Find out why your baby spits up, and why there's very little cause for concern when it happens.
By Health Promotion Board in collaboration with Dr. Yvonne Ng, Senior Consultant, Department of Neonatology, National University Hospital.
Spit-up is perfectly normal: most babies under 6 months old experience some amount of spit-up. Nevertheless, it is normal for mummies and daddies to get a little anxious each time it happens.
Normal baby spit-ups usually happens right after feeding or burping. It looks like the milk that was just fed or it may appear slightly curdled. Spit-ups occur when your baby feeds too quickly and swallows too much air with his milk. It also happens when he overfeeds.
Your baby spits up because he is still young, and the junction between the food pipe and stomach needs a bit of time to get “tighter”. The spit-ups will become less frequent as your baby grows older.
Related: Feeding Your Baby: Breastfeeding
Bring your baby to the doctor immediately in these cases:
Related: Your Growing Baby
While spitting up is perfectly normal for infants, here’s what you can do to minimise it from happening.
This helps him expel the air he may have swallowed during his feeds. Hold your baby on your lap, support his head and body with one hand and gently rub or pat his back with your other hand. Do so for a few minutes after feeding. There’s no need to force it: if your baby doesn't burp, he probably just doesn’t need to.
Stop feeding your baby when he shows signs that he is content, such as turning away from the breast or bottle, or feeling sleepy.
Remember, spitting up is common and is no cause for concern as long as your baby is eating and growing well. Keep up the good work, mummy and daddy!
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This article was last reviewed on 21 Dec 2022
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