By Sr Teresa Hayward (RN, RM, Lactation consultant, Infant & Paediatric Nutritionist, Baby Sleep consultant)
Is your baby gassy? Here's what causes infant gas and the best treatments for baby gas relief.
A gassy baby is completely common and normal, given infants' tiny and immature digestive systems.
Why is my baby so gassy?
If your baby is gassy, you’ll 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 babies outgrow them by the time they’re 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 a breastfeeding mom’s diet, although rare, or a certain type of formula.
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 well baby sister 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 sig
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.
Gassy baby causes
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 doesn’t break down completely
Hypersensitivities to certain types of formula or foods in Mom’s diet, or possibly food allergies (though those are much rarer)
What are the best remedies for baby gas relief?
If your baby's tummy troubles seem to be a problem, here's what to do for a gassy baby:
Burp your baby. A lot of newborn discomfort is caused by swallowing air during feedings. baby’s bowels. Some babies need to be burped mid feed. A sign your baby needs a mid-feed burp is they turn away from the breast or bottle fussily after just a few minutes of feeding, which is more likely linked to gas than feeling full. Remember to never burp longer than 2min as this can cause reflux
Control the air. Whether their meals come from breast or bottle, try feeding your baby in a more upright position to cut back on the air they swallow. If you’re breastfeeding, be sure your baby is properly latched. For bottle-fed babies, test anti-gas teats and bottles, which can change the flow of milk and reduce the amount of air your baby swallows. Be sure that the teat is always completely full of milk, so your baby doesn’t chase formula with air. And try to avoid shaking the bottle too much, which can add extra bubbles to the milk.
Feed your baby before meltdowns. Crying, of course, is unpredictable — especially in really little babies. But the more your baby cries, the more air they swallow (and the more gas they have). So as much as possible, learn the early hungry cues in infants to nip hunger in the bud.
Try the colic carry. Lay your baby tummy-down across your knees, or hold them under his belly with your forearm, and gently massage their back. The pressure on their tummy can help relieve the pressure from gas (plus touch can be a powerful tool in calming fussiness).
Do baby bicycles. Lay your baby on their back and gently cycle their legs in a bicycling motion toward their tummy to manually help push out trapped air. Or gently push baby’s knees up to their tummy and hold for 10 seconds, then release and straighten baby’s legs. Repeat several times.
Encourage tummy time. Tummy time is good for strengthening the muscles your baby needs to lift their head and, eventually, to crawl and walk. But the gentle pressure on baby’s tummy can also help relieve gas. Because some babies spit up if they’re put on their tummies soon after eating, wait at least 20 to 30 minutes (or when gas starts) before doing tummy time. Always supervise your baby during tummy time. And never put your baby to bed on their stomach since tummy sleeping puts babies at increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Give your baby a rub-down. Massage can sometimes help your baby pass gas. Start with your baby’s tummy, then give a gentle rub all over — shoulders, back, legs. It might help them relax enough to pass gas.
Check your diet if you’re breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding, talk to your Lactation consultant about whether you should try cutting out foods that could potentially cause gas in your baby.
Test new formulas. Some formulas are marketed to reduce gassiness in babies. Check with an infant feeding specialist about whether it’s worth giving a new formula a go.
Try baby gripe water. Usually a blend of sodium bicarbonate, baby gripe water may help to relieve gas and soothe fussy babies — although the verdict is out on whether it works.
Consider probiotics. Probiotics are bacteria that support your GI system Research has found that probiotics may help reduce gassiness, in babies.
How can I tell the difference between regular infant gas and colic?
Because gas can make babies fussy, it might seem like a gassy baby is colicky — but colic and gassiness are two distinct conditions. Colic in babies has many causes beyond an underdeveloped digestive system, including overstimulation and an immature nervous system.
Not sure if fussiness is caused by gas or colic? A baby is often colicky because he has a hard time self-soothing. Your baby is more likely suffering from colic than gas if he typically starts crying around the same time of day (often in the early evening) — especially if those crying bouts last for at least three hours, three times a week, for at least three weeks.
Colicky babies are often inconsolable and have episodes of frequent, intense crying that can turn into screaming for long stretches of time, even though they're otherwise healthy.
When to call and infant feeding specialist for a gassy baby
You’ll want to consult an infant feeding specialist about gas to rule out more serious medical conditions if:
Your baby isn’t gaining weight
Your infant frequently doesn’t want to eat or is hard to feed (it could also be a sign of reflux in your baby or another digestive problem)
Your baby seems constipated or has a hard time with bowel movements (the gas could be trapped behind the poop)
If your baby is gassy but gaining weight and peeing and pooing normally for his age, everything is probably going exactly as expected, and you’ll likely just need to wait it out. Baby gas does pass!
At any time you are concerned, feel free to contact Sr Teresa at 08204009501 for an assessment of your babies feeding
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