6 Home Remedies For Gas Troubles In Babies
Created by Swati Nitin Gupta Updated on Jan 25, 2019
I remember the time when my nephew was 8 months old, he used to be uneasy during the day, sometimes in the evening and then for that matter even in the night with his incessant crying. When I look at him today, He’s a happy child, so why did he cry so much as a baby at those odd times? Was this colic? I saw my sister-in-law struggling at every step as her child grew. My nephew took the gas troubles to a completely different level. So there we were, looking for all sorts of remedies to ease my baby nephew’s discomfort. We did get lucky with a few good ones. I am sharing the 5 effective and easy remedies from all my findings and my nephew’s satisfaction to help you tackle with gas troubles for your baby.
1. Burp Burp: Hold the baby against your shoulder and gently rub her back in soothing motions starting from top of the back to the bottom.Once the baby has burped she will feel comfortable. Burping should be done post every feed. While feeding your baby, burp your baby when shifting her from one breast to another. Your doctor will also tell you to burp the baby after every feed.
2. Heeng (Asafoetida): We found this home remedy to be effective. You can mix a pinch of asafoetida (heeng, hing) in two tablespoons of warm water and apply on your baby’s navel in an anti-clockwise motion. Please make sure that the water temperature is lukewarm, and not hot for the baby. Asafoetida is renowned for its gas relieving properties and once applied to the baby’s navel, it releases the trapped gas.
3. Tummy time: Tummy time is effective to release the trapped gas. Once the baby lies flat on her stomach, it puts pressure on the stubborn gas bubbles thus forcing them to break down and pass through flatulence. On another note, tummy time is also effective in developing your baby’s motor muscles. More on building your baby’s motor skills in an upcoming blog.
4. Let’s go cycling: Yes, you got it right. You can help your baby cycle while she lies comfortably on her back. You could also do this when you massage your baby. It is an easy and effective way to relieve the baby of trapped gas. The tucking of knees into stomach puts a pressure on the stomach lining thus forcing the trapped gas to break down and pass through and relieves the baby. You already know this – Be gentle.
5. Tummy massage: When you give that oil massage to your baby, you could also massage her stomach in an anti-clockwise motion. Apply gentle pressure with the back of your fingers. I remember how I just loved finger writing the alphabets I, L and U on my baby’s tummy. This technique puts a pressure on the trapped gas resulting in its breakdown& relieving the baby.
6. Ajwain water: Adding the 6th point, as suggested by Harpreet (see in the comments section below) -- one of the proparents, we can boil a pinch of ajwain and a little pinch of salt in 10 spoons of water. Boil it to the point where only 5-6 spoons of water is left. Let it cool down till it becomes lukewarm. You may give this water to your baby to relieve her of colic.
I found these 6 remedies to be handy while I helped my nephew be relieved from his gas troubles. I learnt some of these from my sister-in-law while she raised her baby to a toddler. However, in case you observe that none of these remedies are helpful, then it’s time to consult your paediatrician. Have you got some more handy hacks you found effective while dealing with your baby’s gas troubles? Please do share them here in the comments section and let’s add to this list.
This content has been checked & validated by Doctors and Experts of the parentune Expert panel. Our panel consists of Neonatologist, Gynecologist, Peadiatrician, Nutritionist, Child Counselor, Education & Learning Expert, Physiotherapist, Learning disability Expert and Developmental Pead.
| Sep 16, 2016
Hello swati. written very well. I want to add on to it. If these things are not working we can give our babies colic aid drops also which I think we have to kept with us always. also we can boil a pinch of ajwain and a little pinch of salt in 10 spoons of water and concentrate it till 5-6 spoons of liquid left behind. and cool down it to lukewarm and give it to baby to relieve him from colic aid. My son likes this mixture so much that he sipped it very happily wenever needed. But the best way is to take care of your and your baby's diet so that we can prevent him from colic and add the things to your and his diet slowly which can cause colic. It will then be easy for baby to adapt for such changes in food.
| Sep 17, 2016
Thank you everyone! @Harpreet thank you for sharing the 6th point here. @Nitin Thank you Nitin, and I do agree with you on Harpreet's point becoming the 6th one in the list. Thank you all for reading and commenting. I am glad that you all liked the blog and could relate to it as well.
| Sep 17, 2016
@Aysha, hi Aysha, heeng remedy works quite well on toddlers, children and even adults. As for home remedies for gas troubles in toddlers -- you just gave me a topic to write on. Now next you watch out for relieving gas troubles in toddlers. And if you know any remedy then please do share with me in the comments section.
| Sep 21, 2016
hi, a small modification of harpeet receipe can be done. a few ajwain seeds can be fried without any oil till you hear spluttering sound, then add water and a small piece of candy sugar (lekin naveli) like the size of kidney beans and boil it. filter the solution using a strainer. let it cool down a bit and give it to kid at luke warm temperature. kids who prefer sweet,will find it tasty and gulp it. this will relieve them from stomach pain,gastric issues...
| Dec 14, 2016
giving ajwain and suva water to baby with this if baby is doing BF then mother can have ajwain seeds at night before sleep with water. or sock ajwain in water at night in the morning boil that water and drink it. whatever you eat baby will not face gas trouble.
| Apr 02, 2017
we can try heat therapy also ... roast some ajwain seeds on tava nd than use a cloth to give heat on babies stomach nd back ,one can also use Luke warm water for doing heat on babies stomach nd back... definitely baby will feel better as my 1. 5 month old baby loves lukewarm water therapy whenever he is disturbed with gas trouble... this technique also helps in bowel movement in babies feeling uneasy because of potty problem....
| Apr 18, 2017
hi. my baby girl is one month old. i always try to make her burp after feeding but it does not always happen and she swallows a lot of wind/air. my husband and i have tried massaging and rubbing and patting but it is not helping. how can i try and stop her from swallowing wind?
| Jul 10, 2017
my baby is 7 week old can i giver her ajwain water?