Flatulence in the baby

Nicole Wendler holds a PhD in biology in the field of oncology and immunology. As a medical editor, author and proofreader, she works for various publishers, for whom she presents complex and extensive medical issues in a simple, concise and logical manner.

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Flatulence in babies is caused by too much air in the intestines. They are common in the first few months of life. The bloated stomach usually torments the baby shortly after feeding. Read here why babies get gas, what helps preventively, how you can relieve baby from gas with home remedies and when a doctor is needed.

Flatulence in the baby: description

In the case of flatulence (meteorism) or a bloated stomach, there is too much air in the baby's intestines. Either the disruptive gases are formed in excessively large quantities through degradation and remodeling processes in the gastrointestinal tract. Or the baby swallows too much air while drinking (aerophagia).

If the body cannot break down the accumulation of air quickly enough or let it escape through a burrow or as an intestinal wind, air accumulates in the baby's stomach. The result is cramp-like pain, to which the baby reacts with screams.

In addition, the flatulence can push the baby's diaphragm upwards (elevated diaphragm). Because babies mainly breathe through the diaphragm (abdominal breathing), a bloated stomach has a significant impact on babies' breathing. If there is an excessive amount of gas escaping from the flatulence, it is called flatulence.

Flatulence in Baby: Typical Symptoms

Signs that an infant may be tormented by gas are crying and screaming. In the first few months they are his only means of drawing attention to his needs. Other indications of bloating in babies include:

hard stomach, bloated stomach
Baby has digestive problems: diarrhea, constipation, flatulence
Tightening the legs, curved body
Loss of appetite
Vomiting after eating

Flatulence in babies: flatulence or "three-month colic"?

Flatulence in babies must be distinguished from so-called three-month colic. Three-month colic is an old term that pediatricians today refer to as a regulatory disorder.

It used to be believed that abdominal pain and gas in newborns triggered the screaming attacks. But the so-called baby cribs only swallow excessively air when they cry and then develop a bloated stomach, not the other way around. In the case of a regulatory disorder, the infant cries for about three hours a day, three days a week and that for more than three weeks.

You can read more about three-month colic in the text Three-month colic.

Flatulence in the baby: causes and possible diseases

If babies suffer from flatulence, there is too much air in the intestines, which is difficult to escape. It is not uncommon for newborns to suffer from flatulence particularly often.

Scientists suspect that a combination of not yet fully developed intestinal flora and enzymes that are not yet functioning properly is the cause. However, this has not yet been precisely proven.

Flatulence is also favored in babies if they swallow too much air while drinking from their breasts or bottles. Sometimes switching from milk to solid food is too much for the child's intestines at first. But stress, restlessness and overstimulation also promote flatulence.

Pathological causes of flatulence in babies

In rare cases, a metabolic disorder causes gas in the baby. Possible diseases or food intolerances are:

Milk sugar intolerance (lactose intolerance)
Gluten intolerance (celiac disease)
Dysfunction of the pancreas (pancreatic insufficiency)
Heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux)
Regulatory disorder ("three-month colic")

Flatulence in the baby: when do you need to see a doctor?

Sometimes there is another cause behind the flatulence in the baby that requires a doctor's examination.

You should see a doctor if your baby ...

after every meal screams extensively and for a long time
has diarrhea for a long time
often has constipation or hard stools
refuses food and does not gain weight

Flatulence in the baby: what does the doctor do?

In addition to asking about your child's bowel movements, the pediatrician will physically examine your baby. He feels the stomach and looks for conspicuous bowel noises with the stethoscope. An ultrasound examination (sonography) can also provide information about possible organic causes. Other options include a stool exam, blood analysis, and food intolerance tests.

Flatulence in the baby: you can do it yourself

If your child produces too much intestinal gas and suffers from them, you can relieve the baby's gas with home remedies.

You can also pay attention to a few things in advance so that gas does not even develop in the baby. Simple things are helpful, such as loose clothing that does not constrict the stomach.

Bloating in babies: what really helps?

Parents can treat bloating in babies well with home remedies:

Warmth relaxes: warm pads, warm bath, cherry stone pillows
Abdominal massage for babies: Gentle stroking clockwise around the navel; Oils with digestive active ingredients such as fennel, aniseed or caraway seeds support this
Support when "deflating": Slowly push your legs up towards the upper body (crouching position)
Aviator grip: the baby lies on its stomach on your forearm and the hand grips one thigh, the baby's head points towards the elbow
Digestive tea made from fennel, aniseed or caraway seeds

If baby home remedies do not help against flatulence, there are gentle drugs from the pharmacy:

Caraway suppositories relax the intestines
Defoamers (Simeticon) turn foam into free gas and thus help against flatulence in babies
Homeopathy is popular with many parents. Sometimes homeopathic drops or globules relieve flatulence in the baby (chamomilla)

What to do if the baby is tormented by gas at night?

If the digestive problems mainly occur at night, this is particularly uncomfortable for everyone involved. The following points may save the baby from bloating at night:

Comfortable loose pajamas
Quiet atmosphere, bedtime ritual
Before going to sleep, take a warm bath, a stomach massage for the baby or a cherry stone pillow on your stomach
Move the last breastfeeding meal a little forward, later only tea
Simeticon or caraway suppositories with the last meal or to fall asleep

Bloating baby: what to do to prevent it

The well-known "peasant" is not absolutely necessary. However, if your child has frequent flatulence - regardless of whether you are breastfeeding the baby or giving him the bottle - a "pelvic" will certainly not do any harm. Here are some things you can do to make the burping easier:

Upright position after drinking
Light tapping on the back
Walking around and rocking gently
Be patient, some children need some time. You don't have to try for more than a few minutes.

If your baby is given the bottle, look out for the following:

No stress: create a calm atmosphere
Avoid excessive bubbles in the milk; if necessary, let stand briefly after mixing
Check the size of the milk teat
Before your baby puts the bottle in their mouth, there should be milk in the tip of the teat rather than air

To prevent gas and wind when breastfeeding your baby:

Take your time, create a comfortable atmosphere and let your baby drink slowly!
Make sure your baby is wrapping the nipple tightly and sucking properly.
Try different breastfeeding positions: Some children swallow less air while sitting upright.
The first sips of breast milk contain a lot of lactose, from which intestinal bacteria form gases. Your baby should therefore drink longer at each breast so that they can get high-fat milk.

Breastfeeding women do not need to avoid flatulent foods as a precaution. Only if you notice symptoms in yourself and your child can it make sense to forego onions or cabbage, for example, for one to two weeks. If this does not improve the baby's flatulence, the products can be put back on the menu.

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