How To Cure a Super Gassy Baby

Now, I don’t mean to brag but one thing I’ve proven to be really good at is making super gassy babies. Okay, so, hold the phone (does anyone remember that saying?). I know, we all what to be the best at something and you might be sitting there feeling just a little envious that I managed to find something to excel at while you still figure yours out. BUT (there’s always a ‘but,’ isn’t there?) this may not be the skill you want to excel in. No. I’d say, be happy to leave this one to me.

Anyways, you’ve probably started reading this because you have a super gassy baby. I mean, it makes sense. If you were somehow blessed with a baby that isn’t gassy (you have a unicorn-baby, by the way, and now it’s my turn to be jealous of you), there’s really not much reason why a post about newborn gas would appeal to you. So, I guess, it’s safe to assume that I’m talking to someone in the midst of walking a similar path to the one I’ve already walked three - count ‘em three - times before. Before I get into the gassy goods, I just want to say: Mama (or Papa!), I get it. I understand your struggle here. I understand how it hurts your heart to see your sweet little baby wrenched up and screaming in pain. I know that you’re here because you just want to try something to help relieve them of their discomfort. And to relieve yourself of the discomfort that comes along with caring for a super gassy baby. Also - even if you wouldn’t describe your baby as a super gassy baby, I don’t discriminate. You are still very welcome to use these tricks to alleviate general infant gas! Here we go.

How to Know it’s Gas

The super gassy baby has some pretty obvious tell-tale signs once you know what to look for.

• The easiest one is to feel and observe their abdomen. A rock-hard tummy that is distended-looking (rounded) is a great indicator, even when they’re settled (ie. not crying) is a great indicator that there are some gas issues at play.

• Another obvious tell-tale sign? Crying. A lot of it. Especially after a feed. I swear that my kids had a distinct gas cry as opposed to their “regular” crying (but don’t ask me to explain the difference because I couldn’t if I tried!).

• Excessive spitting up could also be a sign of digestion troubles - which is not to say that it’s real trouble, per say, just that nourishment is having a hard time settling. Same goes for hiccups.

• Does your baby pull their legs in to their tummy/chest often (especially following a feed)? You guessed it - another sign of gas.

Anti-Gas or Anti-Colic Drops

If I could have given my babies Ovol through an IV drip for the first twelve weeks of their life, I might have. IV or not, they certainly got their fair share of Ovol and gripe water - balanced out, of course, with the wide variety of homeopathic options marketed to appeal to the desperate parent of the super gassy baby. I’m not going to go through the pros and cons of these here. I’m not a medical professional, and don’t pretend to be, so you definitely should not be taking anything I write here as sound medical advice. But I can (and will!) write from my own experiences - and in my own experiences, Ovol was met with a satisfactory level of success and would probably be my go-to recommendation over all the others on the shelf. Although there were some of the homeopathic stuff that maybe worked - not one better than the other, though.

Probiotics

In totally simplistic terms, the idea behind giving a baby probiotics is the belief that their immature digestive system may still be lacking the good bacteria required for a well-functioning system. Probiotics are billed as those “good” bacteria. If you’re heavy into empirical research, you likely won’t be swayed by this option but if you find anecdotal findings persuasive you’ll be more open to giving this a go. As always, when purchasing supplements, quality matters - and yes, that translates to spending a little bit more dolla-bills to upgrade from the generic version.

Bodywork

Honestly, when you think about it, it just makes sense that digestion issues on this level could be remedied through the central nervous system - which is the foundational practice of chiropractic care, Bowen Therapy and Craniosacral Therapy. Infant treatment involves very gentle manipulations of the body. There are no sudden movements and none of the cracking many of us often assume is involved with all forms of chiropractic care. If you can’t warm to the idea of taking your infant to a chiropractor (please recognize this as an unfounded fear, though!), Bowen or Craniosacral Therapy is a great place to dip your toes into the infant bodywork water. However, those two treatment methods are typically not covered by extended medical plans - whereas chiropractic care is covered by most extended medical plans (where I live, in Canada, at least).

Burp, Burp and Burp Again

Pockets of air bubbles are one of the main culprits for infant gassiness. I know, I’m not making any super surprising revelations with that one but the reason I’m saying it at all is to, hopefully, reinforce the importance of a good, old-fashioned burp. This might sound like a simple solution but don’t discount it. A good burp could totally change the course of your super gassy baby’s digestive experience. And, by association, yours as well.

Ideally, you're burping several times throughout the course of a feed and not necessarily all at the end of the feed, either. Share the love. Spread the burps out. A couple in the middle (if breastfeeding, when you switch from one boob to the other is a natural break and a good opportunity to encourage a burp) and then try for two or three at the end of your feeding session. Even if you’ve gotten out one really good one, keep trying for just one more. With a bit of coaxing, you usually can encourage a follow-up burp and that can be the one that makes all the difference! The reward is worth the effort. I also want to mention that burping is a type of art form. I mean, at the end of the day, it’s not really. But it is something that takes practice, repetition and a willingness to experiment with different burping strategies - there are a few! Like everything with babies, one size does not fit all.

