I thought this was supposed to only be a problem in the first few months! Well, all of a sudden, my baby's started having a lot of gas. I am guessing it is the culprit behind his new night wakings (he had been sleeping through the night for about a month) because after I put him back down in the middle of the night, I will hear him pass gas. He breastfeeds full-time, but at 6 mos I started him on rice cereal mixed with a teeny amount of formula and water (he hated it when it was only formula). Then a couple weeks later, we added carrots, which he loves. He had been on carrots for a week+ when this started. So this week I've switched to squash. We've done that for 2 nights but the gas continues. Any ideas here? All I want is him not to be uncomfortable and us both to sleep thru the night again!
This is not abnormal when you begin introducing new foods. Are you giving him veggies at night? I would save the cereal for night time and the veggies for lunch. Too many yellow veggies will also make him have a yellow tint to his skin. Not too many of those a week. Could be the rice cereal. None of my children used rice cereal, only oatmeal, and they did great.
Good Luck
S. Miller
I'm almost in the same boat as you! I also have a 7 month old breastfed daughter who we started solids on at 6 months. She recently started waking up again in the middle of the night but I think hers is due teething! I also use formula to make her cereal and it doesn't bother her now but when she was younger I supplamented at first due to her jaundice and I noticed the formula made her gassy. Could it be the formula? Also, I know that rice cereal really constipated my daughter so we switched to oatmeal and she loves it an no more consitpation problems. Or it could just be the foods too. I think you are doing the right thing by switching it up. Good luck and hopefully you'll get that sleep you need soon!
S., the answer is simple----Go back to the breast ONLY! The baby has a sensitive digestive system right now. All he needs to strengthen him is your milk! He's obviously eating much too quickly and the changing from one food to the other on worsens the situation. It's too much too fast. He only needs your milk, and maybe a bit of plain rice cereal before bed made with your milk---not formula!
I feel for you! I too am a mom to a seven month old. She started waking during the night just before we started solids. I noticed when I was up with her at night after she started solids, that she had a lot of gas. But, we've been doing solids for a few weeks now and it seems like she's not gassy anymore. Now, I think she's just in the habit of waking up for mommy so we're working on that. A friend of mine suggested not giving any solids in the evening - that might cut down on the nighttime gas. I hope you both are sleeping through the night again soon!
My son was also gassy when we started rice cereal and my dr. told me that I could try the baby oatmeal cereal instead. It worked for my son. Also, keep in mind that when they are first eating solids, they may still need to be burped after a meal. I usually solid feed then breastfeed on one side and burp him. Hope this helps.
Between 4 and 7 months old is when babies develop the proper enzymes and ability to digest solid foods. Each baby is different, and on their own time frame. You want to begin with foods that are not likely to cause allergies, such as mashed bananas or try rice cereal mixed with your milk. Rice is the most intestinal-friendly grain because it is gluten-free and low in protein. Nutritionally, rice is more like a fruit than a grain. Mix the cereal to a soupy consistency and lessen the amount of milk or formula as baby gets better at eating.
You also should only add one food per week to see the effect on baby's digestion, then you can weed out the ones that cause problems. Pears, applesauce (unsweetened), and mashed sweet potatoes are also good early foods.
T. Theriot, D.C.
New Iberia, LA
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www.drtina.gomangosteen.com
S.,
Since you breastfeed full time, maybe it's something you are eating? I never had gas problems while my kids breastfeed, but when they where put on soy formula, due to milk allergy, it was horrid! You can also try the gas drops, they work wonders. Don't really have any ideas for you, since the formula and cereal where being given to him a bit before the gas started. But wanted to say hang in there, once you find the culpret everything will be good.
P.
Orange vegetables, like carrots, cause constipation, so that may be the culprit behind the gas. I did the same with my son, then wished I had started with a green vegetable instead. I would try green beans soon! That may help. If it doesn't, rice allergies are rare, but do happen. They can cause intestinal problems, like gas or diarrhea, or exczema rashes too. Good luck.
I would say this problem is from the solids. My son did the same thing and it's basically because his body is trying to get use to the foods. If you think in us adults, some foods make us have gas too. My son was the same way but with much crying at night from the severe discomfort. I cut back on the solids so he would feel better. I think babies stomach's are sensitive and when we add all these new things, it takes a while. I would give him carrots, but only a fourth for a week. Then the next week, a half. For my son it took a little longer on all the solids just because of the sensitive stomach. He'll be fine. Don't know if this would help either but there is over the counter (safe) meds to help with that too.
If I remember correctly squash made my babies very gassy too.
My daughter had trouble with brocolli, and anything with garlic (spagetti, pizza), she was on table food at 6 mos, she only tolerated baby food for about a month. Anyway since I knew what would make her gassy I gave her gas drops after the meal and she was fine. I've spoken to a nurse regarding the gas drops and they go right through the baby's system to get rid of air bubbles. You can get store brand at WM and they work just as well as Mylicon for a fraction of the price. This always helped her to sleep better. Hope this is some help for you!
Probably so...I have a 11 month old son who has the same problem with LOTS of foods. We give him gas drops before he eats and every night before bed and keep them in the nightstand for those wake ups!! He too was sleeping all night then solids but usually if he wakes up he'll move around pass some gas and out again....Good Luck
Maybe some yogurt would help. It sounds like his digestion could use some help.
The solids or the formula are most likely causing the gas. Try eliminating the formula first and using plain water or breastmilk to mix the cereal. Also the gas drops work great.
One question, what time do you feed him? If you feed him around dinner, this will make the gas worse at night. Try feeding him around breakfast and or lunch instead. It will give him more time to digest the food before going to bed. Mine were only eating once or twice a day at that age because I too was still breastfeeding. And remember, solids are only a supplement to breastmilk at this age, so they don't need that much.
could be the formula, it can cause changes to his body chemistry, especially to the good bacteria that are in his intestines. try cutting out the formula and mix his cereal with your milk instead. also, you could try rubbing his tummy and bicycling his legs after his bath, and before bedtime to get some extra gas out.
Try mixing some yogert with his cereal, it has good bacteria that his little tummy needs.
The solids are causing him gas, do to his system learning how to digest it. The yogert will help.
You can also give him some mylicon drops at bed time to help alliviate some of the gas till his system is fully adjusted to eating solids.
It is the squash. That is a gassy food.
Since you are breastfeeding, you can take digestive enzymes and pass them on to your baby in your breastmilk. Stay far away from formula and you might eliminate the dairy too. It is very hard for a baby to digest and they get intact dairy protein molecules in your milk.
Probiotics for you would be a good idea although at his age you could sprinkle the powder on his cereal or carrots.
Otherwise it sounds like you are ding everything correctly.
What kind of formula are you using? He could be having a problem digesting it if he is a totally breastfeed baby. My babies were all breastfeed and they would not eat cereal with formula, I had to use juice mixed with water, or pump out enough breast milk to mix.
Congratulations on your precious child. I found mylicon drops to be the best. I would give my daughter a few drops before I fed her and it solved a lot of these gassy issues. The WalMart brand works just as good as the more expensive ones. What do you teach? I teach all of the high school sciences at our tiny rural school and I also get to teach one middle school section. I stayed home with my daughter that first year, too. Take care. T. in Louisana
