My baby is vomiting

Most babies bring up small amounts of milk from time to time, especially when they burp. This is called posseting and is usually nothing to worry about.

You’ll know your baby is vomiting instead of posseting because a lot more will come out.
Vomiting is also very common (it happens in up to half of all babies) and usually gets better with time.

Even if it seems like your baby is vomiting a lot, most babies still grow normally and don’t seem too upset by it.
As long as your baby is healthy and gaining weight, there’s usually no need to worry or get extra help.

If your child has any of the following:
  • Has dark green or blood stained vomit
  • Breathing very fast, too breathless to talk, eat or drink
  • Working hard to breathe, drawing in of the muscles below the ribs, or noisy breathing (grunting)
  • Breathing that stops or pauses
  • Is pale, blue, mottled or feels unusually cold to touch
  • Difficult to wake up or very sleepy
  • Weak, high-pitched cry or can’t be settled
  • Has a fit (seizure)
  • Has a rash that does not disappear with pressure (the ‘Glass Test’)
  • Has a temperature more than 38°C or under 36°C (unless fever in the 48 hours following vaccinations and no other red or amber features






You need urgent help.

Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency (A&E) Department or phone 999

If your child has any of the following:
  • Vomits forcefully (shoots across the cot or the room)
  • Not gaining weight
  • Blood in poo
  • Constantly arching their back and crying
  • Breathing a bit faster than normal or working a bit harder to breathe
  • Dry skin, lips or tongue
  • Not had a wee or wet nappy in last 8 hours
  • Poor feeding (less than half of their usual amount)
  • Irritable (Unable to settle them with cuddles, toys or feeding)
  • Jaundice (yellow skin) after 2 weeks of age
  • Getting worse and I am still worried






You need to contact a doctor or nurse today.

Please ring your GP surgery or call NHS Wales 111 - dial 111

 

 
If none of the above features are present


• Continues to feed well
• Has plenty of wet nappies
• Baby wakes up or cries regularly for feeds
• Addition information is available about infant crying and how to cope – click here.







Self care

Continue providing your child’s care at home. If you are still concerned about your child contact your Health Visitor or call NHS Wales 111 – dial 111

Conditions that can cause a baby to vomit:

It’s normal for babies to have some reflux because the muscle at the end of their food pipe,
which keeps food in their stomach, is still developing.
Reflux might make your baby bring up
milk after feeding and can also cause hiccups. As long as your baby is growing well and
doesn’t seem very upset, there’s no need to worry.
However, more severe reflux can make your baby cry and vomit, especially after feeding.
This more serious kind of reflux is called gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). It
happens when your baby’s tummy is full, and food and stomach acid come back up the food
pipe, causing pain and discomfort.

Do
• ask a health visitor for advice and support
• get advice about your baby's breastfeeding position or how to bottle feed your
baby
• hold your baby upright during feeding and for as long as possible after feeding
• burp your baby regularly during feeds
• give formula-fed babies smaller feeds more often
• make sure your baby sleeps flat on their back (they should not sleep on their side
or front)
Don’t
• do not change your diet if you are breastfeeding
• do not raise the head of their cot or Moses basket
If you’ve tried the suggestions above and your baby’s reflux hasn’t improved, you should
contact your GP surgery. They will check your baby’s symptoms, ask about the formula
you’re using (if your baby isn’t exclusively breastfed), and may prescribe medication.

Cow's milk proteins are found in standard infant formula milk and can also be present in your breast
milk if you eat or drink dairy products like milk, cheese, or yogurt. If your baby has a cow's milk
allergy, they will also have some of these signs:
• Eczema
• Colic
• Diarrhoea, constipation or blood in their poo
• Trouble gaining enough weight
• A history of allergies in your close family
If you’re worried your baby might have a problem with cow's milk, speak with your Health visitor or
make a routine appointment with your GP surgery.

  • This is a rare condition that can cause your baby to vomit forcefully within half an hour of feeding.
  • Pyloric stenosis is most likely to begin when your baby is about six weeks old, but could show up at any time before they reach four months of age. It can sometimes run in families, and boys are about four times more likely to get it than girls.
  • It happens because the muscle controlling the valve leading from the stomach into the intestines has thickened, stopping enough food and milk to get through, so it stays in the stomach and then comes back up. The problem is easily corrected with minor surgery.

