We've all been there before...a young infant, having finished a meal, in somewhat of a milk-coma suddenly makes the biggest, loudest belching noise imaginable.  It is a noise that would make any beer-guzzling frat guy proud.  And before the thought of "how could something so tiny make such a large noise" circulates in your brain, your baby has spat up all over you -- especially on your shoulder, dripping down your arm.  

While spit up is a natural part of a baby's life, here are some tips to hopefully make the experience a bit more enjoyable for all of you:

-Always burp a baby after feeding.  There are many ways to do this.  My favorite is to simply lay the baby chest to chest with you and gently pat his back until the joyous moment when he burps.  If this position is uncomfortable for you or your baby, another way is to place one hand around the infant's chest while he/she is sitting upright (almost in a "c" shape around his/her chest) and then gently pat his/her back with your other hand.  This position sometimes works better for my son when I can't get the burp out in the other position.  And if neither of those work, you can always place the baby face down in your lap (perpendicular over your knees) and gently pat his/her back to get the burp out.

-Protect yourself!  A blanket, old t-shirt, paper towel, or designer burp cloth will all do the job.  I find it handy to keep a box of tissues nearby the primary feeding areas to be able to wipe the infant's mouth in the time immediately following the feeding.  Look for features in your protective gear that are important to you -- absorbency of the cloth, disposable or washable, design, shape, ability to stay in place and not fall off your shoulder, and any other features that will help make protecting yourself easier.  Cloth diapers work very well for this, but the key is having it handy and in placing it at the right time.

-Quantity counts.  Don't be frugal when it comes to the amount of burp cloths you might think you need.  Trust me, you will need dozens.  And try different ones.  You might need one kind in one situation and another kind for another place in the house or on the go.

-Spit Happens.  No matter how hard you try, you will get spit up on.  You can't avoid it unless you dress in a Haz Mat suit for the first year of your baby's life.  So it's best to relax and embrace it.  When the spit up misses your protective gear and lands right on your shirt, be proud -- it's a rite of passage for parenthood.  

The reality is that the spit up stage will pass quickly in the relative scheme of things.  Soon enough it will be preschool and play dates, and you probably won't remember that once upon a time, this big kid who is so capable and kind once used to throw up on you every day.  Enjoy the ride, but keep the burp cloths handy, because you're going to need them.