nursing while spitting up

[tyvera]

My twelve day old is quite the spitter! What's got me confused is that she'll act hungry even though she's spitting up some of her last meal. Is it ok to go ahead and nurse her even though she just spit up?

[lovin3]

First, I'd try to figure out why she's spitting up- is she eating too fast, over eating, does she need to be burped more, could she have reflux, or is she allergic to something you're consuming? If her spit up is projectile or she's spitting up most of what she's eating, I'd be sure to talk to her pediatrician. If she just occasionally spits up, she might just have an air bubble stuck in her belly. If she's rooting (turning toward the breast or toward your finger if you rub her cheek) then she probably is hungry. Trust your instinct if you think she wants to eat. If she's full, she should refuse the breast, but some babies do like to "snack" quite often.

[northernva.mommy]

If your child is acting hungry all the time and spitting up, it could be reflux. They are having trouble digesting and the milk soothes the throat and it becomes a vicious cycle. Some babies do eat all the time, especially at that age but, if you are concerned you should talk to your pediatrician.

[ash08]

Hi! We went through that with our LO - now 7 wks old. She still spits up more than her 2 sisters did. It was after every feeding but is improving now, though we can't lay her down for nearly an hour after eating, and even then it's on her belly (with supervision or an angelcare monitor). We never had a problem with weight gain - she ate on demand. Nursing encourages swallowing and digestive motility. Yours is already learning that it provides relief and is perfectly fine.

We did not medicate for my daughter's reflux because she doesn't appear to be in pain and meds have side effects that can actually cause more pain and slow digestion. The benefit really needs to outweigh the risks. Look at some of the infant reflux info on the web, but don't lose sight of the fact that spitting is normal, some more than others. Try the conservative recommendations. My dd's ped was quick to recommend zantac, though all I said was that she spit up alot. We didn't use it after reading the side effects. If we went the med route it would definitely be through a pediatric gi doc. And all babies cry some, sometimes for no reason.

Good luck!