Get Rid of Your Baby’s Gas Pain and Bloating!

Gas is normal in a baby; they typically pass gas a minimum of thirteen times per day! This is because infants swallow a lot of air when they are breast or bottle fed, when they suck a pacifier and when they cry.  When gas bubbles get trapped in the digestive tract it causes painful pressure and bloating in the stomach of your new-born. This discomfort is generally experienced at night; there are several symptoms to look for that will indicate whether your baby is suffering from gas. Once you are familiar with these symptoms, there are strategies parents can implement to eliminate the pain caused by gas, all of which will be discussed in
this article.

Common Gas Symptoms in Babies

Your baby will experience severe gas between the ages of 4 to 12 weeks old, it gets worse at around 8 weeks. They find digestion difficult during this stage; however, they are better able to cope by the time they are three months because they are too busy exploring the world around them. Most new mothers are often unsure of the cause of their child’s discomfort, but there are some common gas symptoms in babies to look for: 

● Clenched fists
● Crying
● Squirming after feeding
● Red face
● Lifting the legs in the direction of the stomach

You will not know for certain that your baby is suffering from gas until he either passes gas or burps. At this point, the child will stop crying because they have been relieved of their discomfort. However, it is possible that these common gas symptoms in babies are an indication that there is another problem apart from gas. If your baby keeps crying after burping or passing gas, he may have colic, constipation, or reflux.

It is essential that you know the difference between reflux and gas, because burping will exacerbate the reflux. If he has reflux, he will squirm and arch his back when the stomach contents travel up into the oesophagus and out of the mouth. If it’s just gas, he will curl inwards. This typically takes place approximately half an hour after feeding.

Constipation also resembles gas, he will struggle and writhe and the stool is expelled in hard pellets  as opposed to being soft. Colic is when a baby cries at least three days a week for a minimum of three hours at a time.  Experts believe that this condition is caused by a babies underdeveloped nervous or digestive systems. This can cause discomfort for long periods; the symptoms are similar to gas and your baby will curl his legs up to his stomach. Some doctors also believe that colic symptoms are also due to the baby swallowing a lot of air when crying as a result of the pain. If you have tried to burp, change, rock and feed your baby and he is still crying, there is a high possibility he is suffering from colic.

It is also important to mention that if your baby is experiencing all the symptoms of a gas but is not putting on any weight, take him to the doctors for a full medical evaluation to eliminate other conditions such as dairy intolerance.

How to Get Rid of Tummy Pain in Babies

As a mother, it is heart breaking to watch your baby suffer, and you are going to want to rush him to the accident and emergency room if he won’t stop crying. However, before you take such drastic action, you can learn how to get rid of tummy pain in babies: 

● Bouncing or Rocking: Bouncing or rocking simulates the environment of the womb and will help to relax your baby.
● Wrapping: Wrapping the baby up tightly in a blanket also mimics the comfort felt in the womb and will soothe any pain your child is feeling.
● Infant Massage: When the nerve signals in a baby’s intestines are developing, they are very sensitive, massaging the stomach helps to calm them down.
● A Pacifier: When babies suck on a pacifier, endorphins are released in the brain, this will help the baby find relief from gas.
● Baby Bike Ride: Put your baby on his back; and in a peddling motion, move his legs up and down. Not only does this encourage the gas to move, but it also calms and soothes the nerves in the intestines.
● Change the Bottle: If you are bottle feeding your baby, change it to one where the nipple has a slower flow.
●Feeding Position: When you are feeding your baby, try and keep his head higher than the stomach. In this way, the milk travels straight to the bottom of the stomach and air is released to the top, this makes it easier to release through burping. You can do this by using a nursing pillow to support the head, as well as making sure there are no air bubbles in the nipple by slightly tipping the bottle.
● Burping: Burp your baby during and after feeding; if he doesn’t belch immediately,put him on his back for a few minutes and try again.
● Over the Counter Medication: Your baby might suffer from gas because of a lack of healthy gut bacteria. Mamas Select Infant Bacterial Complex is a powerful gut bacteria supplementation that will help to relieve the symptoms of gas. You can purchase it here.

When to Contact Your Doctor

It is normal for babies to experience gas especially in the first few months of life, and you should be able to treat it relatively easily. However, there may be other digestive issues if your baby experiences the following: