Reflux

Does your baby spit up after eating? That can be a sign of gastrointestinal reflux, which is common in babies and not usually a sign of concern.

In young babies, the muscle that exists between the esophagus and the stomach are not fully matured. This causes the baby’s stomach contents to come back up. Your baby spends time lying flat and is on a completely liquid diet, which are two contributing factors to reflux. As your baby matures, this muscle will only open when your baby swallows. This allows the contents of the stomach to remain there.

To decrease your baby’s spit up occurrences, hold your baby in an upright position when feeding or consider feeding your baby a smaller portion each feeding. Reflux usually resolves by the age of 18 months.  When the muscle between the esophagus and the stomach is weak or does not close properly, this is when symptoms of gastrointestinal reflux disease (GRD) become present.

Monitor your baby for the following symptoms, as these warrant an evaluation by a physician: inability to gain weight; decline of food, spitting up green, yellow, or blood; difficulty breathing/wheezing; chronic cough.

 

References:

Mayo Clinic. (2018, January). Infant reflux. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infant-acid-reflux/symptoms-causes/syc-20351408

U. S. Food and Drug Administration. (2018, January). Babies spitting up – Normal in most cases. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm363693.htm

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