Spitting up clear liquid in babies is not an unusual phenomenon. The act of spitting up clear liquid may also be considered as the rite of passage for many babies. However, this might be the indication of a medical condition in the children that require immediate medical attention. Sometimes, you might witness your little ones spitting up the entire breast milk that you have just fed. This phenomenon is medically termed as gastroesophageal reflux. The article is aimed at addressing the phenomenon of spitting up clear liquid, the potential causes of such problem and the possible remedies.

Is spitting up clear liquid normal in babies?

The act of spitting up clear liquid among babies may be regarded as ordinary occurrences. It may be mentioned that normal form of spitting up might not affect the babies adversely. If your child is eating well and getting weight with passing time, there is no need for you to be worried. If your baby is gaining weight, the indication is that he/she is not having the loss of calories as a result of the spitting – up. It is worth mentioning that Spitting up in babies reduce considerably when the children approach the one-year mark of their ages.

However, sometimes spitting up may be the indication of underlying medical conditions among the babies. You should immediately seek the advice of the child specialist if the act of spitting up is a frequent activity in the case of your baby. You should get in touch with your baby’s doctor if baby is not –

• Gaining in weight
• Spitting up forcefully
• Spitting up liquid green or yellow in color
• Spitting up blood or a fluid that has the appearance of coffee grounds
• Has blood in his/her stool
• Uncomfortable breathing
• Begins spitting up at the age of 6 months or older

In some cases, you might come across your baby spitting up white liquid with the presence of white chunks. This might be the result of a burp in your baby. Most of the times the spitting up of white fluid is considered to be normal among babies. However, it is advisable to get in touch with the doctor so that any underlying medical conditions may be identified and given the appropriate treatment or prescriptions.

Potential causes of spitting up

The act of spitting up is the act of smooth passage of the contents of the stomach of the baby through his/her mouth. In the healthy children, the act of spitting up white liquid is considered to abnormal. During the initial months after birth, most of the babies’ experience the back – flow of the stomach contents into the esophagus. This type of activity is medically termed as gastroesophageal reflux, infant acid reflux, infant reflux, etc.

The lower esophageal sphincter is a tissue that is responsible for keeping the contents of the stomach where they should be. This muscle needs time to mature in babies. Therefore, there could be spitting up of white liquid in babies unless that above – mentioned muscle has developed.

Difference between spitting and vomiting white liquid

There is a subtle difference between the phenomenon of spitting and vomiting white liquid in babies. As mentioned earlier, the act of spitting up is the act of smooth passage of the contents of the stomach of the baby through his/her mouth. Vomiting occurs when the same thing happens but, forcefully. The spitting up of white fluid while vomiting may be in the form of shooting out inches rather than dribbling.

Can spitting up affect the growth of a baby?

The answer to the following question will depend on the condition of the child while spitting up white liquid. In cases, where the baby is eating well and gaining weight considerably there is nothing to worry about. However, if your kid is not gaining weight and not eating well, you might consider seeking the expert advice of your preferred doctor. You should always remember The old English saying “Prevention is better than cure.”