What food makes baby gassy

What You Can Do To Help Your Gassy Breastfed Baby

What are some common culprits behind your baby's gassiness? Learn the signs, foods that may cause gassiness in your baby, and how to soothe and relieve his or her symptoms.

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As a new parent, it can be stressful and upsetting to see and hear your baby cry. That’s especially true if you've checked off all the usual suspects— dirty diaper, empty belly, discomfort, or over-tiredness —and you still can’t seem to soothe your little one.

Gas is something that many newborns experience, and it can be painful for them! It isn't always the first thing that parents remember to consider, since it's not something easily visible.

Signs Your Breastfed Baby is Gassy

If you suspect excess gas could be the culprit causing your baby’s fussiness, there are several signs that may indicate you are correct:

Burping. It’s possible your baby has swallowed too much air while nursing or crying for a long period.
Spitting up. While spitting up is perfectly normal, gas that’s trapped in the stomach can push breast milk back up and cause your baby to spit up.
Bloated tummy. This could be a sign that gas has built up in your baby’s stomach.
Flatulence. Every baby toots, but if they’re doing so excessively, it could mean they have excess gas.
Arched back, legs drawn toward the tummy. The discomfort from gas pains will make a baby try to adjust to alleviate it.

Gassy Baby Causes

Gas in a breastfed baby is not uncommon and can be attributed to several factors:

Gulping while feeding. If your milk let-down reflex is strong, your baby may gulp your milk to keep up and swallow extra air in the process. If that’s the case, your little one may do better nursing in a more upright position, so he or she has better control over milk intake and flow.
Introducing a bottle. If your baby is used to the breast and you begin feeding with a bottle, it may take some getting used to at first. As a result, he or she may swallow too much air while eating.
Constipation. When your baby is constipated, they may have gas trapped in their tummies that they’re having a hard time releasing.
Crying. If your baby has been crying for a long time, they may be gulping in air in the process.
Mom’s diet. Food that you’ve eaten can make your baby gassy as well. Certain foods such as dairy, soy or wheat may contribute to gassiness in your little one. Keep a food journal of what you eat to see if you can pinpoint the culprit in your diet.

Foods That Make Breastfed Babies Gassy

Though a baby’s gas is not commonly linked to mom’s diet, there are certain gas-inducing foods that could give both a breastfeeding mom and her baby gas. These include:

Fiber. Foods like bran, beans, and whole grains.
Fruit. Citrus fruits, prunes, plums, peaches, or apricots.
Vegetables. Broccoli, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts.
Garlic. Garlic-seasoned foods like pasta dishes or garlic bread.
Dairy. Yogurt, ice cream, or milk products.
Carbonated beverages. If they make you burp, they could make your baby gassy too.

It’s not necessary to give up all your favorite foods when pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Health experts recommend only making dietary changes if you see a direct connection between something you’ve eaten and your baby's gassiness.

Additionally, if you’re still breastfeeding after your little one begins solids or finger foods, it’s easier to detect what food might be the culprit and then eliminate it.

Relieving Gassy Babies

There are several effective ways to help relieve your baby’s gas pains and soothe them. Try a combination of these to find what works best for your little one.

Burp twice. Try to coax two burps out of your baby instead of just one.
Sit upright. Hold your baby in an upright position while burping. This makes it easier to expel gas.
Tummy time. Laying your baby on their tummy will help to push gas out.
Bicycle exercises. Put your baby on his or her back and move their legs in a pedaling motion, similar to cycling on a bike. This helps with constipation as well.
Massage the tummy. A gentle massage can help move gas out.
Adjust baby’s latch. Make sure your baby is latching correctly to avoid swallowing too much air.

Don't worry, mama - Gas is typically a normal occurrence and most babies experience gassiness from time to time! With some minor adjustments, you can soothe your little one and help them get through the discomfort of gas.

Foods to Eat or Avoid When Breastfeeding

Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on June 26, 2022

It’s a good source of protein. Some, like salmon and tuna, also give you omega-3s, which your body needs. But what about mercury and other contaminants? You can have cooked seafood twice per week. Each serving can be up to 6 ounces, which is the size of two decks of cards. Choose types that are lower in mercury, such as salmon, tilapia, and trout. Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish, which have high levels of mercury.

