Breastfeeding Videos - Infant Gas and Burping
Most parents will agree that there are few things more distressing than seeing your baby suffering from gas/ colic pain and feeling unable to do much about it. It's something most new parents experience and inevitably you'll receive much well-meaning advice from friends and family, and even strangers will chirp in too! At the end of the day, however, you are the one faced with your distressed baby for what sometimes feels like hours on end. This, in turn, causes problems for new breastfeeding mothers who often stop breastfeeding prematurely believing they are doing something wrong and that switching to formula is the answer.
So, is there anything at all that can help you to control your baby's gas problems without resorting to stopping breastfeeding?
Actually, yes! Some breastfeeding mothers try cutting certain foods out of their own diet in case it is having an adverse effect on their baby and this can include spicy foods or food additives, or food like grapes, mushrooms or certain herbs that may be the culprit. Very often, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the baby's colic. Other times, it might be something as simple as changing your baby's breastfeeding position to ensure he or she is not gulping in air with their milk and also learning some baby massage techniques to help shift any trapped wind. In many cases, sooner or later the baby just grows out of it and in fact some experts believe that oftentimes the pain is simply a result of an immature digestive system - in which case you may just have to wait it out.
Please seek medical advice however if you know your baby is in pain and the pain is not easing. It's always worth talking it through with your general practitioner, health visitor, or community midwife so that further help can be sought if necessary.
The following video is useful as it gives some advice on feeding positions that can help prevent or alleviate infant gas.
More Breastfeeding Videos
Successful Breastfeeding: A Beginner's Guide to Getting Started
Newborn and Infant Solid Foods
Newborn and Infant Nutrition and Growth Basics
