gassy baby

[mtm]

Remind me of natural remedies for a gassy baby? I bought some fennel tea for me to drink, she hates having her legs bicycled and so far is a tough one to burp. What am I overlooking?

[~ani~]

No help here, mine is gassy too and it really hurts him - that's really the only time he cries. Poor thing he has HUGE farts - like, that would hurt ME if I had them

I'm going to test eliminating cow's milk from my diet. I must find a way to get enough calcium some other way though.

Mine likes to be held over my shoulder or lie face down on me when he's gassy. Nursing can be somewhat of a comfort.

I've been drinking fennel tea too.

Looking forward to all your ideas!!!

[ELKMama]

Still looking for an answer to this one too! My lo doesn't seem to burp and he gulps a lot when nursing... Apparently my let down has gotten stronger as my body remembers how to do this.

Just in case that isn't the source, I'm a week into the no-dairy diet (although I confess I ate the cupcakes that a friend brought a couple days ago... that was minimal dairy though, right?!).

The tummy massage that I've heard about for gas seems like torture when he's uncomfortable but I did it a few times this morning and then there was a 1/2 hour fart party so I will try that again!

[Bellejar]

I was told gripe water helps by someone. Also carrying the baby so the stomach gets pressure on it. Good Luck!

[~Robin]

gripe water is good..
common gas problems can be from tomato based things and some veggies.

[RosemaryS-F]

I was having this problem too and until a few days ago had eliminated cow's milk from my diet (a total bummer, being veg!) Here's what I found, is that in my case, I have oversupply, so now I just nurse on one boob until it is finished (this can take a couple feedings)--that way he is getting the hindmilk, containing lactase which breaks down the lactose in the foremilk. (The lactose in the foremilk can cause real gas problems if the baby doesn't get enough of the hindmilk to break it down--making the baby seem lactose intolerant, even though he isn't.) My baby didn't have any signs of a milk allergy other than gas--no rashes, eczema, etc. One thing that tipped me off to this was that my baby gained 1 pound between 3 and 10 days old. The protein of the foremilk made him do it! His pedi was really amazed.Then I read that babies who get an inbalance of milk tend to gain a crazy amount of weight. I've re-added the milk (and haven't restricted it either) and there's no problem/difference.

Another thing: my baby still often cries when he's trying to poop it, and that is because of all things, (I read in many sources) he hasn't figured out that he shouldn't tense his rectal muscles and try to push at the same time. Ouch! They learn that eventually (of course) but in the meantime it hurts. I know it doesn't ALWAYS hurt him to poo because many times he just does it without thinking. Only when he is focusing on it! I distract him when he is pooping and that sometimes works, but sometimes he just needs to suss it out for himself.

I tried mylicon drops, Hyland's colic tablets and gripe water in the beginning (I'm talking like he's 25 years old now, I realize, but when he was really crying a lot it felt like it had been that long!) and the only thing I noticed did ANYTHING was that the camomile in the Hyland's put him to sleep. But so does the white noise of static radio (as recommended in The Happiest Baby on the Block--my new fave book) and costs nothing. Much of what I thought was gas making him cry was also I think that I was sitting around too much and he needed to be bounced and walked more. Now that I am able to be more active, he's much, much happier. Course it's raining today, so no walk.

[~ani~]

Wow wow wow thanks Rosemary s-f!!! That is totally my boy! I definitely switch breasts a lot... and he is gaining like crazy too! I will try this...

[Kothi]

Originally Posted by RosemaryS-F

. The protein of the foremilk made him do it! His pedi was really amazed.Then I read that babies who get an inbalance of milk tend to gain a crazy amount of weight.

WOW! Thank you so much for this info! Savitri's very much the same on just about all counts, except for the crying - she doesn't cry so much as grunt and struggle and even wheeze with gas, which keeps us up too - in fact, I've had no time for MDC the last couple weeks b/c of this - not much sleep, constant gas managment. It is a miracle that the first real read I take in is this info! I do feed one breast at a time due to adequate, sometimes over-supply - I assumed she was getting hind milk. However, I've never thought to keep going with the same breast over a couple feedings. I will try that. Also very interesting about above - Savitri's now 10-6- i just thought it was from such frequent feedings. Have to see if the gain rate changes if I keep to 1 breast over a couple feedings. So, does this mean in infants, the metabolism works kindof opposite of the "low-carb" diet theories? If so, how?

[RosemaryS-F]

[ So, does this mean in infants, the metabolism works kindof opposite of the "low-carb" diet theories? If so, how?[/QUOTE]

I have no idea. It's the protein that makes them grow though, the fat makes them feel full (so there's more time between feedings--something I have definately noticed has changed since I'm doing it this way. He's satisfied much longer.) But I'd recommend doing some research to determine stuff for your baby in specific

To see if this is good info for you, why not squeeze your nipple after a feeding to see if there's a "whole milk" consistency to the milk. Then, when it is time for the next feeding, just start her off on it until it seems like she's all done with that boob. Then switch to the watery foremilk other boob. You can definately tell a difference.

hth

[mtm]

I'm already gluten free, casein free from ds2. I'm hoping she gets the hang of it soon. She's still fairly hard to burp. Walks seem to help some as does resting her over my arm and walking around, the pressure seems to help. I'll have to try feeding her on one side for more than one feeding although her poops are yellowy and I thought green meant imbalance but I'll try anything.

[MonP'titBoudain]

Originally Posted by mtm

although her poops are yellowy and I thought green meant imbalance but I'll try anything.

really? b/c lil' bits poops turned more greenish in the last week/10 days and I thought that was weird. I definitely overproduce. I only nurse one side per feeding but my letdown is so heavy that she gulps and gulps. I think I need to let the spray run down first then latch her on. Hard to do with a screaming baby in your arms, tho! poor gassy, refluxy baby!

I'm having her adjusted on Thursday and I'm hopeful this will help some. DD's been gassy since birth (I had to burp her an hour after birth) so I'm hoping something's jusy out of whack! I'll let ya'll know if it helps!

[mommycakes]

nak


www.kellymom.com has some good info on oversupply & forceful let-down.