Dr. Klish has served as chair of the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics. New questions and answers will be added to this page regularly. While Dr. Klish cannot respond to each individual inquiry, we will post answers to the most common questions here. A formula change will probably not help. The most frequent cause of gas in babies is swallowing air, either during feeding or periods of fussiness.
Many babies are aggressive feeders who gulp their formula, which increases the intake of air.
If you notice your infant doing this, try feeding her in a quiet environment, help slow her pace by interrupting frequently, and be sure to burp her often. Also check the opening of the nipple. If it's too big, your baby will be flooded with formula and tend to take in air. If the nipple is too small, too much air can also be ingested, since a baby needs to suck harder to get the formula. Lactose intolerance can also cause gas, but is extremely rare in infants.