Baby’s First Poop: Meconium
Did you notice greenish black poop when you changed your newborn’s diaper for the first time? That’s meconium, a sticky, tar-like substance that gradually filled your baby’s intestines during her stay in your uterus.
Though it may look unsettling, it’s completely normal. In fact, that the meconium is in her diaper instead of in her intestines is a good sign now you know that her bowels are doing their job.
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.
Infant gas has several possible causes:
- Swallowing air when feeding or crying, which is very common and normal among new babies
- An underdeveloped digestive system, which allows food to pass through too quickly so it doesnt break down completely
- Hypersensitivities to certain types of formula or foods in Moms diet, or possibly food allergies
Feed Her Before Shes Too Hungry
If you are tracking your babys feeding times, try to stick to a schedule and feed her before you start hearing her hungry cries. That way she will be more likely to eat at a leisurely pace and not gulp down her breast milk or formula too quickly. If youre breastfeeding and your milk lets down quickly, you may need to unlatch baby for a moment and then re-latch her so she can manage your milk flow.
Tummy woes can make for a fussy baby. Find out what you can do about hiccups, gas bubbles and colic to ease the symptoms here.
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What You Can Do To Prevent Gas Problem In Your Baby
Prevention is better than cure so if you dont want to see your baby suffering from gas pain, be careful when you breastfeed or bottle-feed him. In your nursing phase, avoid eating certain foods that cause gas such as dry fish and prawns, spicy meat dishes, nuts, pulses, milk products, and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, etc. If your little one has started on solids, make sure that the foods you give to him do not cause gas.
Make sure that your baby gets some tummy time daily. Make your baby lie down on his stomach for a few minutes. The gentle pressure on the tummy will help him pass the gas comfortably and also strengthen his back and neck muscles. Pat the baby on his back often during the day while you hold and play with him. This will help in consolidating gas in their system and passing it out easily.
How Much Water To Drink
Aim to drink more water than usual a day, so at least 8 cups along with fluids from fruits, vegetables and other sources especially in the weeks after birth, since it will help your body recover. To ensure youre getting enough, a good rule of thumb is to drink a cup of water at every nursing session. In all, you’ll need about 128 ounces of fluids a day from all sources .
Keep in mind that your milk supply wont be affected unless youre seriously dehydrated, but your urine will become darker and scanter. Not drinking enough can also set you up for health issues including urinary tract infections , constipation and fatigue. So just be sure to drink whenever you’re thirsty, which will likely be often when you’re breastfeeding!
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Effective Positions To Relieve Gas
One of the ways to relieve infant gas is to try holding your baby in different positions. Burping babies helps remove some of the air that babies swallow when eating. Try to use different positions while burping that feel comfortable for both of you. Try one of these three positions to relieve gas:
- Sit upright and hold your infant against your chest. In this position, your babys chin will be on your shoulder while you support them with your hand. Gently pat your baby on the back.
- Hold your infant sitting up across your knee or in your lap. In this position, you will be gently supporting your babys head and chest by holding their chin. With the heel of your hand on your babys chest, be careful to hold your babys chin and not their throat. With your other hand, pat your babys back gently.
- Lay your baby face down on your lap. In this position, support your babys head and ensure that its higher than their chest. Pat their back gently.
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What Should I Know About Gas In Breastfed Babies
- Know that most babies have gas
- Understand the many causes and symptoms of gas in breastfed babies
- Learn tips and tricks to help prevent and relieve gas in your baby
One of the most common concerns parents have is their babys gas. While gas is usually not harmful, the pressure that gas bubbles create may cause pain when it becomes trapped in your babys stomach or intestines.1
Gas is particularly common during the first 3 months of life when your little ones digestive tract is still maturing.2 You may even notice its worse at night.3 Most of the time, gas is from swallowing too much air, but there may be other reasons your little one is gassy.
Read on to learn how to help your baby with gas.
Common causes of gas discomfort in breastfed babies:
- An incorrect latch while nursing leads your baby to swallow too much air3
- Excessive crying fills your babys belly with air1
- Strong let-down or oversupply, causing baby to gulp quickly and swallow air3
- Immature digestive tract is still learning to process breastmilk, gas, and stool effectively2
- Sensitivity or allergy to a food in moms diet1, 3, 4
- Introduction to a bottle or to formula. Baby may swallow air while drinking from a bottle or may need to get used to formulas ingredients.3, 7
Common symptoms of gas in breastfed babies:
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How To Help A Baby Get Rid Of Gas
- Move around. Any activity that involves torso movement will help push the gas through and provide some relief.
- Get upright. Moving baby from a supine position to an upright position can help move things along, with the added benefit of being more comforting.
- Belly down. Tummy time is fun and distracting and can help massage that stomach to help gas find its way out.
