my two week old son is breastfed but recently he has been very gassy, any ideas of what is happening?

Question

Yes I have been watching what I eat; and the very thought of my son straining turning red is scaring me. Now I am thinking about mixing breastmilk with formula

Answer 1

Keep nursing!!!
Formula will not help.

kellymom.com has good info on gas and what can cause it.

My baby is gassy. Is this caused by something in my diet?
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/gassybaby.html

Answer 2

Don't do that, formula is more likely to cause him gas and discomfort than your milk.

that said, try placing him on his tummy and patting his butt and back when he gets "gassy". Also try to burp him before you switch breasts.

Gas is normal, and my son turned red and strained alot those early weeks. Just part of his little innards getting used to those funky feelings. Can you imagine, the pain & frustration of having poo and air in your colon for the first time ever, in your short baby life? I bet you'd be fussy too!

Comforting him is key, and just keep with the breastmilk. Formula milk is a great alternative if you haven't any milk, but it's not known for being gentle on the stomach!

Answer 3

My son had a milk protein allergy which presented itself with a lot of intestinal problems. In my case I had to stop eating all forms of dairy, whey, casein products, and soy. I am not saying that you should do this. I am only trying to point out that in my case, going to formula would not have been helpful without a diagnosis because I would have chosen regular formula which is milk-based. So I think that if you are concerned you should call the doctor tomorrow.

Also, unless you have had an infant before, you probably haven't seen what I call the "poop face" before. Both of my boys turned beet red and made the strangest faces when they were dirtying their diapers. Pooping is very serious business for new babies, and they do strain a lot. That doesn't mean there is something wrong with them, but rather it is normal. A better indication of their digestive health would be to look at the consistency of what you find in the diaper.

But like I said before, tell your pediatrician about your concerns. Get his or her input before making dietary changes.

Answer 4

It is normal for babies to be gassy. Even if you think you are being careful, even healthy foods can cause gas. Use Mylicon (The store brands are just as good and almost halfthe price). My son was a preemie and the nurses At Children's Hospital mixed my breast milk with formula, and MCT oil to help him gain weight faster and he was horribly constipated from the formula, so I wouldn't mix it unless the doctor tells you to.

Answer 5

As you are watching what you eat there should be no problems. Babies do get pretty gassy when they are breast fed but there are some drops on the market for those times when he gets really bad, called Gas Relief drops, found in the baby medications department. They really do help when he gets really bad and you can relax about it. He really needs to be breast fed for a minimum of six months so that he gets the needed immunities from you. The first two or three weeks there is nothing but colostrum coming out of your breasts, a clear fluid that nourishes baby until the "real deal" comes in. Then the real milk will come in and he will have to adjust to this. If this does not clear up on it's own within 2 weeks there may be something that you eat that causes him gas but not you too so you can start the elimination process with yourself too. As far as baby turning red and squishing his little face up, I remember my son doing that for the first couple of weeks of his life if he had to pass gass or dirty his diaper - must be the newness of all of this that makes them make such faces! If you eat fruit, toast, juice and yogurt for breakfast them maybe one of the fruits is hard on him. Cut one fruit out each day until you notice a difference. If that is not it then cut out the yogurt in case he is allergic to dairy, just do a process of elimination that way. You might find that it is that easy! You may have to eat the same thing for about a week or so as you try to find what it is that is bothering him but well worth the time investment! But, honestly, it may be the adjustment to the real mothers milk that he is going through right now. Congratulations on your beautiful new son, a mother is always doubly blessed with a son!

Answer 6

It could be the start of colic:( My little girl is now almost 4 months but at 2 weeks she started getting very gassy and then came the crying! The colic stopped around 3 months and I'm still breastfeeding her. It could also be he is allergic to your milk. My friend's baby had really bad stomach problems and once they put him on a certain type of formula, he was fine. I hope this helps a little. If I were you I would ask your doctor. Hope your little starts feeling better soon:)

Answer 7

The iron in formula will only make him gassier and possible constipated.

