Just as gas is a common and usually harmless condition in adults, infant gas is normal, natural and generally nothing to worry about. However, the condition can cause your baby discomfort and you anxiety as you see your baby in distress. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can ease the condition and help prevent it in the first place.
About Infant Gas
Your baby's digestive system is much less developed than yours, and the muscles aren't yet strong enough to push food efficiently through the digestive tract. This means gas can arise more frequently, persist for longer and cause your baby greater discomfort than you would experience. Another reason gas is common in babies is their lack of healthy gut bacteria, which help break down food in the adult digestive tract. With a less advanced digestive system, your baby may simply develop gas as a result of the natural digestive process, as his body breaks down the lactose and other nutrients in breast milk or formula. Your baby also may be particularly sensitive to the foods you eat. For example, if your diet is high in gas-producing vegetables, such as cauliflower and cabbage, as well as legumes and acidic foods, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes, you can pass gas onto your baby and aggravate his sensitive digestive system. Your baby also can take in extra air -- which creates air bubbles in his stomach -- when crying, breastfeeding or sucking on a bottle.
Symptoms of Infant Gas
According to T.A. Lawrence of the Colic Calm website, the most common symptoms of infant gas are increased flatulence of more than 10 to 15 times a day, a bloated stomach, restlessness, hiccups, burping and spitting up more often than normal. Your baby's tummy may feel firmer than usual, as the excess gas causes tension to build up in her stomach and intestines. You may notice your baby lifting her legs up and changing her cry to a sharper, more urgent sound, says the JustMommies website.
Treatment and Prevention
The position your baby is in when he eats also can affect digestion and cause infant gas. For this reason, The Maternity Network recommends placing your baby in an upright position during feeding to help the milk flow down the esophagus. If you are bottle-feeding, it's also important to use the right nipple size so your baby doesn't drink too quickly or gulp in too much air, says Lawrence. After a feed, burping your baby can prevent gas from developing. The best way to do this is to place your baby upright on your chest so he is looking over your shoulder, then gently rub or pat his back. It may take a few minutes for the gas to be released, so be patient. Lawrence also recommends burping your baby every three to five minutes during every feed. Another way to relieve infant gas is to gently massage your baby. The Maternity Network recommends pressing or rubbing your baby's stomach in a clockwise direction, while JustMommies suggests placing your baby on his back and moving his legs in a bicycle motion to help release trapped gas. The football hold -- whereby your baby lies along your forearm on his stomach with his bottom against your inner elbow and his head in your palm -- can help, too. This position places gentle pressure on his stomach. Equally, giving your baby some time on his tummy each day can help ease gas and the discomfort it can cause.
Precautions
While infant gas is rarely serious, you should see your doctor if your baby's symptoms are persistent, your assistance does not provide relief or the condition is seriously affecting the baby's feeding, says Lynnette Mazur, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center and the Shriner's Hospital in Houston on the BabyCenter website. There are a number of over-the-counter medications that may help, but you should seek medical advice and an accurate diagnosis before giving them to your baby.
References
- Colic Calm: The Cause and Treatment of Infant, Newborn and Baby Gas Problems; by T.A. Lawrence BSc, CIRM, CPMP
- Colic Calm: Relieving Infant Gas in Babies and Newborns; by T.A. Lawrence BSc, CIRM, CPMP
- JustMommies: Baby Gas Pains: How To Help Your Baby
- The MaternityNetwork: Windy Baby
- BabyCenter: Is It Normal That My Baby Gets Hiccups All The Time?