- Snack time. Although not a direct fix for gas, a quick feed can help soothe baby as things work their way throughso long as there are no air bubbles in the bottle and baby is burped often.
Another sign of trapped gas is, of course, a grumpy baby. If a baby stops smiling and is visibly uncomfortable, theres a good chance that there is something inside that needs to be released. For really little babies, though, moving the gas bubbles from inside the digestive tract to the open air is no mean feat. Their undeveloped organs are ill-equipped for pushing that air out, and their lack of motor skills make any deliberate attempt almost futile.
Luckily, there are a few things parents can do to help ease the passage.
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Keep Prepared Bottles Of Formula Refrigerated Until Ready To Use
If you’re traveling away from home, store previously prepared bottles in an insulated container or a tightly sealed plastic bag with a small ice pack or a dozen ice cubes. The formula will stay fresh as long as most of the ice is frozen. Don’t use pre-mixed formula that’s no longer cold to the touch it’ll have to be tossed.
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Baby Gas Pain With 9 Effective Remedies
Its rather stressful to hear your baby crying especially if you cannot understand what he/she needs. One common reason for such crying is baby gas pain. Dont worry, theres no need to call your pediatrician yet. There are many things you can do at home to alleviate your little darlings suffering.
What Causes Baby Gas Pain
Baby gas pain is caused by pockets of excessive gas which form in a babys stomach or intestines. These pockets of gas exercise pressure on its tummy causing discomfort or even pain. There are six common causes for this condition.
- Incorrect feeding. If the breast or the feeding-bottle is wrongly positioned, the baby may swallow too much air.
- Overfeeding. If the baby is given too much food at one time, you little ones tummy gets overloaded.
- Lactose overload. This happens usually when the baby gets too much foremilk which is rich in lactose but low in fat. Then not all of the lactose is digested because there is not enough fat to slow down the process. As a result excessive gas is produced.
- Food sensitivity. Some babies turn out to be intolerant or allergic to some ingredients in breast milk or formula.
- Immature digestive system. The infant has not yet learned to process the food, gas and stool properly. The intestines also have not yet to create their own micro flora a group of microorganisms which are unique for every persons guts. The micro flora is necessary for digestion process and the immune system.
- Excessive crying. Excessive crying may lead to taking in too much air, then resulting in excessive gas.
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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.
Why Is My Baby So Gassy
If your baby is gassy, youll notice that he passes a lot of gas and seems to feel better afterward. Gas troubles often start right away or when babies are just a couple of weeks old.
Fortunately, most infants outgrow them by the time theyre 4 to 6 months old, though for some, baby gas can last longer.
Infants are usually gassy because they have immature digestive systems and swallow air during feedings. Some babies may have sensitivities that could be affected by a breastfeeding moms diet or a certain type of formula.
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I Have A Very Gassy Baby Is This Normal
Gas is not a medical condition. Baby gas pains are typically brief and relieved when a baby burps or farts. The good news is infant gas pains improve over time. By the age of 4 to 6 months, the gut has matured and your baby can move more efficiently, decreasing the bouts of painZeevenhooven J, Browne PD, LHoir MP, de Weerth C, Benninga, MA. Infant Colic: Mechanisms and Management. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2008 15:479-496. .
Infant Gas Relief: How To Treat And Prevent A Bloated Baby Belly
On average, babies pass gas about 13 to 21 times every day. A bloated baby belly due to gas is therefore quite common and usually doesnt require any special treatments.
Gas is particularly common in infants between one and four months, as their digestive systems are still developing. Read on to learn more about infant gas relief and effective ways to relieve gas.
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Remedies For A Gassy Baby
Here are several home remedies you can try to help relieve your babys excess gas!
Burp Them Twice
Since swallowing air while feeding is the most probable explanation for newborn gas, burping them twice is a great and simple thing to try. Even giving your baby some gentle back pats during feeding can go a long way. A lot of times, if your baby turns away from the breast or bottle in the middle of feeding, its not because theyre fullits because the gas is making them uncomfortable!
Keep Them Upright
Try to feed your baby in a very upright position. This will help minimize the amount of air theyre swallowing. If youre bottle feeding, you can try an anti-gas nipple to better control the flow of milk. Also be sure to avoid shaking the bottle too much, which can create extra bubbles.
Learn Their Hunger Cues
Crying, of course, can be very unpredictable. But, if you can, try to feed your baby before they start crying. Babies swallow a lot of air while crying try to learn their hunger cues as early on as possible, so you can get them fed before they cry.
Baby Bicycles
Lay your baby on their back, and gently cycle their legs toward their tummy. This motion will help manually push all the trapped air out of their tummy. You can also try gently pushing their knees to their chest, holding the position for 10 seconds, releasing, and repeating.
Tummy Time
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