Infant gas can cause a lot of abdominal pain for your little one. She's not quite sure why she hurts and she doesn't know how to make the pain stop but as a parent, you'll do almost anything to restore her comfort. You may try different positions or over-the-counter medications but always seek pediatrician approval prior to administering over-the-counter medications to your infant.
Identification
Your infant may cry for numerous reasons such as a soiled diaper, hunger or gas. You must identify why he's crying before you can attempt to make everything better. If you've already tried feeding, burping and changing him, then he may have gas which can cause a lot of discomfort. He may simply fuss or cry very loudly, depending upon how much pain he's in.
Causes
Your baby may have developed gas by swallowing too much air when feeding or crying, according to MedlinePlus. Her baby formula may also be the culprit. She could've also just developed gas out of the blue.
Home Remedies
A variety of different positions can help relieve gas pain. Place her on a firm, flat surface on her back and draw her knees up to her chest, according to Yoga Journal. By pulling her knees to her chest, it may help release some of the gas that's trapped in her abdomen. You can also try a variation of the same method by doing a bicycle motion with her legs while she's flat on her back, bringing one leg up while the other is going down. If she's very fussy, she may want to be held. In this case, you can hold her close which will give her some comfort but while you're holding her, draw her knees as close to her stomach as you can and gently bounce her or pat her bottom. Never bounce her violently as this could harm her.
Medications
If you've tried using different home remedies and didn't have any luck, you may want to try over-the-counter gas relief medication. Always speak with his pediatrician prior to giving him medication that was not prescribed specifically for him. Infant gas relief drops may help release trapped air within the stomach or intestines, according to Drugs.com.
Considerations
If your infant develops gas frequently, speak with his pediatrician to find possible causes. If his formula is the problem, your pediatrician may recommend a different brand or type of formula. Unfortunately, if he cries a lot, there's not much you can do about that except possibly soothe his cries by fulfilling his needs if he's wet, tired or hungry.
