Terrible Gas

[MilkforMacy]

My daughter is 7 weeks old and is a breastmilk baby! I do not make enough milk so she is given donated breastmilk which is greatly appreciated because when we tried formula she had a terrible time. Macy is EXTREMELY gassy! She has so much gas that I can hear and feel it in her belly. She screams when she passes gas and is very fussy after eating. I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions to help her. I have tried the Happiest Baby ideas, gripe water and Mylicon. She spits up the Mylicon, it must not agree with her. I know that there are elimination diets but unfortunately I cannot ask the milk mamas to eliminate foods since most of the time the milk donor is a one-time donation.

I am not looking for ideas to increase my milk supply, thank you anyway. My physician and I have tried it all.

Thanks!!!

[groovyem]

I'm an EPing. We had a colic thingy going on. I now use Dr Browns bottles, that really helped. I know there are other good brands out there other than that one. Also, I held her with tummy on my arm, her head at the elbow crook and my hand in a fist putting pressure on her belly, she loved that. Also, rubbing lavender essential oil on their bellies is supposed to help. My chiropractor said once you do this enough you learn to feels where the gas bubbles are and can really work them out. I never could, be she seemed to really enjoy it. We are now past it. Be I did make changes in my diet as well.

[MilkforMacy]

I do that position as well and she farts alot when we hold her like that. I have tried a million different bottles and she chokes on all of them because of the flow. I have tried slow flow and preemie nipples with NO luck. Her first bottle was the Medela Haberman/Special Needs Bottle and that seems to work best for her because we can control the flow unlike any other bottle. Thanks for the advice. This is just very difficult especially since I know it is painful at times for her.

[PatioGardener]

Have you tried supplementing at the breast? That may cut down on the air she swallows while bottle feeding.

[annarose999]

my 7 week old is much the same with the addition of spit up. in fact just last night she was up screaming until she got the worst of the gas out. unfortunately the best we could do as parents was just to help her work it out. on the suggestion of some others we have started adding baby probiotics to her diet. we are only on day two of the probiotics, but i will be sure to report how it goes.

[LilMomma83]

no advice...i had to cut out dairy for severe gas and crying...if i have anything with dairy near bedtime he is up all night with a hard belly....grr...i don't care for milk but i love yogurt and cheese!

[blessedwithboys]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

Have you tried supplementing at the breast? That may cut down on the air she swallows while bottle feeding.

yes, this! what a great thing for you to use donated milk. your babe is very lucky to have you for a mama! and also, with all due respect, your LO is only 7 wks old. perhaps you have tried many things to increase supply, but possible not everything and possibly not long enough. if you feel up to it, maybe some of the mamas here could offer a few ideas. just a thought...

GL!

[mauinokaoi]

Sounds like she's might be getting too much foremilk (high in lactose baby can't digest it all). I know if I pump I get mostly foremilk. Maybe you can get her some lactase enzyme?

annarose: look into oversupply and foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.

[Megan73]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

Have you tried supplementing at the breast? That may cut down on the air she swallows while bottle feeding.

This. You say you've tried everything to increase your supply but eliminating bottles and supplementing at the breast would be #1 on my list of supply boosters. It should also help with the gas, too, although I think most babies grow out of it as their little digestive systems mature.

[annarose999]

thanks mauinokaoi - for me it is also a case of oversupply leading to foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. i implemented block feeding around week 4 or so but it seems new things keep popping up everyday.

as an update to the baby probiotics, i have to say she is definitely passing gas with much more ease. she does still have an awake period at around 1am that requires constant comfort suckling which i have switched to a paci to reduce the risk of overeating and vomiting.