Young parents are like recruits undergoing a young soldier's course. Everything that concerns a newborn child seems surprising, unusual, strange and even frightening to them. Particular concern arises when the baby begins to spew back the breast milk or complementary foods that have just been absorbed, which causes natural panic in the parents and an immediate desire to call an ambulance.
Wouldn't it be better to just take the time to understand in advance what the fundamental difference is between dangerous vomiting and spitting up in babies? After all, this way you can not only preserve a huge number of your own nerve cells, but also protect your baby from taking completely unnecessary drugs. Strong arguments? Then, let's get started!
What does normal regurgitation look like?
Before we talk about how you can distinguish vomiting from regurgitation in a baby, let's figure out what this process actually is. It is diagnosed in three quarters of all newborns and is absolutely not considered a pathology. Regurgitation is a physiological variation of the vomiting process. Characterized by a small volume of milk or complementary foods. At one time, the baby’s body can return no more than 30 ml of what was eaten.
Regurgitation does not bring any unpleasant sensations to the newborn. He has no spasms or restlessness. Food simply flows freely from the mouth in a small stream. At the same time, the baby remains cheerful and active.
To know how to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation in a baby (photo below), you just need to observe the occurrence of this phenomenon. As a rule, the baby actively burps immediately after eating or for a maximum of an hour after feeding. This happens especially often in cases where, immediately after feeding, the child begins to bother him, make him laugh, or involve him in active games. The imperfection of the baby's nervous system and a rather weak muscle valve that blocks direct access to the stomach are the main reason for the occurrence of this phenomenon in children under one year old.
Treatment and prevention
To reduce the frequency and intensity of regurgitation, you must follow these tips:
- Avoid overfeeding.
It is recommended to feed a regurgitating baby more often, but in smaller portions. This will avoid overstraining the stomach and sphincter. - Apply correctly to the breast.
During feeding, the baby should grasp not only the nipple itself, but also the areola. Then the mouth will be tightly “clogged”, which will prevent the swallowing of air. - Selection of pacifiers.
The outlet hole should ensure that the mixture flows out evenly in frequent drops. When feeding, the nipple should be completely filled with the mixture so that the baby does not swallow air. - While feeding, the baby is placed at an angle of 45-60 ° ;
for convenience, you can place a pillow, a rolled up towel, or a bolster under him. - After eating, the child is held vertically for another 20 minutes
, during which time he releases air. - For half an hour after eating, do not tighten your stomach
with diapers or elastic bands; - If there is a need to lay down the baby,
it is placed so that the head is slightly raised, the angle is from 30° to 60°. - If regurgitation occurs frequently, it is recommended to put
your baby to sleep on his right side or stomach. The supine position provokes the reflux of food into the esophagus. - Bathing and other active activities are allowed
40 minutes after feeding.
Causes
To know exactly how to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation in an infant up to one year old, let's talk about the reasons behind the occurrence of such a phenomenon.
The main causes of regurgitation are quite commonplace and most of them can be safely avoided. It could be:
- excessive feeding, which causes overstretching of the stomach walls;
- swallowing excess air;
- inability to attach the baby to the breast;
- forced physical activity immediately after feeding (inhibition);
- shortening the child's frenulum;
- physiologically short upper lip of the baby;
- swaddling too tight;
- gas formation in the baby’s intestines (flatulence);
- a sudden change in position, moving the baby to a vertical position.
Signs
Well, we’ve sorted out the reasons a little. Now let's talk about the signs. So, how to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation in a baby. Signs of this phenomenon may be:
- the situation repeats irregularly, no more than 2–3 times a day;
- the child remains active and in a good mood all the time;
- the child does not lose weight, but constantly gains weight in accordance with age standards;
- no spasms observed;
- the release of food is one-time in nature (burped up and that’s it);
- milk or other food flows freely from the baby’s mouth;
- the maximum volume does not exceed 20–30 ml (usually much less);
- the child sleeps normally;
- there is no diarrhea, bloating or other signs of illness.
How to avoid trouble
Since you already practically know how to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation in a baby, it is within your power to do everything possible to minimize this phenomenon altogether.
- It is better to feed your baby often, but in small portions. This will prevent him from overeating and the child’s stomach from becoming too stretched.
- Determine the correct feeding position and try to stick to it. This way the baby will not swallow excess air.
