🩺 Health · From birth to 1 year
🤮 Acid Reflux or Just Normal Spit-Up?
All babies spit up: the little valve at the top of their stomach isn't quite up to speed yet. You just need to tell the difference between a harmless 'happy spitter' and actual reflux—painful acid that burns their little food pipe and makes life miserable.
Telling the Difference
- Normal spit-up: Milk comes up effortlessly after a feed, baby doesn't cry, gains weight normally, and smiles through it all. Only your clean t-shirts suffer.
- Acid reflux (GERD): Intense crying during or after feeds, baby arches their back, makes chewing motions between feeds, hates lying flat, and sleeps terribly.
- Silent reflux: Baby doesn't actually spit anything up, but you can hear the liquid rising and they gulp it back down while wincing or crying.
Anti-Reflux Tactics
1. Keep 'em upright
Keep baby upright against your chest or in a sling for 20 to 30 minutes after every feed.
2. Burp breaks
Take regular burping pauses during feeds to let out trapped air before it turns into a geyser.
3. Nothing tight on the tummy
Keep the nappy loose around the waist and ditch pants with tight elastic bands.
4. Elevating the mattress: doctor's orders only
A certified wedge (15°) under the fitted sheet should only be used if recommended by a doctor. Never improvise with pillows or rolled-up towels.
5. When to call the doctor
If baby's weight plateaued, they refuse feeds, or you spot blood in the spit-up, get them checked by a doctor right away. They might suggest thickened formula or prescribe medication.
6. Dad hack
A baby carrier is your secret weapon against reflux: it keeps baby perfectly upright after eating, your body heat soothes their belly, and you actually get your hands back.
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This guide doesn't replace medical advice. When in doubt, call your doctor or your local emergency number.