Regurgitation initially always causes panic in young parents. You should know that for newborns under the age of one year, this process is physiological and natural. If the child is feeling well and is gaining weight normally, then treatment is not necessary.
Why does regurgitation occur
Regurgitation is the body's response to excessive food intake. Do not confuse regurgitation and vomiting. When the child spits up, the food itself "pours out" from the mouth, without bringing discomfort to the baby.
Causes of regurgitation in children:
Underdeveloped digestive system (small stomach, short esophagus).
Overeating. Overfeeding is sometimes due to the baby sucking on the breast or bottle not to feed, but to calm down or scratch the gums.
Long stay of the body in a horizontal position.
Swallowing air. It can occur with improper attachment to the breast, when sucking air from an empty bottle in which the mixture has run out. A lot of air gets in when the baby cries.
Improper parental care.
Colic. The first three months of life are the formation of the digestive system. Intestinal colic, in turn, can trigger the regurgitation process.
Excess milk in the mother. Some breastfeeding women have so much milk that it pours out of the breast on its own, so the baby inadvertently gets too much of it.
How to prevent regurgitation
- Correct grip of the nipple.
- Correct feeding position. The child must be held so that the head is in a position above the body. Change poses more often.
- Control the end of the mixture in the bottle. The nipple must be constantly filled with milk. You can use special bottles against the ingress of air (with rings, flasks), nipples with a small hole are recommended.
- There should be free breathing through the nose. If a child has a pinched nose for any reason, then he begins to take in air with his mouth.
- After feeding, keep upright. This is an old, proven way to release air, to hold the baby with a "post".
- For half an hour after eating, do not lay the child on his stomach. It is recommended to spread it on the stomach 30 minutes before meals, as well as massage the tummy, thereby strengthening the muscles.
- Do not squeeze the diaphragm.
- Do not start vigorous exercise immediately after eating.
- Do not start feeding immediately after crying, try to calm the baby as quickly as possible, hold it upright, and feed it after a while.
- Put the baby to sleep on a small baby pillow and place it on different sides from time to time.
The child must be constantly monitored, since frequent and profuse regurgitation can be the cause of a developing disease.
