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.
Sign Of Gas: Clenched Fists
Its so important for parents to be able to decode their babys signals. An infant will use body language to let mom and dad know when something is off. Be sure to be on the lookout for any of these symptoms of gas.
One sign is if they clench their hands into fists. One might even hear them grunt or see that theyre red in the face. These are all a babys way of giving clues of abdominal discomfort. Its hard to watch a baby struggle but an informed parent will know exactly whats wrong if they see clenched fists on their baby.
Little Remedies To The Rescue
Gas pain can be triggered by things like colic, so products like Little Remedies Gripe Water or Little Remedies Gas Relief Drops are quick and easy solutions. Gripe Water, a mixture of water and various herbs, is considered to be an effective homeopathic remedy for quickly eliminating babys pain and discomfort. Gas Relief Drops can even be mixed with formula or water, so they offer a quick solution for gassy babies.
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What Should I Do If Baby Is Reacting To My Breastmilk
Contact your pediatrician
Bring your baby in for a checkup. Youll want to rule out any other causes for her symptoms, check babys growth and weight gain, and make sure baby is not losing excessive blood if your little one experiencing bloody stool. Your doctor can also discuss the possibility of confirming the presence of an allergy with a skin prick test.
If your child is diagnosed with a food allergy, remember to ask about reintroducing the food later. Most kids will grow out of food allergies, sometimes by their first birthday.
Keep a food and symptom journal
We know its hard to find time to eat in those first few months, let alone write down what made it into your mouth, but tracking your intake alongside your babys symptoms is a good way to shed light on any possible reactions.
Just remember that foods we eat remain in our bodies for long periods of time. So while a journal can be helpful to pinpoint the onset of symptoms when you first eat the offending food, know that your babys symptoms can persist for several days or up to 2 weeks, even if you dont eat that particular food again.
Try an elimination diet
If you notice an adverse reaction in your baby after you eat certain foods, try removing that food from your diet and watch for improvement.
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We know parenting often means sleepless nights, stressful days, and countless questions and confusion, and we want to support you in your feeding journey and beyond.
Gas Relief For Babies
Watching a gassy baby struggle in pain can break any parents heart. Luckily, there are several baby gas relief options to help release the gas and soothe the discomfort. Read on to learn how to relieve gas in babies.
Swaddling. Wrapping baby up tight can soothe your gassy baby by mimicking the coziness of the womb.
Rocking or bouncing. As with swaddling, OConnor says, the motion of rocking or bouncing simulates the environment in your uterus, helping to relax baby.
Using a pacifier. Almost all babies will find some baby gas relief by sucking on a pacifier, OConnor says, because the sucking action releases endorphins that will soothe them.
Infant massage. Simply rubbing your childs belly may be helpful, since massage can help calm the nerve signals in babys immature intestines.
Tummy time. Some babies find gas relief from the gentle pressure thats put on the stomach during tummy time. Just make sure theyre supervised while doing this, Grossman cautions.
Encourage movement. If your gassy baby is in severe discomfort, try the baby bike ride. Lay baby on their back and move their legs in an up-and-down pedaling motion. This helps move gas along physically, but also helps soothe and calm nerves in the intestines.
Switch up babys formula. For a formula-fed baby, you can try a different formula thats made for gassy babies, Grossman says.
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Do Special Infant Formulas Help With Gas
Since gas is made as a normal byproduct of digestion, its impossible to eliminate all gas from being formed. However, there are infant formulas marketed for gassy, fussy babies. These formulas typically are formulated with more digestible proteins or alternative carbohydrate sources.
There is scant evidence to suggest hydrolyzed formula or reduced-lactose formula may decrease gassiness in formula-fed infantsDaelemans S, Peeters L, Hauser B, Vandenplas Y. Recent Advances in Understanding and Managing Infantile Colic. F1000Res. 2018 7. . Most doctors recommend an infant formula be tried for two weeks before making a switch, unless the baby is having a significant worsening of symptoms. Check with your pediatrician to see what they recommend.
Foods That Make Breastfed Babies Gassy
If youre breastfeeding, certain gas-inducing foods that you eat may also make your baby gassy. Some foods that can make breastfed babies gassy include:
- Foods rich in fiber, particularly any food that contains bran
- Fruits such as apricots, peaches, prunes, pears, and plums
- Citrus fruits
- Green vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, and cabbage
- Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and cauliflower
- Other starchy foods such as corn and pasta
- Dairy products
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Other Ways To Reduce Gas
Helping a baby maneuver her body can also help rid the stomach and intestines of trapped gas. For example, giving your infant tummy time is one way to put pressure on this trapped air and facilitate the burping or passing of gas 2. Allowing your baby to lay on her back and kick her legs, or giving her a tummy massage may also help. Infant simethicone drops, an common anti-gas remedy which breaks up gas bubbles in the gut, can also be tried, however its effectiveness in treating fussy or colicky babies has not been established.
Can Breastfeeding Make Baby Gassy
Some research has found that the foods in a mom’s diet might make breastfed babies gassy, but the evidence is far from conclusive. Before you completely revamp what you’re eating, see if there are other subtle ways you can help your baby swallow less air at mealtimes, including working on your latch, burping baby twice at each feeding and trying different nipples or bottles if you pump.
