Disclaimer: If you are concerned about the amount of times or how much your baby spits up after each feeding, always contact your pediatrician for medical advice. Almost every GoldiLacts parent asks about “spit up.” Many babies dribble (or spit up a little) a bit after feeding. In most cases this is normal, especially in the first 3-6 months of your baby’s life! Here’s why: -The upper body and the muscles needed to hold food down are still strengthening. Babies have an internal calculation system that lets them know when they may have eaten more than they needed in that moment or something is just not sitting right. Their body cues to burp, toot, urinate, poop, or spit up to expel the excess! -During the first 6-8 weeks, milk supply is regulating. Sometimes they may get a bit too much if parent has an oversupply, and they simply dribble out what they do not need. -It could also be that they are being moved too quickly after feeding. Imagine eating a huge double cheeseburger and going on a roller coaster immediately after. You would spit up too! We recommend allowing babies to relax in the feeding position for a few moments when finished, then holding them in an upright position for 15 minutes. -Sometimes parents are concerned that babies spit up all of their feeding. This is why it is so important to feed baby on demand. If for some reason they spit up a majority of their intake, they will simply give hunger cues very soon for another feeding! Remember that frequent nursing and stimulation at the breast is great for your milk supply, and your body is responding to baby’s unique and individual needs. There is no need to rush back to feeding immediately after a spit up, but always be sure to honor a baby's hunger cues. -Babies are on an entirely liquid diet while their bodies are constantly being moved and manipulated by their caregivers. Their digestive systems aren’t fully formed until much later and they don’t have a lot of room to manage the movement of these liquids while digesting. You may notice that your baby spits up more in the early months after feeding in certain breastfeeding or bottle feeding positions due to a heavy flow of milk, or that spit up amounts spike somewhere around 4-6 months while their body is preparing to digest solid foods. Once their food does become more solid, and they become more mobile and able to utilize more body control, you should notice a few things. The amount of spit up decreases, poops become more solid, and your baby who can now crawl and cruise doesn’t have as many issues with regurgitation. -There are some babies who struggle with intestinal issues like GERD, leaky gut syndrome, reflux/silent reflux, or other medical indications that clue doctors that there is something else needing attention. This is why it is always important to consult your pediatrician! Some behaviors that may indicate your baby needs special attention include: Extreme fussiness directly after or during feeds Red faced cries, body tension, tight fists, arching back Projectile and repeated vomiting Spitting up green, yellow, red or any other color that does not resemble freshly transferred milk Slow or inadequate weight gain Choking on vomit or showing any other signs of major distress, such as dehydration, blue lips and/face, and lethargy are emergent needs. Contact your doctor or local hospital , and if you are in doubt that you can contact one soon enough to manage these symptoms, call 911! Most often pediatricians will call your baby’s spit up normal as long as they are gaining weight, meeting developmental milestones, and most importantly are not in distress. Remember to stay calm and watch your baby’s behavior. Trust your instinct and know that these phases are temporary! Your baby is growing and developing more and more each day! Soon they will be able to hold everything they take in…and pretty soon you’ll be eating all THEIR leftovers!