The figures speak for themselves: 25 to 40% of babies will experience regurgitation problems . Regurgitation is often something that worries parents, but should you be so concerned about it that you consult your pediatrician ?
THE FIRST STEP: DIFFERENTIATING BABY’S BEHAVIORS
Rest assured! In most cases, these regurgitations do not have serious consequences. First of all, we must clearly qualify what is involved: vomit , rejection, gastroesophageal reflux ; These terms are not synonymous!
Rejection is a return of undigested milk , while vomiting corresponds to food that has begun to be digested . Gastro- esophageal reflux , for its part, is regurgitation which results in part of the gastric contents rising up into the esophagus, then into the mouth . These are abundant rises , sometimes accompanied by a little blood. Unlike the two previous types, reflux is bothersome for the child, and will result in crying and refusal of bottles. It can therefore lead to a slowdown in weight gain. What is this phenomenon of regurgitation due to? The culprit is the lower esophageal sphincter ! Not being fully formed in all babies , it sometimes does not fully play its role of " retaining " food in the stomach during digestion.
WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS TO PUT AN END TO REGURGITATION?
To limit any reflux , we advise you to keep your baby lying down and inclined at 30-40° during digestion. Neither standing too much nor lying down too much! Baby's clothes and diaper should not be too tight so that he is comfortable. In terms of diet, certain foods tend to promote reflux : if your baby has started to diversify but continues to have reflux , you should consider avoiding foods that promote stomach irritation such as fruit juice or chocolate.
Finally, thicker milk can prevent reflux ; There are so-called “anti-reflux” milks , or if you prefer to do it yourself, certain flours suitable for babies allow “homemade” thickening, such as so-called “ diase ” or “ diastase ” flour.
CONCLUSION
Regurgitation , vomit and other gastroesophageal reflux should remain occasional behaviors. If they become chronic and your child has heavy episodes at each meal , it is then best to consult your pediatrician or naturopediatrician!