There may be several causes for vomiting in babies, ranging from gastrointestinal anomalies to stomach flu and indigestion. Although occasional vomiting in babies is not a cause of concern, severe, or persistent vomiting requires immediate medical attention. This is crucial to help detect and treat any underlying health issues and avoid dehydration in babies.
In case you are wondering how to stop vomiting in babies and when to seek help from a medical professional, fret not, as we have got you covered with all the essential information in this post. Let’s find out more about the possible causes of vomiting in babies and remedial methods that work to relieve their condition.
Common Causes Of Vomiting In Babies
Food Allergies
Allergies or intolerance to certain foods can cause vomiting in your baby. If your baby is breastfeeding, then the vomiting could happen due to a certain food item present in your diet. But if they are bottle-fed, the kind of formula used may contribute to this condition.
Nevertheless, if your baby persistently vomits between minutes to hours after feeding, then you should consult their paediatrician and check for possible allergens that are worsening the condition, and steer clear of them.
Stomach Flu
Stomach flu, also known as stomach bug, tummy bug, or viral gastroenteritis is a viral infection of the stomach that can also cause vomiting in your baby. In addition to vomiting, some of the other symptoms of stomach flu include diarrhoea, fever, and tummy pain. In case your baby has stomach flu, they may have persistent vomiting for 2-3 days and require special medical attention.
Reflux
As your baby’s oesophagus has not yet matured, the milk may back up into their food pipe after feeding. This may cause the milk to come out from your baby’s mouth and nose, and is also referred to as spitting up or posseting. However, don’t worry, as this condition usually resolves with time, or when your baby is introduced to solids.
Overeating Or Overfeeding
Breastfed and bottle-fed babies may vomit if they are overfed. Baby bottles have large holes, and that can sometimes cause overfeeding. Hence, make sure to adjust the amount of formula in their bottle, so that it doesn’t lead to overfeeding.
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning may happen in weaning and bottle-feeding babies. This condition is usually caused due to unsterilised bottles, state food, and food or water contaminated with E. coli bacteria or salmonella. Food poisoning can cause frequent vomiting and diarrhoea in your baby and may require immediate medical attention.
Home Remedies To Stop Vomiting In Babies
The main aim of these home remedies is to prevent dehydration in your baby due to electrolyte loss while vomiting. You may also discuss these home remedies with your child’s paediatrician and they may offer additional advice based on your baby’s age, weight, and symptoms.
The home care remedies to prevent dehydration in your baby include:
- For breastfeeding babies: They need to be fed more often for hydration, and you can return to the normal feeding schedule once the vomiting has stopped.
- For bottle-feeding babies: You can give your baby an oral rehydration solution (ORSO) every 15 minutes for 2-3 hours. You can purchase over-the-counter rehydration solutions, but make sure to consult your child’s doctor about the dosage. The dosage may vary depending on your baby’s diet, weight, and severity of vomiting.
- For weaning infants: You can gradually put them back to solid foods as their vomiting lessens.
Treatment Methods For Vomiting In Babies
After examining your baby’s condition, and determining the cause of vomiting, the paediatrician may recommend the following treatment methods to prevent dehydration and other discomforts.
- If your baby has server dehydration but is refusing oral intake of fluids, then the doctor may recommend intravenous fluids (IVs) and electrolytes.
- If your baby has a bacterial infection or stomach flu, then the doctor will prescribe antibiotics for relief.
- The doctor may also recommend oral rehydration solution to babies who can drink without vomiting again.
When To Feed Your Baby After Vomiting
We have listed some tips that will help you decide when to feed and not feed your baby after vomiting.
- You may offer a bottle to your baby after they have thrown up. If they are ready to eat, then feed them right away.
- Give your baby a small amount of breast milk or any other fluid after vomiting, and observe if they vomit again.
- If your baby resists feeding after vomiting, wait for a while and then try again.
Feeding breast milk or fluids may help settle down nausea in your baby and soothe the irritation in the throat. You may also offer water in a spoon or in a bottle to hydrate them. Even if they resist, keep trying after frequent intervals.
When To Seek Medical Help
Knowing when to seek medical help can help prevent your baby’s condition from worsening. You should seek immediate medical care in the following situations:
- If the vomiting continues even after a day.
- Your baby’s vomit is greenish-yellow or green in colour. This may indicate an intestinal obstruction and may require immediate medical attention.
- Your baby has other symptoms along with vomiting, such as diarrhoea and fever.
- Your baby is refusing to eat or consume breast milk for a few hours.
- Signs of dehydration in your baby, including dry mouth and sunken eyes.
- Dark urine or if your baby is not passing urine.
- If your baby is fussy and crying for a long time and has a high fever.
We hope we have answered all your questions on how to stop vomiting in babies. As discussed in the post, your main aim should be to keep your little one hydrated and keep offering them fluids, such as rehydration solutions and breast milk to ease the nauseous feeling and soothe discomfort. Additionally, if you notice severe symptoms accompanied by vomiting, such as diarrhoea, signs of dehydration, and high fever, consult your child’s paediatrician immediately for advice and treatment methods.
Also read:
How to soothe a newborn tummy ache: Check out this post to learn effective methods to soothe and relieve a newborn’s tummy ache.
How to increase baby weight: Looking for safe and effective methods to increase your newborn’s weight? This post has got you covered with all the details.
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