Vomiting in babies
Vomiting is a normal part of the feeding process but how do you know what is normal or abnormal? Most babies recover from nausea and vomiting without treatment but it is still important to know when to seek help if your child does not get better.
Is vomiting in babies okay?
Emily recently gave birth to an adorable baby boy, and their bundle of joy completely transformed her life and that of her husband David. They were ecstatic and cautiously made sure that their baby did not suffer from any kind of medical disorder.
But, one day while Emily was not at home, David did not realise that he had overfed the baby. This led to vomiting. Seeing their son continuously vomit made David extremely worried as he did not know what to do and could not fathom why the baby was vomiting!
Like David, many people tend to over-feed their baby without realising it, which can lead to vomiting. A vomiting baby is rarely fine. After feeding, a bit of vomiting is observed commonly among most babies, especially if the food is heavy and if they are unable to digest it. At times, they tend to spit out the food if they do not like it or if they are not willing to eat it. Reflux vomiting and projectile vomiting are common, and we at theAsianparent try to explain more about them in detail.
Reflux Vomiting
When the valve which is present at the top of the stomach opens accidentally, then the matter present in the stomach comes slowly back up the oesophagus, thus leading to vomiting.
Projectile Vomiting
Expulsion of the contents of the stomach with great force is known as projectile vomiting.
Vomiting Causes
Below are some well known vomiting causes:
- Gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach and intestines,
- Not burping after a feeding,
- Feeding a baby with too much food,
- If the baby is suffering from any other medical condition, then there are chances that the baby will suffer from vomiting,
- Consuming bacteria-infected food. Food-poisoning may also lead to diarrhoea,
- If babies go through a sudden transition in their food and eating habits, their bodies may ‘reject’ the food by vomiting and
- Consuming too many medicines is also one of the reasons which can give rise to the same.
Treatment:
- Feed the baby with food which can be digested easily.
- Make sure that you feed the baby in small portions.
- The baby should be well hydrated with fluids.
- Allow the baby to get enough rest.
If the baby is still vomiting even after eating different kinds of food, opt for appropriate treatment. Also, if blood or bile is observed in the vomit, take them to the hospital straight away.
Vomiting should be treated as soon as possible, as baby’s health might be affected. The baby will not be able to gain enough weight due to vomiting, and since he will vomit out whatever he eats, he will not get the nutrients required for his growth. This might hamper the baby’s development and also leave the baby irritated. Baby will also be less energetic and active thus appearing extremely weak. Hence, make sure that the vomiting is treated as early as possible.
Remember to take your baby to a paediatrician if you have any questions.
Related: More help for Singaporeans with sick babies
Related: 5 infant formula feeding myths
