How To Tell If Baby Has Gas
Gas and related issues can start from when baby is a few weeks old all the way up through the toddler stage. But baby gas tends to be the worst when baby is 4 to 12 weeks old, with a peak around 8 weeks old, OConnor says. They tend to have a lot of trouble with digestion. But once they hit the three-month mark, most babies are able to get through it and find other problems to distract themselves with.
Of course, it can be hard to know if baby gas is the cause of your childs discomfort, especially when they cant tell you whats going on. But there are a few common signs of a gassy baby you can look out for:
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Pulling legs up toward the tummy
The way to know for sure that baby gas is to blame is when baby actually burps or farts. If you get a few burps out of baby or do something else to move things along, most babies are relieved of the symptoms and will stop crying, OConnor says.
Sometimes, however, these gassy baby symptoms can indicate another problem. OConnor says, When baby keeps crying despite passing gas, you know that theres something else going on, like reflux, constipation or colic, which is sometimes confused for extended gassiness in baby.
If your child isnt gaining weight and seems to have the telltale signs of a gassy baby, contact your doctor so they can perform a complete medical evaluation to rule out other possible issues, such as a dairy intolerance.
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:
How To Prepare For Your Pediatrician Appointment
Some degree of infant gas is to be expectedin fact, a happy, gassy baby is perfectly normal. But if youve implemented the tips above and are worried, or if you think your little one is in pain, call your pediatrician for an appointment.
Follow these tips below before you meet with the pediatrician. Also, when you book the appointment, ask your pediatrician if there is anything additional or specific you should do in preparation for the visit.
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Try A Formula Designed For Gas
Some doctors recommend an elimination diet to see if theres something in the formula that is setting off your babys digestion. If you think the current formula isnt best for baby, you can try switching formulas to formulas designed to ease gas issues. These formulas can help fussiness and crying and are gentle on a babys sensitive tummy. They have easy-to-digest protein and provide complete nutritionincluding brain-nourishing nutrients like DHAfor your babys growth and development.
How To Get Rid Of Baby Gas
A newborn or baby having gas isnt something to worry about in itself. Gas is simply part of life, from day one. But a baby whos showing discomfort because of gas is asking for some help from their caretakers.
Some babies will be able to pass their gas without much intervention, if any at all. Others need a little help, Dr. Sniderman says.
She suggests a few ways to relieve gas in babies.
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Gassy Babies And Babywise
Ive dealt with gas related issues with all three of my children when they were babies.
With my first I couldnt figure out why he was crying and seemed in pain.
I rushed him to the dr, typical first-time mom move right?, only to find out it was gas pains!
Many people think of Babywise as a sleep training book but its so much more than that.
There is actually an entire section devoted to tips on helping relieve gas issues for your little one.
I have pulled out my book, again and again, to help me help my gassy babies.
I have also learned through the years some extra tips and tricks that help.
Im hoping this post can be a quick reference post for other mamas who may be frustrated over gas
How do you know if your babys cry is gas-related?
Colicky babies who are dealing with gas will hold up their legs while crying. If they are arching their back when crying then its more of a sign that reflux may be the issue.
Ready to help your little one get that gas out so they can feel better, sleep better, eat better and just BE better? Here are my favorite tips from both Babywise as well as personal experience on how to relieve a gassy baby:
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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Change Positions To Relieve Gas
Some positions are highly effective in relieving stomach aches due to trapped gas. One way is to sit upright and hold the baby against your chest. When the babys chin is on your shoulder, support them with one of your hands and gently tap them on the back with the other. You can also try to hold the babysitting up in your lap or on your knee. Youll want to gently support the babys head and the chest by holding the chin during this position. Use your other hand to pat the babys back carefully. Many parents believe that this is the best way to burp a baby.
Whichever position you go for, remember to be gentle and patient. The best way to burp a baby is to take it slow.
Try This Foot Massage Trick
While its not clear how a foot massage might alleviate gas, you only need to turn your volume up on this Instagram video to see that it works. Whether its because different areas of the foot are connected to different organs, or because its just relaxing, it could be worth trying on a gassy baby.
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How To Prevent Gas In Babies
If you want to avoid baby gas pain, your best bet is to stop gas from building in the first place. Make sure youre properly positioning baby during feedings so theyre swallowing as little air as possible. Hold baby in your arms and elevate their head while their drinking, OConnor says.
When mixing formula, make sure to let the formula settle before feeding it to baby, Grossman says. Mixing and shaking the formula while preparing it can lead to more air bubbles that baby might swallow, which may cause gas. As youre giving baby the bottle, tilt it to let as little air into the nipple as possible. You can also try using a vented bottle specifically designed to reduce how much air baby swallows as they feed. Tip: If you decide to switch bottles, dont buy a bunch of them at once. Try one at a time and see if the gassiness improves, OConnor says. Also consider switching to a nipple with a smaller hole. Large holes let milk flow through quickly, and baby may swallow a lot of air in an attempt to keep up.
When breastfeeding, its a bit harder to prevent baby from swallowing air. But you can stop at regular intervals and burp baby, OConnor says. And like trying different bottles, you can try different breastfeeding positions to see if one leads to less baby gas.
Expert bios:
Meredith Grossman, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
Plus, more from The Bump:
What About Gripe Water
Gripe water is a liquid herbal remedy for infant gas. As a natural remedy, the FDA doesnt regulate it. Dr. Sniderman also cautions that its safety and effectiveness have not been well researched.
There are a lot of families who use it, and I havent personally seen any problems with gripe water, but I generally dont recommend it, she says. Without solid research to back it up, I cant confidently say, Yes, thats fine.