If your breastfed baby is still gassy, and you notice that every time you eat a certain food he seems gassier or fussier than usual, theres no harm in cutting that food from your diet to see if it helps. Work with your doctor to nail down foods that might make breastfed babies gassy, including:
- Cruciferous veggies like cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower
- Dairy and eggs
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Gas And Breastfed Babies
Moms who are breastfeeding may be told to eliminate dairy from their own diets because a breastfed baby with diagnosed cows milk protein allergy can be exposed to the protein through moms breastmilk. This is one of the only cases where a reduction or elimination of a food from moms diet may be beneficial, says Nishta Saxena, a registered dietitian and paediatric and family nutrition specialist. But typically gassy foods like broccoli, beans and lentils consumed by mom arent likely to cause gas in a breastfed baby. We just dont have a lot of evidencethat shows an improvement in gassiness with the removal of foods from the moms diet, says Saxena.
For the most part, babies just need time for their tummies and digestive systems to mature, and then gas issues will subside. However, if the intensity of crying has increased, if youre unable to settle your baby for a sustained amount of time, or if his or her abdomen appears overly distended or feels hard to the touch, call your doctor. Reflux or an allergenic response can also be mistaken for gas, so its important to check with your doctor.
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Feeding Strategies To Reduce Gas
Since babies tend to swallow air during feeding, its important to burp during and after nursing or bottle feeding to allow some of this air to escape from the tummy. If the gas or stomach ache occurs after bottle feeding, help the baby swallow less air by using slow-flow nipples and bottles that are vented, angled or collapsible. If the formula or breast milk itself seems linked to the tummy troubles, contact your babys pediatrician for guidance.You may be advised to try a different type of formula, or if breastfeeding, it may be suggested you avoid gas-forming foods, including broccoli or cabbage, or specific allergens, such as nuts or cows milk. The introduction of solid foods may be associated with some stomach aches or gas, as the baby’s digestive system gets used to new foods. Introduce new foods slowly and in small quantities to assess tolerance. If these symptoms persist, speak with your baby’s pediatrician.
- Since babies tend to swallow air during feeding, its important to burp during and after nursing or bottle feeding to allow some of this air to escape from the tummy.
- If the gas or stomach ache occurs after bottle feeding, help the baby swallow less air by using slow-flow nipples and bottles that are vented, angled or collapsible.
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Are There Any Exercises That Can Help Infant Gas
Your baby may not be walking yet, or even crawling. But that doesnt mean you cant do exercises with themand help relieve some of that uncomfortable gas in the process. Enter: The Bicycle technique. Simply lay your baby down flat on their back, then pump their legs in circular motions, similar to how one would move while bicycling. This simple movement can get gas moving, helping your baby to expel it.
Likewise, a little tummy time has been known to help promote infant gas relief. By laying your baby down on their stomach, you’re using their weight to put pressure on stubborn gas. As your baby inevitably starts floor-wiggling, the pressure and motion may help move the gas around enough to get it out. Bonus: Tummy time also helps strengthen your babys neck and upper body muscles while helping to keep their head from getting flat from laying predominantly on their back.
How To Help Your Baby With Gas Pain
From a pediatric RN perspective, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about helping your child deal with gas pains and belly discomfort.
The number one excuse when it comes to why a baby is not sleeping or not napping is usually blamed on teething. And the second reason? Gas pain.
If youre anything like me, when my infant was screaming from gas pain, I ran straight to Target to the aisle with all the gas drops thinking that these would be my savior. Unfortunately, the gas drops didnt help. So, I asked Kate Morris, our sleep support specialist and resident pediatric RN, for help. She used to work at a pediatric ER at Childrens Mercy Hospital.
Kate has a wealth of knowledge and she also has a little one who was very gracious enough to let us practice some maneuvers on how to help your baby deal with gas. So heres Kate to teach you about how to help your little one work through gas pains.
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What Is The Difference Between Normal And Colicky Crying
Sometimes your baby will cry because she is hungry or tired, or because she has a wet diaper. But when sheâs been fed, cuddled, or had her diaper changed, she will stop crying.
If, however, she seems to cry for no reason, and continues to cry even once youâve checked her diaper, fed her, and comforted her as best you can, she may have colic.
This is what sets normal crying apart from colicky crying. With normal crying, your baby will respond to comfort measures and will stop crying eventually with colic, your baby persistently cries and canât seem to be consoled.
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 4 times a day. The FDA advises against using gripe water for treating colic or flatulence in babies.
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Trying Gripe Water For A Gassy Baby
Gripe water is a go-to for mothers of colicky babies, but it can also help a gassy baby, too. Gripe water contains many tummy-friendly herbs such as fennel. Studies show that fennel can reduce gastrointestinal spasms, increase the efficiency of the small intestine, and reduce discomfort associated with gas. If youre breastfeeding, you can drink fennel tea by adding 2 tablespoons of fennel seed into hot water and seep for 20 minutes. Strain and drink.
How To Deal With Gas In Babies A Guide For New Mothers
It is very common for babies to fuss and feel uneasy during the first few months of their lives. There are several reasons why they may fuss but the most common reason why they fuss and cry is gas problem. Many babies are gassy by birth and some become due to several external reasons. As adults, we may not face much trouble if we have gas but for infants, it is painful.
Lets find out the root cause of gas in exclusively breastfed babies. We have heard from the elderly people that whatever the mother eats, it affects the babys digestion. I am not sure about this statement but in my case, it was true to some extent.
My baby started facing the gas problem when he was two months old. Since then, I thought it was the colic pain, which commonly occurs in infants. But when he continued to face the same issue until he was five months, I got alarmed because I had read on the internet that the colic pain lasts till the first three months only. Then I decided to consult a lactation consultant who told me the actual cause of my babys discomfort.
Thus, if you face the same problem, try quitting these three things mentioned above one by one, you will get the solution to your babys problem.
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