What kinds of food should I avoid to make my baby less gassy?

Question

I am breast feeding and my baby seems to have horrible gas pains. What foods should I avoid?

Answer 1

After doing some research I found that those cruciferous veggies that give mom gas do not give her breastfed baby gas. Why not? The gas is caused by breakdown of foods in mom's digestive system, but the gas that becomes flatulence in mom does not travel into her blood so it can't get from there to her breast milk. The large molecules of food that cause the flatulence do not travel into her bloodstream and on to baby, either.

However, in babies who are allergic to dairy or are lactose intolerant, mom's dairy intake DOES get to baby and can cause major gastrointestinal distress.

Basically, all babies are going to pass gas and have gas pains at some time. If you notice certain foods bother your baby, cut them out-- your child may be sensitive to other molecules in the food.

As mentioned by others, first try cutting out dairy for a few days and see if that helps your little one. Simethicone drops may also be helpful for relieving gas bubbles in baby's tummy.

Answer 2

My first was born early and had some trouble early on, I cut out garlic, onions, caffeine and cooked all my cruciferous veggies (steamed or boiled) and he got better within three days. Don't let your little one pull off of the breast too often while nursing as that increases gas and if you sit a little crooked, the baby will be more upright and that will help a bit. Talk with the baby's doctor about acid reflux or other gastro-intestinal issues at your next appointment. Good luck, the baby's system will mature and things will get better pretty soon.

Answer 3

A lot of this is by trial and error, but in general you want to avoid spicy and highly flavored foods, onions, garlic, that sort of thing. If your baby has trouble, remember what you ate, see if there is something "suspect" in it, and avoid it for a while and see. It goes without saying to avoid alcohol and nicotine also. Best wishes, I am so glad you are doing this for your baby. I breastfed for ten months, then got really sick with a GI bug, and used that time to quit, but she is now eight years old and has NEVER had an ear infection. She has been sick, had sinus infection, had pneumonia once, flu once, but no ear infection! I have never even heard of a child never having ear problems. I like to think that it was the breastfeeding, but chances are it had not much to do with it.....never know.

Answer 4

I would suggest that u go to drug store like cvs or riteaid and get some baby gas drops for baby w/gas. I had the same problem with my baby and it works. It in the baby product section. I can't remember if u give to him before or after a feeding but I can said it works. I do know that cvs has a cheaper store brand.

Answer 5

make a chart of what your eating and a chart of babies gas like 4 to 8 hours later. This should let you know what you are eating that is making baby gassy. Also alot of babies are lactose intolerant ( don't worry most grow out of it) so if baby is then you can't have dairy. Honestly I would stop eating or drinking dauiry for one day and see if it makes a difference.

Answer 6

I have heard cruciferous foods cause gas in babies who are breastfeed. I was really careful about these foods when I first started nursing, but slowly I introduced some back like broccoli and watched my baby for reaction. You can test each by eating one and watching your baby closely. If no reaction then you could be alright. Good luck!

Cruciferous vegetables including:
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Kale
Kohlrabi
Mustard
Rutabaga
Turnips

Answer 7

dairy, onions and tomato some say because of acidity, definitely chocolate (sorry!! :)) , cabbage.
but then it might just be colic. look it up online, some people think colic=gas. that's not the case. you might eliminate all possibilities of gas but your child might still scream and cry and look like he/she is in pain. likely that it would be colic. though you can try a few things like baby massage and nice warm baths and things like that , there's really no cure for colic, you've just gotta wait till they're about 3 months old and then it gets a lot better. but like i said there's a lot of info online or from health clinics you can get brochures and things. my little girl had it and it eventually passes. good luck

Answer 8

Dairy, and spicy foods, caffinee

Thats what i cut out of my daily in take for the first 6 months. And it worked

Answer 9

very rarely a baby can't tolerate their mothers milk....Try avoiding dairy (that it usually the culprit) but if that doesn't help...talk to you PCP, you might want to switch to soy.

PS. If you are Indian or African American, your baby is at a higher risk for being lactose intolerant

Answer 10

Also any other foods that would cause gas for you such as broccoli and peppers.