Bloating in babies - causes and home remedies

In the body, gas is produced in babies when bacteria in the intestines process gas-producing food such as beans. Gas also forms in stagnant air, for example when the child is sucking on an empty bottle. Parents should pay close attention to how and why the baby is crying. Babies cry too to communicate. However, when the child feels pain due to gas formation, crying is sharper and more intense. It also shows otherwise that it feels uncomfortable, for example, by wriggling his legs or clenching his fists.

contents

• Causes of bloating in babies
• hyperstimulation
• Natural home remedies for gas formation in babies
• "Ride a bike" with baby legs
• Massage with mustard oil
• asafoetida
• Warm compresses
• fennel
• basil
• Camomile tea
• peppermint
• Kolikwasser

Causes of bloating in babies

Nursing mother's diet can affect the baby. For example, if the mother eats citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons, or limes, this can trigger short-term digestive disorders in the baby. The acids in these fruits can disturb the digestive tract of a baby. This also applies to kiwis, pineapples, strawberries, cherries and plums. Likewise, dairy products in the mother's food can lead to intolerance of the baby.

Especially in the first months of life, babies often suffer from flatulence. This is recognizable by the fact that the babies are much crying, whining and restless. (Image: S.Kobold / fotolia.com)

The problem is milk protein in milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, etc. This intolerance to milk is often associated with intolerance to soy and peanuts.

Air bubbles can enter the baby's stomach through the mouth. This usually happens when sucking on the mother's breast. Therefore, the baby should make a puff every 3 to 5 minutes while sucking. When breastfeeding with the bottle, the size of the nipple is crucial. If he is too big, the baby sucks too fast. If he is too small, the child swallows.

Another possible cause of gas formation in infants is hyper-lactation syndrome. If a mother makes very rich milk, then a larger amount of pre-milking will come about. Foremilk is the watery mother's milk, which the child first gets into the mouth - with a lower fat and higher lactose content. This pre-milking quenches the baby's thirst and stimulates the development of energy and the brain. However, the foremilk can cause stomach cramps in the infant to a great extent.

Aftermilk, on the other hand, is the creamy milk with a higher fat content that is created in the milk producing cells higher up in the breast and helps to stimulate baby's growth.

A baby who swallows the flowing milk too quickly also takes in too much air. Because and if the baby does not get enough of the rich aftermilk, it wants to drink more often, and that enlarges the problem. Babies who suffer from hyperlactation weigh more than usual, and their gas formation increases.

Whether strange noises, many people, bright lights or noise: If babies are "flooded" with stimuli, this can lead to increased gas formation. (Image: Christian Müller / fotolia.com)

hyperstimulation

If a baby is overstimulated, it can also lead to increased gas formation. Too many visitors, noise on television, ringing phones, etc. stimulate the baby. Too much stimulation means stress, and it can cause gas formation because the baby breates faster.

Although all babies are screaming, when the baby cries most often, too much air enters the digestive tract. Sensitive infants who are "bombarded" with sounds, and also with light, touch, and multiple experiences, will usually "turn off" to reduce stimulation. Babies who are overcharged with stimuli quickly make more gas and also have trouble falling asleep.

Since a baby can not speak, screaming is his only way to communicate. That's why a certain amount of screaming is normal. The baby shows that he is hungry, feels alone, is too warm, too cold or uncomfortable. When screaming babies generally swallow air. These air bubbles can accumulate in the stomach or pass through the intestine. Pain can directly follow the swallowing of the air while screaming.

Natural home remedies for gas formation in babies

Breast-fed children have to belch after every meal. In most babies, burping removes feeding and then all air bubbles. Try to make your baby pacify her during natural breaks - for example, when it slows down because she has emptied her first breast.

Although some babies have to be brought more regularly to burp. However, many parents make the mistake of interrupting the meal so that the baby can belch. This prolongs the feeding time, frustrates a hungry baby, and can cause the baby to hectically inhale air bubbles.

Stagnant air causes immediate suffering, the baby feels full without having finished his meal, or the air gets into the intestines and causes bloating, which causes pain.

A good way to help the baby is to "ride the bike" with the legs. (Image: Oksana Kuzmina / fotolia.com)

"Ride a bike" with baby legs

Exercises with the baby legs mimicking the movement of pedaling push on the stomach and help the baby eject the gas. In addition, this method keeps the baby happy, active and playful.

Massage with mustard oil

A massage with warm mustard oil and a bath in warm water can relieve gas problems. Warm baths also make the baby sleepy. Massage with mustard oil promotes blood circulation and makes the body flexible, allowing the gas to escape. Mustard oil also strengthens the bones and leads to a peaceful sleep.

asafoetida

This dried gum resin is useful to eliminate bloating and stomach problems. To administer it to babies, make a paste with water and the resin and rub them on the baby's stomach. The resin acts against inflammation and effectively helps against flatulence. However, it takes a few minutes for it to take effect.

Warm compresses

Warm compresses on the child's stomach relax the stomach and intestines, facilitate the escape of gases and soothe the child.

fennel

Fennel is highly recommended when babies suffer from pain due to gas formation. It promotes digestion and prevents the formation of gas.

Lukewarm fennel tea from the bottle has a beneficial effect on stomachache and flatulence. (Image: Oksana Kuzmina / fotolia.com)

basil

Basil has both anti-spasmic and sedative effects, triggered by a substance called eugenol. This is why tea with basil leaves is helpful in treating colic, which causes pain in the intestinal tract. A teaspoon of dried basil in a cup of hot water, drawn ten minutes, is the usual dose. Breastfeeding mothers can also drink basil tea in order to transfer the beneficial effects of milk to the baby.

Camomile tea

Camomile is anti-spasmic and helps against internal cramps. It also has a numbing effect and helps the body to relax. Chamomile has been used in traditional medicine for millennia against abdominal pain and the history of chamomile as a medicinal plant can be traced back to ancient Egypt.

peppermint

Peppermint added water has been used for many centuries against colic. Mint contains anti-spasmic substances that relieve the child's internal spasms that cause colic. Peppermint helps to eliminate bloating and other indigestion. It relaxes the muscles in the stomach and allows the aching gas to escape. If peppermint is combined with chamomile and fennel as herbal tea, it helps even better against colic.

Kolikwasser

Colic water is a natural, very fast-acting home remedy for bloating and colic. We produce it with natural plants such as ginger and fennel. These are simply placed in the water and are drawn there for about ten minutes. In addition to colic, it also helps against toothache and flatulence.

The mother should be careful not to give the baby too much, because in the body dammed colic water attracts bacteria that can cause disease. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)