Gassy baby...whats the Cause?

Please don't stop the breastfeeding, even if you have to supplement, the benefits far outweigh anything else. I supplemented with my first and I really think the breast milk helped with her immune system. A little was better than none at all.

For the gas, try Mylicon drops. They were a life-saver for us!! But yeah, some babies are just really, really gassy.

Well, Chamomille tea as well as mint/spearmint tea is a good treatment for colic and upset tummy as well.. I used mint water. I would try the Similac formula, and drop the breastmilk..

First of all relax. This stress is not helping your milk supply. Some babies are just gassy. Yes, breastmilk is best. The best way to keep up your milk supply is by breastfeeding on demand. If your baby is nuzzling or turning toward anything that brushes her mouth nurse her on both sides until she stops sucking. This could take 15-45 mins. This may mean breastfeeding a lot. That is good and healthy for both of you. When you sit down to breastfeed, watch tv or read or just close your eyes and relax. Giving her the occasional bottle of formula is totally fine. Some are better than others. Even if you stop breastfeeding, there are plenty of healthy wonderful babies who thrive on formula. I urge you not to give up, but even if you do, your baby will be fine.

Now about being gassy, be sure to burp her thoroughly. Some good techniques: 1)Over the shoulder so that your shoulder is pointing into the area where her ribs meet, gently patting her back. 2)Over the knee - cross your legs with your ankle on your knee, place her facing out with her arms coming over the sides of your bent knee, rock her with your knee, patting her back. 3)Bicycle her legs with her laying on her back. 4)Hold her like a football. Sit her in the crook of your elbow, put your other arm (like rock a bye baby) so that your hand can gently squeeze her tummy. For more see the Dr Sears family Baby Book. It saved me in the first few months.

This time is so short. Before you know it 6 mos and food will come. Enjoy this time.

Have you tried probiotics? Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria in our guts to help us digest food (including breast milk), boost our immune systems and make B vitamins and vitamin K for us. They also ward off the "bad" bacteria. Most babies and adults these days have dysbiosis in the gut (improper balance) which can contribute to anything from mild gas and digestive upset to more chronic health issues.

I recommend an infant specific probiotic to my client's babies with similar issues. There has been no evidence that supplementing with probiotics is harmful in any way, so I would definitely try that route first. Furthermore, even one dose of formula can change the balance of gut formula. I recommend all babies being fed formula supplement with probiotics.

Feel free to contact me if you wish. Best wishes,

L. Vachani
Certified Nutrition Consultant
hfwellness.com

Hi T.
That enfamil is the worst.. it gave my son soooooooooo much gas... it was terrible... hence, we switched to different formulas and the winner was............ carnation good start.. now that formula was much thinner than Enfamil and supposedly closer to breastmilk.. of course, nothing is truly like the real thing.. anyway, the carnation was the best and when we started my son on that.. the gas stopped, he stopped crying and all was well... that was 7 years ago, not sure if is still called carnation goodstart, but it's worth looking into..
best of luck

I don't know what the cause could be but my son (now 16) has ALWAYS been gassy, since he was about 4-6 weeks old and I gave him Mylicon drops (advice from my Ped). It is simithecone (sp?) and is perfectly safe. My son STILL takes the stuff in chewables. It is the same stuff that is in Gas-X but in an infant formula. Just give her a few drops of that when she is gassy and it will go away. Also, make sure she is getting plenty of water. That is often a cause of digestive problems. Even though she gets a bottle and the breast, a bottle of water will dilute the gasses in her stomach and aid in digestion.
T.

Hi T., whatever you do, keep giving her breastmilk. The more she nurses, the more supply you will have. Stop eating broccoli, onions, beans and anything that didn't go well with your system during your pregnancy. You can give her Mylicon drops if they still make them . How long has she had the gassy problem? Make sure you give her plenty of time to get rid of air in her stomach after eating, ie burp her in several different holds (over the shoulder, over the knee, etc). Call your local La Leche League leader (I'm sure you can Google the person in your area) for support and other suggestions. They helped me so much when my girls were babies. An infant's digestive system is the last thing to develop in the womb and she may have a very immature digestive system. Add brown rice to your diet and see if that helps. Babies get so much from breastmilk and it isn't only the nutrition. They have synapsis that get stimulated via touch and that leads to better brain development. It is some of the only bonding time left in our very busy world. When you nurse, make sure you are relaxed and not over anxious as this transfers to the baby. Make your place comfortable where you nurse and set aside things that don't matter right now. Remember, nervous Mommy, nervous baby. Good Luck.

