[maria06]

My 9 week old baby vomits a lot after each feed. He is putting weight on but is small - between the 2nd and 9th centile on growth charts. He is also undistressed although is windy. I feed him and he pukes lots when he burps and hiccups. I have tried baby gaviscon and it made him worse, I keep him upright as long as I can after feeds and I tilt his cot but he pukes so much! I am breast feeding and its getting me down a bit as I feel he gets all this good milk and then it comes back up! He does fill his nappies OK so he is getting some but has anyone any advice. Health visitors are involved but just wondered if any other parents had experienced it too!

[flossie]

Are you watching what YOU are eating? Try to avoid cabbage, broccoli, spicy foods, caffeine, chocolate as these can affect your baby's digestion.

[DoulaLC]

If he is gaining weight, is not bothered by it (as in showing signs of discomfort), and you are getting a good number of wet nappies each day (with the occasional bowel movement), he is likely fine. You will be more distressed by it than he will. Some babies are just spitters and most will outgrow it by about midway through the first year as their digestive system becomes more mature.

As flossie said, some foods may be enough to bother some babies... so it can take some investigation on your part. Most won't be bothered at all, so women don't have to avoid anything in particular while breastfeeding, but may have to make adjustments if they feel their child is more sensitive.

A couple of other considerations: Usually, if something will bother baby it will be too much dairy intake. Look to see if you have quite a bit and try cutting back over the next several days to see if you notice any change. Dairy can stay in your system for awhile, so give it some time. Usually, however, babies will also show signs of discomfort as well.

If you haven't already, try feeding a bit longer on one side, or even offer just one breast at a feed. This way baby gets more of the fat rich hindmilk and not an over abundance of the foremilk. Foremilk will have a higher lactose concentration and this can sometimes result in more spitting up for some babies.

Is he fussy at the breast at all? Does he pull away... gag? Some women will have an overactive letdown and this too can cause baby to take in too much milk and/or too much air resulting in more spitting up.

Another question would be, is it general spitting up(even though it may look like a whole feed), or more projectile spitting up?

You could also try letting him sleep reclined in an infant carrier instead of lying flat in his cot.