- Make sure that the baby's nose is always clean and breathing is free. Otherwise, the child will be forced to suck in additional portions of air with his mouth.
- Before eating, place your baby on her tummy for a while. This will help get rid of possible colic.
- After feeding, do not lift the baby too suddenly; move him to an upright position gradually.
- If your child is artificial, only changing the formula will help correct the situation. It is also worth changing the feeding regimen: more often, but less.
It is not so important why a child spits up, but how he gains weight.
Mom, dad and other household members of a newborn baby should be concerned, first of all, not with why and how the baby spits up (this problem is always secondary!), but, first of all, with the dynamics of the baby’s weight.
If the baby is steadily gaining weight, then no matter how much and how often he regurgitates leftover food, this is considered a safe and physiological norm - his gastrointestinal tract system is developing, and regurgitation in this case is not considered a negative symptom. If the baby does not gain the required weight, and even more so, loses it, only in this case is it worth sounding the alarm and rushing to the doctor for advice, telling him in detail how often, how much and when exactly the child burps.
If the child’s weight is normal, and also if he is cheerful, smiling, sleeps well, and so on, then the phenomenon of regurgitation itself is not a problem with the baby’s health, it is a problem with the mother, who, seeing that the child is spitting out food, is completely beyond any concern. then there is no reason to worry too much.
Let us repeat - worrying and panicking because the baby is spitting up, as well as trying to find out exactly why the baby is spitting up, does not make any sense if the baby is gaining weight well. And only if the “newborn” kilograms suddenly begin to melt away, then the phenomenon of regurgitation becomes significant. First of all, for the doctor, to whom you are obliged to show the “losing weight” baby.
Is it possible to treat regurgitation in newborns?
Even if you know exactly how to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation in a baby, it is still better to consult a pediatrician. The fact is that if regurgitation is repeated too often, then something needs to be done about it.
Since during regurgitation the child loses fluid (even if not too much), he must be given additional fluids. It is best to give clean boiled water. Also, soothing teas with chamomile, compote or fruit juice are well suited for this purpose. If dehydration is too severe, you may need to use pharmaceutical medications. "Regidron", "Glucosolan" or "Citroglucosolan" are suitable. They must be diluted according to the instructions, and used only as prescribed by a doctor.
If your baby is artificial, then it is better to switch him to a medicinal formula. For example, “Freesorm” is suitable. It contains a substance such as gum. It retains food in the child's body and does not allow it to return. Nutrilon antireflux also works well, you can try that too.
Most often, regurgitation does not require treatment and goes away on its own over time. But in particularly severe situations, drug intervention may be required. Remember: only a doctor can prescribe medications!
Causes of vomiting in infants
Vomiting is a rather complex reflex process. It is directly dependent on overexcitation of the vomiting center or the vagus nerve. Most often, vomiting is accompanied by sharp and frequent spasms. Unlike regurgitation, the volume of substances released will be too large. The fact is that when vomiting, the contents of not so much the stomach, but rather the contents of the upper intestines, begin to protrude from the baby’s mouth, and often from the nose. This is the main indicator of how to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation. In infants, the reasons for this phenomenon can be very diverse. Most often, vomiting is associated with intoxication of the body as a whole or some pathology of the internal organs.
Here are some possible reasons for vomiting:
- pneumonia;
- concussion;
- poisoning;
- respiratory tract infection;
- appendicitis;
- otitis media;
- urinary tract infection;
- meningitis;
- sepsis;
- change in intracranial pressure;
- pyloric stenosis;
- abdominal trauma;
- intestinal obstruction;
- diabetic ketoacidosis;
- gastroenteritis;
- strangulated hernia;
- metabolic disease;
- hydrocephalus;
- other ailments.
There can be many reasons, this is not a complete list. It is important to remember one thing here - a healthy child cannot vomit. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion, the child simply needs to be urgently shown to the pediatrician.
Pathological processes
When an infant burps frequently (every hour), you should consult a doctor for advice. He will be able to accurately determine whether pathology occurs. Negative processes are caused by disorders of the digestive process or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (congenital). The occurrence of the problem is also influenced by:
- birth injuries;
- kidney diseases;
- poisoning;
- disorders of the nervous system;
- metabolic disorders.
Pathological processes also include the release of excess food against the background of perinatal encephalopathy.