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Signs Your Baby Has Gas Pains
Despite the discomfort theyre feeling, a gassy baby cant tell you the location or nature of their problem. In order to find an effective method of baby gas relief, youll need to carefully observe the signs and symptoms of a gassy baby:
- Burping: if your child is frequently burping, then too much air is being swallowed when theyre crying or feeding.
- Spitting up: failing to burp them often enough can cause your baby to spit up and become cranky. The majority of infants spit up, especially after gulping down too much air at mealtime. It may also be due to gas buildup, overfeeding, or eating too quickly.
- Bloating: bloating tends to occur when air gets trapped in their belly, acting like a wine cork in the intestines. It curbs the flow of gastric juices, and an immature digestive system is unable to cope with the associated pain and cramping.
- Flatulence: excessive flatulence is another indicator that your gassy babys GI tract is still struggling to fully process the food theyve eaten.
- Restlessness: is your little one having difficulty sleeping? Restlessness usually points to gassiness and is a direct result of the aforementioned symptoms.
- Fussiness: crying and general fussiness are your childs way of communicating their needs and wants with you. They may be tired, hungry, gassy, uncomfortable, or in pain.
Is Your Babys Formula Giving Them Gas
Before rushing to a pharmacy or calling your doctor in a panic, here are some preventive measures you can take to prevent your baby from getting gassy:
- Check the formula. Are you making it as directed? Is the formula past its expiration date? Are you mixing two different formulas? Sometimes, your baby may develop gas if you mix two types of baby formulas, but their tummy discomfort will usually settle on its own in a few days.
- Did your baby start getting gassy since you switched to a new brand of formula? Your baby may be allergic to the new brand or maybe their gut is getting used to the new formula. Try discontinuing the new formula and see if it helps.
- Feed your baby before they start crying. Often babies cry when they are hungry, and swallow air when crying. If you feed them before they get hungry enough to start crying, they may swallow less air and not get gassy.
- Avoid giving them a pacifier.
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Burp Your Baby Correctly
We cant stress enough that your babys digestive system is still developing so dont skip the burping stage! In some cases, you might want to burp them twice.
This means that midway through a feeding session, let them take a break and burp them. Then you can continue feeding them, and burp again once youre done. Be sure to follow different positions for burping and always work the gas from the bottom up.
If youre breastfeeding or chestfeeding, you may not need to burp your baby as frequently, since nursing babies usually swallow less air which results in less gas. Babies with lots of gas may need to burp more often.
What Infant Gas Drops Are Safe And Effective
Infant gas drops contain simethicone, which breaks up gas bubbles and is also the main ingredient in common anti-gas medications for adults. Research as to how effective they are is mixed. Still, simethicone gas drops for babies are very safe, and some parents find theyre very effective.
Want to try infant gas drops to help your gassy baby? First, talk to your pediatrician about what kind to look for and how often to give them. And follow the dosing instructions on the bottle. Most will say you can give your baby drops up to 12 times per day, or at each feeding. Some parents find its helpful to give babies gas drops right before each feed to pre-empt gas problems, but check with your doctor to be sure.
Read the label and be sure to avoid drops with sodium benzoate or benzoic acid, which can be harmful to babies in large quantities.
And if a friend or relative brings a gas treatment from another country or one that isn’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration , don’t give it to your baby unless you get approval from your pediatrician. It could contain alcohol, sugar or other potentially harmful ingredients that aren’t clearly listed on the packaging.
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How To Know When The Baby Has Gas
Being a parent is a process of learning and recognition. In this case, the baby tends to feel tense, stops feeding, makes a cant find me face, and his tummy feels hard.
Gas can also be accompanied by reflux due to immaturity in closing the stomachs doorway to the rest of your digestive system. Milk is returned from the stomach into the esophagus, pharynx, larynx, mouth, and may even regurgitate through the nose. In addition, this milk has been in contact with saliva and stomach acids, so it will irritate the entire pathway through which it passes, so the baby could strain when he wants to clear his throat , throw his head back and make faces the burning you feel in the pit of your stomach. You could also have a cough, dysphonia or otitis depending on the severity of the reflux.
> imbalance In Gut Microbes
The gut is a suitable place for billions of microbial growth. The beneficial probiotics work together with body enzyme for proper digestion. If there is a significant change in the number of bacteria, the digestion balance breaks down.
Often this happens when your baby takes antibiotics for treatment. Massive killing by antibiotics cause imbalance in gut microbiology. As a result, the digestion is not proper. Your baby becomes gassy.
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What Causes Gas In Babies
Starting with the first feeding, babies shift from obtaining nutrients from the placenta to drinking and digesting breast milk or formula. Thatâs a big adjustment for a small digestive system thatâs still developing, and itâs a chief reason that gas naturally occurs in infants. Overall, it takes time for your little oneâs gastrointestinal tract to fully develop and build a microbiome . And when an immature digestive system is challenged by too much air being swallowed, as often happens during a feeding, youâre even more likely to have a gassy baby.
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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Best Sleeping Positions For Gassy Babies
Filed under:baby, baby sleep, crying baby, first baby, gas, gassy baby, new baby, new born, new mom, new parent, parenting tips, sleeping baby, trapped wind, tummy time, wind
Gas problems are typical in babies whose digestive systems are still developing. If your new born is having difficulties sleeping due to gas pains, you may be wondering if there are any unique sleeping positions that can help calm or prevent a disturbed stomach.
So, what’s the best way to put a gassy baby to sleep? All babies should be placed to sleep on their backs until they reach one year old, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics , as this is the safest sleeping position. That said, there are steps you can take to get ahead of your little ones gas troubles, so theyll sleep soundly through the night. Find out more below.