How To Soothe And Treat A Colicky Baby
Many parents feel helpless and confused about what to do to help soothe their colicky baby. Here are some remedies you could try to help limit or prevent colic in your baby, sometimes even before a bout of crying starts:
Unfortunately, there is no cure for colic. Remember that sometimes no matter what you do your baby will cry. So donât beat yourself up about it. Try any number of these different approaches. If one method doesnât work within a week, go with something else on the list.
You may find that by the time youâve tried most of these steps, your baby will have outgrown this colicky phase.
Home Diagnosis Of Gassy Baby: An Effective Finding Method
For years the local folk uses a technique to diagnose the gas in the stomach of a baby. This method is simple and effective. If you find the signs and symptoms of a gassy baby, you can try it to understand the gas problem through a primary diagnosis.
Put your left hand on the belly of your baby. Grab the thumb, ring finger and pinky of the right hand together and free the middle and index finger. Hit over the left hand by middle and index finger jointly three to four times. If the sounds are like Dhop Dhop, definitely there is gas. However, if the sound is like Pit Pit or no sound, it indicates there is no gas that causes the problem to your baby.
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Reach For The Baby Gas Drops
Commonly known as gas drops, the medication Simethicone has been used for years to relieve gas in infants. It can be bought over the counter and is Food and Drug Administration approved to relieve gas in infants. The effectiveness of gas drops can vary. They may not work for all babies and all gas, but theyre a safe option that may be worth a try.
Dr. Sniderman says she recommends the drops for some babies who are extra gassy. She also says gas drops should be used as a preventive measure, as theyre less effective after gas has already built up.
Gas drops work by breaking up gas bubbles in babies tummies. If youre going to use them, its best to use them about four times a day, regularly, to prevent gas, rather than use them reactively, she explains. If baby already has uncomfortable gas, its probably too late for gas drops to work.
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Signs That Baby Isn’t Latching Properly
If you feel nipple pain while nursing, something’s not right. This means your baby is likely chewing on your nipple instead of gumming the areola. The fix: Unlatch , and try again.
Ditto if you hear clicking noises, which indicate your baby’s not latched on properly and is likely only sucking the nipple. Again, unlatch and start over.
Sometimes your baby may be so eager to suck that she grabs onto any part of the breast and continues to suck even if no milk is forthcoming. The result: a painful bruise on your oh-so-tender boob and a very hungry baby. Unlatch and redirect that misguided little mouth to the nipple and areola.
If she’s fussing, chewing, rooting and gaping, turning red, or making clicking sounds, chances are your baby’s getting a mouthful of boob and air instead of milk. Unlatch babys grip and begin the lip tickling anew to get baby to latch on with the nipple and the areola in the mouth.
In the beginning, it might take quite a few tries to latch properly. Keep at it. Your baby will be happier in the long run if those efforts bring a mouthful of milk rather than a mouthful of air.
What If A Baby Wont Stop Crying
Caring for a colicky baby can be hard. If your baby wont stop crying:
- If nothing else works, put the baby on his or her back in a crib without loose blankets or stuffed animals, close the door, and check on the baby in 10 minutes. During that 10 minutes, do something to try to relax and calm down. Try washing your face, eating a snack, deep breathing, or listening to music.
Dont blame yourself or your baby for the crying colic is nobodys fault. Try to relax, and know that your baby will outgrow this phase.
If you ever feel like you might hurt yourself or the baby, put the baby down in the crib and call for help right away. Never shake a baby.
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Watch For Allergies And Reactions To Something You Ate
In certain cases, if your little one is allergic or reacting to something you ate, removing that item from your diet may be the only way to solve this problem if you want to continue breastfeeding.
Indicators of allergies in babies can vary in intensity and are personal, but theyll go beyond just gassiness. Typically food allergies will appear within a few hours of consuming the allergen. The most common symptoms are:
What You Can Do To Facilitate Sleep
Because theyre not producing sleep hormones yet, theyll often have their days and nights confused.
Theyll want to sleep all day, and party all night.
Which isnt much of a party for parents who DONT have day/night confusion. This is where parents sometimes struggle the most but the good news is that we can help them through this!
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Get Those Legs Pumping
For babies who need to let out some gas from down below, get their legs moving to bring some relief. Dr. Sniderman suggests lying your baby on their back and moving their legs in gentle circular motions, as if they were riding a bicycle. Alternatively, place your baby on their back and hold their feet in your hands. Bend their legs at their knees, and gently bring their knees to their bellies.
