Side Lying Position Being one of the comfortable breastfeeding positions to relieve gas, you need to lay down on your side while your baby facing you. In order to protect your baby's back, place a breastfeeding pillow or a roll-up towel behind them. The breast that is lying on the bed is nursing the baby.
When a baby has trouble sleeping due to gassiness, it may be tempting to place them on their side or stomach to see if that helps their digestion. However, to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the best sleeping position for a gassy baby—and every baby—is on their back.
Laid-back breastfeeding increases skin-to-skin which helps babies coordinate better for feeding and improves mom's milk production. This position also adds gentle pressure to the abdomen to help babies release gas more easily.
Don't worry, mama - Gas is typically a normal occurrence and most babies experience gassiness from time to time! With some minor adjustments, you can soothe your little one and help them get through the discomfort of gas.
Pregnancy and giving birth may stretch and injure muscles and nerves in the pelvic floor. This may reduce the control a person has over passing gas. The back of the pelvic floor controls the anus. It is not unusual for the anal sphincter muscles to tear during birth.
If mom is gassy, can that make baby gassy? No. Gas in mom's body cannot pass into breastmilk.
“If your baby has a poor latch on the breast or bottle, they may gulp in more air as they feed.” said Alyson Boone, CPNP-PC, a certified pediatric nurse practitioner in primary care with Banner Health Clinic in Mesa, AZ. “This can increase fussiness and gas.”
Gassy Foods
Common culprits include beans, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Bloating, burping, and passing gas are normal. But if your baby is gassy or has colic, avoid these foods for a few weeks to see whether they relieve the symptoms.
What if my baby won't burp? If these methods don't work and your baby shows signs of trapped wind (crying, arched back, drawing legs into tummy, clenched fists), try lying them on their back and gently massaging their tummy. Also move your baby's legs back and forth – like they're riding a bicycle.
If your baby doesn't burp after a few minutes, change the baby's position and try burping for another few minutes before feeding again. Always burp your baby when feeding time is over.
Some positioning tips: Feed your baby as upright as possible; lay your child on their back and pedal their legs with your hands to help expel gas from below; if your child is awake after a feeding, place them on their belly. Increase tummy time.
Using a pacifier.
“Almost all babies will find some baby gas relief by sucking on a pacifier,” O'Connor says, because the sucking action releases endorphins that will soothe them.
Can Swaddling Help with a Baby's Gas? Yes. If your baby is younger than 2 months, you can help them release gas by swaddling them. In addition to applying gentle pressure to their stomach, swaddling relaxes baby, which may help them calm enough to lull them to sleep.
Gas troubles often start right away or when babies are just a couple of weeks old. Fortunately, most infants outgrow them by the time they're 4 to 6 months old, though for some, baby gas can last longer. Infants are usually gassy because they have immature digestive systems and swallow air during feedings.
What position should I lie in to relieve gas? Your side. Lying on your side with your knees bent can help to relieve trapped gas. If you don't feel relief after a few minutes, pull your knees closer to your chest or try alternating between straight legs and bent knees.
At nighttime, there's less movement and the gas can build up and get trapped. Additionally, babies tend to feed close to bedtime, and air introduced during this feed can become trapped. Also, our digestive systems are still very active at night and the results of digestion can be… gas!
To prevent adverse reactions in the baby while breastfeeding, it's recommended to avoid consuming citrus fruits, cherries, and prunes. Citrus fruits have been associated with digestive problems, fussy behavior, vomiting, and diaper rash in breastfed babies.
If your baby shows negative symptoms after drinking breast milk. Consider how your baby responds to breast milk after drinking it. If symptoms occur such as fussiness, irritability, crying, gas, increased spitting up and/or drawing their legs up due to tummy pain, write down everything you ate that day.
Lie flat on your back, legs extended, arms at your sides. Bend your right knee and bring it up toward your chest. Hug your knee with both hands while pressing your back, shoulders, and neck into the mat. As you exhale, bring your forehead up toward your knee.
Also, babies with colic may burp frequently or pass a significant amount of gas, but this is thought to be due to swallowing air while crying, and is not a cause of colic. The face may be flushed. The abdomen may be tense with legs drawn toward it.