Is this "projectile vomiting"?

Question

I already called and spoke with a nurse at the hospital who told me not to worry about this, but I am still concerned

My baby normally spits up after she eats (she's breastfed) but it just dribbles out of her mouth, it doesn't shoot out.

Last night my husband was watching her and she had her pacifier in her mouth. She spit out the pacifier with force and spit up shot out, up about 5 inches he said. That's when I called the nurse but she said if it was projectile vomiting it would be like 3 feet in the air. She said what he saw was normal.

So I've kept an eye on her, but this morning it happened again.

I'm just concerned because it isn't normal for her. She doesnt' have a fever, I already checked that. And her behavior is pretty much the same, she's a little more fussy than normal but nothing really weird.

???

Merry Christmas Eve, btw & thanks for your answers on a holiday!

Answer 1

It's vomiting/projectile vomiting, but as long as there aren't other symptoms, she's fine. It could just be an upset tummy. Just makes sure she's keeping down enough during the day & keep an eye on how many wet diapers she's producing to avoid dehydration.
If you notice any other symtoms, call the nurse again.

Merry Christmas Eve & Merry 1st Chrismas to your daughter!!!!

Answer 2

I would consider that projectile vomiting, and you're right it's not normal. It's probably just an upset belly or stomach bug. How old is your baby? It might also be a reaction to the Iron in the formula if you use that.

My daughter starting throwing up like that after every feeding, but she was only a couple of weeks old when it started. It turned out to be Pyloric Stenosis - the valve at the bottom of her stomach would not open far enough to let food into her small intestines. With baby's it is so hard to tell if something is an emergency. Keep an eye on the little one, and if it goes on for 24 hours or longer, call the doc back and insist on an appointment or ER visit.

Answer 3

What you experienced with you infant can be normal, or it can be a portent of worse to come. Projectile vomiting is a symptom of pyloric stenosis, a narrowing of the outlet of the stomach into the small intestine. The condition makes itself manifest usually between four and eight weeks of age, but it can occasionally be earlier or later. Boys are affected more frequently than girls.

Infants with pyloric stenosis continue to have more frequent and more forceful episodes of projectile vomiting. It can develop rather rapidly, over the course of a few days.

If you daughter keeps most of her feedings down, has frequent wet diapers, is content with feeds, she is probably OK. Frequent spitting is normal. An occasional episode of forceful vomiting is not abnormal, just a cause for careful observation.

By the way, don't let anyone tell you "It's your milk." This is NOT a reason to switch to formula.

Answer 4

Hey Carly! I would say that you have some pretty good answers on here, but I wanted to add that she may be more fussy from the heartburn that the spitting is causing. Hopefully, its just a virus and she won't continue the spitting as bad. Two of my kids had horrible reflux with the projectile vomiting including Rylan. If it continues, ask your dr for some Zantac. It will help so that it doesn't hurt so bad when it does come up!

Answer 5

If she's still eating and doesnt have fever she's fine.

Yes it is projectile vomiting but you have to understand that because newborns and infants are so small, and their digestives systems so large and under developed ANY TIME they vomit its projectile, theres always that much force behind it.

You need to watch what you're eating, babies who are breast fed, especially those under 4 months old, are hyper sensitive to the foods you eat. Anything with sugar, spice, caffeine or too much dairy can upset their bellies and make them vomit or gassy.

Cut down on your sweets (chocolate, pies, cookies, processed startches) dont be drinking things you shouldnt (soda, coffee, a gallon of milk) and dont eat spicy things (chineese, peppers, garlic, onions). In a couple weeks she'll be better able to deal with those things in your milk.

I had to eat toast and drink water for a few days when my son was about 3 months old, he went through a spell where EVERYTHING i ate upset him. After about a week he got over it.

It will pass.

If she stops nursing or gets a fever THEN take her to the ER.

Answer 6

Sounds like a mild case of projectile vomiting. My son does this with no other symptoms. It's quite normal. We've found giving him a pacifier after he eats stops this. It may be a fluke that the paci works but we've been doing it for 3 days now and no more throwing up!

Answer 7

i would say yes its projectile vomiting... my son use to do it too, and as much as it sucks theres not a whole lot you can do about it.. if she doesn't have a fever or anything else accompaning it than i would try not to worry to much... the best that you can do for her is to have her sit in a sitting up position for as long as possible after she eats, i dont know any of the real terms to explain this very clearly but i'll give it a try lol, theres a valve in babies stomachs that doesnt fully close until they're a little bit older causing them to spit up, when you put the baby in an upright position is pretty much manually closes the valve for them... me and my best friend had that problem with both of our sons, and our doctor (we go to the same one) told us if we could try to feed baby in an upright position, and after feeding make sure they sat up for at least a half hour to fourty five minutes, long enough for the food to digest a little instead of coming right back up... it almost seems like they have acid reflexes sometimes ... my bestfriend swore thats what it was with her son lol... but the sitting them up really does work and helps out a lot, they still spit up a little, but it should just be the dribbles our of her mouth when it happens.... hope this helps and happy holidays

Answer 8

I would say it was projectile. Normal spitting, if lying on their backs is more liable to go back into their mouths, not as far as hers went.
For some babies it is just "normal".

Answer 9

THAT IS WHAT MY DOC CALLS PROJECTILE VOMITING....MY DAUGHTER HAS ACID REFULX AND SHE DOES THAT....MAYBE YOU SHOULD DISCUSS THAT WITH YOUR DOCTOR... THE NAME FOR IT IS G.E.R.D (GASTROESOPHAGEL REFLUX DISEASE). IT CAUSE THE BABY TO HAVE UPSET STOMICH AND VOMITING AFTER EVERY FEED. TRY SITTING HER UP 30 MINS AFTER SHE EATS AND PUT SOME CEREAL IN HER BOTTLE (DISCUSS WITH YOUR DOC FIRST. IF SHE HAS THIS YOU SHOULD FIND OUT ASAP BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE CANCER IN THE LINING OF THE ESOPHAGHUS WITHOUT MEDICINE. MY DAUGHTER IS ON ZANTAC, PREVACID, AND REGLAN, IT REALLY HELPS. GO AND SEE THE DOCTER TO DISCUSS IT WITH HIM/HER. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 10

sounds similar to what my son is doing. it doesn't seem to bother him, it just looks like it should. I spoke to two nurses and they both said it could be reflux and to try burping frequently during feedings.