Love hot sauce? Most babies can handle it and other fiery foods in your diet. But if your little one is gassy or colicky and gets diarrhea every time you sprinkle red pepper flakes over your pizza, cut back on the heat for a few weeks to see if that helps.

They’re full of flavor. But some herbs may affect how much milk your body makes. For instance, eating a lot of parsley could curb lactation. And too much sage and peppermint may cut your milk supply. For some nursing moms, even peppermint-flavored toothpaste and candies are a problem.

It’s rarely a problem. But see how your baby does. Tell your pediatrician if your tot gets skin problems, has trouble breathing after breastfeeding, or has other symptoms.

As refreshing as your cup of chai or Earl Grey may be, it has some downsides. It’s got caffeine, which can affect your sleep – and your baby’s. It may also make it harder for your body to absorb iron, which you need for energy. If you drink hot or iced tea, try not to sip it when you eat foods that are rich in iron, such as lean meat; dark, leafy greens; and fortified breakfast cereals.

What if you aren’t allergic, and you want to prevent your baby from developing an allergy? Sorry, but there’s no proof that you can do that by skipping specific foods. Cutting certain foods out of your diet may make the skin condition eczema less likely for your little one. Ask your doctor or pediatrician for advice.

Breastfeeding can make you thirstier than you usually are. If that’s the case, drink a glass of water every time you breastfeed. But no matter how parched you feel, don’t go for regular sodas or fruit drinks, which give you calories without nutrition.

It's best for your baby if you don't have any booze at all. But if you do choose to drink, don’t breastfeed until the alcohol has completely cleared your milk. For 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor, wait at least 3 hours. Pumping doesn’t speed that up.

Common culprits include beans, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Bloating, burping, and passing gas are normal. But if your baby is gassy or has colic, avoid these foods for a few weeks to see whether they relieve the symptoms.

Both have caffeine. You’ll also find it in energy drinks and cola. If you’re lost without your latte, limit yourself to 2-3 cups per day of the brewed kind. Or you could switch to decaf.

IMAGES PROVIDED BY:

1) Getty

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6) Getty, iStock

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SOURCES:

Mayo Clinic.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

La Leche League.

The American Academy of Pediatrics.

U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Top 7 Foods That Cause Gas and Bloating

Gas in a healthy person occurs on average 5-15 times a day. But it happens that the number of such episodes increases or the gases acquire a sharp unpleasant odor.

This causes discomfort to many people, especially if accompanied by bloating and pain.

Excessive gas formation is more often associated with nutrition.

Knowing the products that cause this effect helps to remedy the situation. When the undigested particles of some of them enter the intestines, bacteria try to break them down and, in the process, release gases. When gas accumulates, it is released.

Foods high in dietary fiber, such as vegetables and legumes, feed good gut bacteria. In turn, these microorganisms process fibers into useful substances - vitamins and butyric acid. But at the same time, as a side effect, some bacteria emit gases.

Gastrointestinal diseases and certain conditions can also cause increased gas production. Among them are lactose and gluten intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Content:

1. Legumes
2. Cruciferous
3. Milk and dairy products
4. Gluten products
5. Products with inulin
6. High protein foods
7. Artificial sweeteners

Legumes

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Beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas and other legumes contain galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and fructans, which are dietary fibers that the human body cannot break down on its own. But intestinal bacteria do an excellent job with this task and love these products very much, but in the process of splitting them, they release gases.

The intensity of gas formation is individual and depends on bacteria: in some people they emit more gases than in others. If a lot of plant fibers, including legumes, are sharply added to the diet, gas formation increases, but with the regular use of these products, this side effect is reduced. Because of this, the transition to veganism or vegetarianism is associated with increased gas production.

People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are more susceptible to gas discomfort, so some nutritionists recommend a diet low in GOS and fructans, including legumes.

If legumes are scarce in your diet, introduce them gradually. To get started, you can add some lentils or a few beans to a salad, or spread some hummus on a sandwich. So you can avoid increased gas formation.

