The struggle does not end with delivery. The real struggle begins after your baby arrives. There will be so many things you will be taking care of, right from breastfeeding, changing diapers to understanding sleep cycles, and much more.
However, if you see your little one is beginning to grunt, it is possible he has gas. It is surprising, but the truth is that some babies have immature digestive system. So, do not panic if your baby farts a lot. There are many factors that contribute to this problem. To know more about why your baby farts and how you can treat it, you are at the right place. Let’s dive into detail to unfold every aspect.
Why do Babies Fart a lot?
As a parent of a newborn, it is quite natural to worry about why your baby is farting a lot. Remember that sometimes babies swallow more area, which causes gas. The baby’s intestines require several months to develop the microflora essential for effective food digestion.
The babies who are breastfed generally have less smelly fart than the ones eating complementary food. Anyhow, here are some reasons why your baby’s tummy is creating excessive gas:
Undeveloped Digestive System
Keep in mind that newborns have underdeveloped or weak digestive systems. The muscles responsible for effective digestion are still in the development stage. Therefore, all the carbs, fats, proteins, and other edibles consume a long time to get digested.
Consequently, your newborn can experience gas which leads them to fart. You can also experience your baby crying and squirming a lot, especially whenever they feel uncomfortable and want to pass the gas. Do not panic in this situation. It is a temporary problem and will keep reducing as the baby’s digestive system develops and gets stronger.
Poor Feeding Techniques
It is one of the major factors that directly contribute to the increase and decrease of the gas in your little ones. No matter if you are breastfeeding or using a bottle, you should learn the right technique to feed your baby. You can join parenting classes where you will not only learn how to feed the baby but get to know what to feed at what time.
The paced bottles are also viable as they make your baby drink slower and reduce the probability of swallowing the air. When your baby takes in excessive air, it results in excessive gas due to the generation of air bubbles in the intestine.
This problem arises when your baby does not latch properly. To avoid this situation, keep their head up while breastfeeding. You can also keep switching your breast while feeding. Despite all techniques, remember to keep your baby in a vertical position while feeding.
Lack of Sufficient Bacteria Flora
As you know, newborn babies do not have enough flora that is necessary for the digestion of breast milk. After a month, most babies develop a healthy amount of proteobacteria which is well-known for significantly promoting gas production. Consequently, your baby can experience pain due to excessive gas.
Your baby can cry loudly while farting due to stomach pain and an uncomfortable feeling. Therefore, it is advised that little ones should be fed breast milk for a minimum of 6 months. It is helpful in proper food digestion as they start picking up good bacteria.
Lactose Intolerance and Allergy
If your baby is experiencing gas, you should be mindful of what you are feeding. Moreover, it is possible that your little one has a digestion problem and excessive farting, which is generally triggered by sensitivity and food allergy. Among a long list, whey or casein are mainly responsible for causing too much gas.
While evaluating the food, do not forget that some babies are allergic to proteins present in the milk. If you witness your baby getting rashes, diarrhea, or congestion of the chest, these are major signs of allergy. Another notable sign of allergy is mucus in your baby’s stool contains mucus. All this can happen due to milk protein allergy.
Stress
It seems to be a common problem for parents in the modern age. Regardless of age and gender, it affects everyone, including newborn babies. Stress can happen when they are trying to do something, and it is simply not working, so they instantly hit panic mode. They can absorb the general ambiance of the room and the people around them. If they do not find it favorable, they can feel stressed.
Adults and elders can deal with stress quite well, but for a newborn, it hits the stomach and leads to gas buildup, diarrhea, cramping, etc. therefore, if your baby is farting a lot, you may have to deal with it.
Lack of Mobility
When the babies are young, they cannot move on from there on. Babies do not know how to walk, crawl and even turn the side. Doctors often advise people to walk as it is healthy for overall well-being. As babies cannot do it, they develop the gas.
Hence, be sure not just to have your baby lie around but to get some movement if they are starting to have issues like gas.
Sign and Symptoms of Gassy Baby
If your baby is farting excessively, there is no need to worry as long as he passes gas easily. If your baby is experiencing pain, you should consult a healthcare provider. Anyhow, here are some signs and symptoms of a gassy baby:
- Bloating belly
- Clenching the fist
- Consistent crying
- Stretching our body and arching the back
- Difficulty in urination
- Continuous vomiting
- Blood with poop
- Frequent burping
What Should you do to Ease Baby’s Farts?
You do not need to panic If your baby has gas. At the same time, you cannot ignore it because it is possible your baby is feeling pain. The flatulence affects babies and can trigger massive discomfort. There are some things that you can try to ease their pain:
Give your Baby a Tummy Massage
The best thing you can do for your baby is to ease the pain. Give them a nice tummy massage. You can use baby lotion or any oil to gently massage your baby’s stomach. Remember not to rub your belly after feeding, as it can cause discomfort.
We suggest you practice massage after giving a little good warm bath. The light massage will help them get rid of air trapped in the stomach or intestines.
Get Right-Sized Bottle
The sizes of bottles matter a lot when it comes to feeding the baby. Make sure that you have the right-sized bottle at hand before the baby’s arrival. If your baby is a newborn or a few days old, you need to get a small-sized bottle.
There are higher chances of overfeeding the baby if you are using an oversized bottle. That is why carefully consider the bottle as well as the nipple size before purchasing one.
Help you, Baby Burp
Helping the baby burp after feeding is important for digesting. Otherwise, the babies can vomit. You can do that by gently rubbing the baby’s back right after feeding. However, remember not to do it when your baby is lying.
Do not put your baby to sleep right after feeding. It is because the air that your baby swallows during feeding can get trapped even in the trachea. Rub their back to let them burp, and then let them lay down for rest and good sleep.
Eliminate Gas Inducing Food
Food is always the main culprit for causing the gas. This is the thing our digestive systems are designed to break down and digest, but infants have weak and undeveloped digestive systems. Therefore, some foods trigger gas problems.
The worst offenders are cow milk, as they are rich in lactose. Moreover, anything containing whole grain, artificial dyes, flavorings, etc., can play a greater role in bloated bellies. Whatever the mother eats is also bound to pass to the baby. So, you should be selective when it comes to picking the food.
Baby Exercise
Movement is the best thing you can do for your baby to get rid of gas. Babies do not need excessive movement. You can try paddling, holding your baby’s little feet, and moving them in a circular motion for a while. All you need to do is ensure that the baby is lying on a flat surface on their back.
Apart from that, you can also help them stretch their legs and bring them to adjacent sides of the hips. This exercise will be beneficial in passing the air trapped in the baby’s intestine.
Conclusion
Farting is a natural process. It is present in every living organism, which helps get rid of stuck gas and air in the body. Keep in mind that everyone is different. So, it is possible that one technique may not work for your baby, which is effective for others.
When it comes to gas problems, try several techniques. If anything works for your baby, it is good. Otherwise, contact the best healthcare provider, as gas causes discomfort and pain. With mild medication, you can ease your little one’s pain.