If your baby suddenly starts vomiting or has diarrhoea, they might have a tummy bug called
gastroenteritis although his is less common than in older children. This is usually caused by a virus
and doesn’t need special treatment. Vomiting usually stops within 6 to 24 hours.
Keep feeding your baby as usual. If you’re breastfeeding, continue. If your baby is on formula, don’t
water it down.
Babies under 6 months old are more likely to get dehydrated, so it’s important to make sure they’re
drinking enough. If you are worried that they are becoming dehydrated please use the above table
and seek the help you need.

If you are breastfeeding, seek advice from a breastfeeding specialist, either a specially trained health
visitor or a breastfeeding counsellor. It is possible that your baby is not latching on properly.

If you are bottle feeding, ensure your baby is in the right position (sitting almost upright) and that
you use the recommended amount of powder (it is quite easy to use too much if you have changed
product, or using a different scoop than the one provided in the tin).
It is also quite easy to give your baby too much milk when you are bottle feeding. Their stomach is
only small and most babies need little and often: 6-7 feeds per day is the norm, including at night
Your health visitor can help review how much milk you baby should need and the timing of the
feeds.

For wear and tear, minor trips and everything in between.

Self-care

You can treat your child's very minor illnesses and injuries at home.

Some illnesses can be treated in your own home with support and advice from the services listed when required, using the recommended medicines and getting plenty of rest.

Sound advice

Children can recover from illness quickly but also can become more poorly quickly; it is important to seek further advice if a child's condition gets worse.

For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?

Pharmacists are experts in many aspects of healthcare and can offer advice on a wide range of long-term conditions and common illnesses such as coughs, colds and stomach upsets. You don’t need an appointment and many have private consultation areas, so they are a good first port of call. Your pharmacist will say if you need further medical attention.

Sound advice

  1. Visit a pharmacy if your child is ill, but does not need to see a GP.
  2. Remember that if your child's condition gets worse, you should seek further medical advice immediately.
  3. Help your child to understand - watch this video with them about going to the pharmacy.

For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?

Midwives provide advice, care and support for women and their babies during pregnancy, labour and the early postnatal period. They provide health education and parenting advice until care is transferred to a health visitor. This usually happens when your baby is about 2 weeks old.

 

Sound Advice

 

A midwife is an expert in normal pregnancy and birth.

You can find out more information about your local midwifery team by clicking here.

 

Health visitors are nurses or midwives who are passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing illness through the delivery of the Healthy Child Wales Programme. They work with you through your pregnancy up until your child is ready to start school.

Health Visitors can also make referrals for you to other health professionals for example hearing or vision concerns or to the Community Paediatricians or to the child and adolescent mental health services.

Contact them by phoning your Health Visitor Team or local Children’s Centre.

Sound advice

Health visitors also provide advice, support and guidance in caring for your child, including:

  • Breastfeeding, weaning and healthy eating
  • Exercise, hygiene and safety
  • Your child’s growth and development
  • Emotional health and wellbeing, including postnatal depression
  • Safety in the home
  • Stopping smoking
  • Contraception and sexual health
  • Sleep and behaviour management (including temper tantrums!)
  • Toilet training
  • Minor illnesses

For more information watch the video: What does a health visitor do?

If you’re not sure which NHS service you need, call 111. An adviser will ask you questions to assess your symptoms and then give you the advice you need, or direct you straightaway to the best service for you in your area.

Sound advice

Use NHS 111 Wales if you are unsure what to do next, have any questions about a condition or treatment or require information about local health services.

For information on common childhood illnesses go to What is wrong with my child?

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Improving the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of expectant mothers, infants, children and young people throughout Aneurin Bevan University Health Board Area.

(N.B: The Family and Therapies team at ABUHB is NOT responsible for the content on the webpage links that we refer to in our resource sections and linked information to external sites. All information was accurate and appropriate at the time the webpage was created.)

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