Reasons for infant gas review
It is natural for babies to encounter gas pains. There are various causes of gas pains in infants. Knowing the various reasons will help you determine the cure and remedy for the gas pains. When a baby cries, it is hard to determine at first glance the cause for the baby’s discomfort and irritability. Definitely, the baby is calling attention to you. You have to isolate the different possible causes for a baby’s crying, such as hunger, a diaper change or other discomforts that need your attention. Here are some reasons that could cause infant gas to develop in the baby.
A baby swallows air and builds up gas in the stomach. Air is swallowed for various reasons, such as during breast or bottle feeding and eating solid food. As they take in food and drinks, they also swallow air in the process. This is a normal occurrence and cannot be totally prevented. You can make sure that the nipples are the right size and baby’s feeding is not too fast but it’s not certain you can stop the possibility of swallowing air. You can, however, ease their potential discomfort by burping them immediately after meals. Don’t wait for them to start crying before you apply burping procedures. Other possible reasons for swallowing air is during moments of intense crying, swallowing saliva and sucking on a pacifier. Parents give pacifiers to babies as a way of keeping them quiet and providing a respite from feeding. However, the implications may be a build-up of infant gas from sucking endlessly on the pacifier.
Gas also develops from the normal digestion process. As the food is digested in the stomach, gas can develop as a by-product. Some gas passes through the lungs and is expelled by burping. Other gas may pass through the bowels and be expelled from the bottom. There is some food that may be difficult to digest. These can cause loose bowel movements and excessive gas. Gastric symptoms can occur when the baby starts taking solid food. Lactose intolerance or other types of food allergy can make digestion difficult and activate excessive gases within the body. Check on the types of food that the baby eats and observe the baby’s reaction. Fruits and food rich in starches may be difficult to digest for some babies. Food with fiber, such as beans and peas can impact the amount of gas produced in the body. However, there is other fibrous food that does not produce gas. Be selective in the fruits, vegetables and other food that you provide to the baby. Vegetables, like cabbage, carrot, broccoli, asparagus, and legumes are known to increase the amount of gas produced in the body.
Reasons for infant gas review
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Studies show babies do not have sufficient digestive enzymes to digest solid food before the age of 4 months. Doctors recommend giving solid food to babies at a later age, such as 6 months or more. Parents sometimes try giving the baby solid food as early as possible because of their enjoyment in feeding the baby all types of solid food, not realizing the impact it may have on the baby’s digestive system.
Do not be alarmed if the baby is experiencing excess gas. It is a normal occurrence and knowing the various causes for the build-up will help you take steps to prevent the gases from building up in the baby’s body. Take the effort to burp the baby regularly to eliminate the potential discomforts of gas pains. Failure to treat the excessive gases immediately will cause the baby discomfort and pain which could lead to a sleepless night for you and the baby.
If there are excessive gases all the time, take the baby for a regular checkup with the doctor. There might be some disorders that can only be discovered after a thorough checkup. It is a good practice to have the baby checked regularly so the doctor can help you monitor the child’s progress and well being.