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Monday, March 7, 2016

5 Ways To Help A Gassy Baby

Gas in infants is common and hard for both baby and parents to deal with!  Use these 5 tips to help baby release their gas

Gassy babies are no joke.  They're also no fun.  Who knew something as simple as gas could turn your sweet, angelic baby into a monster?  When I had my first baby, I thought, "Why don't you just toot and get it over with, kid?!"  Their digestive systems are underdeveloped in that "4th trimester" (the first three months of their lives) and gas can be a real doozy on their little tummies.  Here are 5 ways you can help your gassy baby! 

1) Let them lay on their bellies and pat the small of their back.  There's something to be said about "child's pose" in yoga - it's that most children love to lay this way!  I've also found that the pressure of their body weight helps relieve gas.  Add a little pat and it really helps them to release built up air. 

2) Use probiotics.  We've all heard about how great these things are.  In fact, it's been added to everything from yogurt to water for adult consumption!  It helps little tummies too.  Gerber® has a probiotic gas and colic drop that will promote healthy bacteria in your baby's tummy and potentially reduce their gassy bellies.  Less gas means less colicky crying time for baby, and a happier mommy and daddy! 

3) Bicycle it out.  Disclaimer: This one has never worked for me.  However, most parents swear by it.  You lie the baby on his back and move his knees up into his chest as though he was pedaling on a bicycling.  My babies are too strong willed for this move - when they're gassy, aint nobody moving anything they don't want moved!  Otto is really good at locking out his knees when I try to alternate them into his chest.  If you have a more cooperative baby than I do, this will work better for you. 

4) Switch up your diet or formula.  I've mentioned before that most "colic" is most commonly a negative reaction to what you're feeding the baby.  It's digestive discomfort.  If you're breast feeding, you have to weed out what's irritating your baby from YOUR diet.  I give some tips on that in this breast feeding post.  If you're formula feeding, try a more sensitive formula.  Gerber® makes Good Start® Soothe, which is specially designed to ease excessive fussiness and gas.  I don't consume dairy or caffeine with Otto; Henry was fed a sensitive formula like Gerber® and we have no colic in our home. * breathes sigh of relief*

5) Change the baby's position.  Not all babies are built alike!  What might be a good position for one to relieve his gas, might not work for another to relieve hers.  If the bicycle isn't working and the baby isn't having it on her belly, try bouncing her on your knee.  If that fails, I've walked my babies around the house with a small bounce in my step and a soft pat on their lower backs.  Mix it up and see what position allows your baby to expel that air! 

I received a sample of Gerber® Good Start® Soothe infant formula and Gerber® Soothe probiotic colic drops.  My thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Young babies often need help with their gassy tummies that cause them so much discomfort.  Use these 5 tips to help a gassy baby.  It's not easy on mom, dad or baby, but these tips should help the next time gas strikes your little one! 

10 comments:

Okay so one of my girl friends told me about this "thing" that you put in their bums and it releases the gas right away.  I can't remember the name, but she showed me on her son and it was crazy how it worked instantly!  My diet played a huge part in A's digestive system when I was nursing.  I'm hoping this baby won't have the same issues. 

Oh, gas, I swear you would be the end of me as a new mom!  Well, not my gas, Ginny's.  My mom swears by bicycling motion but like you, that was never helpful for us.  Laying her in the football position with her belly across my arms helped. 

The potential reasons for colic are various - from potential assimilation troubles of a gassy child, to stretch, to straightforward demeanor confounds in the middle of newborn child and guardian, colic's real beginnings stay slippery.  For worried folks searching for answers, chiropractors offer yet another conceivable cause - strained muscles and/or tendons from the conception and conveyance process. 

There are many options available for treatment if the colic has been aggravated due to gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort.  There are three categories of treatments for infant gas like infant gas drops, gripe water, and probiotics. 

Hey,we had big trouble with our little gassy boy and I totally agree with that, that gas is associated with what babies eat.  We also descided to switch formula to Hipp organic formula which we ordered from https://myorganicformula.com/, because that was the cheapest way to get it. 

Hey, I'm Paige

Yoga junkie, top-knot connoisseur and health nut who doesn't shy away from a good IPA and a cheeseburger

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