Babies with Extreme Pain Passing Gas

I think some one else mentioned this, but, I use colic calm for my 2 month old's painful gas....and it is a life saver. I used it with my first son too - and had it stocked in case we had another gassy baby.....which we do! Highly recommend it! Works a million times better than mylicon (mylicon does not work on intestinal gas) and is homeopathic. Both my kids actually enjoyed the taste as well.

Hi,
my breastfed daughter had gas and pain whenever I ate anything with soy in it, also dairy. When I cut out those 2 foods, she did much better.

She also needed to be vertical after eating and if she was gassy - that I have heard IS totally normal - helps them to get the gas out.

Good Luck!
E.

I breast fed for 2 weeks but had to stop as my daughter became increasingly gassy and having painful gas. I couldn't bear for her to go thru it as I know it most likely something I was eating. I had switch to formula and it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But it helped! And it was like I had a totally different child! Hope this helps!

Hi R., My chiropracter, Dr. Ellen Blomerth, claims that this condition is not that uncommon; however, pediatricians generally don't know how to deal with it. Dr. Ellen can end the problem with a gentle touch (usually with the Mom holding the baby in her arms). Dr. Ellen has treated many babies as she specializes in a "gentle-touch" method that she learned during her schooling and has been the only doctor on the north-east coast using this method. I strongly recommend that you call her at ###-###-####. She is located at the junction of Lowell Street and Route 1 in Peabody and is on the lower level of the Hallmark Building. I am totally sure that Dr. Ellen will be able to end this gas issue for your baby, and you will both get more sleep. Please call her and tell her I sent you. Best Wishes E. Taft ###-###-#### ____@____.com

Hi R.: Maybe trying abdominal massage consistently to help them pas the gas before it gets trapped and causes pain.

My daughter had terrible colic for the first few months, and I was able to decrease it by about 75% by completely cutting out dairy products (I was also breastfeeding). The screaming, the gas- it all got MUCH better as long as I didn't give in to having something with milk or cream in it. I slowly added it back in at 6 months, and no more problems after that.

You could also try Gripe Water. Herbs like chamomile and ginger may also be helpful.

My son had this issue when he was very little. His belly was so hard and distended they were concerned that there was intestinal blockage. We had an abdominal ultrasound done and he was just full of gas that he couldn't move without extreme pain. On recommendation of a naturopath and another mom with a suffering kid, I gave him chamomile tea and it worked almost instantly. I used Celestial Seasonings right from the grocery store. Brew one tea bag for 5 minutes in 8oz water, then dilute it 50% with cold water. When it is cool enough, let him drink a few ounces. My son started farting literally within minutes. I gave it to him a few times the first day, and by the next morning his stomach was all soft and squishy. I considered it a miracle because from that day on he never had a gas pain again. I gave it to him once a day for few days because I was scared it would come back, but it never did, even after he stopped drinking the tea. I would highly recommend you try it. It certainly can't hurt! I remember being really leery about giving my baby tea, but the naturopath assured me that it was safe for a baby, since it is only an herbal tea, and chamomile is so gentle. It worked with no side effects and my son was only 5 weeks old when I gave it to him.

Somethings that help babies pass gas. 1. Massage the stomach with some warm oil in clockwise circles with gentle but firm movements. 2. Exercise the legs - hold both legs at the knees and then flex one at a time, bending at the knee and pushing gently towards the chest (does not have to go all the way). Do about ten reps each side. At the end press both the knees to stomach and gently pulse. And there is of course gripe water. All these worked well for my daughter.

Good luck!

I don't know if this helps, but....I nursed all 4 of my children. My oldest daughter Ashley had the same problem. I finally narrowed it down to the dairy products I was taking in. I had to stop all dairy products. It was very hard for me, but it was well worth it for her. It really did help. I ended up taking something for myself to receive the calcium I was missing in eliminating these foods and drinks.

Has their stool been checked? I see many talk about dairy sensitivities and elimination diets, which makes sense. I guess I would also ask the doctor to check the stool. My son had similar symptoms and it turned out that he had undetected blood in his stool, which was eventually diagnosed as a milk allergy or intolerance that was irritating his bowel. He is now 17 months and has outgrown the problem.