Crying and behavior changes indicate pathological processes
Most children are susceptible to regurgitation syndrome, the causes of which are varied. This is not always normal and acceptable. Sometimes profuse and frequent regurgitation appears due to disturbances in the intrauterine development of the child during the mother’s pathological pregnancy (intrauterine infection).
- Perinatal encephalopathy
This collective diagnosis is often made to newborns; it can be caused by severe pregnancy and childbirth in the mother. It includes a disruption of the central nervous system, which can be manifested by excessive regurgitation, including a fountain, sleep disturbance, the child may be restless, there may be tremors of the chin or limbs.
With this disease, very copious regurgitation of food is also observed, almost all the milk eaten comes out in a fountain, the child cries, is restless, and can throw his head back during sleep. Such children may have delayed mental and physical development, increased muscle tone in the limbs, and a delayed appearance of the step reflex. Read more about the symptoms of hydrocephalus in children.
- Other pathologies of the central nervous system
In case of birth injuries, circulatory disorders of the brain or underdevelopment of the central nervous system due to prematurity, regurgitation of undigested milk or formula occurs, usually after each feeding, accompanied by belching.
- Pathologies and developmental anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract
Diaphragmatic hernia or pyloric stenosis can cause frequent, persistent regurgitation. With pyloric stenosis, symptoms appear on the second day after birth. Regurgitation of cottage cheese may indicate this pathology. The child loses weight because food does not pass beyond the stomach and is not absorbed. The child also has no stool, even after an enema.
- Infections - food poisoning, sepsis, hepatitis, meningitis of various etiologies
They are accompanied by a rise in temperature, lethargy, pallor or yellowness of the child’s skin. Regurgitation with mucus may indicate the presence of a gastrointestinal tract infection or intestinal dysbiosis (see symptoms of intestinal dysbiosis, list of probiotic preparations).
- Hereditary pathologies - adrenogenital syndrome, phenylketonuria.
- Kidney failure is often accompanied by occasional regurgitation after eating.
Characteristic signs
So how to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation in a baby? The characteristic signs of this phenomenon in children under one year of age are so vivid that it is almost impossible to confuse:
- the child does not gain weight;
- meals may be accompanied by difficulty breathing, the child screams and is nervous;
- convulsions appear;
- the fontanel protrudes and seems to swell a little;
- a sour smell appears from the baby’s mouth;
- the mass coming out also has a sour smell, bloody clots or yellowish spots (bile) may be observed in it;
- there is a clear disturbance of stool.
The practical difficulty of how to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation in an infant lies in the individuality of the child’s body. Since children react very differently to such phenomena, you should not think twice and try to justify the eruption of food with a good appetite. We urgently need to show the baby to the doctor and, together with him, choose tactics for further behavior.
What to do if a child is vomiting?
There are several signs that you need to call 911 immediately. Delay in this case can end sadly. So, run to the phone if:
- vomiting repeated more than 3-4 times in a row;
- the baby has a high temperature;
- Clots of bile or blood were found in the vomited food;
- vomiting is accompanied by severe abdominal pain, while bowel movements do not occur.
Before the doctors arrive, you need to do everything to alleviate the baby’s condition:
- Never leave your child alone for a minute.
- Place it on its side or hold it in your hands in a vertical or semi-vertical position. This way you can avoid vomit getting into your respiratory tract.
- After the attack stops, rinse the baby’s mouth with cool boiled water.
- Until the cause of the vomiting is determined, do not give your child any food or medications. You can “blur” the picture of the disease and treatment will be very difficult.
- If the doctor is away for a long time, give the child plenty of clean boiled water. In the first hour you need to give one teaspoon every 7-10 minutes.
- Do not panic. The mother’s emotional state is immediately transmitted to the child and he, too, will become nervous and afraid. This will only worsen his condition and may provoke a new vomiting attack.
When to call a doctor?
Regardless of whether a 9-month-old child or a 6-month-old baby is vomiting, parents are obliged to monitor his condition. It is important to understand why it arose. Seeing a doctor is a necessity dictated by dangerous signs:
- the liquid comes out like a fountain, with short breaks (two or three times per hour);
- the child does not have large bowel movements (no diarrhea);
- the baby suffers from pain and cramps in the abdomen, he cries a lot;
- the malaise arose after a head injury, a fall from a height;
- severe dehydration;
- increased temperature, baby constantly feels sleepy, general weakening;
- bloody inclusions in the vomit, dark color.