Fridababy, Windi the Gaspasser

I demand a refund on my own experience(s) with my super gassy babies because this very intriguing little contraption was not around when any of mine were babies and one look at the slick packaging really makes me believe that it would have made all the difference (great job, Fridababy marketing team). Straight from the Fridababy website, the Gaspasser is a “single-use tube that helps babies get rid of excess gas.” Sounds AH-MAZING, right?! (Side note: what kind of world am I living in where I’m literally excited by a product with such a description?) So, yeah, what you can take from this is that I have no idea if it actually works or not but I’m pretty convinced it would have solved all my problems and I’m a little bit bitter for missing out on the opportunity to find out. If you have used it, maybe you could leave some feedback in the comments.

Tummy Time + Strategic Carrying

Your baby needs tummy time to help strengthen their neck muscles. Tummy time puts constant pressure on their abdomen which helps to ease the discomfort caused by gas pain. In other words, two birds, one stone - something I know you, my multi-tasking mama, can really appreciate. Baby-wearing works equally well if tummy time isn’t your babe’s cup of tea and there are also some other baby holds (the Football hold, for example) that keeps pressure on baby’s tummy. The tummy pressure can work two-fold. It can help them pass the gas and it the counterpressure can be a source of comfort to an otherwise uncomfortable ailment.

Warm Bath

Great at relaxing an abdomen that might be tense due to gas. A relaxed abdomen provides the necessary groundwork to promote flatulence… and that’s the goal, my friends!

Infant Massage

You know all those times someone’s told you “Google’s not your friend?” Okay well, in this case, Google is your friend. Google the “I Love You” infant massage (after you’ve finished reading this, of course! Don’t leave me hanging) and start incorporating it into your daily routine. Post bath time at our house always included a nice, naked, gas-relieving tummy massage in front of the fire (don’t make it weird, I’m talking about the babies). This massage really works wonders at pushing any gas bubbles through intestinal passage and out le derriere.

Bicycle Legs

You know this one because you’ve probably done it yourself once or twice in your life - although, I highly doubt you were doing it with the intention of gas relief… not in your adult life, at least. With your baby on their back, pedal their legs, knee to chest, slowly. Let their knee rest against their chest for a beat before alternating the opposite leg. Do this multiple times throughout the day.

The Super Gassy Baby and the Breastfeeding Mama

If you’re breastfeeding, you might be wondering if something you’re eating is the culprit of all that gas in your baby. While this is a matter still hotly contesting by varying experts, in my (totally not-expertise) opinion, it kinda makes sense that the gassiness could be caused by something you’re consuming. If you’re desperate-desperate, you’ll try anything. So, it might be worth giving your diet a good examination and making changes where necessary. With my third super gassy baby, I finally committed to eliminating dairy and cruciferous vegetables when he was around two weeks old and I noted that I felt like I noticed and improvement in his gassiness. This was so motivating that I continued with it until I stopped nursing him. If you go all cancel culture on dairy, remember that there’s no sliding scale to dairy consumption. It’s all or nothing in order to get the effect and dairy can take two to three weeks to completely leave your system (although you likely will notice an improvement in gassiness sooner). In the hopes that baby would reap some of the benefits, my naturopath also suggested drinking an anti-gas tea, like fennel or a “Smooth Move” digestive tea. If you’re so put out by the idea of having to rearrange your diet that it’s making you second guess breastfeeding, ignore this advice. There are many infant and breastfeeding experts who say a breastfeeding mother’s diet does not affect her baby’s digestive system.

Check ‘Yo Latch + Manage ‘Yo Letdown

Again, for breastfeeding mamas: make sure your baby has a good, tight latch to ensure they aren’t taking in too much air when sucking and, if you suspect you have a strong letdown, manage it. A strong letdown could mean your baby is gulping quickly trying to keep up with the flow and, in doing so, is (again) taking excess air. By now, you know why this is important but, just to reiterate: air causes gas bubbles. Too much air is going to mean an increase of gas bubbles. And that’s bad news for those of us who are trying to reduce our baby’s gassiness. If you aren’t sure if what a “good” latch or “overactive letdown” is (or even if either of these apply to you), schedule a visit with a lactation consultant (there are private options or some available through your hospital) or visit your local La Leche League chapter. This is truly one of the most empowering steps you can take in your breastfeeding journey and, likely, you’ll only need one visit to sort things out.

