Gas & Tummy Troubles? The Struggle is Real

Bloated tummy. Lots of crying. Spit up everywhere. These are all signs your baby is suffering from gas and tummy troubles. We know the fussiness can sometimes be overwhelming and how hard it can be to see your little one uncomfortable or in pain.

How to Prevent Gas & Tummy Troubles

The best way to avoid fussiness and discomfort from gas and tummy troubles is to keep them from happening in the first place. Here are some of our favorite tips and tricks to keep baby’s tummy from ever getting unhappy.

SPITTING UP

Spit up is a normal part of babyhood, and as long as a baby is healthy, happy, and consistently gaining weight, there’s usually nothing to worry about. But if you’re wanting to minimize how often you’re washing your shirts, try these ideas:

• Feed baby smaller and more frequent meals
• Pause to burp multiple times throughout the feed
• Practice paced bottle feeding
• Avoid laying your baby flat during feeding, keeping his or her head above the stomach
• If breastfeeding, try eliminating dairy, eggs, beef or other potential allergens from your diet.
• Try using a different brand of formula. Your pediatrician will be able to offer some suggestions
• Change to a slower or faster bottle nipple size.
• Keep baby upright for 20-30 minutes after feeding

BLOATING & STOMACH PAIN

If your baby is suffering from gas-related discomfort, you aren’t alone! Gas affects both breastfed and bottle-fed babies, and the majority of parents deal with this at some point during those first few months.

Many normal, everyday baby things can create gas, including an immature digestive system, excessive crying, and eating too quickly or too slowly. All of these mean gas becomes trapped in the belly, causing bloating and discomfort.

Here’s how to keep that gas from getting in:

• When feeding, keep baby’s head higher than her stomach so the air is easier to burp out.
• If bottle feeding, make sure there are no air no air bubbles in the nipple.
• Burp early, burp often.
• Switch to a slower-flow nipple.

EXCESSIVE CRYING

Babies cry. It’s as simple as that. And newborns typically cry a lot because of their little bodies trying to keep up with all the new things going on with them. Look for these signs when you’re trying to figure out if your baby is crying because of gas and tummy trouble:

• Pulls legs toward tummy
• Cries when feeding
• Has a bloated, hard belly
• Clenches fists
• Has a red face
• Spits up

And here’s the 3-3-3 rule: If your baby cries for 3 or more hours per day at least 3 days a week for at least 3 weeks, he may have colic. Consult your pediatrician for the best way to make him feel better.

How to Soothe Gas & Tummy Troubles

While the best defense is to try to prevent gas pains with burping, proper feeding techniques, when the discomfort has already set in there are a few tricks that can help calm your baby:

GENTLE MEDICINE

To help baby gently pass gas, we recommend our Gas Relief Drops. Made with simethicone, Gas Relief Drops provide baby with nearly instant relief from that full, bloated feeling.

GRIPE WATER

Gripe Water is a great option to relieve the discomfort that infants face from colic, gas, and hiccups. It typically contains natural herbal ingredients, such as ginger and fennel, that work together to calm hiccups, soothe upset tummies and help ease the symptoms of colic quickly. Mommy’s Bliss #1 selling Gripe Water has been used effectively by millions of parents to relieve their distressed babies.

SOFT TUMMY MASSAGE

Softly stroke baby’s belly in a clockwise direction, this follows the path of digestion and can help get the air moving in his tummy

A WARM, CALM BATH

Giving baby a bath can take his attention away from the discomfort while the warm water will help him relax.

SWADDLE

A safe, tight swaddle can comfort your baby and help calm him.

WEAR YOUR BABY

A carrier is a great option for combining soothing motion with skin-to-skin contact.

WHITE NOISE

Turning on a fan, running the vacuum, or using a white noise machine to mimic the sounds of the womb can help create a calming environment.

GO FOR A WALK

Sometimes a change in surroundings, fresh air, and different sounds can be just what baby needs to calm down and reset.

Dealing with tummy troubles can be incredibly frustrating, and it’s perfectly okay for you to put baby down in the crib and take some time for yourself by catching up on The Crown or having a cup of tea. Try to remember that this is just a phase and it will pass. If you ever have any questions or concerns about your child’s health, be sure to contact your pediatrician.