Parenting Guide on Regurgitation and Vomiting

Regurgitation or "spitting up" is the non forceful return of a small amount of milk during or shortly after feeding. This is a common occurrence in infancy which may be due to faulty feeding technique, overfeeding or due to physical or mechanical causes primarily the swallowing of air. The nipple holes may be too small or too large causing the milk to flow too slowly or too rapidly, the bottle may be held at the wrong angle or the infant may be upset because of nervous excitement or over handling. Spitting up may be considerably reduced or even eliminated by burping Baby during and after feeding, by gentle handling and by avoiding the other possible causes. But as long as the weekly weight gain is attained there is no need to be concerned about occasional spitting up or "cheesing". This condition usually stops when the baby starts taking solid food.

Vomiting is a violent emptying of the stomach, usually with one or two strong stomach contractions. Vomiting is also a common occurrence in infancy and may be due to a great variety of causes, both minor and serious. If vomiting continues, consult your doctor.