IDAI: Infant spit-up may be normal but can signal GERD
IDAI data show 25 percent of Indonesian babies spit up more than four times in the first month, peaking at ages 2-5 months.
Spit-up in babies is generally normal, especially in the early months of life, but in some cases it can be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Pediatric gastroenterology consultant Sri Kesuma Astuti, speaking in an Ikatan Dokter Anak Indonesia webinar on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, said GERD occurs when the backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus causes troubling symptoms or complications. IDAI data show 25 percent of Indonesian babies spit up more than four times in the first month, and 50 percent experience spit-up 1-4 times a day until age 3 months. Sri said about 40 percent of babies aged 2-5 months spit up normally. The frequency usually declines with age, to less than 5 percent at 12 months.