My baby has severe flatulence after every breast feed. It wakes him up at night and causes him great discomfort. Any advice on how to help him? He is 11 weeks old.

Hey where are you from?. In australia there are a few liquid "fixes" to give, bought from a chemist. Marine Infant is popular, I used Infants Friend for both my babies... helps wind, gives restful sleep, aids digestion & #2's, reduces colic... check chemist for similar products. Laying baby face down over your knee is soothing for them as is laying them face down across your arm (hand at crotch elbow crook supporting neck) hurts your back after a while but calmed mine down :) Light pressure on their little tummies seems to help, I use to also lay bub over a pillow, head & feet hanging over edge (just don't leave them sleeping (esp. alone) like this) A gentle massage on the tummy, clockwise circles (dont know why!) just below navel also helps soothe & move things... this still works on my 6y.o when he gets constipated! Keep baby a little elevated (& burped) after feeds, if he falls asleep after a feed don't put him on his back straight away, a little pillow behind the back to keep bub on his side works too (again its not recommended having things in the cot so stay with him for a bit then take cushion away) Hope that helps?

You may want to consider what you are eating. Many foods cause gas in adults, therefore the gas will be higher in the child as the substance is passed into the breast milk.

Consider the gassy foods, many vegetables are gassy, so you may need to avoid those.

Remember, whatever you put in your mouth, crosses through to breast milk.

Are you certain about that J :/

Doesn't make sense to me? (I know you are the health expert and all, but I'm not convinced).

Yes, Cappy dear. Whatever the mother eats goes directly to her breastmilk. That is why a breastfeeding mother should eat so healthy.

Yes, Cap, I am 100% certain, actually 1,000,000,000% certain that is why mothers who breastfeed should not drink alcohol, do drugs, and be certain what medications they take.

Yes, nutrients etc I agree, but gas I do not. Gas is produced by the digestive processes in the gut, this gas is not transferred into the baby is it? The milk won't be gassy because the mother has already digested that bit of it.

Foods such as broccoli, garlic, onions, etc can indeed cause gas in a tiny tummy that is not used to such foods. It is suggested that if the mother gets gas or indigestion from certain foods to refrain from those foods during breastfeeding.

Oooh okay, learn something every day, thank you :)

That is very true about the mothers diet effecting the child. Especially with breast feeding. Oh, and garlic and broccoli are two of the biggest culprit. I know my wife loves all the vegatables and garlic and lets just say that my little boy will blow all you away with his gas.

His farts are louder then an adults. My god the gas that comes out of him. There was one time he was in so much pain, he was crying differently and we took him in and sure enough they just said it was gas. Yes, the diet of the mother effects the little one, including medications.

So try not to have any fatty foods, or spicy foods. Limit garlic and too many vegatables. It is all about the balance.

Now for the little one.

For the gas pains and the waking up. There is a great product out there it is called Gripe water. It has been used for generations and is considered safe. Gripe water has two different versions. One has alcohol in it and the other one is alcohol free. Get the one that is alcohol free it is safer for the little one, plus it tastes better. I know, I actually try everything I give my boy before giving it too him. Lol

Joe

Thank you. I wondered if anyone had heard of flatulence relating to cows milk intolerance?

Do you mean that you drink a lot of milk and your wondering if your baby is sensitive to it? For that answer I am not to sure.

Joe

My wife enjoys lots of milk but I do not believe that is what is the culprit. I am not positive though.

Yes I am breastfeeding. My husband's family has milk protein intolerance and I wondered if me eating dairy could be passed through breast feeding to baby who may have inherited the same intolerance.

There is one problem about eliminating sources of calcium. This is recommended while breast feeding.

I would say your best option would be to discuss this concern with your physician. That your concerned about the baby having the same intolerance.

We have discussed how everything that mothers eat/drink can have an effect on the baby.

Just remember it is important to continue breast feeding. Breast feeding helps protect the baby in ways nothing else will.

Just talk with your doctor and see if there are any concerns about your intake of milk and the baby reaction.

Joe

Cheers jesushelper - I think I will. If only they could talk and tell you what the problem is!

I wish they could talk. My God how things would be a lot easier.

I am concerned about my little one to, Just being fussier lately. Waking up lots. Occasional snoring or seems like pain noises in his sleep. I do not know.

Anyway, when in doubt always get a second opinion and always get it checked out.

I would just like to add for reassurance purposes, I breastfed and whenever I ate broccoli my little one had gas. Poor babies. It is hard isn't it?

Jesushelper-maybe he is teething?

Milk drinking by the mother can cause gas in a infant, who is likely going to be lactose intolerant.

I have an extremely gassy, colicky baby. I have tried all of these things and more excpet the gripe water. I just ordered some yesterday, and it's my last hope for a good night. :(

My other daughter was intolerant to all forms of dairy and wheat. If I ate bread, cheese, milk etc she would vomit and yes she had horrible flatulence as well.

J_9 your suggestion that foods such as broccli which cause gastrointestinal instabilities in adults will do the same in infants through the brest milk is silly.

The digestive mechanism(s) in adults which result in gas simply do not occur in infants. While it is true that nutients and such are passed from mother to brest milk this, not even in part, explains infant flatulence. C'mon, stick to what you know so that we can avoid spreading mis-information.