baby crying

Burps and Gas and Farts, Oh My!

April 10, 2024 Infant

Burping, having gas, and farting is normal and, in most babies, indicates good gut health, but it can be extremely painful for some babies, and stressful for their parents.

Excess gas without burping or farting can lead to bloating which can be painful. Common causes of gas are:

  • Not burping frequently enough
  • Prolonged crying
  • Not having a good latch
  • Dairy or formula intolerance
  • Having constipation or diarrhea

So how do you know if your baby’s gas and burping is normal or if something is wrong? Let’s start with how often you burp your baby during feeding.

  • For breastfed babies, burp them when you change sides or switch breasts, or every 5 minutes.
  • Bottle fed babies should be burped at least halfway through each bottle, every 1-3 ounces, or every 5 minutes.

Check your baby’s latch on the breast or bottle nipple and consult with a lactation consultant, speech therapist or your baby’s health care provider if they are having difficulties. A poor latch can contribute to your baby taking in too much air during their feeding and cause gas. They may suggest a different bottle, nipple, or feeding position to help.

If your baby spits-up a lot when burping and is crying in pain or stressed by the spit-up, talk to their health care provider about reflux or a feeding intolerance.

Babies with a dairy or formula intolerance or allergy can have intense pain with gas, bloating, and spit up frequently during or after feeding. If this is happening, talk to your health care provider about medications, changing the formula or about removing dairy from your diet if you are breastfeeding. Sometimes constipation or diarrhea go along with an allergy or intolerance and sometimes it is caused by something else, but both can cause painful gas and bloating.

Is it Colic?

It’s normal for babies to grunt, pull their legs up, and have red faces when they are farting or pooping, but consistent crying or screaming can mean there may be a problem. When babies have painful gas, parents will often ask if their baby has colic.

Colic is typically different from regular gassiness because the crying is:

  • Loud, sudden, intense, and inconsolable
  • Happening at least 3 days a week
  • Lasting over 3 hours each time
  • Usually at the same time every day, most often in the evenings

Colic is very stressful for families. If you think your baby may have colic, talk to your baby’s health care provider for help.

Simple Tips for Typical Gas Relief

  • Burp your baby more often
  • Change your baby’s position. Try holding them more upright over your shoulder, lying them across your lap on their tummy, or tipping them slightly to their side and then back to center to try to move the gas bubbles.
  • Swaddle them or gently massage their tummy to provide some comfort.
  • Increase tummy time when your baby is awake to help their overall strength and development.
  • Talk to your baby’s medical provider before trying any over-the-counter gas drops or probiotics.

Overall, remember burps, gas and farts are normal for everyone of all ages! Laugh about it, be ready for some stinky ones and ask for help when needed.

Feeding a 6-7 Month Old

Feed solids with a spoon and from a bowl, never from a bottle.

Feeding a 10-12 Month Old

Breast milk is the most important source of nutrition for your baby, even after you start offering solid foods.

Feeding a 8-9 Month Old

Feed solids with a spoon. Never put cereal in a bottle.

Tips

Mom new born home

Breast milk and formula feeding:

Around 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of age, babies may experience a growth spurt when they feed more often.

As they grow babies can hold more milk, so feedings may become further apart and take less time.

To prevent choking, always hold your baby when feeding. Never prop up a bottle to feed.

Start offering whole milk when your baby is one year old.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months and beyond.

feeding solid foods

Feeding solid foods:

Wait to offer solid foods until your baby:

  • Can sit up and hold up their own head.
  • Opens their mouth when they see food.
  • Can close their lips around a spoon.

To prevent choking, always hold your baby when feeding. Never prop up a bottle to feed.

Try one new food at a time. Wait 5 days before trying another new food to watch for allergies. Food allergies may include wheezing, rash, or diarrhea.

Introduce peanut butter around 6 months. Spread a small, thin smear of peanut butter or nut butter thinly on a cracker.  Watch your baby for any reaction for the next 2 hours.

Babies under one year should NOT have honey due to the risk of botulism. Also, babies should not have foods that can cause choking like nuts or whole grapes.

All babies are different. Talk with WIC or your baby’s healthcare provider about your baby’s needs.

Feeding Cues

Feeding a 4-5 Month Old

Before teeth come in, wipe gums with a soft, clean wash cloth after each feeding, especially before bed.

Feeding a 0-3 Month Old

Newborns have tiny tummies and need to be fed often. In the first few weeks, you may need to wake your baby to feed if they sleep longer than 4 hours.

Growth Spurts

Many babies are fussy during a growth spurt and will want to nurse longer and more often. This is called cluster feeding. This is your baby’s way of helping you increase your milk supply so that you can keep up with their needs. Remember, the more your baby nurses, the more milk your body makes.

Growth spurts can happen at any time, and every baby is different.

They often happen at these ages:

two-three-weeks

2 to 3 Weeks

6 Weeks

three-months

3 Months

six-months

6 Months

What foods can I get?

Authorized Food List
Authorized Food List

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