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.
The Best White Noise Machines For Your Babys Nursery
Understanding what the grunts mean is a good place to start, and as Samar Bashour, a paediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Childrens Hospital, told The Bump, there are several reasons our littlest specimens make so much noise.
Firstly, newborn babies breathe through their noses, and their tiny air passages means there isnt a lot of room for the sound to come out. So, every noise a bub makes is amplified.
The second thing to understand is that babies dont go into full REM sleep until they are six months old. So while a newborn should be sleeping a lot, its very light sleep which is why she will move around a bit more, and her body is slightly more awake than a baby who is fully at rest.
Newborn Sleep Is Restless
Newborn sleep sounds and movements are the results of a newborns immature nervous system and reflexes. Newborns don’t have a dependable sleep cycle yet. Circadian rhythms dont develop until about six weeks of age, which means that their sleep cycles have little regularity, they have trouble distinguishing night from day, and they wake frequently.
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Newborn Babies May Suffer From Irregular Patterns Of Breathing And Sleeping At Night The Article Discusses Causes Of Nighttime Grunting And Dealing Ways
Newborn infants often suffer from irregular breathing and sleep patterns that may cause distress in their parents. In majority of the cases, grunting and other types of noises are usually harmless. However, in some cases, they may indicate a serious medical condition. Hence, its imperative to be aware of the signs and causes so that you can reach your babys pediatrician in time.
Baby Might Take In Extra Air While Breastfeeding Or Bottle Feeding
While you are breastfeeding, there are a few things that could cause excess gas.
- A poor latch
If your baby has a poor latch, he will be sucking in air along with breast milk.
Related: Top Breastfeeding Latch Tips
- Overactive Letdown or Oversupply
If your baby is choking or coughing, especially at the beginning of a feed, you might be dealing with an overactive letdown. Your baby might be struggling to keep up with the flow and in turn gulping air.
An oversupply can cause gas if your baby is getting too much watery foremilk and not enough fatty hindmilk. Make sure that your baby is sufficiently emptying the breast before switching to the other side, or consider block feeding.
- Bottle feeding expressed milk
If you are giving breast milk in a bottle, you should be using a bottle that is anti-colic and designed for breastfed babies. Learn about the best bottles for breastfed babies.
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When To Speak With A Doctor
While most baby gas cases are fairly harmless, there are times when you should seek professional help.
If your baby exhibits excessive crying, has long crying bouts three or more times per day, or just recently began crying after reaching their first month, contact your pediatrician.
Also call the doctor or seek medical help if your little one isnt eating, peeing, or having regular bowel movements.
Perform Infant Exercises To Get Things Moving
Does your baby need a workout? Not quite. There are, however, some exercises that you can do to help your babys gas move through the digestive system. We recommend the following exercises to reduce discomfort associated with gas:
- Bicycle legs: Place your baby on its back on the upper portion of your legs . Slowly and gently bring the babys knee toward the chest and then bring it back down. Alternate the babys legs so that as one leg goes up, the other is coming down.
- Tummy massage: A baby who is struggling with gas might have a belly that feels slightly firm. You can help break up the gas by gently moving your hands in a circular motion around the infants stomach while the baby is on its back. We suggest you go clockwise as this follows the natural pattern of the digestive system!
- Lifted feet: Bringing your babys feet up above the belly button when he or she is reclining can help relax the pelvic floor. This is why many women choose to give birth in this position! As the pelvic floor relaxes, it more easily allows for gas to escape.
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What Causes Breastfed Baby Gas
Before we go any further, its important to note that all babies have immature digestive systems and will need help at some point with getting gas out of their system. So, youre not doing anything wrong if your baby gets gassy.
However, if gas is causing discomfort its worth trying to identify and solve the problem. In order to minimize the problem of breastfed baby gas, youre going to need to know more about the potential causes of it though.
One of the most common ways that babies get gas in their digestive system is by taking in excess air. This can happen when there is:
- Poor latch. If your baby doesnt have a tight seal around the areola, air can get in along with the milk
- Issues with bottle feeding. Air in the nipple can be gulped with the milk.
- Crying. All that gasping can mean extra air is getting swallowed.
- Oversupply/strong letdown. The necessary quick gulping frequently includes some air!
Some gassiness in the form of farts may be more common when your little one begins to space out their bowel movements. There are a few things that may help if your baby is not pooping but passing gas.
Youll probably hear a lot from people who believe that babies can get some of the gaseous effect from foods that were consumed by their mother through breast milk.
Other people believe acidic foods and dairy products in the mothers diet can increase gas for babies.
