Tummy troubles, such as gas and stomach aches are completely normal in babies, but they sure do make your little one uncomfortable and fussy. While these issues typically resolve themselves, they may cause some level of pain in your baby’s tummy and interfere with their eating and feeding schedule.
The most common causes of tummy trouble in babies include an underdeveloped digestive system, excess air swallowed while crying or feeding, or possible food allergies. For breastfeeding babies, the mum’s diet can also contribute to gassiness. Regardless of the reason, a gassy baby can be difficult to deal with, and leave you wondering, “how can I soothe my newborn’s tummy ache”. Well, to make things easier for you, we have listed a set of 11 tips that help manage your little one’s upset stomach and provide quick relief.
11 Tips To Help Soothe A Newborn Tummy Ache
Try Massaging Their Tummy To Soothe Gas Pain
Try different massaging techniques to release the gas from your baby’s tummy and help soothe them. Massaging their tummy also helps regulate their bowel movement and ease constipation troubles and colic. You may use organic coconut oil to massage your baby’s tummy, as it provides less resistance and enables better movements. Some of the common massaging techniques you can try include paddling, moonwalking, fulling, and knees-up.
Also Read: Massage techniques to soothe gas pain in babies
Check Their Latch
Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, make sure your little one’s latch is tight to prevent the inflow of excess air into their stomach. If needed, you can also consider consulting a lactation expert to determine whether your baby is latching properly, or you need to try different methods to ensure a tight latch. The lactation expert can administer different feeding positions that provide a good and tight latch.
Avoid Overfeeding Your Baby
Your baby will unlatch when they’re done breastfeeding, but it’s harder to tell when they are full while feeding with a bottle. Since their digestive system is still developing, and their stomach is only as big as the size of their fist, ensure to feed small amounts at frequent intervals. Overfeeding can cause discomfort in your baby’s stomach, which can further lead to gas and pain.
Avoid Distractions During Feeding
If your baby gets distracted easily during feeding, they may unlatch and look away, and swallow excess air. And as you already know, excess air in their tummy can cause uneasiness and pain. Hence, make sure to keep your baby focused during feeding, and avoid any distractions, interruptions, sudden noises, or bright lights. To be safe, feed your baby in a quiet, calm, room, with minimal lighting.
Bicycle Their Legs To Remove Gas
Another helpful technique that you can try to release trapped gas is bicycling your little one’s legs. Bend your baby’s legs and bring their knees up to their tummy, and bicycle their legs. This light movement also boosts your baby’s bowel movement and helps them pass stool, which also helps provide comfort in their stomach.
Apply A Tummy Relief Roll On
Ap[plying a tummy relief roll-on on your baby’s stomach can be extremely beneficial in soothing their pain. Opt for a tummy relief roll-on designed with a blend of organic and soothing oils, such as hing oil, ginger oil, nutmeg oil, and peppermint oil that soothe your baby’s stomach muscles, reduce cramping, and ease digestive concerns. You can also use this relief oil to soothe your baby’s colic woes, or other tummy concerns, such as constipation.
Find The Right Formula
Certain formulas may upset your baby’s tummy and cause pain. A good option is to always check with your child’s paediatrician to determine if your baby is allergic to the ingredients present in the formula or is having trouble digesting it. You can also consider switching to a less lactose formula that contains probiotics and enables easy digestion. This will help keep your baby’s tummy healthy and reduce the chances of gas.
Burp Your Baby In Different Positions
If one burping position is not doing the trick, then try another method. Lay your baby on their tummy on your legs and gently pat their back to encourage burping, or hold your baby with a hand on their chest, just under their neck, and lean them forward to help them burp. You can also consider your baby’s paediatrician to know more about different burping positions.
Pay Attention To Your Diet As Well
A mum’s diet also plays an important role in keeping the baby’s gut healthy. Hence, you should pay special attention to what you eat while breastfeeding. Certain fruits and veggies, such as broccoli and Brussel sprouts can cause stomach issues in your baby and lead to gas. But this doesn’t mean you eliminate all the healthy stuff from your diet, consult your doctor first, and then make the decision.
Encourage Tummy Time
Tummy time has a lot of health benefits for babies, including relieving gas and regulating their bowel movements. It can also help strengthen your baby’s stomach muscles and reduce cramps. Make sure your baby has a lot of tummy time sessions throughout the day, and even if they don’t like tummy time, try to distract them with a toy or their favourite stuffed animal.
Try A Warm Bath
A bit of warmth can also help ease your baby’s tummy troubles. You can try giving them a warm bath to relax and soothe them, and also ease their stomach muscles to reduce discomfort. Opt for a moisturising baby wash with nourishing ingredients, such as rose oil, pumpkin seed oil, and strawberry oil that hydrate your baby’s skin, and also impart a soothing fragrance that puts your baby at ease instantly.
Follow the tips that we’ve mentioned, such as applying a tummy relief roll-on, and using different massage techniques to reduce your baby’s stomach pain and reduce gassiness. However, if your baby shows concerning symptoms, such as excess crying and inability to feed, then consult a doctor immediately.
Also read:
Digestive problems in babies: In this post, we have discussed the most common digestive problems that babies experience and helpful treatment methods.
Tummy time for babies: Check out this post to know all the amazing health benefits of tummy time for babies.
Remedies for treating constipation in babies: Does your baby have tummy troubles like constipation? Read this post to know all the effective treatment methods.
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