What is vomiting?

Your baby vomits when food or liquid forcibly comes out your baby’s stomach, through their mouth.

Vomiting is a symptom of many different conditions.

Vomit can look different, depending on the cause of your baby's vomiting. If your baby’s vomit is red or black, it could mean that they have vomited blood. If your baby’s vomit is green, it could mean they have vomited bile (juices your liver makes to digest fats) and have a bowel obstruction.

It is important you know what to do when your baby vomits. It can be life-threatening.

What is the difference between vomiting and spitting up?

Vomiting is not the same as spitting-up. Spitting up or ‘posseting’ is also known as gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR or ‘reflux’). Spitting up is also different to a disease called GORD.

Spitting up is common and normal for young babies, especially after a feed. It happens when small amounts of breastmilk or formula spill out of their mouth from their stomach. Many babies are not distressed when they have reflux and are ‘happy chuckers’.

What other symptoms can be related to vomiting?

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes vomiting in babies?

The most common cause for your baby to vomit is an infection, such as gastroenteritis (‘gastro’). Your baby can also vomit for other reasons, including:

• bowel obstruction
• increased intracranial pressure (high pressure inside the skull)
• pyloric stenosis (a condition of the digestive system)
• testicular torsion (twisted testicle)
• sepsis (a dangerous reaction to infection)
• allergic reaction to food
• food poisoning

Your newborn baby may also vomit because of:

• inborn errors of metabolism
• congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• oesophageal atresia or tracheo-oesophageal fistula

How is the cause of vomiting in babies diagnosed?

Your baby’s doctor can diagnose the cause of their vomiting by:

• asking you about your baby’s symptoms and medical history
• doing a physical and neurological examination
• ordering tests, including an x-ray or ultrasound of your baby’s abdomen, lumbar puncture, blood tests, urine tests and stool culture

Your baby’s doctor will use their judgment to decide which tests are needed.

Knowing why your baby is vomiting is important for them to get the treatment they need.

When should I see my doctor?

You should take your baby to see their doctor if they are vomiting and they:

• have not yet passed their meconium
• have diarrhoea
• are projectile vomiting (vomiting with force)
• cannot keep fluids down
• are dehydrated — have fewer wet nappies than usual, dark yellow or brown urine, dry lips and mouth
• are younger than 6 months old

Follow your intuition. If you are worried about your baby, take them to get checked.

Knowing that your baby is healthy can give you peace of mind as a parent. Learn the signs that your baby is healthy and what to look out for it they are feeling unwell.

To find a doctor or maternal, child and family health service near you, use the Pregnancy Birth and Baby Service Finder tool.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

When to seek urgent care

You should seek urgent medical care if:

• their vomit is green, red or black
• they are younger than 3 months and have a fever above 38.0°C
• their soft spot (fontanelle) on the top of their head has sunken — they may be severely dehydrated

How is vomiting in babies treated?

Your doctor will treat your baby’s vomiting by considering their age, severity of their symptoms and what they think is causing their vomit.

If your baby is vomiting because of a bowel obstruction, trachea-oesophageal fistula, oesophageal atresia, pyloric stenosis, testicular or ovarian torsion, they may need surgery.

If your baby is severely dehydrated or cannot hold down fluids, they may need intravenous (IV) fluids in hospital.

Self-care at home

If your baby vomits, has no other symptoms and serious causes have been ruled out, they may not need specific treatment. Give them fluids. Monitor for signs of dehydration. Ask your early childhood nurse about the best way to give them fluids, and how much they need.

If your baby has gastro, continue breastfeeding or formula feeding. You can feed them more often. Offer your baby fluids every time they vomit.

If your baby has gastro and is older than 6 months, give them water or ask your pharmacist to recommend a specialised rehydration drink. You can give small amounts often. Depending on their age and if it is safe, you can give them fluids with a straw, spoon or syringe.

Read about when babies can drink water.

Medicines for vomiting in babies

If your baby is more than 6 months old and is vomiting because they have gastro, your doctor may prescribe a medicine called ondansetron. It prevents nausea and vomiting.

Other anti-vomiting medicines are not usually recommended because of potential side effects.

Follow the instructions of your baby’s doctor and pharmacist when giving them medicines.

Read about medicines for babies and children.

Other treatment options

If your baby has been vomiting, it is important you follow the safe sleeping guidelines. When your baby sleeps on their back, they are protected from choking if they vomit.

What are potential complications of vomiting in babies?

Your baby’s vomiting can cause complications including:

• dehydration
• choking
• shock

Can vomiting in babies be prevented?

You can help prevent gastro, a common cause of vomiting by:

• following rules of good hand hygiene
• adopting food safety recommendations
• keeping your baby away from people with gastro

Resources and support

• Visit the Royal Children’s Hospital for information about caring for babies with dehydration.
• Learn more about bilious vomiting at The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network.

Call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 at any time to speak to a registered nurse (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). You can get health advice 24 hours a day.

Do you prefer to read in languages other than English?

Children’s Health Queensland has translated resources about gastroenteritis in many community languages.

Looking for information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people?

Birthing on Country is a website with services aiming to offer the best start in life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies and their families.

The Food Safety Information Council has information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people on food safety.