Cruciferous

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Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower are common foods that are associated with bloating and gas . During cooking and chewing, these plants release glucosinolates, sulfur-containing organic compounds.

Research shows that many gut bacteria convert glucosinolates into sulfates and ferrous ions during the fermentation process. In the future, these substances can turn into hydrogen sulfide, due to which the gases acquire an unpleasant odor.

On the one hand, glucosinolates nourish the probiotic bacteria that naturally inhabit the human gut. These bacteria include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. On the other hand, an intestine with too many sulfate-reducing bacteria like Desulfovibrio , can increase the production of hydrogen sulfide, which causes a particularly bad smell.

With the Atlas Microbiota Test, you can find out if there are too many bacteria in your intestines Desulfovibrio responsible for the production of hydrogen sulfide.

Milk and dairy products

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If you are lactose intolerant, milk and dairy products cause increased flatulence with an unpleasant odor. Lactose is a sugar found in milk, and the enzyme lactase is responsible for its breakdown.

When the body does not produce enough lactase, dairy products can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and severe flatulence within 30 minutes to two hours of consumption.

Flatulence - bloating of the abdomen due to the accumulation of gases.

Probiotic intestinal bacteria like Lactobacillus are able to process and absorb lactose. Their high content in the microbiota may reduce the symptoms of intolerance, especially in people whose diets are high in galactooligosaccharides (GOS).

Products containing gluten

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Wheat, barley, rye and their products contain gluten. This is a protein that causes increased gas in people with celiac disease - gluten intolerance. Ingestion of gluten into the gastrointestinal tract of a person with celiac disease causes an autoimmune reaction that is accompanied by bloating and abdominal pain, as well as diarrhea.

Gluten sensitivity without celiac disease is another gluten-related condition in which the protein causes increased gas production, but without damaging the gut. Research shows that certain gut bacteria break down gluten into particles that cause an immune system response, which may be one reason for these side effects.

The only way to reduce your immune system's response to foods with gluten is to eliminate them from your diet. But despite the popularity of gluten-free diets, you should be very careful with them. The symptoms of celiac disease are similar to those of other diseases and inflammations of the gastrointestinal tract, therefore, whole food groups can be excluded from the diet only at the direction of a doctor and under his supervision.

Abruptly cutting out grains can lead to nutritional deficiencies and imbalances in the microbiota. And this can even exacerbate the problem of increased gas formation. Always check with your doctor or dietitian before making major changes to your diet.

The Atlas genetic test will help you find out if you have a predisposition to lactose and gluten intolerance.

High protein diets

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High protein diets such as keto and meat diets are dominated by beef, eggs, pork, fish and poultry. These products contain a lot of sulfur, which, as a result of fermentation by bacteria, turns into hydrogen sulfide.

Protein Supplements - Protein powders and bars may also contain ingredients that cause excessive gas and bloating. For example, many protein shakes are made with whey from milk, which can cause an unpleasant gastrointestinal reaction in people with lactose intolerance.

Protein bars and shakes also commonly contain low-calorie sweeteners: sorbitol, mannitol, lactitol, xylitol, and food additives that cause flatulence. Also, many protein bars use inulin as a source of fiber, the fermentation of which bacteria releases a lot of gases.

Products containing inulin

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Inulin, a plant fiber that is indigestible by the human body, is one of the favorite treats of good gut bacteria. But, as we wrote earlier, the joy of bacteria is often accompanied by the release of a large amount of gases.

Inulin is a prebiotic that boosts good bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. Further, intestinal bacteria convert it into butyrate, an acid that maintains the health of the intestinal mucosa.

Inulin improves the absorption of magnesium and calcium, micronutrients that support bone health, nerve and muscle function.

Studies show that it also lowers blood sugar and helps control appetite. However, during the fermentation of inulin, microorganisms also produce gases, which can cause bloating and cramps, especially if you eat too much inulin. According to studies, the daily intake of inulin for healthy people is 10 grams.

