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As most new parents can attest, babies spit up. Constantly. Especially if you are wearing a freshly laundered shirt. Sometimes it seems like you are winning a contest that you didn't really want to enter - How much laundry can one mom do in one week? However, when does that spit up become too much? When should a new parent worry?
First, be aware that spit up is not vomit. If your baby is vomiting, especially projectile vomit, take him to the doctor. You can tell the difference by baby's behavior. If baby is distressed, it is probably vomit. Spitting up doesn't seem to bother most babies.
Most babies spit up some. It seems to peak around four months and then gets better all on its own. For some babies, though, spitting up too much can keep them from growing well. It can actually be gastroesophageal reflux disease, known as GERD. GERD is particularly common in premature infants and in infants with other known health problems. It also seems to run in families. Talk to your doctor if your child isn't gaining weight well or has episodes when he chokes and stops breathing. Such episodes can be "silent" reflux. My oldest daughter was diagnosed with "silent" reflux as an infant. The doctor prescribed Tagamet and Reglan. We gave her the medicine for a while but eventually stopped, and she had no more problems. However, she never had problems with weight gain and did not have severe GERD.
Most spitting up stops when baby can sit up. This helps the milk to stay where it belongs (and off your shoulder). So take heart - this, too, shall pass!
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