BIG Spitter

[carly-g]

My DS is a big spitter.  He spits up from the minute he stops eating until the minute he goes to sleep.  Is it normal for him to spit up an hour and a half after eating?  I thought he'd would have out grown this by now.  He probably spits up around 15+ times a day, but doesn't seem bothered by it. 

BTW- I tried eliminating dairy from my diet, but nothing changed.  He also had some reflux problems when he was new born, but has been off of the meds for 2 months. 

[JKL]

ds spit up after every feed at least twice when he was your los age.  He spit up after eating till he was 12 months old!  (not as much then, though).  Our pediatrician said he probably had a mild case of reflux, but since he didn't seem to be bothered by it and he was gaining wt, he didn't put ds on meds.  We did have an awful lot of sleep issues, though, and looking back, I'm wondering if that may have something to do with it.....

[shelliz]

Just want to chime in and relate with you! We have a huge happy spitter here too. I go through TONS of burp rags a day. From what I have been told by ds's dr. and friends and relatives who had lo's with the same issue...it can go on for a good while longer (like up to a yr old:-[).  Kinda sucks...but at least it isn't harmful to our lo's. Just sinky and quite annoying sometimes 

[Samuel's mum]

I had a big oversupply and a BIG spitter. Constant and tons but weight gain was good and he really wasn't bothered by it.

Do you have oversupply/ overactive letdown issues (apologies if you've already mentioned this on another thread and I've forgotten)? It can also be related to burping/winding e.g. an air pocket brings milk back up. Or positioning (a feeding positioning where he is slightly more upright might mean he takes in less air).

If weight gain is OK and he doesn't seem to mind it's a hassle but not a major problem. It's a baby's way of regulating their intake!

[carly-g]

Emma,
I don't know if I have an over-supply.  How much is 'over'?  When I pump at night (3-4 hours after last feed), I usually get 4-6 oz in 10-15 minutes.  I don't think my let-down is really fast, either.  I never spray or leak. 

I think he is gaining alright.  His birth weight was 9lb 13oz, and I weighed him at home last week, and he was 17.5.  I don't know the rate he should be gaining at, but he is gaining! 

The problem with him spitting up so much is that I am always afraid that he is not receiving all the nutrients he needs.  I got our routine all goofed up because I kept feeding him after he spit, which made him a snacker, as he spit up ALL the time!  Now we are on a 4 hour routine, and he seems satisfied, but I still worry!

Carly

[Samuel's mum]

His weight gain is absolutely fine - I'm sure he's getting what he needs.
You are pumping quite a lot (bearing in mind babies almost always extract more than a pump). So if you imagine a feed at this age might be around 4-5oz at most and he's extracting 6oz+ - his spit-up could simply be the excess!
I don't think you should worry.

[carly-g]

Thank you so much.  I love having all you experienced mothers at my fingertips- Jack is my first, and I just want everything that I can control to go right!

[Gina Ann]

Hi ladies..We have a 11 week old who spits up (its quite a bit..more like a blob) and who has such sleep issues. I posted on the nap board a while back. I just feel like something is not right..This week he has been spitting up almost after every feed...sometimes it bothers him sometimes it doesn't. He is on reflux meds too. gaining weight well-he's 15lbs. It comes and goes where some days are really bad and others are ok..I tried reducing dairy but I don't think it has helped much? He sleeps ok at night but naps are usually 30 min-40 min and yestaurday was horrible..like 10 minutes after I pu him down he was waking up screaming.Any thoughts?I am trying to feed every 2.5-3 hrs but sometimes he needs a snack I think cause he pucks so much..Also the spit up..sometimes it just comes right out of his mouth- I don' even hear him just hear the spla on the floor or feel the damp tshirt etc..

[carly-g]

Hey Gina- When did they put him on the meds?  If his weight has changed, he may need a new dosage.  Just a thought.  Also, I was feeding Jack between feeds because I was afraid he was not getting enough with all the spitting up, but have stopped.  Now that he is on the correct feeding routine, he naps really well.  He has two 1.5-2 hour naps and a catnap.  He still spits, A LOT, but at least he is napping!

[Gina Ann]

Thanks Carly..yes they up'ed his meds about 1.5 weeks ago..The no naps are a killer..early last week he had 1 1.5 and I thought we were back on a roll. The last three days have been particulary bad hoping for better tomorrow.

[carly-g]

Good luck- It SUCKS when they are not napping!!!