Very common in infants, regurgitation is generally mild. However, they often worry young parents. What are they due to? What could be done to fix it ? Answers and advice from Dr Jérôme Valleteau de Moulliac, pediatrician in Paris.
Regurgitation results in rejection of milk that occurs within an hour of breastfeeding or bottle feeding. The latter are generally scanty, occur without effort, during wakefulness, and are not associated with changes in appetite or changes in height and weight development.
Is it normal for babies to regurgitate after their bottle?
THE regurgitation correspond to small involuntary discharges of milk that occur after breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Without seriousness, they concern most of the infants aged 3 or 4 months. In the medical community, we speak of reflux physiological gastroesophageal. “This phenomenon is perfectly normal. It is important to distinguish between physiological gastroesophageal reflux, more commonly known as regurgitation, which affects most children, and pathological gastroesophageal reflux.“, comments Dr. Jérôme Valleteau de Moulliac.
Why does baby regurgitate?
- The baby spits up because his cardia, the valve ring that keeps stomach contents from coming up the esophagus, is immature. Instead of doing its job properly, it lets out some of the milk.
- The baby may also bet fed too closely and does not have time to digest suitably between two takes.
- In bottle-fed babies, the flow of the teat may be the cause, it should be checked that it is well adapted to their age.
Up to what age does baby regurgitation occur?
When you give the bottle to your newborn, it is completely normal for him to spit up. According to the specialist, infant regurgitation “fade at the time of diversification, before disappearing completely at the age of 12 months”
What to do if baby regurgitates?
There are simple steps to prevent regurgitation in infants.
- take breaks while giving the bottle,
- burping him after every meal,
- split meals,
- avoid that he is too tight in his clothes or diapers because this increases abdominal pressure and promotes regurgitation.
- wait longer between two feedings or two bottles to allow him to digest well (between 3 and 4 hours depending on his age)
- keep baby in an upright position for thirty minutes to promote digestion.
Should the milk be changed if the baby is regurgitating a lot?
In case of physiological regurgitation, no treatment is necessary. However, in case of real discomfort, it may be worth talking to your pediatrician. “In a breastfed baby, there is unfortunately nothing to be done. In a baby fed with artificial milk, it is possible to switch to an AR milk (anti-regurgitation) or to thicken the milk with two categories of thickening powders: those made with starch and those made with carob“, details the pediatrician. This last formula is not very well tolerated on the digestive level, it is to be reserved for pathological reflux. Antacids can also be administered to the baby.
Thanks to Dr Jérôme Valleteau de Moulliac, pediatrician in Paris