Dear T.,
A few things:
1) Women who are nursing should be consuming approximately 2000 calories per day. It takes a lot of energy and "fuel" for our bodies to produce milk. And, nursing burns off so many calories that our bodies need to stay replenished. I know you are concerned about something you're eating causing your baby to be gassy, but, a "can't eat ANYTHING" diet for you is not helping you or your baby. If you've cut out just about everything and your baby is still gassy, it's likely it as nothing to do with what you are eating, so please eat! You need those healthy calories!
2) Some babies are just really gassy. And really, really stinky. It's hard to imagine something so tiny and beautiful can produce plutonium grade smells and colors and substances coming out of their little bodies. But they do. My first baby wasn't really all that gassy, but my second baby...WHEW! He was the gassiest baby I'd ever experienced in my life. He was gassy all day, every day and it's not funny, but I joked that we should have named him Gus because it was only one letter away from gas.
3) Some babies are gassy because they gulp a lot of air while feeding. Figuring out how to breathe and suck at the same time without swallowing so much air takes a lot of practice. And a lot of patience. Babies who gulp a lot of air...well, it has to come out one end or the other. Burping religiously really helps. Also, laying your baby across your lap with a pillow across your legs so their tushy is raised helps with expelling the gas that's already down in their digestive tract. You may not like your baby being gassy, but as long as she's able to get rid of it, that's a good thing. They do have gas drops for babies that can help with breaking up the gas that gets trapped.

Please try to relax a little bit. I know it's hard when you're a first time mom. Relax, get PLENTY of calories for yourself, give as much breast milk as you can, know that babies have had gas since the dawn of time. It can make them uncomfortable, but it's not a sign that anything is seriously wrong. My gassy baby is now 14, 5'8" and outweighed me a long time ago. He is super healthy. (And, being a boy still delights in being gassy from time to time, much to my dismay).
There are other forms of birth control you can consider.
Again, my very first advice is to stop denying yourself calories. From your other posts, you've changed formulas so many times already. Her gas could simply be from ingesting too much air.

I wish you the best.

T., I once thought I had a gas issue with my first child. I read a book once called "Colic No More" where the author /Dr. said most crying is caused by baby being aggrivated by not enough food or sleep, which are the two greatest needs, and that pain crying is rare in a healthy infant. The intake of lots of air due to lots of crying causes extra gas. Further he said that aggrivation in a baby looks alot like what people might think is pain;, red face, clenched fists, pulled up legs, crying loudly. And they will continue to cry louder and louder until you meet the need. If they go too long crying without having the need met, they go into hysteria, where even if you finally did give them what they want, they will still cry because they are so worked up. At your daughter's age, once she is fed and diapered, afternoon naps should come after only being awake about 10-20 minutes after the feeding. If she is up longer than that, and she starts to cry, getting louder and louder, while you pat or walk her, she is probably crying because she needs sleep. I think you might have an 'I need sleep' cry rather than an 'I have gas' cry. It's worth looking into. The book worked great for me. Also he said babies will continue to cry after they have been put down (in a bed) for the nap, because sleep hasn't "come yet" and they are crying out of exaughstion.Babies who are walked or swung get more stimulated rather than allowed to unwind laying in a bed. This book was a lifesaver for me. I tried Mycelex drops on occasion, but they didnt seem to make a difference.

Some one suggested soy, and I say PLEASE don't give soy. I raised my first child on soy formula, only to have her develop thyroid disease and arthritis. Her disease started when she was only 2.5 yrs old. I wish I would have know then what I know now- I cant reverse the damage. Soy formula is like giving 5 birth control pills a day to a baby. Soy is ESTROGENIC. It screws up the endocrine system and thyroid, damages the kidney, stunts growth, kills fertility. Please look into soy, which has been studied over recent years and is JUST NOW getting uncovered, but still, because mainstream media doesn't cover it , it gets hushed up. (not surprising soy info is hushed, soy crops are America's top money making industry.)
Look for yourself: http://www.westonprice.org/soy/infant.html

Increasing your water intake should help with increasing milk supply.

Hi T.,

I had to supplement with formula from the first week my twins were born. And some breastmilk for as long as you can is better than none. I tried 7 - 8 formulas until I found one that worked for us!

I would recommend switching formulas and see if that helps. There are a couple that are for gassy babies that might work for you. Or, your baby may not be tolerating the lactose so a lactose-free or even a soy-based formula may work better for you.

If you do switch formulas do it gradually. Our pediatrician recommended 1/4 part new formula to 3/4 part old formula for a week. Then move up to 1/2 new and 1/2 old for a week. Then 3/4 new and 1/4 old, etc. Check to see how your baby is tolerating the mixture before adding more at each stage.

Good luck!

T. -

Keep breastfeeding, stop the birth control pills if you can - have your boyfriend or husband wear a condom, and limit dairy in your intake as much as possible. I know you are already paying attention to what you eat, just try to stick to fresh fruits and veggies as much as possible, and keep them raw as much as possible. If you can eat as many whole foods - not processed meats, sugar, canned foods etc... I would work on getting the milk supply up and limit the formula if possible. I had to supplement with formula as well but didn't have the gas issues, so I understand. You also might want to give her a little purified water in between nursing just to help move things along. Good luck!

