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Pregnancy and Newborns

Take care of yourself and your growing family by getting the advice that all new parents and parents-to-be need. Read about babyproofing your home, preventing SIDS, how to stay healthy during pregnancy, coping with colic, what to expect on the first day of life, and much more.
Pregnancy and Newborns

Pyloric Stenosis


While you were anticipating your new baby, you probably mentally prepared yourself for the messier aspects of child rearing: poopy diapers, food stains, and of course, spit up. But what's normal and what's not when it comes to spitting up or vomiting in infants?

Pyloric stenosis, a condition that affects the

  • Vomiting - The first symptom of pyloric stenosis is usually Dehydrated infants are lethargic and less active than usual, and they will develop a sunken "soft spot" on their heads, sunken eyes, and a doughy, softened, or wrinkled appearance of the skin on the belly and upper parts of the arms and legs. Because urine output is decreased, it may be more than 4 to 6 hours between wet diapers.

    After feeds, increased stomach contractions may make noticeable ripples, or waves of peristalsis, which move from left to right over the infant's belly as the stomach tries to empty itself against the thickened pylorus.

    • It's important to talk to your child's doctor if your baby experiences any of these symptoms.

    Other conditions can have similar symptoms as pyloric stenosis. For instance,

    Sometimes instead of an ultrasound, a barium swallow is performed. The baby swallows a small amount of a chalky liquid (barium), and then special X-rays are taken to view the pyloric region of the stomach to see if there is any narrowing or obstruction.

    Infants suspected of having pyloric stenosis usually undergo blood tests because the continuous vomiting of stomach acid, as well as the resulting dehydration from fluid losses, can cause salt (breast-feeding, you may be concerned about being able to continue feeding while your baby is hospitalized. The hospital should be able to provide you with a breast pump and assist you in its use so that you can continue to express milk until your baby can once again feed regularly.

    After a successful pyloromyotomy, your infant will not need to follow any special feeding schedules. Your child's doctor will probably want to examine your child at a follow-up appointment to make sure the surgical site is healing properly and that your infant is feeding well and maintaining or gaining weight.

    Pyloric stenosis should not recur after a complete pyloromyotomy. If your baby continues to display symptoms weeks after the surgery, it may suggest another medical problem, such as inflammation of the stomach (gastritis) or GERD - or it could indicate that the initial pyloromyotomy was incomplete.

    When to Call Your Child's Doctor

    Pyloric stenosis is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Call your child's doctor if your baby has any of the following symptoms:

    • persistent or projectile vomiting after feeding
    • poor weight gain or weight loss
    • decreased activity or lethargy
    • few or no stools over a period of 1 or 2 days
    • signs of dehydration such as decreased urination (more than 4 to 6 hours between wet diapers); wrinkly or doughy appearance of the skin on the arms, legs, or belly; sunken "soft spot" on the head; sunken eyes; or jaundice (yellowing of the skin)

    Reviewed by: Aviva Katz, MD

    Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

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