Infant Gas Causes and Prevention

Symptoms of gas in newborn and in babies under one year old is very common. But some babies are more prone to it. Gas itself is not any harmful, but due to gas a baby feels discomfort and pain. Generally 3-6 month’s babies are prone to gas pain.

Signs of infant gas

Why is my baby so gassy is a very common question in mind of newborn’s mothers. Generally, gas is produced in stomach after feeding. If a baby has sleeping problem, irritability, fussiness or the baby is crying for longer without any apparent reason, may be the baby has gas pain. Check if the abdomen is bloating and the baby is passing gas frequently, it’s symptom of gas, which makes the baby uncomfortable. First of it should be confirmed that the baby is crying due to gas. Touch the tummy. Is it swollen and tight? Sometimes you can feel bubbles of air with your hand on the abdomen of the baby.

Causes

There may be many reasons of gas formation, but it’s true that component of milk produces gas itself in the process of digestion. The digestive system of a baby is immature and not fully developed to digest milk, therefore gas is produced.

While sucking either breast milk or bottle milk baby engulfs lot of air. While breastfeeding the nursing mother should hold the baby in a position of 45 degree angle, avoid flat lying, so that to lessen the air which the baby engulfs.

Size of nipple while bottle feeding, so check the size, it should be accurate. Larger the nipple, baby will feed very fast and smaller will cause to intake more air.

Breastfeeding mother’s diet also causes gas in baby. Nursing mother should avoid gas producing foods in her diet like cabbage, legume, peanut, dairy products, citrus fruits acidic food , nuts etc.

Hyperlactation is a condition where mother produces too much milk but it’s dilute, it’s large component is water. Due to heavy flow of dilute milk the baby swallows too much milk and his/her tummy gets turgid and resulting in pain. Due to much water in milk again the baby is hungry.

Over stimulation also causes gas. To calm gassy baby, hold him/her in lap one by one. Too many visitors, noise of TV, phone etc creates stimulation and stress, which also causes to form gas. Although all the babies cry, but too much crying may cause to engulf air through mouth.

Constipation is also a cause to produce excess gas in stomach. Sometimes children go several days without stool

Prevention

• To avoid getting baby gassy, mother should learn proper feeding technique to breastfeed or bottle feed. Search for tips to feed properly. Most important thing is that mother’s milk is least harmful for baby.
• After feeding, burping the baby is very important.
• Patting the back of the baby after a regular interval will help in relieving gas.
• Baby massage for gas relief over the stomach with light hands is also helpful. Lying down the baby on stomach for few minutes may also relieve gas. If nothing works, ask your pediatrician for medicine.