Signs of infant bloating often come from physiological causes that often the mother does not need to do anything. But in some cases, this can also be a sign that the baby is having a medical disorder and needs to be examined and treated appropriately.
Signs of infant bloating
Distention and bloating are manifestations of the accumulation of air in the digestive tract, due to the child swallowing a lot of air when sucking or swallowing. Because the stomach in newborns has a very small volume and is horizontal, the stagnant air can easily increase pressure in the stomach and intestines, causing the baby to vomit, feed quickly but also quickly feel hungry, uncomfortable for the child.
The signs that a baby has a bloated stomach that you can easily notice are:
- Easy regurgitation, belching, heartburn after eating
- Stomach-ache
- Crying, irritable after eating
- May be lazy to suckle and anorexic
- The abdomen is full and round after eating 1-2 hours
- Tapping on the belly will make a resonant sound like a drum beat
- Constipation or loose stools
- Obstipation as unusual
Is it okay for babies to have gas and bloating?
Colic in babies is usually harmless but can sometimes be indicative of a medical condition. If the child is bloated but still gaining weight, has normal bowel movements, then the bloating may not affect health at this time. You can just wait, because the baby’s immature digestive system also needs time to mature. Causes of bloating in children often come from eating and living reasons that we can overcome such as:
- Baby swallows a lot of air while feeding
- Baby sucking/eating too fast
- Crying too much
- The food is new, unfamiliar to the baby’s immature digestive tract and takes time to get used to
- Food is not hygienic
- Babies eat solids too early
Besides, the condition of the baby with bloating and gas can also be encountered in the baby:
- Constipation, stagnant stools, bacteria will produce gas in the colon and make children gassy
- Diarrhea
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Lactose intolerance
How to deal with flatulence in babies
When a newborn baby is bloated, but he still plays, sucks well, and gains weight evenly, mom should:
- Pay attention to feeding/eating properly. Always keep the baby’s head higher than the stomach when eating or feeding. Accordingly, milk will flow down to the stomach and excess gas will stay on top, easier to burp. If your baby is bottle-fed, pay attention to raise the bottle so that the milk level is always flooded with the nipple hole
- Burp your baby after each feed. You can hold your baby with her head resting on your shoulder, sit her on your lap or lie on her stomach on your lap, then cup your hands, gently rub your baby’s back in a circular motion along the spine from the bottom up to the neck to slowly push. air from the abdomen out
- Baby belly massage: mother gently use her fingers to rotate clockwise from the navel to the outside of the baby’s abdomen
- Let your baby practice cycling exercises: put your baby on his back and hold his legs tightly, move his legs in a circle like riding a bicycle in the air. This movement is also good for digestion and helps the baby to enjoy and be happy
However, if your child experiences any of the following signs, take him to the doctor right away:
- No weight gain
- Stop sucking, don’t want to eat
- Children showing signs of constipation
- Children with allergies: hives, vomiting, rash, swelling of the face, difficulty breathing
- Children with fever
- Bloody stools
- The child is irritable, irritable, fussy, has trouble sleeping