Gas is painful for babies. When your little one develops gas, it may seem like nothing you do will ease the gas pain she's experiencing, or at least not for a while. Fortunately there are certain techniques and medications you can use to help bring your infant gas relief.
History
When a baby or adult develops gas pain, it's caused by excess gas in the stomach or intestines, according to Drugs.com. Your infant can develop gas by crying when he sucks in a great amount of air or from drinking his bottle too quickly. The excess air becomes trapped in his stomach, which causes a great deal of pain that typically results in him crying even more.
Identification
When your baby develops gas, there are some signs that you can look for to determine if she's crying due to gas or another reason, such as a soiled diaper. When your baby has gas, her stomach will appear swollen and may feel tight when you touch it, according to FamilyDoctor.org. Her stomach may also feel very hard.
Time Frame
There is no standard amount of time a baby can have gas nor certain ages at which he may develop gas. Babies develop gas just like adults do, although adults typically develop gas for different reasons, such as eating greasy or fried foods.
Home Remedies
If your baby develops gas, you can try to ease her pain by gently pulling her knees in an upright position toward her chest. After you've pulled her knees to her chest, you can lightly bounce her in your arms to help relieve trapped gas bubbles or pat her bottom. Another method you can try is placing her on her back on a solid, sturdy surface such as the floor and perform bicycle motions with her legs, again still bringing her knees close to her chest, according to Yoga Journal. A variation of the bicycle method is placing her on her back on a solid surface and bringing both of her knees to her chest then lowering her legs back onto the floor in repeated slow motions. Any of these methods can help relieve trapped gas bubbles.
Over-the-Counter Remedies
If you've already tried different home remedies to relieve your baby's gas, there are over-the-counter infant gas relief drops. The over-the-counter infant gas relief drops are available in a liquid form. Always check with your baby's pediatrician for approval prior to giving a remedy to your infant and for the recommended dosage.