Hi there!
What worked best for my little guy was called 'Gripe water'. It's a natural remedy... found at health food stores. It came in a blue bottle. It worked better than the Mylicon, had a nice flavor, and best of all: is all natural! Hope this helps! Also try gently pushing their knees into their bellies in a circle... it helps move the gas around. Hope this helps! :)

Foot reflexology - I know it sounds crazy, but hold him in your lap facing you, and press hard with your thumbs in a circular motion on the arch of the baby's foot. within minutes they pass gass, usually have a BM as well. I learned that one from a mother's group when my son was constipated and gassy ... good luck - K.

I agree it may be a soy, dairy, eggs or even a wheat thing. My son was fine while breast fed, thank God. But that maybe because I did not eat soy, dairy, eggs, wheat or much sugary foods while he nursed. That is only because I found out before I even got pregnant that I was "sensative" to those foods. I found out through a homeopathic doctor. I had severe eczema & once I stopped eating those foods my skin cleared right up & I instantly started feeling better & even lost some weight. So I would give it a try for 2 weeks & see if your babies do better. Maybe start with just the dairy first though. Good luck!!

when they are having these spurts put them on heir back and roll their legs back towards their belly in a circular motion with their knees bent. this worked for my daughter.are they having a problem digesting something in the breastmilk maybe?

Hi R.-
When I was breastfeeding my triplets when they were very little, I had to go on a dairy free diet because one of my girls had horrible gas pain and even a little intestinal bleeding due to being lactose intolerant at the time. Once I went dairy free (which was a pain, by the way) she cleared right up. Maybe try cutting milk, cheese and icecream out of your diet for a few days and see if it helps.
My triplets are now 3, and Kylie went to whole milk at 1 without any problems so it was just an infancy reaction....
I hope this might help you!
-D.
Leominster MOM's Club

First, congrats on twins, i have twins too that had the same problem. Second, what type of bottles are u using. I would try switching bottles.I used the old platex bottles with the drop in liners and boy, what a difference.you can squeeze the air out of them and creates less gas.I've tried everything too including the drops and nothing worked til I switched the bottles.also exercising their legs will get the gas moving and placing them on their belly will help too.Good luck! I'm soory, I didn't realize u breastfed.Check to make sure they have a good latch and also ur milk might be drying up so all they are getting is air.Also, some types of the food u eat might make a difference.Once again, good luck.

My second daughter had this problem. She still has tummy issues at age 6! It will get better. My pedi told me to try and avoid "over feeding" her. I always fed on demand, but maybe sometimes she didn't need to be fed as much as rocked, cuddled, etc.... Anyway, I hope this helps.

Hi,
I am so sorry that your little ones are in pain. I can relate. When my (now 2 1/2yr old)son was a newborn he went through similar pain. I repeatedly told his doctors the symptoms and they kept telling me he was fine(probably thinking I was over reacting because I was first time mother). However mothers instinct is always right. Finally at 3 months they diagnosed him with being lactose intolerant. (This can be tested by a stool sample.) I went off all dairy and within 2 weeks no more screaming in agony. After a few months I slowly started to reintroduce dairy and now he drinks milk like there is no tomorrow. Hope this helps.
J.

I had to stop drinking Orange Juice while BF my son as it gave him gas, maybe cut out the citrus? just one thought..

First off...CONGRATS on nursing twins! A lot of women won't nurse one, let alone TWO! Breastmilk is best for those little boys!

Are you nursing full time, or do they get formula through the day too? If this is the case, it is probably a reaction to the formula, as it is really hard for babies to digest. You could either switch brands, or even better, get a hypoallergenic one.

It could also be a reaction to your diet. If a baby has issues with moms diet, it generally isn't cruciferous veggies that cause the gas, as it does us. The reason being is we get gas from the fiber of the actual whole food, not from the proteins that it contains. The culprits are likely dairy, soy, eggs, wheat, nuts, corn or fish. Dairy is generally the most difficult, and many women find if they cut out the dairy, the issues with gas and such improve. What do their stools look like, especially the one that seems to have the most trouble. Do they both have similar looking stools, or is the gassier baby have any stools that are green or mucousy?

