Why does my baby spit up through the nose?

It’s usually normal. Babies have a loose valve between the stomach and esophagus, and the back of the throat connects to the nose, so spit-up can come out both the mouth and the nose—especially if they burp, overfill their tiny stomach, or swallow air.

To help reduce it:

• Keep baby upright for 20–30 minutes after feeds
• Offer smaller, more frequent feeds
• Burp during and after feeding
• If milk is in the nose, use saline and a bulb syringe gently

Call the pediatrician if your baby has projectile vomiting, green/yellow or bloody spit-up, trouble breathing, choking, poor weight gain, refuses feeds, or seems in pain. A baby who spits up but is otherwise happy and growing well is often just a “happy spitter.”