Newborns have tender digestive systems that are prone to serious bouts of the g-word ...gas. Gas is extremely common in babies. You can tell if your baby has gas if they start twisting, get agitated, and pull their legs up to their bellies.

 

How do babies get gas? Often times they just swallow a little too much air during a feed. If you are nursing, babies can gulp air while trying to latch on to the breast. If you are bottle-feeding, a nipple that is the wrong size can cause your baby to swallow air.

 

Sometimes the food babies eat is the culprit. Although it isn't common, foods that cause gas in adults, like beans, bran, broccoli, cauliflower, and caffeine, can do the same to your baby through breast milk. Sometimes an allergy to dairy, wheat, eggs, or peanuts can play a part in bringing on the bubbles. If you think one of these foods might be the culprit, eliminate it from your diet for a week and see how your baby reacts.

 

An overabundance of breast milk can also cause gas. Your baby might be consuming too much sugary foremilk and not enough fattening, easy to digest hind milk, putting too much lactose in their system and causing gas. If you suspect this might be the issue, talk to a lactation consultant for advice.

 

Anti-Gas Tips

 

·      Burp your baby every three to five minutes during feedings.

 

 

 

Yogurt

 

Yogurt is one of the best baby-friendly foods to calm a gassy tummy, containing a wealth of beneficial bacteria to promote intestinal health. It also has a lot less lactose than milk, and thus is often tolerated even by babies who can't usually drink milk.

 

Once your baby is between six and nine months old, yogurt makes for a great source of calcium, protein, phosphorous, potassium and many other vitamins and minerals. Whip up some tasty yogurt based treats by simply pureeing these fruits with your Cuisinart PowerPrep Plus 14-Cup Food Processor, and blending peaches, pears, applesauce, or blueberries with your favorite yogurt brand.