suffers and perhaps does not gain weight as it should. Then we have to go to the pediatrician, because we no longer talk about simple regurgitations.

In Babies and more Is it necessary for the baby to burp after each take?

What to do if my baby regurgitates?

If you rule out gastroesophageal reflux disease, what our baby has is regurgitation, what we can do to ensure that our baby does not have these "leaks" is the next:

Do not force the baby to eat if it seems that he is not hungry. It should never be forced, either to the breast or bottle, but especially if the baby has these small vomits frequently.
The chest is always the best, also in these cases, since it has the perfect "mix". If you give a bottle, try to take the formula not too concentrated or too much water, following the instructions to properly prepare the bottle.
Don't wait for your baby to be very hungry to breastfeed. If it takes you a long time to feed him, he will suck with eagerness or start crying and swallow more gases than usual.
Take your baby in an environment as calm and relaxed as possible, without haste.
Keep calm after the meal, while doing the digestion. We all like to "rest" after eating: do not start a frantic activity (taking into account that this for a baby can be to go to dress it, to bathe it ...). If the baby is calm after eating, it is easier not to regurgitate.
After the shots we can adopt a simple postural measure: that is not completely lying down but rather incorporated, to the arm, in a hammock ... This, as the previous measure, will help the stomach contents not so easy to get out.

In Babies and more Babies who "return": reflux disease or regurgitation?

These are simple "tricks" to prevent your baby from having so many regurgitations and avoid so many changes of bibs, gauze and clothes. Anyway, remember that with the passing of the months this reflux will remit. Normally, around six months, when the baby begins to eat solids and already sits, the regurgitations disappear.

If, on the other hand, you see that your baby is having a bad time with abundant, projective vomiting, which seems to hurt, is normally irritated and his weight curve does not evolve properly, then he is likely to suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease and has of consulting the pediatrician.