Baby Eats and Dealing with Spit-Up

I received product and compensation from Mead Johnson Nutrition to create this post written by me. All experiences and opinions expressed in this post are my own and not those of Mead Johnson Nutrition. Consult your pediatrician before making changes to your baby’s diet or if you have concerns related to your baby’s digestive health. Please see the product label/website for acceptable use and benefits. You can contact Mead Johnson Nutrition with product related questions or comments toll free at 1-800-BABY 123 or through the Contact Us link on Enfamil A.R. or Enfamil.com

I have had a couple of people ask me what Emma Kate is eating these days, and if she is still having trouble with spit up. As some of you may remember, my daughter has had some serious issues with spit up since she was a newborn. We would go through 7-10 bibs and 3-5 burp cloths a day. We tried several different things, and so I wanted to talk about the timeline, what worked, and what didn’t as far as food and formula goes.

As you can see, poor Emma Kate lived in a bib and we always had burp cloths in front of her!

It’s important to note that it is very common for babies to spit-up as their digestive systems are developing. About two thirds of healthy infants may have uncomplicated reflux (as opposed to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). The difference between the two is something a lot of people are unsure about, so be sure to talk to your doctor!

When I first took Emma Kate to the doctor for her frequent spit-up, it was hard for me to know what was a “normal” amount and what was not. My advice… go with your gut. I actually waited too long to do anything because I wasn’t sure what “normal” spit-up was. Looking back, I wish I would have taken action sooner, but as a first time mom, I had no idea. I highly encourage you to talk to your doctor about things you can do to help your baby.

We first tried things that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends such as using thickened feedings like Enfamil A.R., sitting baby up after feedings, giving her smaller feedings, and burping more frequently as a first line management option for infants with uncomplicated reflux.

Enfamil A.R. formula is thickened with added rice starch to help reduce the frequency of spit-up. It meets the AAP recommendations on reflux management. While she still experienced some spit-up, it was MUCH less frequent, and she didn’t seem to be in pain like she was before. Switching formulas didn’t bother Emma Kate at all, and it made me feel better to know I was doing something that was helping my baby.

As far as solid food goes, Emma Kate is eating pretty much anything! She is in this great adventurous stage where she will eat anything we give her. We give her pieces of what we are eating, and she usually asks for more, even broccoli! She eats a lot of chicken, veggies, and of course snacks. We are trying to get her used to eating three “meals” a day with some snacks in between, but lately with our schedules it has been hard. We are doing the best we can, and Emma Kate is thriving and hardly spitting up at ALL anymore! Each month it got less and less, and I am very thankful.

I would venture to say the spit-up peaked around six months, then went away some, until Emma Kate got mobile, and it came back. Now that she is thirteen months, the only time she spits up is if she eats too much and then does a lot of moving around. When I was in the thick of things, I felt like it was never going to end and she would spit-up forever, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Be sure to check out the Enfamil A.R. website for more information. Always be sure to talk to your doctor before making any changes to your baby’s diet.

QOTD: Did your baby suffer from spit-up issues? What did you do?