Q: My breastfed baby spits up frequently. Is there something I’m eating that could be causing this? Could it be reflux? Or is this normal?
A: If your baby is spitting up, even if it’s a frequent occurrence, it’s rarely a sign of a serious problem. In fact, “In a healthy baby,” according to the late Dr. Gregory White, previously a medical advisor to La Leche League, “spitting up is a laundry problem, not a medical problem.” If your baby is gaining weight properly and otherwise developing normally, you probably have nothing to worry about, and likely the problem will lesson and eventually go away by the time baby is a year old.
Still, it can be disconcerting if your nursing baby spits up a lot. You may be wondering if he or she is getting enough milk or if there is some problem with your breastmilk. Rest assured. There are several things you can do to help prevent frequent spitting up.
1) Let Gravity Help When Feeding
Basically, any position that causes the milk to go against gravity will help baby handle the flow of milk more easily, and cause him to swallow less air. Try nursing baby in the...