Gas in newborns and babies under one year old is a common condition, which every mother has faced at some point or the other in their child’s growing years. According to lactation specialists, gas is produced when a newborn feeds for the first time, either breast milk or baby formula. The components of milk are such that they produce gas in the process of digestion. Nevertheless, some babies are more susceptible to have gas problems than others.

For a mother, dealing a gassy baby with discomfort symptoms is very painful. There are virtually many factors responsible for presence of gas in the baby’s digestive tract, out of which the main reason is the immature digestive system of the baby. To be more precise, the digestive system of a baby is not fully developed, hence gas formation to some extent is quite a common case. However, understanding the main causes and profound symptoms is imperative to help relieve a gassy baby.

Gassy Baby: Causes and Symptoms

While feeding, a baby can engulf air bubbles due to the suction created during breastfeeding or bottle feeding. Another cause for gassy baby is maternal diet; it is found that nutrients and gas causing agents pass from the breastfeeding mother to her baby. Hence, if a mother’s diet is enriched with foods that cause gas, such as cabbage, legumes, dairy products, etc. the risk for developing gas in babies is higher. Also, too many citrus fruits and acidic food items cause stomach irritation in the baby.

Babies who are between 3 – 6 months old are prone to gas pain and related problems. Some of the most noticeable gassy baby symptoms are sleeping problems, irritability, fussiness and crying for a longer time, without any apparent reason. Usually, such irritation signs are manifested after feeding. Other symptoms that indicate gas in babies is abdominal bloating, distended stomach and frequent passing of gas. While massaging a gassy baby’s tummy, bubbles can be felt in the stomach and abdominal area. Know more on fussy baby at night.
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