What to do if your baby has gas. A baby with gas pain will cry in pain and not sleep well. Use these tips to identify gas and know how to help baby.
When Brayden was a baby, he was upset so often. I was a first time mom and didn’t know if it was normal or not for a baby to cry that often. One day, my sister came to visit with a friend of hers who had a baby 9 months older than Brayden.
She immediately commented on Brayden having gas and that her daughter had gas like that when she was a newborn, also. She recommended some gas drops. We went out and bought some. It was a life-changer for him!
If you are a parent, you should know all about baby gas, what it looks like, and how to treat it.
In The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, Tracy Hogg describes gas symptoms and gives ideas on how to treat it. Here are good points from the book as well as some of my own (pages 110-111).
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WHAT IS GAS in BABIES?
Gas is air. It will come out either through burping or passing gas. For some babies, gas can be very painful, just like it can for some adults.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF GAS IS A PROBLEM?
Look for these signs:
- Baby brings legs up to his chest.
- Baby scrunches up his face.
- High pitch to his crying. This was the biggest sign to us that McKenna had gas. It was a shrill cry of pain.
- Baby will look like he is panting.
- Baby might roll his eyes.
- I have also noticed that baby will squirm around a lot.
HOW DO YOU TREAT GAS?
If your baby has gas, try these solutions to help baby get rid of the gas pains.
Burp. When burping, gently rub upward on his back on the left side using the heel of your palm.
Burp. Try having his arms over your shoulder, dangling down. Then have his feet straight down. If baby is still in the curled up newborn stage, you might have to straighten his legs for him.
Bicycle. Lay him on his back and bicycle his legs.
Pat. Hold him against you and pat his bottom.
Pressure. Lay him on your forearm, face down, and put gentle pressure on his tummy with your palm.
Burp. I know, how many times can burp be mentioned? I am sure to burp my babies efficiently and often. I give them one final burp right before I put her down for a nap. I remember McKenna always burped the easiest while she was swaddled.
Towle Method. There is a colic/gas management method for relieving gas. The description is long. Click here to access the document for free.
Gas Drops. Simethicone drops can help. I have found them to help immensely. Brayden, McKenna, and Brinley had gas, and these drops were a lifesaver. I used the drops after every meal.
Here is a definition from wikipedia.org: “Simethicone is an anti-foaming agent that decreases the surface tension of gas bubbles, causing them to combine into larger bubbles in the stomach that can be passed more easily by burping. Simethicone does not reduce the quantity of gas in the digestive tract, it only increases the rate at which it exits the body, but does not prevent gas formation in the intestine. However, simethicone can relieve pain caused by gas in the intestines by decreasing foaming which then allows for passing of flatus. Simethicone is not absorbed by the body into the bloodstream, and is therefore considered relatively safe.”
My belief, based on observing my kids, is that simethicone drops work well over time. I think they are best applied consistently and help prevent gas pains. The effect of the drops is cumulative, so they are most effective when used consistently. If baby has pains on occasion, you can give them on occasion, but if not, you might want to stick to consistency.
I use the store brand from Walmart (Equate Gas Drops) and find they work very well, and they are a lot less expensive than the name brand (Mylicon Drops).
Gripe Water. Gripe water is great for alleviating pain immediately. We used gripe water with McKenna and Brinley.
Here is the definition from Wikipedia.org: “Gripe Water is a home remedy for infants with colic, gastrointestinal discomfort, teething pain, reflux, and other stomach ailments. Its ingredients vary, and may include alcohol, bicarbonate, ginger, dill, fennel and chamomile. It is typically given to an infant with a dropper in liquid form, and adults may also take gripe water for soothing intestinal pains, gas or other stomach ailments.”
Notice that some contain alcohol, but not all do. If you don’t want your baby having alcohol, be sure to read ingredients before purchasing it. I have been really happy with the Baby Bliss gripe water. It works really well and has no alcohol in it. I don’t even administer a full dose.
Read: How To Help a Baby With Gas Pain
Conclusion
If your baby has gas, do what you can to alleviate the pain. You will have a different, happier baby if you do!
