Infants commonly experience excessive gas during the first few months of life. Gas can often be reduced by using good feeding techniques or by giving the baby the right kind of massage.
Reducing Amount of Air Swallowed
Swallowing air may cause excessive gas in babies. Babies often swallow air when eating. It is important to make sure that bottle-fed babies latch onto the bottle nipple at the bottom. Also, the bottle should be tilted at least 45 degrees while feeding to keep the air away from the nipple. Using special angled bottles or disposable milk bags can also reduce the amount of air swallowed during feedings.
Breast-feeding mothers should also make sure that the baby is latched on the nipple properly to reduce the amount of air swallowed during breastfeeding.
Babies also swallow air when they are crying. For this reason, parents and caregivers should respond to the baby's cry promptly and avoid cry-it-out techniques.
Gas Elimination
Parents and caregivers can help babies expel excess gas naturally. Gassy babies should be burped often during feedings. Babies can be burped after about every two ounces.
Parents and caregivers can also try abdominal massage to help move gas out of the baby's abdominal region. Massage the area gently and in a downward motion. Massage may be even more effective if done while the baby is in a warm bath.
One more gas elimination technique involved draping the baby over a beach ball or exercise ball with her tummy facing down. Then, roll the ball back and forth while holding onto the baby carefully.
Gas Prevention
Breast-feeding mothers may want to eliminate gas-inducing foods from their diet. Such foods include cabbage, broccoli, wheat, caffeine, raw vegetables and dairy products.
Bottle-feeding mothers may want to try feeding their babies smaller amounts more often to reduce gas. Also, it may be helpful to keep the baby upright for about 30 minutes after each feeding so that digestion will be easier.
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