5 Things You Can Do At The Breast To Help A Gassy Baby
Gas is often the culprit behind a fussy baby. Many moms would recognize the high-pitched, red-faced cry of an infant with stomach pain, or the way she might arch her back or straighten her little legs. It can be a helpless feeling, watching your baby cry in pain, but there are things you can do to help.
- Try “laid back nursing.” Position yourself slightly reclined, and hold baby tummy-to-tummy on top of you. This slows down the spray of the milk, reducing air bubbles, and the pressure on baby’s stomach may relieve some discomfort.
- When you feel your milk letting down, remove the breast from baby’s mouth momentarily and catch the milk in a burp cloth or diaper. This way, your baby won’t have to gulp down milk when the flow is at its fastest.
- Burp your baby often during feedings.
- Avoid caffeine and foods that may cause gas. It might also help to keep a food diary so that you can track foods that may be contributing to the problem.
- Don’t wait until baby is crying to nurse- look for early hunger cues, like rooting or putting hands in mouth. An upset, crying baby will take in more air before and during a feeding.
Of course, these methods help a lot, but sometimes there’s just not much you can do to prevent gas. For a gassy baby, you might try using gripe water, bicycling his legs, and keeping him upright, with legs in froggy position.
2 Responses to 5 Things You Can Do At The Breast To Help A Gassy Baby