Baby sometimes regurgitates all of his bottle in the form of vomiting that looks like jets. What are the causes of this vomiting and what attitude to adopt? Should I give him another bottle? Answers and advice from Dr. Christian Spitz, pediatrician.
Projectile vomiting in infants can sometimes seem impressive, but in the majority of cases, they are not serious. Regurgitations are, in fact, frequent and commonplace during the first months, when the baby learns to suckle and to coordinate sucking, swallowing, breathing… These regurgitations decrease then fade as the baby grows. What to do if a baby vomits his bottle in a jet? Should I give him a bottle again? The advice of Dr. Christian Spitz, pediatrician.
Why does baby throw up?
- “This vomiting is often linked to heavy regurgitation and therefore to a food intake“, explains Dr. Christian Spitz, pediatrician in Paris. Baby can also have referrals because he is congested in the bronchi and has mucus in the throat. Embarrassed, he then spits out the milk which he swallows in the form of vomiting. “Indeed a nasopharyngeal problem can be accompanied by vomiting because baby then has an irritation in the throat.
- A baby, especially a small one, can also vomit if he suckled or drank his bottle too quickly.
- Finally, a bottle-fed baby who vomits a lot and in the form of jets can also be allergic to cow’s milk protein.
What to do if a baby vomits his bottle in a jet?
If baby is a big eater and swallows his milk too quickly, it is possible to take a break in the middle of feeding or bottle feeding or split meals. “At the end of the meal, also be sure to keep baby in the same position for 10 to 15 minutes so that it digests more easily. If the child is gaining weight normally, has a normal transit and seems in good shape, we can also try tothicken meals to reduce discards“, advises Dr. Spitz. You can also split feedings or bottle intakes if your child has a cold.
If your baby has mucus in the throat, take care, to prevent their appearance, to clean your nose regularly especially during the winter period with saline especially before feedings or bottles. If your baby is allergic to cow’s milk proteins, your pediatrician will recommend a suitable milk. A change of milk may also be indicated even if your child is not allergic because some are more suitable than others.
If baby vomits in a jet, should you give him a bottle again?
Most of the time, this is not necessary, because it is very small quantities that go up and sometimes there is already an overflow. ” Most of the time, baby didn’t reject all of his meal. It is necessary to evaluate if these vomitings occur suddenly or if they are repeated and do not hesitate to call your pediatrician or your general practitioner. “, advises Dr. Spitz.
When to consult?
Most of the time this vomiting is not serious. However, they can hide pathology.”It is necessary to consult when baby does not grow or loses weight, if he vomits in the form of very consistent jets or all his bottles or if he has blood or mucus in the stools”, says Dr. Spitz. There may also be a more serious and often digestive pathology. “Around three weeks or a month, children can start to vomit away from meals and are then victims of pyloric stenosis“, explains Dr. Christian Spitz, a pediatrician in Paris. Pyloric stenosis is the progressive thickening of the pylorus, the muscle that sits at the junction of the stomach and duodenum, resulting in partial or complete obstruction. Therefore, the food cannot pass from the stomach to the small intestine and the baby immediately returns the milk just swallowed.Another possible but rare cause, SEIPA (Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome), “an inflammation that affects the small intestine and the large intestine and is characterized by profuse and repeated vomiting but also pallor and lethargy”, emphasizes Dr. Spitz.