Q. My baby has a lot of gas. What's going on? Since I am breastfeeding, should I watch what I eat?
Many newborns and younger infants have gas. Unfortunately, that gas typically doesn't go away in your baby's second month. In fact, the normal gas that many babies have often doesn't go away until they are two or three months old.Is gas causing your baby any problems?
It is hard to say, but keep in mind that gas is usually considered to be normal. Many babies have gas regularly throughout the day and night.
There are many other baby "problems" that also occur at this time, and many parents may the jump to put the two together. For example, you may think that if your baby has gas and is waking up several times a night, then it has to be the gas that is keeping your baby from sleeping better. The truth is, many seven-week-olds wake up regardless of whether or not they have gas.
This just goes to show that your baby's gas doesn't automatically have to be blamed for her crying or sleeping patterns. All can be normal for a two or three month old baby.
Breastfeeding and Gas
A breastfeeding mom's diet is often thought to be the cause of a baby's gas. While there may be specific foods that cause a baby to be gassy, remember that most babies have gas. Unless the gas is causing pain, a breastfeeding mom usually doesn't have to go to a lot of trouble restricting what she is eating.Foods that are often labeled as "gassy foods" include:
- cow's milk and diary products
- broccoli
- brussel sprouts
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- cucumbers
- garlic
- onions
- peppers
