How to Avoid Gas in a Baby

A gassy baby can be tough to handle because he will become fussy and upset trying to deal with the pain caused by gas. If you have a baby who suffers from gas after feeding, learning the following steps can help keep him happy and gas-free. It may be as simple as changing the nipple on his bottle, burping him, letting him relax after eating or watching what you, his mom, eats while you're breast-feeding.

Instructions

1

Use the right nipple size if bottle-feeding. Bottle nipples come in specific sizes for age, so use one specifically for your child's age. Since each baby differs, buy a few kinds and do a trial run with each. Note which one your baby seems most content with and has less to no gas with after feeding. Also, try angled bottles for feedings. The flow design is effective in minimizing bubbles that can form inside the bottle.

2

Burp your baby about every four minutes during feeding time, which will help release gas bubbles in his stomach. If you notice that your baby is becoming fussy or begins to shift around a lot while eating, this can be a sign that he is in distress and has gas bubbles, so burp him when you notice this behavior as well.

3

Allow your baby to be still and relax for about half an hour after feeding. Gas can form after feeding if your baby is moved around too much, so let him have some time to process the food and digest it before moving around or having playtime.

4

If breast-feeding, check whether your food could be causing your baby's gas. Keep a food diary of what you eat and note if after you've eaten certain foods your baby gets gassy, then cut out or lower the amount of these foods eaten. Also, avoid or limit foods that are known to cause gas, such as acidic fruits and vegetables; fatty, processed foods; or whole-fat dairy products. If formula-feeding, try switching brands, but check with your pediatrician before doing so.