Flatulence in the baby occurs especially in the first months of life. The little ones often suffer from construction pain, which can be very severe at times. This is something quite normal, but very stressful for the baby and also for the parents. The child keeps crying out, can’t be reassured – often it doesn’t even help to carry it around. Quick help is of course very welcome here.
Table of Contents
- causes
- Symptoms
- General tips
- Help with nursing children
- Help with bottled children
- Massage the tummy
- A spoonful of tea before feeding
- Help from naturopathy
- Acute pain
- Three-month colic or flatulence?
causes
If babies drink too quickly and too greedily or the hole in the teat is too big when drinking, the little ones swallow too much air. This air gets into the little baby bump and inflates it. It hurts and causes flatulence. It is not uncommon for mothers to find a connection between their own diet and flatulence in their offspring. Certain foods, such as garlic, are suspected of causing increased gas in the child. Another cause of bloating in babies is the immature digestive system.
Many babies suffer from flatulence, which can cause them severe abdominal pain and are often the cause of apparently inexplicable crying. (Image: lisalucia / fotolia.com)
It is also suspected that the bloating in the baby may be due to the child’s lack of movement, since the intestine generally requires movement for its peristalsis. Flatulence often decreases when the little ones are older than three months – from this age they also move more.
Symptoms
In the case of flatulence, the babies suffer mainly from cramping abdominal pain . They pull the legs very close to the body and then stretch them out again very quickly, or they stretch themselves out and try in this way to get rid of the air from the abdomen. The babies get a crimson head or become very pale. You may even see a few beads of sweat between your eyes or on your forehead. In addition, the babies cry heartbreakingly and are difficult to calm down. Other symptoms include loud rumbling in the abdomen and sensitivity to touch.
General tips
If there is flatulence in the baby, the so-called aviator handle is recommended. The babies lie face down on the forearm of mom or dad. Storage on the Pezzi ball is also helpful. This is a large inflated exercise ball that the little ones are placed on and held in place while the ball is gently rolled back and forth.
The aviator grip, which carries babies on their bellies in their arms, can often help alleviate bloating and calm the little ones. (Image: lisalucia / fotolia.com)
Another option is to sit on the exercise ball. This should have a diameter of about 60 centimeters. The child is placed face down across his or her thighs and then slightly rocked on the ball or a circular motion is carried out. This can also provide relief for the little ones.
The famous farmer after drinking must not go unmentioned – also in terms of prevention. This is essential and should not be forgotten in babies.
Warmth can also help well. For example, heated spelled pillow (caution, check the heat beforehand – preferably on your own inner wrist) is placed on your stomach.
Help with nursing children
A certain rhythm of breastfeeding is important to prevent the baby’s flatulence or to do something about it. This means that breastfeeding should be observed and the child should not be placed in between if possible. If breast milk is not yet properly digested, every additional sip leads to digestive problems. The nursing mother should avoid all foods that are not good for her. Flatulent dishes should also be banned from the menu. What can cause flatulence in the little ones is also cow’s milk. Even if the mother can tolerate this milk, it does not mean that the little baby will not get gas.
Help with bottled children
In order to avoid the flatulence in babies who get the bottle, the right suction hole is important. If the hole is too big, the little one drinks too greedily and swallows too much air. After shaking the vial, it should also stand still for a while until the air bubbles have completely dissolved. This could lead to flatulence.
With bottled children, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid bloating in babies. (Image: PhotographyByMK / fotolia.com)
Massage the tummy
In the case of flatulence, massaging the baby’s tummy helps, and this is best done with a suitable oil mixture. The pharmacies have oil preparations known as “four-winch oils” ready. These contain a carrier oil, enriched with four essential oils, namely anise, fennel, caraway and coriander. Important: When buying the oil, pay attention to purity. The tummy is massaged very gently and always clockwise. The best time for this is the wrapping time and / or before the actual “bloating time” begins. But massage is also helpful during this phase.
Abdominal massages are generally a fairly effective remedy for bloating in babies. (Image: juan_aunion / fotolia.com)
A damp, warm pad or a relaxing bath can also help. A tea made from anise and fennel or also from caraway and fennel is prepared for the edition. A tablespoon of the seeds, which should have been touched beforehand (this can be done by the pharmacy), is scalded with half a liter of boiling water. The whole thing should then take about 10 minutes. Then a cotton cloth is soaked and if the temperature is suitable for the baby, this is placed on the little tummy. Another cotton cloth and a small wool cloth come over it. As soon as the pad is no longer warm enough, it is removed.
A relaxation bath with the essential oils mentioned is also helpful. A tablespoon of cream is mixed with two drops of essential oil (for example anise and caraway or fennel and caraway) and stirred into the bath water.
A spoonful of tea before feeding
Flatulence in babies can be avoided by giving them some tea. A thin infusion of fennel and caraway tea – one teaspoon before meals is good for the baby bump. In nursing children, the mother can drink two to three cups a day of this tea blend.
Help from naturopathy
The means of choice from homeopathy for flatulence in babies is chamomilla, or chamomile in German. Chamomilla is used when the baby cries a lot, is lumpy and wants to be worn all the time. Often in these babies one cheek is red and the other white when crying.
If a baby needs Belladonna, the cry of the head is crimson, there is sweat on the forehead and the child prefers to be in bed than to be on the arm (unlike Chamomilla).
Lycopodium can help if the baby has problems with regurgitation, often suffers from hiccups, and drinks greedily, although the amount of drinking is low. The child’s belly is bloated and the baby feels most comfortable when it is unpacked. The main time of the flatulence is between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
If magnesium phosphoricum is the right remedy, the flatulence appears colicky and comes quite suddenly. Cold aggravates the whole thing and the child feels a little better when warm and with a massage.
Warmth is very important for babies who experience bloating. Mallow oil is a remedy from anthroposophic medicine that warmly envelops the body. The small body is oiled once or twice a day – preferably over a period of two to three weeks. It is also helpful to oil your belly and feet with pure sesame oil. Anthroposophic medicine also has other resources at its disposal that can help young children well.
Abdominal massages with mallow oil are often used in anthoposophic medicine against flatulence in babies. (Image: 13smile / fotolia.com)
The Schüßler Salt Therapy uses the Schüßler Salt No. 8, Magnesium phosphoricum, for flatulence in babies but also in older children and adults. For the babies, a few tablets are poured with boiling water and stirred with a plastic spoon. The little ones get a teaspoon of this mixture before every meal, but also if necessary in between.
Acute pain
Acute, sudden pain in babies should always be taken seriously. This is especially true when the symptoms persist for several hours and the little ones cannot be calmed down at all. If the baby refuses to eat, has a fever, there is blood in the stool or the child’s stomach is very hard, do not hesitate and see a pediatrician immediately.
Three-month colic or flatulence?
Flatulence in the baby also occurs together with the so-called three-month colic. This term stands for massive screaming that can hardly be influenced, together with restlessness and possible abdominal pain or flatulence. The babies who suffer from it are often called writing babies. The symptoms usually appear in the first three months of life and, like they started, can go away on their own. The cause of the three-month colic is not yet clearly known
