How to relieve gas in an infant?

Babies can be gassy, and they can pass gas about 13 to 21 times in a day! Infants swallow air when they breastfeed or bottlefeed, suck a pacifier, and even when they cry. When the air gets trapped in a baby’s belly, they burp, or sometimes they behave fussily, feel bloated, cry, fart, and feel a hard tummy.

“If your baby is generally happy and only fusses for a few seconds while passing gas, that’s a sign that is normal.” Dr Jennifer Shu, MD.

Understand that once your baby’s digestive system grows, the problem of gas also gets reduced.

How To Help Your Baby Feel Better?

Try these steps to prevent gas in your baby and let him feel better:

Check Feeding Positions: Doctors advise trying to keep your baby’s head higher than his stomach. This way, milk goes to the bottom of the stomach, and air goes to the top, making him easier to burp. You may try using a nursing pillow as support or hold the bottle slightly tilted to avoid bubbles in the bottle nipple.

Burp Your Baby After Each Feed: Burping is one of the easiest ways to relieve a baby from gas. Just hold your baby properly in an upright position, support his head, and start a gentle stroke on his back. Do this for about 10 to 15 minutes after every feed. This process will help your baby to belch right away and feel relieved from the gas.

Pick Slow-flow Bottle Nipple: According to paediatricians, the bottle nipple with slow and consistent flow avoids gas formation in the baby’s tummy.

Cycle Play: This activity is quite a fun moment for a baby. Here, you have to give a gentle massage to your baby and pump their legs back and forth (like riding a bicycle). This cycle play helps a baby to feel relieved from gas.

Infant Colic: During the first four months of the baby’s life, your baby may suffer from colic pains. It indicates the intense cry of your baby with no apparent reason.

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