Milk vomiting occurs naturally in three-month-old babies. Two reasons generally cause it: one is a symptom of systemic or gastrointestinal diseases; the other is that the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the baby’s gastrointestinal tract are prone to vomiting. In general, vomiting due to the second reason is more common.
A baby’s stomach is in a horizontal position. It is in an unstable state, and the cardia (the entrance to the stomach) is still relatively loose. In other words, when the food enters the stomach in an adult body, the cardia will contract to prevent the food from flowing back to the esophagus. The tension of the esophageal muscles of infants and young children is low, which is easy to cause expansion, and at the same time, the peristalsis is slow, so food is easy to accumulate.
Also, sometimes babies feed hastily or clumsily, making it easy for air to be sucked into the stomach together with milk when feeding. So, when babies burp or do some activity that shakes their body vigorously, they up the milk they ingested.
If the baby vomits milk occasionally and seems to be in good spirits, you should relax. It does not indicate any serious illness or problem. If it vomits several times in a row and after every time you feed, you should pay attention to whether the child has a fever, how the stool is, whether there is any change in spirit, etc. There may be problems with the gastrointestinal tract itself, or other systems may have a disease. Refer to a doctor and ask for medical help.
What to Do If a Three-Month Baby Vomits Serious Milk?
Once you find that your baby is spitting up milk, you need to deal with it in time because the opening of the baby’s esophagus and the trachea are connected in the throat. When spitting up and inhaling, it is most dangerous when the milk suddenly reverses from the esophagus to the throat, and it strays into the trachea. When the amount is large, the trachea will be blocked, breathing will not be possible, and hypoxia will immediately endanger life. When the amount is small, it can be directly inhaled deep into the lungs to cause aspiration pneumonia.
Parents need to observe their child’s breathing and skin color closely. If a three-month-old baby has a lot of vomiting, please deal with the following methods:
1. Side to side
If vomiting occurs when lying down, quickly turn the baby’s face to one side to prevent the vomiting material from flowing back into the throat and trachea. Roll your fingers into the mouth or even the throat to quickly clean out any vomit if it goes back into the throat and the baby has not thrown up. Do this to keep the respiratory tract smooth and avoid obstructing their breathing.
2. Pat the back
If you find that your baby is holding its breath, not breathing, or its face turns dark, it means that the vomiting matter may have entered the trachea. Immediately put it prone on the adult’s lap or the bed (hard bed) and pat his back four to five times to make him cough up. Otherwise, it could cause suffocation.
3. Pinch the bottom of the foot
If all these steps are done, but the baby still has no response, immediately stimulate or pinch the soles of his feet. The purpose is to make the baby breathe because of the pain. The most important thing at this time is to let the baby inhale and let the oxygen enter the lungs to avoid hypoxia. If the baby is suffocating, the most important thing is to buy time to send air (oxygen) into the lungs, rather than wasting time thinking about how to take out the foreign body. This concept is very important.
During the above processing, the baby should be transferred to the hospital or clinic simultaneously so that the professional pediatrician can do further processing or examination to be completely relieved.
If the baby breathes smoothly after choking, it is best to find a way to make him cry hard (crying is a lot of breathing). Observe the baby’s inhalation and exhalation when crying. See if there is any abnormality, such as voice change, weakness, difficulty in inhaling, severely concave chest. If any of these symptoms, get medical attention immediately. If the baby cries loudly, is full of breath, and has a ruddy face, it means that there is nothing serious about it for the time being, and you can observe it for a while. If necessary, a chest X-ray can be performed.
How to Care for a Three-Month Baby Spitting Up Milk?
Three-month babies are prone to spit up milk. This is because the stomach of a baby is horizontal and small. The cardia that connects with the esophagus is wide, and the pylorus, which holds the digested food, is contracted. Once the baby spits up milk, the parents are always very anxious, often in a hurry, and do not know what to do. Here are some steps you should follow to care for your baby after it has thrown up.
1. When the baby vomits milk, keep the upper body in a raised posture.
Once the vomit enters the trachea, it can cause suffocation. Therefore, when letting the baby lie down, it is best to put a bath towel under the baby’s body and keep the upper body elevated. If the baby spits up while lying down, turn its face to one side.
2. After vomiting up, pay more attention to the baby’s condition.
When the baby is lying down, raise the baby’s head or simply hold the baby upright. After throwing up, the baby’s complexion may be bad, but if he recovers later, there is no problem. Mothers should pay attention to observe the baby’s condition. Also, give some water to your baby to prevent dehydration. Use a bottle or spoon to give small amounts at a time.
3. Replenishing water should be done 30 minutes after throwing up.
After the baby vomits, if the baby is hydrated immediately, it may cause vomiting again. Therefore, it is best to use a spoon to feed the baby a little bit of white water about 30 minutes after the incident.
4. After throwing up, the number of each feeding should be reduced to half of the usual.
When the baby recovers and wants to feed again, you can feed the baby some more milk. However, the amount of each feeding should be reduced to about half of the usual The number of feedings can be increased. If the baby continues to vomit, give it only liquid food and refrain from any kind of solid food.
How to Prevent a Three-Month Baby From Spitting Up Milk?
Three-month-old babies often inhale air when they are feeding, and the milk is easy to flow into the mouth, causing vomiting. The mother may be very worried when she sees her baby vomiting up for the first time. If you pay attention to the following aspects, you can prevent a three-month baby from spitting up.
1. Adopt a proper feeding posture.
Try to hold the baby in your arms and feed it. Keep the baby’s body in a tilted state. The milk in the stomach naturally flows into the small intestine, which will reduce the chance of spitting up than if it was feeding while lying down. After the baby has been fed, stand up and pat his back until he burps.
2. After feeding, be sure to let your baby burp.
Lift the baby upright and lay it on your shoulders, and pat your baby’s back gently. Let him remove the air in his stomach after feeding by burping, and then put the baby on the bed. Your baby will not throw up after this.
3. Do not lay the baby on the back.
It is not advisable to let your baby lie on his back immediately after feeding. Instead, he should lie on his side for a while and then switch to lying on his back.
4. Do not feed too much at one time.
Take care that you do not overfeed your baby. Give more feeds in smaller quantities. The feeding interval should not be very close.
5. Observe vomiting conditions.
After the baby vomits up, if there are no other abnormalities, then do not be much concerned. It will get better in the future, and it will not affect the baby’s growth and development. The baby’s vomiting milk may be in the form of tofu, which results from the action of milk and stomach acid, and it is normal, so do not worry. However, suppose the baby vomits frequently and vomits yellow-green, brown liquid, or is accompanied by fever, diarrhea, and other symptoms. In that case, he should go to the hospital for examination in time.
Conclusion
Babies vomiting milk is not generally a problem. Look out for signs and symptoms that indicate your baby may have some illness or medical condition. Follow the steps mentioned in the article to ensure your baby throws up less. Make sure to give small amounts of feed at intervals. Keep the baby hydrated after it vomits. Give it burps in between and after feeds to prevent it from throwing up due to air in the stomach. For severe conditions, call for a doctor and seek professional help.