Hang in there T.! Don't give up on the breastfeeding. I know 2 months seems like a long time to be trying but sometimes it just takes our little ones a little maturity to get it.
Ginny is right on about bf on demand and a lot. That really will help. Milk supply is all about demand, if you can wear your little one in a sling and nurse her any time you even think she may be hungry she will help the supply.
I am not too educated on the differ formulas, but could she be having trouble with dairy? Have you already tried soy?
don't give up.

Does she burp well after eating? The main source of gas (and this goes for all of us) is swallowing air. Diet is actually only a very small part of the equation. Get some Mylicon gas drops and give her a dose after every feeding and burp her really really well.

Best of luck and take care,

A.

It seems you want to breastfeed and that you are feeling nervous. I think the combo has got to be a lot for her tiny system. I would get off birthcontrol buy some condoms and dedicate yourself to staying at home with your shirt off for a week to just keep that milk coming. Doesn't sound like your doctors are very proactive so trust your own instincts. I personally would not give up the breastmilk until I had committed to giving it a fair try. Also from my own experience I can say that if you are nervous,preoccupied, frantic when you are nursing your baby gets that. You really need to just shut the world out and relax bigtime. I know it is heartwrenching to think you are hurting your baby with your milk but push on. My boy was a gassy screamer and now he is a nursy nursy 13-mo. So healthy and happy. Good luck

Any amount of breastmilk is best - even if you're having to supplement, it's still better for both you & baby that she continue to nurse, even if you "think" she's not getting that much. Breastfeeding is more that just about the breastmilk; it's healthy because of the physical contact between the two of you; it's calming for both of you & it WILL get better with practice. My 2nd boy is now 7 mths & I was surprised that even the 2nd time around, it still took a good 8 to 10 weeks before I felt like we were finally in a good groove with it.

Also, Nutramigen is a very concentrated formula. If she's only "tolerating" it, I would back off that & try just a regular formula that claims to help with gas / colic. I would also be in weekly if not bi-weekly discussions with a lactation consultant. They are incredibly helpful & I saw one the first 3 months after my 2nd boy's birth, even though things were going quite well after 2 months. It just helps because they can weigh the baby, help calm any fears, give sound advice & they listen very well!!

I would also caution you on the whole diet thing - breastfeeding mom's & the word "diet" should not go hand-in-hand. Avoiding a certain type of food like broccoli or beans is one thing, but backing off on too many foods is not good nutritionally for either of you, especially if she apparently is still gassy. The lack of food probably isn't really helping with that. As others have suggested, Mylicon can help, as a good burping routine - yep, takes awhile. But enjoy this time with your daughter - even the long feeding & burping sessions. I know it feels like it's completely consuming you at the moment (sooooo been there!!) but really - it does all go by in a wink & before you know it she'll hit 3 months & things will definitely improve - I promise!!

At the very least, conatct an LC & start from there. It will help - good luck & try to relax. :)

Oh! And why the rush to be on BC pills?? I would ask the LC about that as well - just a suggestion :)

my grandson had that problem the doctor put him on soy milk, it helped

Nutramigen. . .eew. . . smells so bad usually only reserved for the most allergic of babies. . . good luck. Try another formula? BTW, not sure what you mean by "my OB started me on birth control" -- it IS your decision and there are methods of birth control (including some pills) that have less impact on supply. . . i used to set my alarm for every 2 hours to pump even if my daughter was sleeping through the night. and be careful with NOT eating things- you need to get enough food to produce good milk- eat lots of oatmeal. Do not stop giving breastmilk just because you have to supplement. Some is better than none!
good luck

I feel your pain literally!

My oldest son was so gassy and truly unhappy when he was an infant. As it turned out, only after ending up in the ER with my oldest, would Kaiser FINALLY do any testing on him. As it turned out my Son was allergic to all dairy. I went on a very strict no Dairy diet. This is hard because there are Dairy proteins in everything! I was down to a fresh fruit, veggies and meat diet. This was probably the best diet ever for me but when I would eat anything with a Dairy protein in it my Son would have a very bad reaction and get gassy. This got so bad that he started to get blood in his stool.

So for my sanity I stopped breast feeding. This was very h*** o* me as I felt that I was failing as a mom! It took a stranger to remind me that just because I couldn't breast feed anymore didn't mean that I was a bad Mom and there are other ways for bonding when you can't breast feed.
We had to put my oldest on Neutramagin. This is a very expensive route! I am wondering if you have tried Soy. I did try Soy with my oldest with no luck. It wasn’t until he was much older, about 9 months, and after being latterly broke from feeding our Son did we start slowly introducing the Soy formula. We used the Sam’s club brand. You get more for your money and the ingredients are the same. I consulted with Kaiser’s lactation consultant and other Mom’s to check out the quality. As it turns out name brand formulas are just that, Name Brand. Thus USDA has VERY strict standards for producing baby formula so it is very safe and an affordable alternative to use the store brand formula.

