By: Laura Jana, MD, FAAP & Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP
We are big believers that there's really no need for parents to pay a high price in exchange for less gas. That said, if your baby seems gassy, there are several things you can try and remedy the situation.
We simply suggest that you do so with only modest expectations, since breaking up gas is definitely hard to do.
Can what you eat while breastfeeding give your infant gas?
If you're nursing a gassy baby, there are definitely some foods that may be more suspect than others. However, identifying which ones may be the cause in a
breastfeeding parent's diet is often easier said than done.
It is certainly worth paying attention to whether or not a certain food or drink clearly causes your baby distress. Just remember that food is not the only cause for infant gas. Be sure not to randomly remove so many foods that you leave yourself with too little on your plate.
Bubble trouble: forms & preparation of baby formula
If your baby is formula-fed, especially in their early days, either consider holding off on mixing up powdered formula and use concentrated or ready-to-feed formula instead. Or, let your freshly mixed
powdered formula settle before serving. The more mixing and shaking involved, the more air bubbles get into the mix. And this results in more swallowed air and potentially more gas.
Be sure to discuss any formula changes with your pediatrician. When a lot of gas is involved, trying a different formula may well be just what your doctor orders.
Slow the flow: try different nipples & bottles
Help your baby swallow less air by slowing the flow of liquids from their bottle into their mouth. Trial and error with different bottles and nipples tends to be the best approach. You can also look for special bottles (such as those that are vented, angled or collapsible) meant specifically to keep babies from swallowing extra air while drinking.
Burp your baby early & often
Stepping up your
burping efforts can help with infant gas relief. Burp your baby during, as well as after, each feeding. Just be forewarned—some babies don't take at all kindly to this sort of rude interruption.
Pump your own gas: bicycling massage & tummy time
You can help get rid of unwanted gas by simply laying your baby flat on their back and moving their legs in a bicycling motion. It's works as a form of baby massage for gas. Better yet—give them some supervised
tummy time. Tummy time not only can help keep their head from becoming
flat while strengthening their upper body; it can put pressure on any gas that's thinking about settling in to be on its way out instead.
Do infant gas drops with simethicone work?
You may hear that some babies seem to respond well to over-the-counter anti-gas drops that contain simethicone—the key ingredient found in products like Mylicon, Mommy's Bliss, Little Remedies and certain colic drops.
To tell the truth, we can't find definitive evidence to show that the effort and expense of infant gas drops pay off. In fact, with respect to colic, studies suggest that simethicone does not help. It is for this reason that pediatricians are increasingly recommending that you just shouldn't use them.
If, however, you still feel your baby may benefit from anti-gas drops, there's usually no harm in trying them. But consult with your pediatrician first (just as we hope you would before introducing any medication).
More Information
About Dr. Jana
 Laura A. Jana, MD, FAAP, is a pediatrician and mother of 3 with a faculty appointment at the Penn State University Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center. She is the author of more than 30 parenting and children's books, including the AAP books Food Fights and Heading Home With Your Newborn. Dr. Jana serves as an early childhood expert/contributor for organizations including the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Primrose Schools, and US News & World Report. She lives in Omaha, NE.
About Dr. Shu
Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP serves as the medical editor of HealthyChildren.org and provides oversight and direction for the site in conjunction with the staff editor. Dr. Shu is a practicing pediatrician at Children's Medical Group in Atlanta, Georgia, and she is also a mom. She earned her medical degree at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond and specialized in pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. Her experience includes working in private practice, as well as working in an academic medical center. She served as director of the normal newborn nursery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. Dr. Shu is also co-author of
Food Fights and
Heading Home with Your Newborn.
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