Natural Remedies To Treat Gas Problems In Babies | Causes & Symtopms

Parenting | Baby Case | Home Remedies | How To Relieve Gas Problems | Newborn's Well-Being

Being a new parent you are always concerned about your baby's health and well-being. You become worried when they become fuzzy and start grunting. You are unknown of the reason and you feel bad for not knowing what to do. In most cases, this might be due to the gas problems in his/her stomach.

We all have experienced gas pain – it’s uncomfortable and unwanted. But for babies, it’s even more than us. A gassy baby is completely common and normal, however, you need to know how to relieve the gas in infants so that they feel better and stay happy.

So here are few natural home remedies that will help you in treating your baby whenever he faces gas-related problems.

Causes Of Gases In Babies

Gas troubles often start right away or when babies are just a couple of weeks old. Most infants outgrow them by the time they’re 5 to 7 months old, but for some, it lasts longer.

Gas in babies can be due to -

• Sucking and swallowing of air during breastfeeding.

• Improper digestion of certain foods due to which harmless bacteria releases certain chemicals to break it down.

• Mother eats gas-forming veggies like potato broccoli, sprouts, etc.

• Feeding babies too much fruit juices.

• Not burping properly to expel the gas formed after feeling.

• Giving babies gas-forming foods which are also sometimes difficult to digest.

• Remaining hungry for a very long time can also form gases.

Signs & Symptoms of Baby having Gassy Problems

It’s obvious that small infants cannot voice it out if he/she has some gas pains. Hence you always need to look for signs or symptoms to treat accordingly. Here are some of them -

1. The baby would seem to be fussy and might cry frequently.

2. He/she would feel low and unhappy most of the time.

3. Babies would show less interest in eating.

4. They might puke while feeding or eating food.

5. Squirming and grunting.

6. Lifting the legs or pulling up the knees towards the chest.

7. Their face turns red while crying.

8. Frequently passes a lot of gas.

Natural Remedies To Prevent & Alleviate Baby’s Gas Pain

1) Feed Your Baby The Right Way -

Feed your newborn every 2-3 hours and of course on-demand to prevent gas from forming.

Try to push the complete areola rather than just the nipple to his/her mouth to prevent sucking of more gas than milk.

Also if bottle feeding, check the nipple opening to be sure it isn't too large or too small as babies tend to swallow more air when the bottle's nipple isn't full of milk.

Along with this, you should also make sure to maintain a proper position while nursing. Never feed a newborn in a lying position.

2) Burp Your Baby Properly -

Make sure you burp your baby after every breastfeeding, to release the gas from his/her stomach.

You can burp them by laying them on your lap with their stomach on your thighs and then slightly patting on their back. Or else the normal technique is to simply support them on your shoulder and firmly pat his back.

3) Massage His Tummy -

Tummy massages are a great way to reduce gas build-up in babies. Lay them on their back and gently rub the belly in a clockwise motion and then run the hand down the curve of his tummy.

This procedure helps the gas move easily through the intestines and releases it from his/her body.

4) Use Mustard Oil -

Mustard oil is a natural home remedy to get rid of gas in babies. You can either massage some warm mustard oil over the belly or on the complete body and then give a warm water bath.

This really helps in instantly relieving the gas problem.

5) Use Asafoetida Remedy -

Asafoetida ( also known as Hing ) is a great ingredient and natural home remedy to get rid of gases. All you need to do is add ½ tsp of the asafoetida powder to warm water or else warm the mixture and then apply it around the navel.

Let it air dry and you will notice that after a few minutes the baby starts passing gas and feels much better and relaxed.

6) Eat and Give The Right Food -

Breastfeeding mothers should avoid eating certain foods that cause the formation of gas such as dry fish, prawns, spicy meat dishes, nuts, pulses, milk products, and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, etc.

Even the intake of citrus fruits can cause gas related problems in babies.If your little one has started on solids, make sure that you give him foods that don't cause gas issues.

7) Ensure Some Tummy Time Regularly -

Once your baby is above 3 months try to give some tummy time so that the gentle pressure on the tummy will help him/her pass the gas comfortably and also strengthen his back and neck muscles.

You can also make them do some cycling exercises by making them lay on the bed and gently holding their legs and moving them in a circular motion as if they are cycling. This puts pressure on their stomach and releases the gas immediately.

Prevention is always better than cure so if you don’t want to see your baby suffering from gas pain, be cautious about preventing the underlying causes. Also, if the above-mentioned home remedies are not helping your baby and she is still crying and showing unusual behavior for long periods coupled with fever, vomiting, and poor feeding, it’s best that you consult the doctor.