{"id":1030,"date":"2021-01-15T08:33:22","date_gmt":"2021-01-15T08:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/?p=1030"},"modified":"2021-03-04T23:54:00","modified_gmt":"2021-03-04T23:54:00","slug":"can-a-baby-choke-on-spit-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/newborn\/can-a-baby-choke-on-spit-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Truth or Myth: Can a Baby Choke on Spit-Up?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A question many mothers ask is &#8220;Can a baby choke on spit-up?&#8221;. In this article, we&#8217;ll discuss whether it&#8217;s true or not and the things you can actually do to prevent spit-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Back-_Sleeping_Spit-up\"><\/span>Back-&nbsp;Sleeping&nbsp;&amp; Spit-up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662e5e43054c3\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662e5e43054c3\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/newborn\/can-a-baby-choke-on-spit-up\/#Back-_Sleeping_Spit-up\" title=\"Back-&nbsp;Sleeping&nbsp;&amp; Spit-up\">Back-&nbsp;Sleeping&nbsp;&amp; Spit-up<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/newborn\/can-a-baby-choke-on-spit-up\/#Choking_on_Spit-Up_While_Asleep\" title=\"Choking on Spit-Up While Asleep\">Choking on Spit-Up While Asleep<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/newborn\/can-a-baby-choke-on-spit-up\/#Spitting-Up_Frequently\" title=\"Spitting-Up Frequently\">Spitting-Up Frequently<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/newborn\/can-a-baby-choke-on-spit-up\/#Ways_to_Prevent_Spitting_Up\" title=\"Ways to Prevent&nbsp;Spitting Up\">Ways to Prevent&nbsp;Spitting Up<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/newborn\/can-a-baby-choke-on-spit-up\/#When_Do_Babies_Stop_Spitting_Up\" title=\"When Do Babies Stop Spitting Up?\">When Do Babies Stop Spitting Up?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/newborn\/can-a-baby-choke-on-spit-up\/#When_to_See_a_Doctor\" title=\"When to See a Doctor\">When to See a Doctor<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the safest position for a baby to sleep in is on his back. Since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aap.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the AAP<\/a> first introduced this recommendation, the occurrence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has declined by over 50 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many parents still find themselves worrying this position could cause their baby to choke&nbsp;on spit-up. This is an understandable concern! As parents, we tend to dwell and worry about every possible scenario that may present a danger to our child. &nbsp;However, the&nbsp;evidence shows that choking on spit-up can be marked off your danger list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Choking_on_Spit-Up_While_Asleep\"><\/span>Choking on Spit-Up While Asleep<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The AAP has seen no evidence of sleeping babies on their back choking than any other sleeping position. In fact, your baby\u2019s body\u2019s natural instinct is to steer any swallowed spit-up back down the esophagus and away from the airway, even when they&#8217;re&nbsp;asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So while many parents are naturally worried about this,&nbsp;it is not really a threat and highly unlikely to occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Spitting-Up_Frequently\"><\/span>Spitting-Up Frequently<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&nbsp;notice your little one spitting up frequently or after every meal, it can cause a great deal of anxiety and worry about your&nbsp;baby\u2019s health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that most babies have a form of a reflux disorder called gastroesophageal reflux (GER for short) and it\u2019s perfectly normal. Dr. William Byrne \u2013 chief of pediatric gastroenterology at Doernbecher Children&#8217;s Hospital in Portland \u2013 has stated that as many as 70 percent of infants under the age of three months spit up with a frequency of three times a day. He also says even spitting up ten-to-twelve times a day is considered normal for an infant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is because the muscle at the end of the esophagus that opens and closes to let food in isn\u2019t fully developed in infants. This &#8220;valve&#8221; not closing means&nbsp;it much easier for the contents of the stomach to make its way back up. If your baby spits up but&nbsp;hasn\u2019t been fed recently, then it may because he was coughing or crying. These two things can often cause spit-up as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Frequent spitting up can be alarming for parents but it&#8217;s usually not a cause for concern and not a choking hazard!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ways_to_Prevent_Spitting_Up\"><\/span>Ways to Prevent&nbsp;Spitting Up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If frequent spitting up is causing you to become concerned, you can minimize the likelihood of spitting up by addressing some of the common causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the main causes of Spitting up in babies is overfeeding, so avoid trying to give him the bottle again once he has indicated he is finished \u2013 even if he has not finished all of his milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Swallowing air can also be a cause of frequent spitting up so make sure that your baby is latching correctly and be sure to burp him before, during, and after each feeding to help any trapped air escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/spitup.jpg\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/spitup.webp 480w,https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/spitup-300x225.webp 300w,https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/spitup-20x15.webp 20w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/spitup.jpg\" height=\"360\" width=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/spitup.jpg 480w, https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/spitup-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/spitup-20x15.jpg 20w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" class=\"wp-image-1031 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"Baby Spit Up\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  > <\/picture><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly.webp 300w,https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-200x200.webp 200w,https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-20x20.webp 20w,https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-160x160.webp 160w,https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-320x320.webp 320w,https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-150x150.