How much baby spit up is too much?

Breastfed and formula-fed babies both spit up a lot. There’s no one way of feeding that makes a baby spit up more or less.

Whether your baby spits up formula or your baby spits up breast milk, it usually looks the same.

If your baby is throwing up formula, you may want to try a different type of formula. Some infant formulas are made specifically for babies with sensitive tummies.

If your baby is breastfed and is spitting up a lot, it may be a sign that something in the mom’s diet is upsetting the baby’s tummy.

Tips for reducing spit up

If your baby seems to be spitting up too much, there are some things you can do that may help, all backed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Hold your baby in an upright position during and after feeding

“There are numerous positions for breastfeeding and bottle feeding that keep the baby more upright and use gravity to help keep liquid in their tummy, such as seated positions,” Dr. Feely said. “This is especially important with bottle feeding since liquid flows much more quickly from a bottle than when breastfeeding. If you hold a bottle upside down, liquid will easily drip from it, but a baby has to work to get milk from a breast.”

Don’t feed your baby too much

“In the first month or so, babies will generally stop eating when they’re full, but they also suck to soothe themselves,” Dr. Feely said. “If you have a fussy baby, it’s sometimes hard to figure out if they’re hungry or if they just want to suck to soothe. Some parents automatically give them another bottle, which leads to overfeeding and can increase the likelihood of spitting up.”

Consider different bottles or nipples

Bottle feeding can sometimes lead to swallowing too much air, which leads to more spit ups. To avoid this, use slow-flow nipples or bottles that are made to be air-free.