Why does my baby throw up breast milk not formula?

Understanding Why Babies May Vomit Breast Milk but Not Formula
When a baby throws up breast milk but seems to tolerate formula without issue, it can be a perplexing experience for parents. Several factors contribute to this phenomenon, primarily revolving around digestion, feeding techniques, and individual baby preferences.
Digestive Differences
Breast milk is often referred to as the “perfect food” for infants due to its unique composition, which includes easily digestible proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. The proteins in breast milk, primarily whey, are more easily broken down than those in formula, which contains a higher proportion of casein. This difference means that breast milk typically digests faster, which can sometimes lead to a quicker return of milk if the baby swallows too much air or eats too quickly.
Feeding Techniques and Air Swallowing
One common reason for vomiting is the way babies consume their milk. When bottle-feeding, whether with breast milk or formula, babies may gulp down their food, leading to the ingestion of air. This can cause discomfort and result in spitting up. However, breastfed babies often have a more controlled feeding pace, which can reduce the likelihood of swallowing excess air. If a baby is bottle-fed breast milk, they might not be as adept at managing the flow, especially if the nipple size is too large, leading to gagging or overfeeding.
Individual Sensitivities
Every baby is unique, and some may have sensitivities to certain components in breast milk that they do not experience with formula. For instance, if a breastfeeding mother consumes certain foods, such as dairy or spicy items, these can sometimes affect the breast milk and lead to digestive upset in the baby. In contrast, formula is designed to be consistent in composition, which may make it easier for some babies to tolerate.
Frequency of Feeding
Breast milk digests more quickly than formula, which means breastfed babies often feed more frequently. This can lead to situations where a baby is fed before they are truly hungry, resulting in overfeeding and subsequent vomiting. Formula-fed babies, on the other hand, typically have longer intervals between feedings, allowing their stomachs to settle more effectively.
Conclusion
In summary, if your baby is throwing up breast milk but not formula, it could be due to the rapid digestion of breast milk, feeding techniques that lead to air swallowing, individual sensitivities to components in breast milk, or the frequency of feedings. If this issue persists or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms, consulting a pediatrician is always a wise step to ensure your baby’s health and comfort.

How do I know if my breastmilk is upsetting my baby’s stomach?

If symptoms occur such as fussiness, irritability, crying, gas, increased spitting up and/or drawing their legs up due to tummy pain, write down everything you ate that day. This lets you carefully look at your diet instead of getting rid of foods that may not be the cause of your baby’s distress.

How do I know if my baby is intolerant to my breast milk?

Fussiness before eating because of hunger, during the feeding and then more fussy as they become more uncomfortable can be common. “Children with MSPI may cry 18 hours or more a day and may develop weight loss, congestion, repeated vomiting, reflux, and certain kinds of skin rashes.

How do I stop my baby from vomiting after feeding breast milk?

Remedies for spitty babies

1. Avoid overfeeding.
2. Burp your baby more frequently.
3. Limit active play after meals and hold your baby upright.
4. Consider the formula.
5. If breastfeeding, consider your diet.
6. Try a little oatmeal.

Do certain foods cause breastfed babies to spit up?

Food sensitivities can cause excessive spitting up in babies. Products with cow milk in the mom or baby’s diet can be a common food sensitivity. Some babies can become distracted when feeding at the breast, pulling off to look around. This can cause babies to swallow air and spit up more often.

Can a baby be allergic to breast milk but not formula?

“Babies are not allergic to breast milk,” clarifies Dr. Bjelac. “Very little food protein is passed through breast milk directly to the baby, so the chances that your baby will have a true allergic reaction to something you eat is very, very small.”

Why is my baby sick after breast milk but not formula?

Milk intolerance
Cow’s milk protein is one of the most common causes of food sensitivity in a baby who is breastfeeding. Cow’s milk protein intolerance is a reaction by the body’s immune system to a protein found in cow’s milk. A milk allergy or milk protein intolerance is different from lactose intolerance.

What causes a baby to throw up breast milk?

Babies regularly spit up when they drink too much milk, too quickly. This can happen when the baby feeds very fast, or when mom’s breasts are overfull. The amount of spit up can appear to be much more than it really is. Food sensitivities can cause excessive spitting up in babies.

Why does my baby spit up my breast milk more than formula?

The difference in spit up for breastfed and bottle-fed babies. 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.

How do I know if my baby has digestive problems?

Here are five signs your child has a problem digesting food and what you can do about it.

• Abdominal Pain That Won’t Go Away.
• Heartburn and Regurgitation.
• Persistent Diarrhea.
• Skin Rashes and Breathing Problems.
• Blood In The Stool.

How do I know if formula isn’t agreeing with baby?

What are the Signs of Formula Intolerance?

1. Diarrhea.
2. Vomiting.
3. Blood or mucus in your baby’s stool.
4. The baby often pulls her legs up toward her belly because of pain.
5. Difficulty with weight gain or noticeable weight loss.
6. Constant crying and signs of discomfort.