These methods may also help to bring on a poo.
How Doctors Diagnose Colic
The doctor may be able to tell if your baby has colic from their symptoms. You can help. Over a few days, write down:
- When your baby cries and for how long
- What the cry sounds like. Is it high-pitched or louder than usual?
- What seems to make them fussy
- What, if anything, works to calm them down
- How often and what your baby eats
- When your baby poops, and what the stools look like
The doctor will likely do an exam to check if your baby is fussy for other reasons, such as:
- Food allergies or sensitivities to something in your diet, if you breastfeed
- Discomfort, such as if they are too hot or too cold
- Hunger or weakness
- Pain from an illness or injury
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Do Hiccups Relieve Gas In Babies
Because of gas buildup in their stomachs, babies frequently experience hiccups. The diaphragm may spasm as a result of this gas expanding the stomach and pushing on it. As a result, by trying to get rid of part of this gas, you might significantly lessen the frequency of hiccups. A excellent way to start is by burping!
What Position Is Best For Gassy Baby
One of the easiest ways to help this process is by feeding your infant in an upright position. We want gravitys help to keep the milk down which then lets the air up! If you are bottle-feeding, try feeding your baby with his or her back sitting against your chest rather than laying down in the crook of your elbow.
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Signs And Solutions For Gassy Breastfed Babies
What are some common culprits behind your baby’s gassiness? Learn the signs, foods that may cause gassiness in your baby, and how to soothe and relieve his or her symptoms.
As a new parent, it can be stressful and upsetting to see and hear your baby cry. Thats especially true if you’ve checked off all the usual suspects dirty diaper, empty belly, discomfort, or over-tiredness and you still cant seem to soothe your little one.
Gas is something that many newborns experience, and it can be painful for them! It isn’t always the first thing that parents remember to consider, since it’s not something easily visible.
Give Baby Tummy Time While Awake
Tummy time has many benefits for baby. It helps baby build up key motor skills that they need to eventually sit up, crawl, and walk.
But placing your baby on their tummy also creates a natural gentle pressure that helps push out gas.
Remember, though: Always watch baby during tummy time, and only give baby tummy time when they are awake. It is not safe to put baby to sleep on their stomach, as stomach sleeping increases the risk for sudden infant death syndrome .
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Why Is My Baby So Gassy At Night
Gas can strike at any time even in the middle of a feeding! If your baby starts to fuss at the breast, he may feel full because of a gas bubble. A mid-feed burp can help take care of that. However, if you notice that your baby is always fussy at the same time each and every night, you might not be dealing with run-of-the-mill gas. Fussiness at the same time could be a sign of colic. However, keep in mind that a gassy baby can be worse at night because of the build up of air throughout the day.
Colic is defined as a period of intense crying for more three hours per day at least 3 days per week. Gas can accompany colic especially if the baby sucks in air while crying.
Does your baby have colic? Try these 14 methods for soothing a colicky baby.
Which Medications Can You Safely Give Your Newborn For Gas
Over-the-counter gas drops given to a baby for gases contain simethicone, a medicine designed to relieve excess gas in the stomach and intestines. Simethicone is generally a safe medication for most babies.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it in 1952. Simethicone may cause loose stools in some babies. A typical dose for simethicone is 20 milligrams, up to four times a day. The FDA advises against using gripe water for treating colic or flatulence in babies.
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Whats The Difference Between Colic And Gas
What Are The Symptoms of Gas? Just as crying is a fact of baby life, so, too, is baby gas. But when your infant has painful gas, especially if its frequent, it can cause your baby to cry or become fussyuntil its passed unlike colic, which causes crying and fussiness that lasts for hours across days and weeks.
Will My Baby Outgrow Their Gas Pains
Once your babys digestive system develops, they may have much less gas. This is likely to happen after the first few months of life, say by the time theyre 4 to 6 months old.
Of course, once your baby starts eating solid foods â also usually between 4 and 6 months â its possible for them to have a reaction to certain foods. Your baby may experience temporary constipation, for example, or a gassy tummy after eating certain gas-inducing vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.
