Is your newborn constantly fussy? Or seem uncomfortable? Or cry often? Trapped gas might be to blame. Thanks to their developing digestive systems, all babies are gassy during the first few months of life. However, there’s no need to fret. As infant care experts in Dallas, Houston, and beyond, we have quite a few tricks up our sleeve. Read on to learn how to help a newborn with gas.
What Causes Newborn Gas?
Because their digestive systems are still developing, most infants are gassy during the first few months of life. However, most of them will outgrow the gassiness by the time they are four to six months old.
Causes of infant gas may include:
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An immature digestive system.
Swallowing air when feeding or crying.
Sensitivities to certain types of formula or foods in a breastfeeding mother’s diet.
Recognizing Signs of Gas in Newborns
Before diving into how to help a newborn with gas, let’s go over what to watch for:
Excessive crying. Babies communicate their needs by being vocal. So, if your baby is crying often — especially after feedings — gas may be causing them discomfort.
Arching their back and pulling their legs up. Arching their back and pulling their legs into their chest can be another indicator that your baby has trapped gas.
Sleep troubles. As we all know, gas can be uncomfortable! If gas is making it hard for your baby to settle, they might have trouble sleeping.
How to Help a Newborn with Gas
Wondering how to help a newborn with gas? Here are our expert tips:
Burp Your Baby During Feedings
A lot of newborns experience gas because they’re swallowing air during feedings. However, gently patting your baby on their back while feeding can get rid of swallowed air before it makes its way through their digestive system. One indicator that your baby could use a mid-meal burp is if they turn away fussily after about half of their feeding.
Note that burping during feeds shouldn’t replace routinely burping after feeds.
Control the Air
We recommend feeding your baby in an upright or side-lying position, as this lowers their chances of swallowing air. You’ll also want to make sure they’re properly latched. If you’re bottle-feeding your baby, make sure the nipple is always full of milk – that way, there’s no risk of chasing formula with air. Also, avoid shaking the bottle as much as possible, as this creates air bubbles.
Do Baby Bicycles
Baby bicycles are a popular way to help a newborn with gas. Simply lay your baby on their back and pump their legs in a cycling motion toward their tummy. Doing so will help push out trapped air.
Encourage Tummy Time
Not only is tummy time great for strengthening the muscles necessary to lift your baby’s head, crawl, and walk, but the gentle pressure on their tummy can also help relieve gas.
Change Up Diet
Whether you're eliminating certain foods from your diet as a breastfeeding mom or trying a new formula, gassy babies might appreciate a change in diet. Note that it might take some time to notice any significant changes (about two weeks), so be patient.
Night Nurse Fort Worth
We hope this post offers some clarity on how to help a newborn with gas! But of course, if you’d like more personal support, our infant care specialists and expert night nurses are here for you. We offer in-person support to families in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and the surrounding areas, and our virtual consultations can help families all over the nation.
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