Projectile Vomiting in Infants

Infant vomiting is very common, as babies usually spit up a small amount of the ingested food. But, projectile vomiting in babies could be dangerous, if it is persistent or severe. Read on...

Most of us are familiar with the fact that infants vomit or spit up after feedings. This is very common in babies and parents do not worry about it, though it is inconvenient and annoying for them. 

 

However, in some infants, vomiting could be a cause of worry. For example, projectile vomiting in infants could be dangerous, as it may indicate some serious medical condition. Parents must have a basic idea about the different types of vomiting in infants, in order to differentiate between them and identify projectile vomiting.

Vomiting in Infants

As mentioned earlier, vomiting can be of three types, as far as infants are concerned. They include reflux, posseting and projectile vomiting. The first type called reflux, occurs when the valve that controls the entry of the food from the esophagus to the stomach opens up in between and allows the contents in the stomach to enter the esophagus and come out through the mouth. This reflux is common in infants and most of them outgrow this condition as they become toddlers. Posseting is another common type of vomiting in infants, wherein babies vomit small amounts of ingested food, right after feeding. The most severe among the three types is projectile vomiting, which is the forceful expulsion of food consumed by the baby.

What is Projectile Vomiting

This type of vomiting is characterized by forceful expulsion of food, that too in considerable amounts. The vomit is expelled with much force, that it forms an arc shape. It is more common in infants, but can be seen in adults too. Occasional projectile vomiting is considered normal, but when it happens regularly, it could be an indication of some serious medical condition. Both breast-fed and bottle-fed babies are prone to this type of vomiting. If your baby is showing the following symptoms along with persistent projectile vomiting, you have to consult a pediatrician at the earliest:

Weight loss and irritability

Presence of bile or blood in the vomit

Dehydration symptoms like dry mouth and weakness

The baby looks unwell or seems to be in pain

Coughing or choking spells

Hunger after vomiting

Belching and bloated stomach

Causes

Even though, gastroesophageal reflex is said to be one of the common causes of vomiting in infants, it is uncommon for a baby with this condition to develop projectile vomiting. Breastfeeding is recommended for such infants. Usually, treatment is not given as the babies outgrow this condition with age. In some infants, milk allergy could be a reason for this problem.

More serious causes of projectile vomiting in infants include stomach flu or gastroenteritis, which is an intestinal infection caused by a virus. Another serious medical condition associated with this type of vomiting in infants is pyloric stenosis, which is characterized by thickening of the muscle (pylorus muscle) that is located at the lower section of the stomach, where it opens to the small intestine. In such cases, the enlarged pylorus muscle prevents the food in the stomach to enter the small intestine.

 

 This causes projectile vomiting right after feeding or after several hours of feeding. The symptoms of this condition include constant crying, refusal to eat food, wheezing, slow weight gain, dehydration due to vomiting, etc. Studies show that three out of every 1000 infants develop this condition, which is more prevalent in males. Usually, this condition develops after four to six weeks of birth. It is treated with pyloromyotomy, a surgery performed to relieve the obstruction. In some infants, projectile vomiting is caused by congenital abnormalities of the intestinal tract.

Preventive Measures

While occasional projectile vomiting is not a cause of worry, if it is persistent, it can cause dehydration, fever, injury to the esophagus and stomach, slow growth rate, and sometimes, pneumonia as well. Hence, it is necessary to take your baby to the pediatrician at the earliest. If the doctor rules out the possibility of any serious underlying cause, you can try the following measures to prevent such vomiting.

Feed the baby with small amounts of food, but increase the frequency of feeding.

The baby should be in an upright position while feeding and for at least twenty minutes after feeding.

Gently pat on the baby's back frequently while feeding, so that he burps. This reduces the gastric pressure in the stomach, which can cause vomiting.

Minimize vigorous movements of the baby after feeding and elevate the head of the baby's bed at 30 degrees.

Projectile vomiting in infants should be monitored carefully and should not be left untreated. In case your baby develops this condition, it is advisable to consult a pediatrician immediately.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice. Visiting your physician is the safest way to diagnose and treat any health condition.

Author,

Sonia Nair

Average Weight Gain for Breastfed Babies

For a new mother, her baby's health is the most important matter of concern. So, do you know if your baby weighs as much as other babies do or is your baby underweight?

