In the first three months of life, 50% of babies often experience spit up, which is when the contents of the stomach rise and exit through the esophagus. If your baby looks comfortable, eats well, and experiences weight gain, then you don't need to worry about spitting up. As parents, we must always be on guard with conditions that are felt to interfere with the health of the baby. We must also be able to see what is happening to him, including if he suddenly spits up. To follow up on the spit in the baby, we must examine the cause first.
Spit up in babies occurs due to several causes. First, because babies love to eat. A stomach that is too full can trigger the foods inside it to come back into the esophagus. Second, when eating or drinking milk, the air enters. When the air comes out again, there are some foods or liquids that also come out.
Spit in infants usually occurs when the baby experiences reflux conditions. There is a muscle ring that connects the stomach to the esophagus, which in infants is not fully developed. Therefore, this muscle is not perfect in controlling the food that enters and exits.
Under conditions of reflux, food or milk consumed will enter through the back of the throat, then into the esophagus and down to the stomach. The muscle ring can open and allow food or milk to enter the stomach. When closing, this rudimentary muscle ring may not close tightly. In the end, food or milk will return to the esophagus.
You do not need to worry because you can prevent the occurrence of spit up on the baby. There are several easy ways to avoid babies from spitting up, namely:
- When you are feeding him, try to position the baby's body upright. Do not let him in a downward position, especially face down.
- Try to belch the baby so that the air that has already entered can come out. Trying to burp can be done by taking a pause in the middle of drinking milk, or after finishing drinking milk.
- When attempting belching, lean your baby's body against your shoulder so that his position is upright, but not to keep his stomach pressed by your shoulder.
- When breastfeeding, try to be in a closed room that is calm and free from any interference, so the baby does not panic. Babies who suckle in a panic situation will tend to swallow air together with the milk that enters.
- If the baby drinks milk using a bottle and pacifier, pay attention to the hole on the pacifier. The holes should not be too large so the baby does not choke because the flow of milk is too fast and not too small so it is not difficult to suck milk and even suck air.
- When the baby finishes eating, position his body upright for half an hour or more to make the food or milk that is freshly consumed remains below. If the baby has to lie down, place a few pillows to support his body so that his body stays upright.
- Avoid feeding too much milk. Stop giving food or drink when the baby looks calm and comfortable.
- Avoid wearing pants or diapers that are too tight so that the baby's abdomen is not depressed.
- Avoid carrying babies traveling by car, especially right after eating or drinking milk. The position of the baby lying in a chair will make the baby's stomach experience pressure.
- Sometimes spit up in babies occurs because of something that mothers consume so that it can affect the taste or content of breast milk. Consult with your pediatrician to find out the exact cause.
Spit on babies is natural, but often makes you panic. Now, you already know how to prevent it so you can try to prevent this spit from happening to your baby.
