What is Spitting Up & Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)?
Spitting up is a normal occurrence in most babies, as a result of reflux. Most babies do this several times a day. If the baby is normal, growing well and happy, then this is the normal spitting up. To reduce the frequency of spitting up do frequent feeding with smaller amounts of formula, thicken the formula, frequent burping, and avoid feeding immediately after spit up. Spitting up/Reflux becomes a problem if the baby refuses to feed, has inadequate or poor weight gain, breathing problems as a result of aspiration, vomits blood, or has blood in the stool. When these occurs it is referred to as GERD, and a Pediatrician needs to be involved. Depending on the severity of the symptom the GERD could be managed by changing the formula, thickening the formula, starting medications such as H2 receptor blockers; Proton Pump Inhibitors; Ant emetics; and drugs that help gastrointestinal motility. Reflux starts at about age 4 weeks, and worsens over the next few months, with a peak at about 4 mo
