Why do babies spit up

Normal spitting up doesn’t interfere with a baby’s well-being. As long as your baby seems comfortable and is eating well and gaining weight, there’s little cause for concern. If your baby is gaining weight, then he or she isn’t being harmed by the calories lost through spitting up.

The best way to reduce spit up is to feed your baby before he or she gets very hungry. Gently burp your baby when he or she takes breaks during feedings. Limit active play after meals and hold your baby in an upright position for at least 20 minutes. Always closely supervise your baby during this time.

There’s usually no need to stress. “Seventy percent of infants under 3 months will spit up three times a day, and it’s even perfectly normal for them to be spitting up as often as 10 or 12 times,” says William Byrne, M.D., chief of pediatric gastroenterology at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, in Portland, Oregon.

Gripe water: Is it safe? Although you might be tempted to try gripe water to ease symptoms of reflux, there’s no scientific evidence of its effectiveness.