Does your baby spit up after every meal and often in between? Even if it's unpleasant, you don't normally need to worry. Spitting up is rarely a serious problem as long as the baby continues to gain weight and shows no other symptoms.

Half of all babies show signs of acid reflux, especially during the first three months of life. A valve between the oesophagus and the stomach normally ensures that the stomach contents stay where they belong. In infants, this valve is not yet fully developed, which is why some of the stomach contents often come out again during strong movements. Even if the baby has eaten too much or too quickly, it often spits out the excess again.

Even during sleep, spitting up does not usually cause any discomfort such as coughing or gagging. In most cases, the baby does not even realise when liquid is leaking from the mouth.

At the age of 12 months, babies gradually stop spitting up once the oesophageal valve has developed sufficiently.