Surefire Ways To Soothe A Gassy Baby
As a new mom, one of the things that surprised me about my babies was how gassy they were. My sweet, little cherubs would toot and grunt and pass gas a lot. At times, it was hard not to laugh. How can such a little baby make such a big noise! The truth is babies pass gas 13-21 times a day, so its totally normal.
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What Can I Do To Help My Baby With Gas
- Make sure your baby has a good latch so he doesnt swallow too much air.
- Burp him throughout the feedings to help get rid of the gas.
- Try not to let your baby overfeed or feed too quickly.
- Keep track of when your baby is gassy and look back at your diet. Try to learn which foods work and dont work for you and your baby, and remember, each baby is uniquely different.
- If you have further concerns regarding your babys feeding, infant gas or increased fussiness, be sure to discuss these with your babys pediatrician and/or a lactation consultant.
Each year during the first week of August, over 120 countries across the globe come together to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week. During this week, public health organizations work to publicly encourage breastfeeding in an effort to improve the health of babies around the world. This years theme is BREASTFEEDING: Foundation of Life.
To learn more about Texas Childrens Lactation Support Services, Milk Bank Services or breastfeeding services offered at Texas Childrens Pavilion for Women, please follow the respective links.
Why Is Your Baby Gassy In The First Place
Babies usually experience gas troubles almost right away, even after only a few weeks of life. Most infants grow out of it by around four to six months of agebut sometimes, it can last longer.
Most infant gas is simply caused by swallowing air while feeding. Other times, though, it can be caused by sensitivities that could be affected by a breastfeeding moms diet or a certain type of formula. Heres how to tell if your baby is gassy:
You notice that your baby is fussy for about an hour or so per day. Again, baby gas is normal! But if you notice it every single day with no sign of improvement, its time to call your doctor.
Your baby seems unhappy most of the time. This is a good indicator that your babys gas is above a normal newborn gas level.
Your baby isnt eating or sleeping well. This can have a lot of different causes, but gas is definitely a common one.
When your baby cries, you notice that they get red in the face, or they seem like theyre in pain.
Your baby is squirming a lot. If your baby seems uncomfortable, is squirming around, or pulling their legs up to their chest, it could be a sign of gas.
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Why Does My Baby Keep Grunting 7 Months
Grunting is a normal sound for your baby to make during sleep, along with gurgles, squeaks, and snores. Most of these sounds are completely normal and do not indicate any health or breathing problems. To lower the risk of any breathing issues during sleep make sure: Your baby’s clothes are loose, but not too loose.
Try To Reduce Babys Crying
When your baby cries, they may gulp in air. Unfortunately, if the crying leads to gas in their system, theyre probably going to want to cry more.
This can be a vicious cycle, so we encourage you to do work on soothing the tears. Some soothing options include using a pacifier, swaddling, rocking, and swinging.
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Consider A Specialized Formula
While most babies can do well on a standard formula, some may need a formula that is specialized. The two options used most frequently for gastrointestinal symptoms are hydrolyzed and hypoallergenic formulas:
As a reminder, please always check with your pediatrician before introducing or switching to a specialized formula!
Why Is My Baby Gassy
Some parents report that their newborn will not allow them to put them down. They will only sleep on them or in a carrier. These babies are NOT flexible about where they sleep. Is this personality? Possibly, but it could be that this baby is uncomfortable and being upright and close to a parent is soothing. Having reflux, being gassy or having a sensitive tummy are common reasons I see for refusing to be put down. Babies who are gassy are often uncomfortable all the time, not just at night. Parents often report that she will ONLY sleep on someone.
Signs of gas include a lot of wriggling, arching bag and grunting. Some babies may visibly be trying to âpush.â
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When To Visit The Pediatrician
When fussiness, squirming, and other gassy behaviors persist beyond your baby’s first few months, it’s reasonable to wonder if they have a food allergy or intolerance. The biggest clue: They’re dealing with other significant health problems too. “A baby or child with a food allergy will also probably have skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhea or blood in her stool, and she may not be gaining enough weight,” says Jean Molleston, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist with Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, in Indianapolis. Visit the doctor if you suspect this.
Gas pain is also a symptom of celiac disease, a serious intolerance to gluten. Children aren’t born with this autoimmune disorder it can develop at any point when something in their environment “turns on” the genes that cause it. Ask your doctor to test your child for celiac disease if they’re also experiencing growth issues, abdominal discomfort, vomiting, chronic diarrhea, or constipation, or if celiac or any other autoimmune diseases run in your family.
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 you’re 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.
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