Keys To Prevent Baby Gas
Parental concerns about the baby’s gas are a constant in the first pediatric visits. For many it will be a real concern, based on a concrete experience that is difficult to cope with. For others it will simply be a doubt motivated by the environment, capable of sowing fear in the face of the habitual manifestations of the healthy newborn.
Why does gas occur in the baby?
The baby’s body is brand new machinery. The commissioning of all its functions occurs quickly, although reaching the optimum operation will be a gradual process.
At birth, we immediately feed on our mother’s milk. We are born with primitive reflexes that allow us to search for the breast and nourish sucking. Mom’s body, in turn, will also have deployed its strategies to ensure milk production. But, despite biological phenomena, there are other factors that can interfere with the feeding of the baby.
Babies often do not latch on well and, in addition to milk, they ingest large amounts of air. This, added to the air produced by the digestive tract during its operation, will accumulate in the intestine with each feed. After feeding, the body will seek to eliminate it in a reflex way through natural orifices such as the mouth and the anus.
How to help reduce your baby’s gas?
As we have mentioned, the production of gases in the intestine is a normal phenomenon that does not require extra help to resolve. However, excessive air intake through improper breastfeeding technique is something that can be avoided and corrected. For this reason, it is very important to observe and monitor the mother-baby dyad during the first feedings, to guarantee the future success of breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding techniques
There is no such thing as an “anti-gas” breastfeeding technique. What does exist are ways to ensure good technique, to avoid some common problems associated with breastfeeding (pain or twisting of the nipple, excessive intake of air, among others). The success of breastfeeding will depend, to a large extent, on the correctness of the technique.
The most important point is that the mother adopts a position that is comfortable for her. Although later he will offer the breast in different circumstances almost automatically, the first few feedings will be the most difficult. For this reason, it is important to let the mother choose her position and breastfeed the baby in a quiet place, without much light or sounds.
There are many positions to offer the breast and all of them are effective. The choice of each will depend on the circumstances and may vary throughout the day. It is important to request a consultation with someone who is an expert in lactation to advise the mother about each of them and their benefits.
Keys to a good grip
The goal of good technique is to ensure a good grip on the chest. If the child’s mouth does not engage the breast properly, it will lead to various problems for mother and baby. Here are some keys:
- First, the child should be placed close to the mother, with the face in front of the chest.
- It should be comfortable, with the trunk and the head aligned.
- The mouth must be wide open, with both lips everted (outwards, like a fish’s mouth ).
- The mother must insert the entire nipple and a large part of the areola into the child’s mouth.
- The tip of the mother’s nipple should reach the end of the hard palate.
- Check that both lips of the baby are everted.
- The baby’s tongue will stick out during the suction.
- While you drink, the baby will rhythmically move his jaw and head and you can hear how he swallows the milk.
- The baby’s posture is relaxed.
Burping: yes or no?
After feeding, it is advisable to keep the baby in an upright posture for a few minutes. This can be lying on your caregiver’s shoulder (almost 90 degrees) or lying on your tummy on your caregiver’s forearm (at 45 degrees). The position adopted will depend on the degree of muscular maturity of the child and the confidence of the parents.
Babies often pass gas through their mouths without making an audible sound. This should not be a cause for concern, since the mechanism is the same and equally effective. It is recommended that the little one stay 5-10 minutes in these positions before putting him to sleep on his back.
How to help your baby to expel gas?
As with belching, the elimination of gas through the anus will occur by a natural mechanism of the body. While you don’t have to do anything voluntary for this to happen, we can help you feel better in the meantime.
The air enters through the mouth directly into the stomach. From there it will pass to the intestine and, after a long journey, it will be eliminated through the anus. When large amounts of air accumulate in the intestine, they distend it and cause the sensation of pain. For this reason, ensuring a bowel movement is key to avoiding congestion.
After eating, the gastrocolic reflex is triggered, which is a wave of bowel movement in the direction of the anus. If, after staying upright to burp, we lay the baby on his back on a firm surface and help to relax the abdomen, we will promote the elimination of gases. This can be achieved by flexing the legs on the belly or by gently massaging in a circle around the navel.
Medications, massages and postures
There are many products on the market that are promoted as solutions for baby gas. The list consists of medications (such as simethicone or dicylamine), medicated milk formulas (anti-colic, hydrolyzates), medicinal herbs, special massage practices (such as shantala), bottles with carbonated content, or sachets of seeds to heat in the microwave.
Despite the marketing , none of these products have been shown to be effective when compared to the placebo effect in well-designed scientific studies. Furthermore, none of them have overcome the positive effect of changes in attitude and parental response after information and correct medical advice.
In short, gas in young babies is a natural and expected phenomenon. They do not carry any risk and, despite efforts to alleviate the discomfort, they do not require any external intervention to resolve. The most important thing is to inform parents about this condition and offer the necessary and scientifically proven tools to alleviate the discomfort of their babies.
