Various ways of helping to stop your baby's gas pains. Will include natural and over-the-counter methods.
It is very upsetting for a parent to see their baby in pain. It is even more upsetting when your baby cannot communicate what is causing their pain and where the pain is.
When your baby cries intensely and keeps pulling his or her knees up towards their chest, more than likely, they are telling you that they have gas pains. These sharp pains, located in the abdomin, can cause your baby to seem very fussy and unconsolable.
Once your baby shows signs of having gas, you can give your baby simethicone drops which will neutralize the gas. Simethicone will not be absorbed into your baby's system. Mylicon and Gerber have versions of simethicone drops that contain no alcohol and are very effective.
Once your baby's digestive system fully develops, they should have less of a problem with gas. But until then, there are many ways that a parent can help prevent gas from starting.
INFANT MASSAGE
-Massaging your baby is important when it comes to helping release their gas. The stroking of the stomach area helps your baby's gastrointestinal organs function properly. A five to ten minute massage every day will help prevent pains.
LEG EXERCISES
-Another way to help release gas is to exercise your baby's legs while they are relaxing on their backs. By pumping their legs up and down in a bicycle motion, you are helping your baby feel less cramping.
BREAST-FEEDING
-One of the most important ways to prevent gas in your baby is to breast feed. Bottle feeding can cause more bubbles in your baby's tummy than breast feeding because your baby gets more air while drinking. But some babies can become gassy when breast-feeding because of the foods that are eaten. Broccoli and cabbage are two of the foods that can cause gas.
FORMULA
-If you are bottle feeding your baby with formula and your baby is showing signs of gas, consider switching formulas. Your baby could have a sensitive stomch to certain ingredients in the formula you are currently using. But don't keep switching formulas without speaking to your baby's pediatrician first. By switching formulas too often, your baby's body will have a difficult time adjusting and they will become fussy anyway.