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Gassy Baby Remedies And Treatments
If you have a gassy baby, there are several things you can do. Start by placing your baby on a flat surface, belly down. Lift them up slightly on their stomach, and gently massage their belly. Or place your baby on their back and try moving their legs and hips around as if they were riding a bike, Dr. Brown says. Often these kinds of motions break up bubbles and give gas an extra push to work its way out. You can also try a nice, warm bath to relieve the discomfort, Dr. Brown adds.
If youre still faced with an unhappy infant, you might want to consult with your pediatrician about trying some gas drops. Some babies are said to respond well to over-the-counter anti-gas drops containing simethicone, Dr. Shu says. Another option is to consider what might be causing the excess gas and see if you can reduce the bubble intake from the get-go.
Why Do Newborns Get Hiccups
Hiccups are especially common in newborns and infants. We dont know exactly why, but hiccups may be caused by increased gas in the stomach, Dr. Liermann says. If babies overfeed or gulp air during eating, that could cause the stomach to expand and rub against the diaphragm, generating those hiccups.
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How To Treat Baby Gas
Immediately after feeding, keep your baby upright. This will make it easier for them to burp.
If theyre already feeling discomfort, try laying your baby on their back and moving their legs in a bicycle motion.
Alternately, give your baby time on their tummy. Lying stomach-down should help them move the gas out.
You could also try these techniques to comfort them and help move the gas from their little bodies:
Pay Attention To Your Diet
When youre nursing, your baby is getting what you eatand dairy is a common culprit for a baby upset stomach. Fruits, green veggies, especially broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and garlic can also make a baby uncomfortable, Dr. Alt says. But dont eliminate healthy foods unless youre sure theyre a problem.
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Im Breastfeeding Will Changing My Diet Help My Babys Gas Pains
Some parents report increased days of gassiness after a breastfeeding mom has eaten foods such as dairy, eggs, spicy foods or certain veggies. Although there is little evidence to support the relationship between maternal diet and infant abdominal pain, many mothers try elimination diets to explore a possible relationship.
Small studies have supported dairy elimination as a helpful way to reduce a babys GI discomfortIacovou M, Ralston RA, Muir J, Walker KZ, Truby H. Dietary Management of Infantile Colic: A Systematic Review. Matern Child Health J. 2021 16:1319-1331. . But even after years of pediatric practice, Im still not sure which babies improve after their mom stops eating dairy and which babies simply improve over time.
If you want to try an elimination diet to help with gas pain, avoid dairy for two weeks. As a general rule of thumb, if a diet change has not made a difference for a baby within that time, their mom can add the restricted food back into her diet.
Gassy Baby Signs And Symptoms
All babies, of course, pass a little gas. But look for these signs and symptoms of baby gas that’s more than just the usual:
- Your baby cries and is fussy for an hour or so a day. This can be a sign of a normal amount of newborn gassiness that comes with having a tiny, underdeveloped digestive system. But you should still check in with your pediatrician if it happens every day and doesn’t seem to be getting better.
- Your baby seems unhappy most of the time. This can indicate that you have an especially gassy baby who needs a bit more help. Gas that causes significant upset often indicates a problem beyond normal newborn gassiness.
- Your baby isn’t eating or sleeping well. Trouble with sleeping or eating can have a whole range of causes, but infant gas may be one of them, especially if there are other signs. Talk to your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
- Your baby gets red in the face when he cries and seems like he might be in pain.
- Your baby squirms as though he’s uncomfortable and pulls his legs up to his chest, especially during bouts of fussiness.
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Formula And Gassiness: Do Formula Fed Babies Fart More
In addition to gassy foods, some babies may react if they have food sensitivities. This includes food sensitivities in a breastfed mothers diet or food sensitivities in a baby formula. For example, a baby who has dairy sensitivities may react to formulas that contain dairy. If you think your gassy baby is reacting to his formula, consider trying a new formula. Check out this post for more information regarding the best baby formula.
Youll know that your baby tolerates the new formula if hes less gassy during feedings, less back arching after meals, and less spit up.
In addition to food sensitivities, bottle-fed babies may fart more since they tend to swallow more air while drinking. You can combat this by using slow-flow bottle nipples, feeding baby at a 45-degree angle, and holding the bottle so that milk is always in the nipple.
How To Help Relieve A Gassy Baby
Anti-gas drops. The best thing you can do is try to eliminate or manage the offending habit or food thats triggering your childs gas. When your child does have uncomfortable gas pain, you can give her infant gas relief drops to help upper and lower gastrointestinal discomfort.
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