7Mo Still Spits up a Lot

Updated on February 18, 2011
L.S. asks from Brooklyn, NY
8 answers

Hi moms and dads! I'm a first time mom and my 7mo daughter still spits up quite a bit. It's better than it used to be, but it happens quite often. Every time she rolls onto her stomach to wiggle around and try to figure out the crawling thing, she spits up. Last night when we put her down for the night she was playing and rolled onto her belly and we had to change her and the sheets because everything was soaked. Is this normal? Will she grow out of it? I had read that babies usually stop spitting up so much at around 6 months, but it's only gotten slightly better. Is there anything I can do to lessen this?

She also spits up when she's just sitting on the floor playing. I don't know if it has to do with her bending over for toys, but I always have to clean up the mess. And it's not just formula coming up, the other day a little spinach came back up a few hours after a feeding and a nap. She doesn't seem to be in any kind of pain, so i'm not too concerned, but

A little history... she does (or did) have reflux. I say "did" because she's been on meds since about 2 months old and it seems to be gone, but the doc said to continue giving it to her for now. She doesn't cry anymore when she spits up, so I don't think the reflux is bothering her anymore.

Also, she was bf for the first 6 weeks but had so many sensitivities that we switched her to Alimentum formula. About a month ago we gradually switched her to Gerber Good Start with no problems at all.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Just wanted to add that she is not lactose intolerant, the spitting up didn't start until she was about 4 months old. Also, the doc checks her throat often because of the reflux and it has never been red or inflamed, even when the reflux was at it's worst. No allergies are suspected. She weighs 18.6 lbs, so I don't think it's affecting her very much. I don't think she overeats, I actually had to cut out lunch because with lunch she wasn't getting enough formula. She seems to be a "happy spitter". I would just like to know when it will end. LOL I just can't keep up with the laundry!!!!!

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So What Happened?

Thank you everyone for helping me see that this is something that will just pass. I just have to be patient. And thank you 2BsMama for all the info! My daughter is on Prevacid and it doesn't seem to bother her at all when she spits up, so I guess I'll just wait until it passes. Ever since she started sitting up on her own it actually got a lot better. I really hope she's off the meds by 1. I had tried giving her Colic Calm and it also seems to work pretty well, but with insurance the Prevacid is so much more affordable. Money has been pretty tight with her being on the Alimentium since our insurance didn't cover that.

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J.L.

answers from San Diego on

I have a 9 month old that still spits up everytime he eats, and there are no allergies, this one is a happy spitter too, I noticed with this one if i don't let him on the floor to play right after eating, and keep him in the highchair or playpen for 20 to 30 minutes he spits up a whole lot less, that may sound mean to some of you, but i have a daycare and i have other baby's/children playing and crawling on the carpet, and if I put this one down right after eating he crawls around and leaves spit up spots all over the carpet, not sanitary for the other kids. J.

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B.W.

answers from Louisville on

My baby girl was also a "puker". It was effortless for her to just spew what seems like every bit of what she took in. It didn't seem to bother her, really. And she was gaining weight, so the ped said not to worry, that some babies just do this. She was probably 8 or 9 months old before she outgrew it. I feel your pain, as it seemed like we were changing her constantly and keeping bibs soaked. Just hang in there a little longer, it will get better.

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Some babies spit up a lot. It seems to settle down around the first birthday (give or take a month or two). I don't know if it has to so with a more mature digestive system or with more solid foods being eaten or they are sitting/standing up more, but it does go away sooner or later.

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter is 6mos, and she's a "puker". :)
If she's eating and seems happy and healthy, I wouldn't worry about it.
My niece was also a "puker" and it didn't stop until she was off of formula entirely (so after 1yr).

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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

My daughter spit up constantly until she was 9 mos old. Then it stopped. Yes, the laundry seems endless, but it will go away. Hang in there!

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J.B.

answers from Phoenix on

I am the mom of a refluxer as well. What medication is she on? Most of them only stop or block the production of acid so that it doesn't cause damage to her esophagus when she spits up. The common misconception is that the medication makes the reflux go away....it does not. But if she doesn't seem bothered, in pain, crying etc then the meds are most likely working properly for her so its not damaging her. My son is 27 months old and will spit up 1-2 times a month now (we have also weaned him off the meds a few months ago) but at your daughters age it was ALL day every day. I know the laundry seems endless, but it does get better. The majority of babies with reflux will outgrow it by the time they reach a year. There are those few that have it continue long after that but those are usually accompanied with other medical issues (like my son) that can complicate the reflux.

If the spitting up has NOT increased with the change in formula or food then I would not think it is an allergy issue. I found with my son doing smaller but more frequent feedings helped a little and be sure she is upright or at a 35 degree angle for 30-45 minutes after eating/drinking.

You also mentioned that some food from hours ago came up.....this can be a sign of delayed gastric emptying (lots of reflux kids have this ranging from very minor to severe). Some research believes that the medications such as Prevacid etc to treat the acid production for reflux can cause delayed emptying. Essentially the theory is that we all use the acid in our stomachs to digest and move food into the intestines. If you decrease that acid in the stomach then the food is slower to digest and move out of the stomach. This can mean that although it may have been a few hours and it is time for baby to eat again, if they spit up some of the new feeding, the older stuff can be right there still as well. If this is a big issue and seems to occur often there are a couple of medication choices that her doctor can prescribe to assist her digestive system in moving food out of the stomach quicker.

Sorry this is so long and I hope it isn't too much information. If you ever have more questions or want to talk PM me. I would love to help!

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M.C.

answers from Phoenix on

I would consult another doctor. It could be something she will outgrow of or she could be allergic to the formula or milk. Sometimes a lactose intolorance can cause spitting up.

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M.B.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Maybe she is over full. Maybe allergies. My daughter is allergic to eggs dogs and cats and when she is aroud things that she is allergic to her throat and stomach lining swell this caused her to throw up alot when she was little. It is called eosinophilic esophagitis. I am not saying that is what your kid has but, it took 2 years and 4 different MDs to figure out what her problem was. Then it was found by accident they were scoping her to see if she had celiac which thanks goodness she does not and they saw that her throat and stomach lining was red and inflamed. We got rid out our cat and dog and stopped giving her eggs and wala no more puking no more soar throats and she started gaining weight pretty well. It is ausome not to have a sick kid anymore.

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