Gassy Baby Solutions

It’s common for babies to pass gas 13-21 times a day, but where some babies can pass it fairly easily, others get a little stuck and it can cause extra fussiness and have a negative impact on their sleep--and ultimately your sleep as well. It is so difficult to watch your little one uncomfortable and in pain.

One of the first steps is determining if gas is what is causing your little one the discomfort. Some signs to look for are if they pulling up their legs and then stretching back out, arching their back, burping more, increased crying, or have a hard tummy. 

Here are some fixes to help your baby: 

• Check your feeding position: Whether you nurse or bottle feed, try to keep the baby’s head higher than their stomach. Nursing pillows are very helpful for this.
• Burp your baby during and after a feeding. They may not be the happiest when you interrupt their meal to help them burp, but it will be beneficial for them later on.
• Switching up their bottle may also help eliminate too much air intake while they are eating. Each baby is different and it may be trial and error finding the right shaped bottle for them. In particular, Brown’s Natural Flow bottles are known for reducing colic, spit-up and gas.
• If you are breastfeeding, eating vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and beans can produce excessive gas in your baby.
• Pumping your baby’s legs in a cycling motion can help release trapped gas.
• Placing baby on their tummy can put pressure on the trapped gas and may make for an easier passage.
• A warm bath can also just help your baby relax overall and help them to relieve discomfort.
• Infant tummy massage: With your baby lying on their back gently sweep your hand down their tummy a few times before rubbing in a circular motion going clockwise. You can either perform one large circle or do small circles all the way around to help push the gas along as shown in this video.

There are also some products out there if all else fails. The Frida baby Windi  instantly relieves gas and pressure with its use naturally. Happi Tummi is a wrap you can gently heat and then wraps around baby's midsection to help relieve gas. Gas drops help to break up the gas bubbles in the tummy. With anything that you give your baby, it is best to talk to their Pediatrician prior to use.

Lisa is a babywearing, breastfeeding, cloth-diapering mama who enjoys exploring all things natural parenting.