Products containing inulin:

Product (100 gr)	Inulin content (g)
Chicory root	35.7–47.6
Garlic (dried)	20.3–36.1
Jerusalem artichoke	16.0–20.0
Garlic (raw)	9.0–16.0
Asparagus	2. 0–3.0
Bow	1.1-7.5
Bananas	0.3–0.7

Remember, fiber should be taken with plenty of water to avoid constipation.

Artificial sweeteners

Photo by Glen Carrie / Unsplash

Many processed foods, especially those that are low in calories and low in carbohydrates, can cause bloating and gas if they contain polyols vegetable sweeteners:

Sugar substitute	Products containing
sorbitol	chewing gums, some sweets, desserts, ice cream, diabetic products
lactitol	baked goods, chocolate, confectionery, desserts, chewing gum
mannitol	confections, jams and jellies, puddings and powdered drink mixes, chewing gum
xylitol	chewable multivitamins, lozenges, sugar-free gum and certain pharmaceuticals (cough syrups)

Polyols are sugar alcohols that are not absorbed by the human body. Instead, they are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine, releasing gases in the process.

If you get bloated or gas from time to time, it's nothing to worry about and it's most likely related to what you've eaten.

However, you should consult a doctor if you experience the following symptoms:

frequent discharge of flatulence with a strong odor;
persistent bloating and pain in the abdomen;
recurring episodes of diarrhea or constipation;
fecal incontinence;
blood in stool;
high fever, nausea, chills, muscle and joint pain.

This article is published for educational and informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose or treat or replace professional advice.

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Veronique Coxam, Current Data with Inulin-Type Fructans and Calcium, Targeting Bone Health in Adults, 2007
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ScienceDirect Sorbitol
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Mannitol: A Sweetener? A Supplement? A Cure?, 2018
Kris Sollid, What is xylitol, 2019

Products that cause colic in newborns

The baby cannot fall asleep, at first glance it cries for no reason, behaves anxiously. All this causes anxiety among young parents, who cannot immediately guess what is the main reason for such behavior. And the answer may lie on the surface. It’s just that mom didn’t follow a diet and allowed herself foods that cause colic in babies. As a result, the baby develops intestinal spasms, pain, which means that the little one begins to cry and spin. To prevent this from happening, the mother should monitor her diet by excluding foods that cause colic in children from the menu.

Foods that can cause colic in a newborn

When composing your daily diet, avoid foods that cause colic in newborns. These include:

Whole milk. The lactose contained in the composition refers to a substance that causes colic in newborns due to gas formation. This product is poorly absorbed by the baby's body and can cause, in addition to bloating, allergic reactions. In your diet, it is better to replace milk with kefir, curdled milk, fermented baked milk.
Spicy sauces. Ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard cause intestinal irritation, which causes colic in newborns, so it is not recommended to include these products in the menu of a nursing woman.
Black bread. The enzymes that make up the composition lead to gas formation. When breastfeeding, this product is best replaced with whole grain bread.
Legumes. Lentils, corn, beans, peas are foods that cause colic in newborns. Instead, it is better to include other protein-rich foods in the diet of a nursing mother. For example, cottage cheese, soy cheese, low-fat fish.
Raw vegetables and fruits. Flatulence causes fiber, and some fruits can cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, any vegetables and fruits should be heat treated.
Sweets. Chocolate, sweets are among those products that cause colic in children. So it is better to give up your favorite delicacies. Carbonated drinks. Not only Fanta or Coca-Cola can cause colic in newborns, but also ordinary sparkling mineral water. So you should accustom yourself to drinking weak tea or herbal decoctions.

How to make a menu to save a newborn from colic

Knowing what foods cause colic in babies, any woman can make the right menu for herself. It may include:

Lean fish and meat.
Cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk.
Buckwheat, rice, wheat groats.
Baked vegetables and fruits.

It is important to consider not only what foods cause colic in newborns, but also to understand what can cause gas. In this regard, it is necessary:

There are products separately without mixing them.
Drink more clean water.
Eat in small portions.
Avoid exotic foods.

To increase the protective properties of the child's body, it is necessary to gradually introduce new foods into the diet. After all, the baby should prepare for nutrition not only with mother's milk. And at this stage it is very important to reduce the formation of colic.