When I went on the Mini Pill my milk supply lowered as well. I recommend pumping right after you feed your baby. Any extra pumping that you do will increase your milk supply. Contrary to what most Pediatricians say (most don’t know a thing about breast feeding and are more prone to push supplementing with formula). I know from experience that supplementing breast and formula only hinders your breast milk production. The more your baby is at your breast the more milk you will make. Our breasts go by a demand/supply basis.

I agree that breast is best but it truly comes down to weighing the pros and cons and your happiness level. I wish you luck with any decision you make and remember that Mylacon doesn’t hurt. Again most Pediatricians’ will poopoo this product, Mylacon was my life saver!!! There are also store brands that are way cheaper and work just as well. I suggest that you ask for a heal prick test just to rule out whether or not your baby truly does have a Dairy intolerance/allergy.

When I had my kids I felt so pressured to breast feed that I did it, and I had a ton of milk, but I hated it. If you don't want to breast feed you don't have to, despite what the 16 other responses say. Ugh, I hated it. Enough about that. I know that I have recommended this to you once before, but it is the only formula that my baby can tolerate besides Enfamil. Bright Beginnings Gentle is awesome. Its on diapers.com and reasonably priced. One thing that I especially liked was that, unlike the majority of lactose free formulas, it isn't sweetened with corn syrup. In fact, if you look at any other lactose free formula its #1 ingredient is corn syrup, yuck! Good luck, and try some mylicon as well. :)

Oh dear. You and your poor baby. Well, it sounds like you've done all the right things. My baby, too, had this problem at that age. The doctor did not seem worried but I was and knew I needed to help my baby. First, I made sure my baby was getting enough to eat which he wasn't hence the crying. Then when using the bottles, I switched the nipples to Gerber Latex (if your baby isn't allergic to latex) For Colic. These nipples are ventilated so baby takes in less air. I, also, gave him Mylicon drops which worked wonders. I hope that helps. Good luck!

hi there! babies normally do have a lot of gas. nutramigen causes really stinky gas and poops! did your doctor recommend that? have you tried soy? i would go back to a regular diet for yourself and add some alfalfa pills to increase your production and quality of your breastmilk. less stress = more milk . certainly don't stop breastfeeding unless it is too stressful for you. many babies drink both and do fine! don't worry!!! pumping in between feedings can help increase youer production too. have you tried a lactation consultant? your baby probably isn't minding the gas as much as you are. relax and enjoy your baby and the breastfeeding experience! good luck and take care!

Why did your OB start you on the Pill?, I would look into other non hormonal BC options like an IUD or the ring, (still hormonal but does not affect your blood stream as much). Keep giving her what breast milk you have, your body will get better at making it, keep drinking lots of water and consuming as many calories and good fats as you can. I would Stop the Pill and find another birth control and look for Mother's Milk tea with Fennugreek herb to help boost supply. there is also a supplement for babies called Gripe Water, that can help with gassiness, and remember of course you want what is best for your baby but giving formula is not that bad of a thing, her growth and development is the main focus
Hope this helps

I second the Goodstart formula..My first son had a extremely bad case of dairy & wheat sensitivy. I too had to do an elimination diet for about 6 months. At that point he was able to tolerate a moderate about of ea. He was really gassy, cramping & even had blood in his stool. Cutting out the food help considerably with the blood & cramping but he was still pretty gassy. So I also went to block feeding while breastfeeding because I thought I had an imbalance of hindmilk/foremilk. It seemed as if me pumping created this, and the fact that he was a grazer when it came to nursing 5min here 2 mins there etc. And that help considerably with the gas. When I finally weaned him about 11 months, I tried all the other formulas, even nutramgin, and good start was the only one that didn't plug him up or give him gas...

With my second he is extremely gassy too. I've cut back on my dairy, but I'm NOT going to do an elimination diet this time around...It's just too stressful, and he doesn't seem to be as symptomatic as my first just gassy. We have occassionally given him some formula and he has doesn't appear to be anymore gassy or uncomfortable w/ the goodstart. So whatever you decide to continue BF or formula, I would definitely give Goodstart a try. My gf who has extremely sensitive babies has also had great success w/ goodstart..

FYI oatmeal sometimes will increase your breastmilk. Even good old oatmeal raisin cookies worked for me. i have to be careful when I eat oatmeal I will get really engorged if my son doesn't have a hefty appetite that day. Although I should note w/ my first the oatmeal caused him some discomfort but nothing I couldn't deal w/ for a day.

Hope you find relief soon..I know I can't wait until the gassy stage ends, or at least gets to a point where its tolerated :)