Three months old, after overfeeding several times and spitting up milk, he vomited bile and then had diarrhea. I gave him some medication to take.

Dec 02, 2024 Source: Cainiu Health
Disease description:

Our three-month-old baby has experienced multiple episodes of spitting up milk due to overfeeding, followed by vomiting bile and subsequently developing diarrhea. What should we do?

Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng

A 3-month-old baby has experienced multiple episodes of spitting up milk due to overfeeding, even vomiting bile, followed by diarrhea. This may be gastrointestinal dysfunction caused by excessive feeding, leading to indigestion and diarrhea. Bile vomiting usually occurs when gastric emptying is obstructed, allowing bile to reflux into the stomach and then be expelled with the vomitus. Improper feeding, especially overfeeding, is one of the common causes of digestive system problems in infants.

Parents should adjust the feeding method by reducing the volume per feeding and increasing the frequency of feedings, to avoid excessive milk intake by the infant at one time. It is important to maintain the correct feeding posture, such as slightly elevating the baby's head and keeping the baby upright, which can help reduce spitting up and bile reflux.

Parents should seek medical attention promptly, where a professional doctor can assess the infant's health condition and provide appropriate medication when necessary, such as electrolyte supplements and digestive enzyme preparations, while also ruling out other possible gastrointestinal diseases. Good hygiene practices should be maintained, including regular cleaning and disinfecting of bottles and nipples, to prevent bacterial infection from worsening the infant's diarrhea.