Your son will stop straining so hard to pass gas as soon as he learns to co-ordinate his muscles. Some babies are born knowing how, and some take months.


My baby is gassy. Is this caused by something in my diet?
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/gassybaby.html
Some causes of gas in babies

* Many young babies have a certain amount of gas and seem to strain as it is passed or as a bowel movement occurs simply because of the immaturity of their digestive system. This doesn't always indicate a problem. Most babies' bodies manage gas more easily with growth, maturity, and greater activity. As long as your baby is not overly bothered by the gas or has no other symptoms of food sensitivity or other problems, then "tincture of time" is likely the best solution.

* Too much milk too fast, so that baby gulps and chokes and takes in too much air along with the milk. See forceful let-down.

* Anything that causes baby to take in too much air may result in a gassy baby (what goes in must come out!):
o Crying - Babies swallow air when they are crying, so crying is more likely to be the cause of gas, rather than the result of gas. Respond to baby's feeding cues promptly.
o Bottlefeeding - Babies usually swallow more air when drinking from a bottle. When using bottles, use the slowest-flow nipples so baby doesn't get overwhelmed with the milk flow. To reduce air swallowing, keep baby at about a 45 degree angle (rather than lying down), make sure baby has a good seal on the base of the nipple, and keep the bottle tilted so the neck & nipple are filled with milk. There are also varieties of bottles that aim to reduce air swallowing. Don't let baby suck on an empty bottle. Burp baby more often if he seems to be swallowing too much air.

* Overabundant milk supply. See Too Much Milk?

* Thrush can cause gassiness in babies.

* Babies who skip several days between stools tend to be gassier. Older breastfed babies (after the first 6-8 weeks) can go several days without a stool. Ten days or more is not uncommon! The long periods between stools in a baby who is obviously thriving is not a cause for concern if the baby's abdomen remains soft, baby is content and alert, and the stool is soft and profuse if several days have gone by.

* Sensitivity to something in mother's diet, including any vitamin/iron supplements, etc. See Dairy and other Food Sensitivities in Breastfed Babies. If this is the reason, you will most likely notice other symptoms, such as excessive spitting up or vomiting, colic, diarrhea, rash, persistent congestion or runny nose.

* Anything that baby is eating/drinking other than mother's milk, including vitamins, formula, teas, medications or herbs, solids, juice. Any substance (other than breastmilk) has a much greater potential to increase gassiness rather than reduce it.

* Formula feeding tends to cause more gas and digestive upset for most babies because it is not specific to the human baby. Formula-fed babies overall tend to spit up more, be constipated more, have more gas, be more colicky, have more intestinal illnesses, etc. Remember, too, that supplementation most always undermines your milk supply and may result in premature weaning.

Answer 8

nononononononono!!! Don't use formula! It has more tendency to cause stomach problems than breastmilk. I would say that it IS something you've eaten, most likely, and it's just a matter of narrowing down what it is. Do you have a La Leche League near you? You need to talk to experienced breastfeeders for ideas..... Good luck. You are doing the best possible thing for your baby by breastfeeding. You go, girl. :)

Answer 9

keep breast feeding. formula is likely to make him even more gassy. my little girl had a similar problem when she was that young. and my lactation consultant said that some babies are sensitive to milk (cow's not mom's) so i stoped drinking cows milk (eat chees and take calcium suppliments instead) and she was fine within 4 or 5 days... give it a go. hope this helps

Answer 10

Hi, I've breast feed 3 of my children, and I don't think there's anyway to not ever have a baby to get gas. Sometimes they just get so excited to eat their gulping it down, and getting to much air when they swallow. Just continue watching what you eat he'll be fine. There's nothing better then what's natural. They also sell infant baby drops in drug stores for gas, it should help some. Good luck!

Answer 11

Somewhere around the two week mark your breast milk changes a bit and the baby's digestion needs to adjust...according to my sister-in-law when I visited her and her very unhappy two week old.

It'll take some patience on your part but he'll get through it, if however you continue to have problems and he is hard to soothe, check in with your pediatrician for helpful suggestions

Good luck!!