My son is really gassy. I'm starting to think maybe it is something I am eating. I know with my daughter she was really gassy at first but it never seemed to bother her. With him, you can tell the gas bothers him. How would I go about figuring out if its just him or if it is something I am eating? What would I need to do as far as diet? He is 3 weeks old by the way.
October 5, 2012 at 11:16 PMIt could be something you are eating, but there are other more common causes.
First is normal newborn gassiness/fussiness. This peaks between 3-6 weeks. Part of the normal process of the digestive system maturing.
Next to consider is an oversupply of milk. Baby gets too much too fast, or gets too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk because they can't drain the breast which can cause gas/fussiness. This often peaks at about 3 weeks old as your body is "learning" how much milk to make.
If baby s not able to drain the breast, so that it is noticeably softer, at a feeding, then keep baby on one breast per feeding. If it still seems like you have too much milk after about a week of that (or if you are already doing that) then try two feedings on one breast, then two feedings on the other breast.
October 5, 2012 at 11:17 PMAm I making too much milk?
Sometimes a mother can make more milk than her baby needs. While having too much milk may seem like a good problem to have, the rush of milk from an overfull breast can make feedings stressful and uncomfortable for both mother and baby. Babies can also be very fussy in between feedings when there is too much milk.
Most babies whose mothers have too much milk gain weight much faster than normal and have many more wet and soiled diapers than normal each day. (See How can I tell if my baby is getting enough milk? for information on normal weight gain and diaper output.) Higher than normal weight gain is absolutely fine for an exclusively breastfed baby as long as he is generally happy and feeding easily. It is only a problem when either the baby or his mother experiences difficulties as a result of having too much milk.
Some babies whose mothers have too much milk actually do not get enough milk because they have trouble handling the strong flow and can't breastfeed easily. These babies need supplementary feedings (preferably with their mothers' expressed milk) until their mothers' milk supply can be adjusted to better meet their needs.
When a mother has more milk than her baby can handle, the following behaviors may be common:
Baby cries a lot, and is often very irritable and/or restless
Baby may sometimes gulp, choke, sputter, or cough during feedings at breast
Baby may seem to bite or clamp down on the nipple while feeding
Milk sprays when baby comes off, especially at the beginning of a feeding
Mother may have sore nipples
Baby may arch and hold himself very stiffly, sometimes screaming
Feedings often seem like battles, with baby nursing fitfully on and off
Feedings may be short, lasting only 5 or 10 minutes total
Baby may seem to have a "love-hate" relationship with the breast
Baby may burp or pass gas frequently between feedings, tending to spit up a lot
Baby may have green, watery or foamy, explosive stools
Mother's breasts feel very full most of the time
Mother may have frequent plugged ducts, which can sometimes lead to mastitis (breast infection)
If many of these experiences seem familiar to you, it may be because you have an overabundant supply of milk, which can cause a forceful milk ejection (sometimes referred to as overactive let-down), and/or foremilk-hindmilk imbalance. The infant behaviors described above are caused by these issues but may frequently be misdiagnosed as colic, lactose intolerance, milk protein allergy, reflux, or hypertonicity (stiff muscle tone).
by MommyofSosoOctober 6, 2012 at 2:39 PMThis actually pretty much describes my son's behavior. I will try the 2 feedings on one side and than switch and see how that goes. Hopefully it regulates itself pretty soon. Thanks for the help.