Every baby is born different. Hence, they have unique habits and each has a different pace of growth and development. While weight gain among newborn babies depends upon a number of factors like gender, race, ethnicity, genetic structure of parents, mother's health and gestation period of pregnancy, there are statistics of average weight gain for babies who are breastfed, that can help you make the comparison with your baby's weight. Did you know? Your baby will approximately weigh twice as much as he/she weighed at birth, within 3 to 4 months, and thrice the same weight in the first year. 

 

But has your baby also lost weight since birth? You need not be worried because a 5% to 10% weight loss is generally observed in babies within 3 to 4 days of birth. So, are you breastfeeding your baby sufficiently? Mother's milk has enough nutrients for a newborn, hence, all pediatricians recommend exclusively feeding the child with breast milk for the first six months since birth. As previously mentioned, the weight loss noted among babies within 3 to 4 days of birth should be regained in the next two weeks.

Weight Gain Statistics

The average weight observed in babies, at birth, is 6 to 9 pounds.

After 2 weeks of birth, the baby will gain approximately 5 to 8 ounces every week.

Every month, your baby will show a steady weight gain of 1 to 2 pounds.

Girls weigh more than boys when they are 4 months old. Average weight of a breastfed baby girl is 13 pounds and that of a baby boy is 12 pounds.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), babies who are breastfed exclusively gain 34.5 g weight per day and 110 to 200 g per week in the first month. In the next 4 months, this figure stands at 18.75 g per day.

For babies who are breastfed, average weight gain is at least 100 g per week and 500 g per month in the same time frame. Later, the weight gain may drop to 80 g per week.

For babies who are breastfed between 6 to 12 months since birth, average weight gain is a pound a month.

A baby is likely to grow an inch a month in the first 6 months and half an inch each month, in the next 6 months.

A sick baby needs up to 3 weeks to recover the weight loss.

Extra fluid retention during pregnancy due to IV fluids can lead to a heavier baby at birth. However, your baby will lose all the extra water weight in the first 72 hours of birth, leading to a weight loss.

Factors Affecting Weight Gain in Breastfed Babies

Did you know? All babies have different metabolism rates inherited from their parents. This is evident in their body shapes. Longer babies burn calories faster than the plumper or wider ones. If your baby is apple-shaped or pear-shaped, he/she will show more weight gain that increase in height in the infant years. The weight of a baby is not necessarily an indicator of fat deposits. It may be water retention as well, especially post breastfeeding and before bowel movements occur. Sleeping with your baby at night will provide him an unrestricted access to nursing at night and will grow a lot faster. If you feed your baby on schedule, he will show a slower rate of growth. The more active your baby is, the leaner he will be irrespective of regular and ample breastfeeding. However, a lazy baby will gain weight faster. Another interesting fact is, breastfed babies learn to regulate their own milk intake according to their appetite. If your baby shows slower than usual growth in one week but is hale and hearty, he/she will make up for it by faster growth in the next week.

Your baby may be growing bigger slowly, that is, they show very less weight gain but it is always steady. Even if your baby's weight gain patterns do not resemble these above statistics but he/she shows good skin elasticity, activeness, clear urine, has 5 to 6 wet diapers and 3 to 4 dirty diapers (good bowel movements), your baby is in perfect health. Most charts for average birth weight in babies show statistics for formula fed babies. Your breastfed baby will show different weight gain patterns. Hence, do not be misled and make sure your pediatrician provides the new growth chart, issued by WHO,for babies who are breastfed. Also, while measuring your breastfed baby's weight gain, compare it to the lowest weight measured which need not be the birth weight of your baby.

It is very important to understand your newborn's hunger patterns and to fulfill his/her appetite else it can result in serious malnourishment and weight loss. While you weigh your baby, preferably weigh him/her on the same scale, without clothes, every single time. It will give you the exact changes in weight gain/loss. If you have only been breastfeeding your baby, he/she will tend to look leaner in comparison to those babies who are not just breastfed. However, breastfed babies tend to gain weight a lot more quickly than formula fed ones in the first 3 months and then slow down. You need not be worried because your milk is very beneficial for the baby's health and will ensure a healthy child in future.

Author

Urvashi Pokharna