Ways to Help LO pass the gas

res932 · February 2012

I am so frustrated with this straining and carrying on at night. I wouldn't even mind if he woke up twice during the night to feed if the rest of the night I could get some peaceful sleep. Right now DS sleeps in a RNP. After the middle of the night feeding he always seems to start with the straining and grunting. This will continue until he wakes up the morning. I have thought of putting him in his crib so that he can lay flat on his back (with the matress slightly elevated because of his reflux) and that may make the poop or gas come out easier. I have also thought of changing him from wearing a SwaddleMe wrap that keeps his legs together to one of the cotton Halo Sleep Sacks so that he can move his legs around and hopefully pass the gas. Does anyone else have any opinions?

Jolaine83 · February 2012

Being in the crib could help. My DS was very gassy as a baby too and he often would lift his legs in the air (at a 90 degree angle from his body) to pass gas while he was sleeping. He would do it enough that he often would bounce himself down the incline of this mattress (he was also on an inclined mattress) and we'd find him at the bottom at the next feeding. Your DS probably can't use this method in a RnP, right?

Otherwise, have you used gas drops? We also bicycled DS's legs with him laying on our laps. I also started him playing what we called "down and up" - this is basically when he would have his legs held stiff because of the gas pain, so I'd "stand" him up on my lap supporting him and gently push him down into a squatting position. I'd then let him stiffen his legs and push himself back into a standing position as I supported his weight. As I moved him up and down, I'd say "down and up" with each movement in a sing-songy voice to keep him happy. This worked the best for us with him, and we actually credit it for him gaining a lot of leg strength early on. He was pushing himself into a standing position in our laps prior to rolling over both ways.

res932 · February 2012

Jolaine83:
Being in the crib could help. My DS was very gassy as a baby too and he often would lift his legs in the air (at a 90 degree angle from his body) to pass gas while he was sleeping. He would do it enough that he often would bounce himself down the incline of this mattress (he was also on an inclined mattress) and we'd find him at the bottom at the next feeding. Your DS probably can't use this method in a RnP, right?

DS has done this before when he was in the PNP before we put him in the RNP. My fear is that he is swaddled and if he rolls to the bottom he will end up face down or against the bars of the crib (our crib has the attached changing table on the side so even if he got his face against the bars the changing table is there so there isnt air) that he won't be able to breathe and because his hands are swaddled he wouldn't be able to move himself. Because of his reflux though he needs to be elevated. In the RNP he sort of sits in a V shape and I don't think he can flex his legs much so the gas is trapped in his tummy. I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to put him at risk just to stop the noise, but the noise is getting ridiculous (despite having him in another room with the monitor turned as low as it will go).

JenD1018 · February 2012

We alternate bicycling his legs and folding them up at 90 degrees.

jat11 · February 2012

do u use gas drops, they really helped us. we do the bicycle a lot too..he really likes it and i think of it as a preventative measure

my LO was really gassy for the 1st 8 weeks and then all of a sudden it got better. i didnt really change anything.

Jolaine83 · February 2012

res932:
Jolaine83:
Being in the crib could help. My DS was very gassy as a baby too and he often would lift his legs in the air (at a 90 degree angle from his body) to pass gas while he was sleeping. He would do it enough that he often would bounce himself down the incline of this mattress (he was also on an inclined mattress) and we'd find him at the bottom at the next feeding. Your DS probably can't use this method in a RnP, right?
DS has done this before when he was in the PNP before we put him in the RNP. My fear is that he is swaddled and if he rolls to the bottom he will end up face down or against the bars of the crib (our crib has the attached changing table on the side so even if he got his face against the bars the changing table is there so there isnt air) that he won't be able to breathe and because his hands are swaddled he wouldn't be able to move himself. Because of his reflux though he needs to be elevated. In the RNP he sort of sits in a V shape and I don't think he can flex his legs much so the gas is trapped in his tummy. I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to put him at risk just to stop the noise, but the noise is getting ridiculous (despite having him in another room with the monitor turned as low as it will go).

FWIW, DS was swaddled when he did this. Since he only scooted a little at a time, he never rolled at all. Even when he did learn to roll over (this was after he was no longer swaddled) he would get stuck on his belly and wake us up with his screaming. It's understandable to be concerned, but it's my experience that once they have the ability to move, they are alert enough to wake up and let you know if/when they get into a position they don't like.

Just food for thought. It's understandable to hesitate though.

alyss0nl · February 2012

I'll lay LO across my knees so that pressure is put on his stomach, and rub or pat his back. Usually works.

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