Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Baby Is Painfully Gassy | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
I have a seven-week-old son. Since day one he has been a gassy baby. I have him on soy formula. But he still is very gassy and seems to be in pain when he is passing gas. What can I do?— Gassie Mom | | | ANSWER |
April 6, 2001 | | | Dear Gassy Mom,
A visit to your child's health care provider can help reassure you that there is nothing physically the matter with your baby, since many young babies fuss and are gassy but do not actually have anything to be concerned about. If he is gaining weight normally and has a reassuring physical examination, you can probably relax. Babies often swallow air when they cry, which causes their bellies to become gassy; this can be uncomfortable, resulting in more crying. They also can swallow air if the hole in the latex nipple is too large (causing them to gulp) or too small (causing them to have to suck too hard) both of which make it so that they suck in air along with the formula. Widening the opening in the nipple or getting one with a smaller opening can make a big difference. Of course, stopping often to let a burp up helps, too.
Babies often react very dramatically to sensations from their intestines and rectum. So, what looks like pain may be a response to the stretching of rectum that in an adult would be merely uncomfortable. Read more about fussing and gassiness in our Crying, The Early Weeks article.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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