How To Deal With Babies And Gas!

by Sarah Jean from The Fashionable Housewife

Many infants fart, and this is not a big deal to their mothers. However, excessive farting could be a sign that they are having difficulties with gas in their stomachs. This is common for kids between two weeks and four months. As a mother, you may be wondering how to deal with babies and gas and if excessive farting is actually a big deal.

Doctors say that most adult humans fart at least 23 times in a day, but babies should not be farting this much. More than once every couple of hours can be a signal of an issue. If your baby is farting more than this frequency, you should be concerned. Before we look at how to get rid of gas for such an infant, we will discuss what the common symptoms that accompany these farts to help you understand what to look for in this case.

SYMPTOMS OF BABY GAS

Most children who fart excessively also bloat, burp or belch. Some fuss a lot while others experience stomach cramps that make them cry a lot. Baby gas also causes irritation and restlessness in a child. Some have constant hiccups while others experience flatulence. You may notice that the tummy of your baby is harder than it should be. An irregularity during urination as well as fever are also signs of baby gas.

CAUSES & TREATMENTS OF GAS IN BABIES

Underdeveloped digestive system
Babies are born with immature digestive systems. This inhibits quick digestion of foods such as proteins and fats that they get from breast milk. In the first month, your baby is learning how to digest food for the first time.

The muscles that are responsible for digestion are still developing. This makes the food they eat go through without a proper breakdown. It causes gas to develop through their intestines which leads to excessive farting. A child is likely to experience pain as they pass this gas making them cry excessively. This situation is temporary and may improve the development of their digestive system.

Lack of a balance in gut bacteria
At a tender age, a baby is born clean without sufficient bacteria flora which should digest breast milk.  Most bacteria that are found in 4 weeks baby are proteobacteria. This triggers the production of gas which causes pain to an infant. Lots of proteobacteria make your baby fart excessively and cry.

With time, as you continue breastfeeding your child, they will pick good bacteria to help digest the food appropriately. Probiotics are the best way to stop farting of children since probiotics balance the bacteria in the baby’s gut. We highly recommend Evivo probiotics for babies to fix this issue.

Improper feeding techniques
Breastfeeding your baby directly or using baby bottles can either increase or reduce gas in a baby. Finding the right method to feed your baby will prevent them from swallowing gas. When breastfeeding, hold your baby in a position where their head goes above your breast to keep them from taking in the air. If your child swallows air, their digestive system struggles to break down lactose leading to the increase in intestinal gas. Now you know why your baby farts excessively.

A bottle to feed also affects the flow of milk inside their throat.  Ensure that you are doing it correctly to prevent them from swallowing gas. After your baby’s meal, put them at the right angle for them to burp so that you can eliminate gas trapped inside their system.

Allergy to milk protein
Do not assume that your baby may not react to artificial milk proteins. Unlike breast milk, some children are sensitive to formula food. Your child may negatively react to the whey or casein found in baby food which increases the rate of farting. Milk protein may cause inflammation in your baby’s digestive system which leads to flatulence.

The symptoms that accompany allergy of milk protein include congestion of the chest, diarrhea as well as rashes. You may also notice that your child’s stool may contain some mucus when changing their diapers. The best solution to this problem is by using more breast milk instead of milk protein. Hypoallergenic formula is also a treatment for this allergy. Read more on thefashionablehousewife.com

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