Severe spitting up in premature infants

Babies who are born before their full term are called "premature babies". Premature babies are generally weaker and some of them may spit up milk frequently. However, this does not mean that the baby's spitting up milk is a physical problem. The stomach capacity of newborn babies is relatively small, and they keep moving after sucking milk, so it is easier for them to spit out milk. The following article introduces some relevant information about spitting up in premature babies. Let’s take a look.

What is the reason for premature babies to spit up? There are both physiological and pathological reasons for severe spitting up in premature babies. The baby's stomach capacity is small, the tension of the esophageal muscles is low, and food is easily vomited out. It may also be caused by colds, constipation, etc. Incorrect feeding posture, feeding too quickly, adding complementary foods too early, etc. are also reasons that cause severe spitting up in premature babies. How do premature babies survive the critical period?

1. Physiological reasons

Your baby's stomach doesn't hang down like it does in older children and adults, but is in a horizontal position. This will reduce the stomach's capacity and allow it to store less food. In addition, because the baby's esophageal muscle tension is relatively low, the cardia is relatively loose and not tightly closed, so it is easy for food to break out of the cardia and cause vomiting.

These physiological vomiting will stop as the baby grows older as the neural regulation of gastric ptosis, intestinal motility, and endocrine secretion of gastric acid and proteolytic enzymes gradually strengthen.

2. Pathological causes

Colds, bacterial infections, constipation, pyloric stenosis, esophageal atresia, intestinal atresia, intestinal malrotation, congenital megacolon, etc. can all cause abnormal spitting up in babies.

3. Improper feeding and care

Improper feeding posture, feeding too quickly, too much milk or too short an interval between meals; turning the baby too much during feeding; adding complementary foods too early; when feeding with a bottle, the hole of the nipple is too large, causing the milk to flow out too quickly and not have time to swallow, etc. These improper feeding methods will cause the baby to spit up milk.

When the baby is 6 months old, he or she will not only master the sucking skills well, but also have a more mature gastrointestinal function, and the number of spitting up will be significantly reduced. Premature babies often spit up milk. Mothers must distinguish whether it is due to physiological reasons, pathological reasons or improper feeding, so as to decide how to solve the problem of baby spitting up milk. Parents don’t need to worry about spitting up under normal circumstances, as long as the baby’s weight gain is normal and his mental state is good.