Baby Spitting Up Curdled Milk

by Brandi
(Sparr, FL )

My baby boy is 5 weeks old. He is eating 4 oz every 3-4 hours. He is spitting up alot. He was on breast milk but after he was spitting up what looked like curldled milk his doctor said to try formula. He is doing the same thing. I'm not sure what to try now.

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Baby Help Line Response:

First of all, the milk becomes curdled when mixed with the acidic stomach fluid. So curdled milk doesn't have to be a problem. Many young babies spit up a bit of curdled milk now and then.

But curdled milk in combination with very frequent vomiting may be a sign that something is not completely right.

Here are a few possible causes:

Your boy has intolerance to for example lactose or milk protein.

He may suffer from acid reflux.(Quite a common condition among newborn babies, where the gastric juices containing acid can travel back from the stomach into the throat - painful). (You'll find several tips for feeding a baby with reflux in this thread.

Pyloric Stenosis - a condition where the lower part of the stomach is too low for the foods to travel over into the intestines. Projectile vomiting of milk that may or may not be curdled, weight loss, and constipation are some of the signs of pyloric stenosis. This condition needs treatment and surgery.(You can read more about pyloric stenosis at KidsHealth.org)

This is not a full list, of course, just some examples.

If it is reflux, changing to formula doesn't generally help. Instead, things like not feeding your baby too much at the time, feeding him in an upright position, avoid foods (for you if you breastfeed) that can aggravate reflux such as citrus, tomatoes, fatty foods, spicy foods, and carbonated drinks. (Learn more about foods to eat and avoid while breastfeeding here.) There is also some medication available.

Obviously no one can tell if your baby does have reflux without examining him and there may be other reasons for his spitting up. I think you should take him back to his doctor (or to another one if you don't think you get enough support from this one).

Good luck!

Paula

Comments for
Baby Spitting Up Curdled Milk

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Oct 30, 2011

Baby spitting up
by: Anonymous

Okay, if the baby is spitting up a lot I would take the formula down a little bit like to 3.5 oz. My babies are almost 4 months old and take 4 oz. every three hours. I do believe that is too much for a five week old. Good luck!

Mar 09, 2012

I think its sad... NEW
by: Anonymous

I think it's very sad that a professionally trained person such as a doctor would tell a mother not to breastfeed her child because of spitting up. There are many factors...such as a cow milk intolerance in your milk...so you would need to cut out diary products. Since you changed from breastmilk to formula...then the problem would not stop there because formula is made mostly from cow milk. I would advise switching back to breastmilk which can help your child recover inside and out when dealing with problems in this big world such as allergies. If you do not plan to switch back i would suggest a goat milk formula base (goat milk digests in the human system within 2-4 hours...cow milk takes 8 and more) or at least try an organic formula or soy based. although these can be a little more, your baby would greatly benefit from it. Good luck and my advise it to find another pediatrician! It has been medically proven for a very long time that breast milk is what was designed for the infants ultimate help and support during life. Babies do not even develop an immune system alone for the first 6 months of life, they rely on yours to fight for them during that time. Good luck!

Sep 17, 2012

Spitting up worries! NEW
by: Anonymous

My daughter spit up all the time when she was first born until about 8 months. I only breast fed, and I was worried she was spitting up almost everything that was going in. We found the problem to be reflux, and although she continued to spit up after the medicine it wasn't as much. Once you start her on foods she will be better, but don't stop breastfeeding!!

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