If you are a parent with a baby, you have probably experienced this scenario before. You feed your precious little one. Then you put it over your shoulder so it burps a bit and splashes you instead, especially if you have hardwood floors.

We have all been there. Babies spit. It is just part of your natural being. Spitting up is a common occurrence, and about 40% of all babies spit up regularly. I know, two of my three were regular spitters, so I have driven more than my share over the years.

If you have a 4-month-old baby, he may spit up more often. If so, you are right, the maximum age for babies to spit up is around 4 months.

Why do babies spit up

Babies are learning to eat. Either from the breast or from the bottle, babies will breathe in when they eat. That’s why we put them on our shoulder after eating to get all those pesky gas bubbles out of their systems. Sometimes a little more in the form of liquid is sent with the air and thus regurgitation.

If you think your baby is spitting up too much, you may want to focus your attention on how he is eating. Here are some ideas:

1) Feed your baby in a more upright position. This will help the food flow down and make it easier for your baby to digest it.

2) If you are bottle feeding, make sure everything is the right size. Using the right size can help reduce the amount of air that gets in during feeding.

3) Check what your baby eats. If your baby spits up frequently, a change in diet can help reduce the problem.

4) The amount you are feeding at one time can also be a factor. Some babies like to swallow it, but if you can get them to eat at a more moderate and consistent rate, you may see less spit-up.

5) Don’t overfeed that child. I know this can be difficult to do, especially with the former, when you really don’t know how much they should eat. A quick conversation with your pediatrician can help you feel comfortable that your baby is eating enough, but not too much.

What to do when the baby spits up

Since most babies spit up at some point in their early life, having a supply of burp cloths is a good idea. I cleaned up quite a bit of regurgitation and I can tell you that a good burp cloth is an essential item that any parent should have close at hand. It is a very good idea to throw it over your shoulder before burping your little one.

The burp cloth is absolutely essential when Grandma or Grandpa wants to feed or burp. Most have forgotten what you were like as a baby and do not appreciate the regurgitation of the new dress or sweater.

Babies spit up, it is usually just a natural part of their learning to eat. So the next time you get ready to feed and pet your baby, take the burp cloth and put it nearby – you’ll be glad you did.