Why does a two-month-old baby spit up milk?

We all know that only when the baby absorbs nutrients better can he grow up healthily and happily. However, many newborn babies are prone to spitting up milk due to limited swallowing ability and incomplete gastrointestinal development. But as the baby gradually grows, this phenomenon will be improved. However, many parents will encounter the phenomenon of two-month-old babies spitting up milk. This makes parents very anxious, and sometimes they even dare not feed the baby better. Let's understand why a two-month-old baby spit up milk.

Why does a two-month-old baby spit up milk?

The causes and treatment methods of baby spitting up milk must first be clear whether the baby is spitting up milk or spitting up milk. The two have different meanings, causes and treatment methods are also different.

The amount of spitting up is relatively large, and may occur shortly after feeding or half an hour later. Before spitting up, the child will open his mouth and stretch his neck, with an expression of pain and discomfort. The amount of milk spitting up is small and usually occurs right after a meal. It usually stops after one or two mouthfuls.

Spitting up is a common phenomenon in infants. There are two reasons for this: one is that it is a symptom of systemic or gastrointestinal disease; the other is that the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the infant's gastrointestinal tract make vomiting prone to occur. Generally speaking, vomiting caused by the second reason is more common. The milk taken in through the mouth first passes through a tube called the esophagus and then enters the stomach. The stomach has two doors, one is connected to the esophagus called the cardia, which is the entrance of the stomach, and the other is connected to the intestine called the pylorus, which is the exit of the stomach.

The tension of the esophageal muscles in infants and young children is low, which can easily cause expansion. At the same time, the peristalsis is relatively slow, so food can easily accumulate. The cardia is relatively loose and not tightly closed, so it is easily opened by food. When there is a little more food in the stomach, it can break open the cardia and flow back into the esophagus. The pylorus is tightly closed and can be easily stimulated by food to cause spasm, which makes the exit resistance greater, and food passes slowly or with difficulty. Food then flows back from the pylorus to the cardia and breaks out.

In addition, the baby's stomach does not hang down like that of older children and adults, but is in a horizontal position. This can reduce the capacity of the stomach, store less food, and also make it easier for it to return to the cardia. Due to the existence of the above factors, even under normal circumstances, if you eat too much and lie down immediately after feeding, the milk can easily rush open the cardia and return to the mouth through the esophagus, causing vomiting. If a child spits up milk occasionally and is in good spirits, he or she may not be sick.

If the child vomits several times in a row and vomits every time during feeding, you should pay attention to whether the child has a fever, the condition of his bowel movements, any changes in his spirit, etc. There may be problems with the gastrointestinal tract itself, or there may be lesions in other systems. You should take your child to the hospital for examination.

How to prevent your baby from spitting up milk

1. Feeding should be done properly and burping should be done with skills

Experts believe that the first step to preventing regurgitation is to achieve "proper feeding". If you frequently change the baby's milk powder, environment, and caregiver, it will be very detrimental to the baby's digestive system development and will aggravate the regurgitation. Generally speaking, parents should burp the baby promptly after feeding. At this time, parents should pay attention to whether the baby burps or not, instead of just burping the baby.

2. Sleep on your side to reduce spitting up and protect your baby’s ears

Experts say: "It is not recommended to hold the baby while sleeping all day." After the baby falls asleep, put him in the crib slowly. It is also best to put him on his side to reduce the chance of spitting up. Generally speaking, babies can maintain this side sleeping position for 2-3 hours. If parents are worried about the baby's head shape and pressure on internal organs, they can change the baby's sleeping position after 1 hour.

In addition, you should prepare a small towel, fold it into a triangle, and drape it from one side of the child's ear to the other side. This way, even if the baby spills milk, it will not dirty the pillow or flow into the ears. It is important to keep your baby's ears clean because their cochlea is shallow and they are more susceptible to otitis media than adults.

3. Swim once a day to improve digestion

For babies with underdeveloped motor functions, being able to persist in swimming is very beneficial. Babies can exercise their entire body in the water, and water can also gently massage and touch the baby's body. In addition, swimming is also helpful for the development of the baby's digestive ability and can reduce the occurrence of regurgitation. Therefore, experts recommend that if conditions permit, mothers should let their babies swim more often.

The above is an introduction to why a two-month-old baby spit up milk. After understanding it, we know that there are many reasons for this phenomenon. Mothers should not be too anxious when such symptoms occur. They must adjust the baby's feeding methods and methods, and master the correct posture. They should burp the baby after finishing feeding, and do not feed the baby too much at one time.