Babies are fussy and their cries can be misconstrued for many things. As new parents, you may not always understand what it is your baby is trying to tell you. One of the things that can make babies fussy and cry is if they are having gas issues. Remember that this is common and you don’t have to worry in most cases. If your baby is showing signs that they might be feeling gassy, there are a few things that you should consider, both what causes the gas, how to address the problem, and how to prevent it.
How Does Gas Form
You might wonder why your baby is gassy and there are a number of explanations for such problems. Some of these issues can be attributed to things like excessive crying, trouble latching correctly, overfeeding, and consumption of food that causes more gas. Excessive crying increases gas as babies will swallow more air. This also occurs when they eat too quickly. For the last potential reason, your baby may be gassy, attributing it to their food, drinking breast milk from mothers that don’t have a particularly good diet can be a contributing factor. This is why it is important for mothers to practice and abide by a certain diet when breastfeeding, or be aware of changes with their babies to consider adjusting their diets as time progresses.
Symptoms
It is important to note any major changes with your baby and how they are acting. Especially for new parents, you won’t always know what is wrong, and you may think something is more serious than it is, perhaps thinking your child may be sick when they are really just gassy. Some of the symptoms commonly attributed to a gassy baby are frantic and intense crying, restlessness, squirming, and the inability to sit still. They may also appear unhappy, may not eat or sleep well, appear pained and reddish when crying, and stay fussy for extended amounts of time. Additionally, body language that also may suggest gas issues are clenching of fists, straining, pulling their knees up to their stomach, and general discomfort. However, if your baby shows prolonged symptoms as well as other symptoms not usually associated with gas issues, but also fever, vomiting, and prolonged crying, you should see a doctor for medical advice as this could be a sign of a more serious problem.
How To Address Gas Troubles
Having a gassy baby can lead to loud, constant crying, among other things, which can cause parents to feel stressed and anxious. With that in mind, there are a few remedies to attempt that can help aid and address the situation. Prior to feeding, you want to consider changing bottles if you are noticing your babies develop more gas lately. Slow feeding bottles, among other designs reviewed by those at https://www.littlebabygear.com/best-bottles-gas-reflux-colic/, are great for slowing down the consumption of babies, as feeding too quickly may lead to such digestive issues. When you are feeding, you want to adjust and monitor your position to encourage better digestion through the angle at which your baby eats. Taking breaks between feeding helps reduce consumption. You can also distract your baby with objects and sounds to help them divert their attention so they are not so focused on feeding, which may then lead to the same digestive issues. It is important to burp them not only after feeding, but lightly tapping their backs as well during the feeding process.
Preventing Further Digestion
As much as gas is an issue that is addressed during the feeding process, as well as after with the right burping techniques, it can also be addressed prior. You should keep an eye out on the foods that you give your baby, learning, and researching the ingredients to ensure they are getting the appropriate diet. As previously mentioned, you want to guarantee that the mother is following a good diet if breastfeeding as well. Also remember to incorporate tummy time, which provides a bit of pressure on the baby’s abdominal area when lying on their stomachs. This process helps assist in the digestive systems.
As you learn the ins and outs of being a parent, you will understand what your baby is trying to tell you whenever they cry. Just remember that babies will cry for almost everything, even when nothing might be wrong. This is why it is important to learn other signs of gas, what causes it, and how to prevent it in the future. No gas, no fuss.