I hope you find resolution to your problem soon! Not just for your boys, but for you also! My second son was extremely colicky, and it turned out he had a bunch of food sensitivities, but it was more than just gas for him. My daughter is having issues now too (she is 3 months) but because of my experience with my son, I have eliminated all of the allergens listed above, and have experienced bliss ever since! It isn't always easy, but it does force you to eat healthier, and has taught me a lot about what I put in my mouth!

Good luck!

try making them "walk" or bicycle kick. the movement will get that gas out, or use a heating pad on medium/low under them at the time. If worse comes to worse take their temperature rectally, that can help loosen the muscles to let the gas out.

Could be a food allergy. Have you tried having them be dairy free for a week to see if it helps?

My eating dairy or cucumbers would give mine gas. I would try cutting that before switching from nursing, this will just be a stage, your baby that is sensitive to breast milk ingredients will have a harder time with formula generally. Use soy replacements for a few days and see if it helps. My boys also had painful gas, and moving legs like biking, and putting the knees up to the chest and massaging the lower tummy all helped them to pass it much quicker.
Good luck,
D.

Hi R., my son had terrrible gas like that too and what I usto do was lay them down and take their ankles and bring their legs up do it a few times, (kinda like the doctors do during an exam when they check their hips). I found that it kinda opens things up and then they let out a huge one. Not to sound gross but it really works. I also agree what everybody else is saying as well it could be your diet ie. milk and dairy products, I found out my son had food allergies as well so... just a thought. Good luck

I'm putting one oz Babies magic tea in my LO's formula bottle for two feedings and it helps with his gas pain and fussiness!!!

R.,

First, kudos to you for nursing twins! I'm sure it is hard work, but what a wonderful thing you are doing for both of them plus yourself.

I nursed my son exclusively the first 6 months, and he had *horrible* gas and screaming fits for the first few months of his life. I remember many days at the beginning when I would stand holding him or rocking him, all the while tears dripping down my face while he cried and squirmed in pain. I was convinced it had to be something I was eating, since all he was getting was my breast milk, even though so many doctors will tell you it isn't related to what the mother eats.

I went on a mission to figure out what it was, since I had to focus my energy somewhere to help my son who was in so much pain. It took months to eventually figure it all out -- but it was ABSOLUTELY related to what I ate.

As others have mentioned, dairy was the number one culprit. Cutting that out COMPLETELY, in all its forms, my son got about 60% better. It takes up to 5 days for all the dairy proteins to leave your milk, so you need to be patient. Since my son was still in pain, I continued to believe there had to be something else in my milk that he could not digest. Sure enough, after eliminating many foods, he also got gas when I at nuts as well as soy. When I completely cut out all dairy, soy, and nuts, he had zero gas. He was a completely different baby.

I won't sugar-coat it. It was *very* hard to cut all those foods out for a long period of time. But having a happy baby made it all worthwhile. At 7.5 months, I was able to eat dairy and nuts without it having any effect on my son. So, rest assured, many babies have food sensitivities that they outgrow the first year, once their digestive system is more developed.

At 10 months, I am still nursing and he still seems to be sensitive to soy. I test it by eating a food with soy in it every month or two.

I'm sure you can figure out what foods are bothering your sons with some diligence and patience. I put together a list of all the possible foods I had read could bother a baby and worked my way down the list. If you'd like the list, please private message me and I'll be happy to send it along and help you in any way I can. Keep up the great job nursing and hang in there. It WILL get better!

Warmly,
L.

P.S. Throughout my investigation trying to figure out what foods my son was sensitive to, I did use Baby's Bliss Gripe Water on the really bad days when I needed a break. Half doses worked great for us. Note, though, that if you use this it will mask the sensitivity of any foods you are "testing" for a reaction in your sons. The gas will temporarily clear with the gripe water and will come back once he drinks more of your milk with the problematic foods. So be aware of that if you try to use it in conjunction with removing foods from your diet.