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly.jpg\" height=\"300\" width=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-20x20.jpg 20w, https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-160x160.jpg 160w, https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-320x320.jpg 320w, https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/latched-correctly-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" class=\"wp-image-1033 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"baby latched on\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  > <\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are bottle feeding you may want to consider purchasing liners or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B00UVZXUOC\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00UVZXUOC&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=ksnw-20&amp;linkId=226d7cbd42fde77a816a81a512faa514\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">specialty bottles<\/a> made especially for reducing the intake of air while feeding. You might also try feeding your baby in a more upright, or sitting, position as this can help to minimize air intake as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some parents report changing to a soy-based formula such as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B00MHTPY3K\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00MHTPY3K&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=ksnw-20&amp;linkId=OXSFDTPWH2I6VX3O\">Similac for Spit-Up <\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B003VKR0J0\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B003VKR0J0&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=ksnw-20&amp;linkId=DH5IKZLSDB73T74I\">Enfamil A.R. <\/a>can help. These formulas use rice starch to make the formula a bit thicker and help settle an infant&#8217;s stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, the <a href=\"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/newborn\/10-tips-paced-bottle-feeding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paced Bottle Feeding<\/a> method might also make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Do_Babies_Stop_Spitting_Up\"><\/span>When Do Babies Stop Spitting Up?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It may seem like the constant spitting up is never going to end, but don\u2019t worry &#8211; it won\u2019t last forever. Most babies see a reduction in the frequency of spit-up by the age of six months old &#8211; when they begin eating more solid foods &#8211; and almost all babies are finished with spitting up by their first birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t become concerned if the spit-up has stopped and then begins to reoccur once he starts crawling, though \u2013 this is normal as crawling can cause his stomach contents to shift and come back up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_to_See_a_Doctor\"><\/span>When to See a Doctor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While almost all babies suffer from a form of GER and require no treatment for it, there is a more worrisome condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that can be cause for concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GERD occurs when frequent returning of stomach contents through the esophagus results in inflammation or damage to the esophagus, which can be caused by irritation from stomach acids. The symptoms of GERD in babies include refusing to eat, losing or not gaining weight, becoming irritable, vomiting (especially projectile vomiting), and respiratory problems caused by aspirating food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you notice these symptoms in your baby you should seek a consultation with his doctor, who can test for the presence of GERD and prescribe medication to treat the symptoms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A question many mothers ask is &#8220;Can a baby choke on spit-up?&#8221;. In this article, we&#8217;ll discuss whether it&#8217;s true or not and the things you can actually do to prevent spit-up. Back-&nbsp;Sleeping&nbsp;&amp; Spit-up According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the safest position for a baby to sleep in is on his back. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[13,14,12],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/baby-spit-up-.jpg",300,315,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/baby-spit-up--200x200.jpg",200,200,true],"medium":["https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/baby-spit-up--286x300.jpg",286,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/baby-spit-up-.jpg",300,315,false],"large":["https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/baby-spit-up-.jpg",300,315,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/baby-spit-up-.jpg",300,315,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/baby-spit-up-.jpg",300,315,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Sandy","author_link":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/author\/sandy\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A question many mothers ask is &#8220;Can a baby choke on spit-up?&#8221;. In this article, we&#8217;ll discuss whether it&#8217;s true or not and the things you can actually do to prevent spit-up. Back-&nbsp;Sleeping&nbsp;&amp; Spit-up According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the safest position for a baby to sleep in is on his back.&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1030"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1030"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1030\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kidsaversnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}