Breastfed Baby Is Gassy. What to Do?

Is your baby fussy for no obvious reason?

Does he pull up his legs and stretch out, arch his back?

Then he may be in gas pain. All these symptoms simply point to a gassy tummy. But don’t worry, nearly all children experience some kind of gas pain in the first year of their life.

What causes gassiness in babies

All the gas has two main sources, it’s either swallowing air during feeding or breaking down undigested sugars in the large intestine.

Breastfed babies may also produce excessive gas when their mothers eat gas-forming foods like:

• broccoli,
• cauliflower,
• cabbage,
• beans and
• onions.

Limit this food in your diet if you have a feeling they may contribute to your baby being gassy.

How to prevent gas in baby

There are certain things you can do to prevent your baby from having a gassy stomach.

Feed your baby before he cries so he doesn’t gulp the milk or formula too quickly along with heaps of air.

If you bottlefeed, check the size of the nipple opening and make sure the nipple is full of milk when you feed your little one.

What definitely helps is mastering the burp to relieve gas pain. For most babies, it’s enough to burp midway through the feeding and afterward to release any air bubbles. You can burp your baby either by:

• putting him upright over your shoulder with a burp cloth on your shoulder and firmly patting his back,

• sitting him upright on your lap and leaning him slightly while rubbing his back,

• laying him on his stomach across your lap and rubbing and patting his back.

Home remedy for gassy baby

If you’ve fed and burped your baby but he still has problems with a gassy tummy, try these tried and tested remedies to relieve the pain.

You can do the baby bicycle. Put your baby on his back, hold his feet, and gently move the legs in a cycling motion.

Massaging your baby’s tummy can also do the trick. Gently rub his belly while he’s on his back or place him on your knees and gently massage his back.

Use gas drops when all else fails.

If your baby has other more severe symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or fever or has had gas trouble for more than three consecutive days, contact your doctor to make sure it’s not a more serious condition.