I have no advice for what could be causing the gas...and I'll keep my personal opinions about doctors and their prescriptions/diagnosis for babies out of it...

A nurse showed me some moves on how to help baby pass some gas...

One, sounds especially useful to you if they like to be up vertically... Try craddlying them, sorta folded against your chest. Legs on you, body in your arms.

The thing I used bed was what I liked to call the Gassy Dance...I'd lay my son on his back, ignore his screaming, and work both of his legs in circles, bending, and straightening (imagine it like "wax on, wax off" where one hand works clockwise, the other counter-clockwise)...and then, press both his knees to his chest (with pressure!). I'd repeat that a couple times to make sure all the gas was out...and we'd be fine.

Have you starting feeding them any solids? Sometimes even the cereals can cause the gas problem if the babies are just not ready. I know that my daughter couldn't tollerate the rice cereal at all until she was 10 mos. old. I know it's strange but she could eat anything else (any of the other cereals too).
Sometimes they just have to outgrow it, although I know how hard it can be, especially when you know they're in pain. Good luck.

are you breastfeeding or using formula?

My girl had the same issue I used enfimil and switched to soy enfimil and w/in a day or 2 she was sooooooo much better!

I would cut out dairy from your diet. YOu might try cutting out wheat or soy too, but dairy is the most likely culprit. It always caused by little guy pain.
It takes a few days for the dairy to be out of your milk so you might not notice a difference right away.
GOod luck!

Hi,
Might they have some sort of allergy, like milk? Have you tried eliminating dairy from your diet?

Has anyone mentioned getting a second opinion as to why this is happening? If you are unhappy with your ped's opinion, or your gut tells you something isn't right- get a second opinion!

I've heard really good things about a product called Colic Calm Gripe Water. It's available in some health food stores or at pediatritians offices. It works for both colic and/or bad gas in infants. Ask your pediatritian about it.

I used to put a drop or two of Mylicon on a pacifier for my daughter. Fabulous stuff, you can buy it at any grocery store or pharmacy. She grew out of her gassy stage at about 6 months. Or pediatrician told us it had nothing to do with my breast milk and everything to do with the development of her digestion system. Here's the link to their site.
http://www.mylicon.com/
Good luck!

My son (now 6 months) experienced terrible pain while passing gas and during his bm's. I was breast feeding and giving the milk formula. At one of his early check ups the doctor suggested soy. I gave up the breast feeding and gave him only soy and he was like a new baby. Also, I started using Dr. Brown bottles and would not use anything else.

Good luck!!

Hi R.,

I had trouble with my 2nd child who had terrible colic; a friend of mine suggested it was corn/ specifically corn syrup. So in my distress I removed Corn and corn syrup out of my diet. Within 3 days there was a noticable difference, we had returned to a quiet household. Corn syrum is funny, I had to buy only certain types of bread, ice cream crackers etc.. some had CS some did not. so I became very brand loyal. Until we were able to determine the CS problem, DH and I were adept at holding her on our hip at a specific 45 degree angle. That helped her alot.

Good luck, this too shall pass!
C. W
www.MyHomeCottageBiz.com

Hi - my guy also had painful gas and at 3 will still have about every now and then - the nurses in the NICU would put a heating pad on his tummy - really helped. We had a flax seed pad in microwave for two minutes - you can put dry rice in an old sock and put in microwave to heat (time may vary depending on size). His digestive system was underdeveloped.

If it is food related - then I'd suggest keeping a food diary of everything you eat and when they have gas. See if there is any pattern over time. I stopped eating fresh spinach and that helped. Eventually I had to stop dairy and soy too. He is dairy/soy intolerant still.

We pumped his legs too - but we did it like he was riding a bicycle on his back.

Massage helped - rub tummy in a clockwise motion. That is the direction of intestines. Helps with constipation too. When really blocked, rub downward on right side level in bellybutton down to groin area. Then across belly, left to right, at bellybutton level, taking a right angle and going straight down. Then rubbing in clockwise motion.