Are you the parent of a new baby? Babies are fun, but, as we all know, they sometimes get tummy aches. This can range from a simple case of gas clear up to the dreaded colic. They say prevention is the best medicine and this situation is no exception.
It is important to pay close attention to what your baby is consuming. If the baby is breastfed, be sure to note what you have been eating. As a rule, it is best to avoid onions, garlic, dairy, and gaseous vegetables like beans and broccoli. Breastfeeding does not mean that you cannot enjoy these foods anymore, but it is best to add them into your diet one at a time and see how the baby reacts.
If your baby is formula fed and is having frequent issues with gas and colic, you may need to try a different formula. It is always best to discuss this with your baby’s pediatrician and get recommendations from them. There are many different kinds of formulas for most all occasions: soy, lactose-free, low iron, etc. If your baby is old enough for solid foods (the current recommendation is 4 to 6 months old) then be sure to introduce one food at a time. Once they have eaten that food for a few days, then it is safe to add another choice of food. Watch carefully over the following days how they react and remove any offensive new foods.
No matter whether your baby is breastfed or bottle fed, you will always want to burp them half way through and afterwards. There are a couple of good ways to burp a baby and you will just need to see which way your child responds best. There is the old standby of putting the baby up towards your shoulder with his or her abdomen facing your chest and patting gently on their back. It is important to always have a burp cloth over your shoulder when doing this as babies tend to spit up a bit when burping. Another good way of burping a baby is to sit them on your lap and put one hand on their chest with your thumb and forefinger supporting their head under their jaw. Use your other hand to rub or pat their back carefully.
Sometimes, even when we have done everything we can do to prevent them from having a bellyache, it still happens. There are three good remedies that I recommend in these instances. Every household with a baby needs to have a bottle of simethicone drops (gas drops). They are extremely safe and highly recommended by pediatricians. There are several different brands such as Little Tummys, Gas-X, Mylicon, or the store brand equivalent. They are all the same so go for the cheapest one. Follow the directions on the bottle and usually it will clear up any problem your baby might be experiencing.
If the gas drops do not work, you might want to take a more homeopathic approach to your baby’s relief. Some of the various products available are Hyland’s Colic Tablets, Wellement’s Gripe Water, or Baby’s Bliss Gripe Water. Do not be alarmed at the idea of giving your baby a tablet. The Hyland’s Colic Tablets are very small and fragile. You can simply place them on your baby’s tongue where they dissolve immediately or you can melt them in a teaspoon of water. Many mothers throughout history have used homeopathic remedies with great success.
On the same lines as herbal and homeopathic remedies, a personal, old family favorite handed down through the generations is bay leaf tea. Simply steep a couple of bay leaves in some hot, sterile water and sweeten it with a small amount of sugar, if desired. Add in a little bit of ice or cooler water to make it tepid and administer using a bottle or a spoon. This remedy is harmless and you will be amazed at how quickly your baby will be calmed and relieved by it.
If you find that none of these tips are helping soothe your baby’s tummy aches, please be sure to check with the pediatrician. I am not a doctor, but a mother of three children who has dealt with such problems in the past.
