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.
The best way to get a gassy baby to sleep is by helping them release their gas. If one burping position doesn't work, try another position. If none of those options work, laying your baby on their back and bicycle their legs– they may cry and wiggle, but even that may help move the gas free.
Elevating the baby's head above their stomach may relieve gas, as well as holding them in an upright position for burping.
Gassiness is often worse at night. This is due, on the most part, to baby's immature digestive system and has nothing to do with what mom does or eats.
Some babies squirm, grunt, and even wheeze at night as they develop their breathing muscles. Their breathing patterns change and they breathe more slowly when they are asleep, which can cause them to grunt. Check that your baby is breathing calmly and there are no other signs of distress.
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.
Gas and related issues can start from when baby is a few weeks old all the way up through the toddler stage. “But baby gas tends to be the worst when baby is 4 to 12 weeks old, with a peak around 8 weeks old,” O'Connor says. “They tend to have a lot of trouble with digestion.
Gently massage your baby, pump their legs back and forth (like riding a bike) while they are on their back, or give their tummy time (watch them while they lie on their stomach). A warm bath can also help them get rid of extra gas.
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.
Parents tend to cradle a colicky baby face-up, but that may not help. Instead, hold their face down -- with your hand under their belly and their head on your forearm. The pressure on their tummy can help relieve uncomfortable gas.
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.
The reason for the pain during the passage of gas in a breastfed baby is intolerance to the protein in the mother's diet. Also, dairy products could also be another culprit for the baby's gas. In a formula-fed baby, the gas pain may occur due to the intolerance to the protein in the formula.
Sit your baby on your lap facing away from you. Place the palm of your hand flat against their chest and support their chin and jaw (don't put any pressure on the throat area). Lean your baby forwards slightly and with your free hand, gently rub or pat your baby's back.
Other things that can cause gas include normal baby stuff like crying, sucking on a pacifier or simply getting the hiccups. Anything that causes baby to swallow excess air can trigger gas.
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.
So does swaddling really help with gas? Swaddling makes no difference for gassy babies because the swaddle blanket doesn't put much pressure on your baby's belly if any, and your baby's legs should still be able to move a little when swaddling is done correctly.
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.
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.
Sleeping on your left side lets gravity do some of the digesting work for you, which can reduce stomach problems. When you're feeling bloated or gassy, often it's simply a matter of having too much poop in your system (again, sorry to use all these scientific terms).
“Always start with your right side, as this targets the ascending colon, which will push the gas to your descending colon. Then when you do the left side, you push all the gas out.”
Colic is often defined by the “rule of three”: crying for more than three hours per day, for more than three days per week, and for longer than three weeks in an infant who is well-fed and otherwise healthy.