The Last Point - TIME

When babies are born, their digestive system needs a bit of time to mature. That means that nearly every baby goes through a period of gassiness, although degree and the duration of time varies widely. For some babies, you will exhaust everything on this list and see no significant change and, while I know this is not what you want to hear, for those babies, it really is a matter of giving their digestive system the time it needs to mature. That’s the key - time. Most babies’ digestive systems seem to settle around the 12 to 14 week mark and, while it feels like freakin’ forever while you’re in it, don’t start a countdown and wishing these days away. I promise, the days of your baby being a super gassy baby will be over and a thing of the past faster than you think.

Five Reasons to See a Naturopathic Doctor for Prenatal Care

A few weeks ago, Dr Carley reached out to me to see if I would be interested in “talking shop” over Zoom. Would I? Would I ever! For a few reasons. One, a Zoom call is a great excuse to close the office doors, effectively muting the noisy children - my noisy children - behind them. Two, it meant I would get to talk to another adult. One who, like me, is mom to three young kids while simultaneously stoking (juggling?) her passion for helping women achieve their wellness goals as they relate to pregnancy, birth and postpartum. And three, I’m a big believer in naturopathic care, myself having used a naturopath during pregnancy, postpartum and for infant ailments. My experience with naturopathic care has been overwhelmingly positive - in other words, I’m a huge fan! There’s a use of creativity and a real desire to problem solve, in order to find a lasting solution to your issue, that I just haven’t experienced in the same vein with a GP. One of the things Dr Carley and I kept circling back to was our feeling that many women just didn’t know that naturopathic care could help them during this phase in their life. So, I asked her if she would be willing to put down, in writing, some of the top reasons a pregnant person might turn to a naturopath for prenatal care. I’m so thankful that, despite her extremely busy schedule, she said yes!

Dr. Carley Akehurst, Naturopathic Physician, pictured, with one of her three children

Top Five Reasons to See an ND for Pregnancy Care by Dr. Carley Akehurst, ND

So you just found out you are pregnant – congratulations! You likely want to do everything you can to make sure that you and your baby are on the right track. These days, it’s not uncommon to receive unsolicited pregnancy advice at almost every turn. But how do you find reliable and trustworthy information? Adding an ND on your pregnancy health care team can help you sort through those details and create a solid approach. Here’s how:

To Manage Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Early pregnancy can be a challenging time. You may feel nauseous or tired, have headaches, feel bloated or constipated, and have varying degrees of interest in eating. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I have multiple options to help with those early pregnancy symptoms. Acupuncture can be a nice way to address nausea and calm the nervous system. We have several options available to manage digestive symptoms such as constipation or loose stools, bloating, heartburn, or lack of appetite. A dietary plan can help ensure you get the nutrients you need without worsening your symptoms.

To Know What Health Products are Safe to Take While Pregnant

You might have heard that it’s good to take folic acid while you are pregnant, but what about other nutrient needs? What is the best form of folic acid and do I need a whole prenatal vitamin? How long do I need to take it? These are some of the most common questions I get regarding supplements in pregnancy. As well, many people want to avoid pharmaceutical medications in pregnancy and try something ‘natural’ instead. Unfortunately, ‘natural’ doesn’t always mean safe. A Naturopathic Doctor who is familiar with pregnancy can help you decipher what products are best for you.

To Get Answers To Your Questions

Feeling informed and empowered is incredibly important in pregnancy (and in parenting!) This is a time in your life where you will be faced with many different choices, and ensuring that you have solid, evidence-based answers to your questions is one of my favourite parts of being an ND. What does genetic testing look for? How do I protect my microbiome if I need antibiotics in pregnancy? What will it look like if I require a caesarean? While NDs don’t actually catch babies, an experienced ND can help you decipher common pregnancy concerns and prepare for your delivery in an educated way.

To Prepare for Post-Partum

Our culture in North America doesn’t do a great job of supporting women after having a baby. Typically, a perinatal care provider will see a patient until six weeks post-partum. Six weeks is still very early post-partum! Many patients can feel a little bit lost after this time. As an ND, I help families navigate these early weeks by providing well baby checks, helping with breast or bottle feeding concerns, providing nutritional support, checking on birth recovery and referring to other professionals when needed, running lab work to assess post-partum recovery, and more.

To Optimize Your Baseline Health

Your midwife or OB/GYN will often run screening bloodwork in pregnancy, but NDs usually interpret them differently. We want to make sure that nutrient levels are optimal – not just sufficient. This not only helps prevent pregnancy complications (such as ensuring you have enough iron to deliver vaginally), but it also protects against post-partum complications as well (optimizing vitamin d can protect against post-partum mood disorders).

Dr Carley Akehurst, ND is an evidence based Naturopathic Doctor living and practicing in Vancouver, BC. She has a primary practice focus on women’s and children’s health – including pregnancy, birth, and post-partum care. With over a decade of clinical experience as a Naturopathic Doctor and doula, Dr Akehurst brings a common-sense approach to healthcare. When not in practice, she can be found enjoying time with her husband and three young children. She practices at both Mint Integrative Health and Crossroads Naturopathic Clinic in Vancouver. You can find more information on her website here.