How to Decrease Spitup in a Baby

Babies tend to spit up if they've eaten too much food or if they swallow a lot of air while they're eating, and it usually comes up when your little one burps. Spitting up is different than vomiting, and almost all babies will spit up from time to time, and it's usually nothing to worry about. If your baby spits up a lot, speak with his doctor, but make a few changes in your routine, too, which can help reduce how much and how often your baby spits up.

Instructions

    • 1

      Change your feeding habits. If you breastfeed, offer just one breast at a time, recommends the MedlinePlus website. If you bottle feed, reduce how much you feed your baby at each feeding, which means you might need to offer a bottle more often. Check the nipple size, too. A larger nipple delivers food more quickly, which can contribute to spitting up. Reducing how much food your baby takes in at one time will help prevent him from consuming more than he needs and can reduce how much he spits up.

    • 2

      Keep your baby in an upright position while he's eating and after he finishes eating. This ensures that the food goes straight to his tummy, which lowers the chance that some will come back up. The MedlinePlus website suggests keeping your baby upright for 15 to 30 minutes after he finishes eating.

    • 3

      Minimize distractions while your baby is eating. If he's distracted by his siblings, the television or toys, he's more likely to take in excess air while he's eating, according to BabyCenter, and swallowing too much air is one cause of spit up.

    • 4

      Burp your baby regularly while he's eating. The FamilyDoctor website recommends burping your baby every three to five minutes while he's eating. This allows any excess air that's been building up to escape before your baby takes in any more food.

    • 5

      Keep your baby still for several minutes after he's done eating. Staying still helps the milk settle in your baby's stomach, which makes it less likely that it will come back up.

    • 6

      Feed your baby before he's desperately hungry. Very hungry babies tend to eat more quickly, which causes excess air to build up in the stomach. Babies who aren't so hungry will eat more slowly and that can reduce the risk of spit up, according to HealthyChildren.org.

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