What can I eat after throwing up?

What should I drink first after vomiting?

Fluids come first, because vomiting drains water and salts faster than food can replace them. The trick is small amounts. MedlinePlus warns that forcing down large amounts at once can cause more vomiting.

MedlinePlus suggests about 2 to 4 ounces (60 to 120 mL) every 30 to 60 minutes when you have a stomach bug. If even that comes back up, try smaller sips more often, then build up as it stays down.

• Best: an oral rehydration solution from a drugstore, such as Pedialyte or a store brand. The CDC says over-the-counter oral rehydration fluids are most helpful for mild dehydration.
• Fine: plain water in small sips, and electrolyte ice pops if sipping is hard.
• OK for mild cases: sports drinks. The CDC says they can help with mild dehydration but may not replace important minerals. The AAP notes they can contain a lot of sugar, which can make diarrhea worse.
• Skip for now: alcohol, caffeine and fizzy drinks.

What foods can I eat once fluids stay down?

Once sips have stayed down and you feel able to eat, try a few bites of something plain. The NHS says to eat when you feel able. Eat small amounts often instead of 3 big meals. MedlinePlus suggests 6 to 8 small meals spread over the day, and sitting up after you eat.

Good first foods, per MedlinePlus, are bland. It also suggests foods with a lot of water in them.

• Starches: crackers, toast, English muffins, rice, noodles, potatoes, cereal
• Protein: baked chicken or fish
• Electrolyte ice pops: MedlinePlus lists freezer pops as a way to replace fluids and salts. It advises against fruit-flavored gelatin and broth if you have diarrhea, because they don't replace lost minerals.
• As you improve: bananas, apples, vegetables, lean meats and plain yogurt are all listed by MedlinePlus as fine foods during a stomach bug

Do I need to follow the BRAT diet?

No. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. You can eat those foods, but you don't need to limit yourself to them.

The AAP says the BRAT diet is no longer considered useful for children with diarrhea, because those foods are low in fiber, protein and fat and don't give enough nutrition for recovery. It says kids can ideally go back to a normal, balanced diet for their age within 24 hours of getting sick, including fruits, vegetables, meat, yogurt and complex carbohydrates. None of the MedlinePlus or NHS pages we read tell adults to follow BRAT either. The NHS simply says to eat when you feel able.

What should I avoid eating and drinking?

While you recover, these are the foods and drinks MedlinePlus and the NHS suggest avoiding.

• Greasy, fatty or processed foods, and very salty foods
• Very spicy or strong-smelling foods
• Alcohol and caffeine
• Fruit juice and soda if you also have diarrhea. The NHS and MedlinePlus say they can make diarrhea worse. MedlinePlus says flat soda or juice is OK for nausea alone, so this matters most when both ends are involved.
• Dairy, if it bothers you. MedlinePlus notes milk products may add to gas and diarrhea, though plain yogurt is on its list of fine foods during a stomach bug.

What should I give a child or baby after vomiting?

The CDC says young children are more likely to get severely ill from a stomach bug like norovirus, so fluids matter even more. The AAP says to limit solid foods for about the first 24 hours and give small amounts of fluid every few minutes over a few hours, aiming for at least 1 ounce (30 mL) per hour. If your child won't drink from a cup, use a medicine cup, syringe or teaspoon.

For kids 1 year and older, the AAP recommends a store-bought oral rehydration solution, as a liquid or ice pop. It says not to make your own at home. Regular sports drinks, juice and soda have the wrong balance of sugar and salt and may make a child sicker. If you use apple juice or a sports drink for a child 1 or older, the AAP suggests mixing it half and half with water.

For babies, keep breastfeeding or formula feeding. The NHS suggests smaller feeds more often if your baby is being sick, and says not to dilute formula. The AAP says not to give plain water to babies 6 to 12 months old who are vomiting, and to use an oral rehydration solution if breast milk or formula won't stay down. Call your pediatrician before switching anything for a baby.

How long until I can eat normally again?

Vomiting from a stomach bug usually stops within 1 or 2 days, per the NHS, and the CDC says most people with norovirus get better in 1 to 3 days. Diarrhea can last longer: the NHS says it usually stops within 5 to 7 days.

You can move back to your usual foods as your appetite returns. Try rich, greasy and spicy foods last. If you threw up after taking a medicine, tell your clinician or pharmacist. If you take water pills (diuretics), your clinician may tell you to pause them while you have diarrhea, but don't stop any prescription medicine without talking to them first.