Help your babe break loose and break wind with these tips!
I never imagined how happy I would be for someone ELSE to toot!
It’s painful for them and difficult for you as the person trying to offer comfort. Especially after you’ve tried everything you can think of but nothing seems to be working. What else can you do to help your baby?
In our house, my husband is the gas-guru. The man looks at our children and their trumpets blow. Unfortunately, I have to get a little more creative.
With that, I’m going to give you nine tried and true methods I’ve used when my littles need assistance getting the farts flying.
- Over the Shoulder
We all know this move either from movies, watching other moms furiously patting their babes backs, or those handy prenatal classes. Sometimes it works and sometimes… not so much.
Personally, I’ve found it depends heavily on three things:
- How hard I’m patting
- The way my baby is positioned
- How quickly I get my baby on my shoulder after eating
Make a flat palm or cup your hand and pat from their bottom up to their shoulders to help break up any bubbles. You should also be patting a little harder than may feel natural. Sometimes bobbing up and down or swaying while holding them can help as well.
Second, I’ve found this method works best if my kiddo is on a spot that applies light pressure to their stomach; such as a bit higher on the shoulder (as long as you can keep a good hold of them) or lower with their belly on your chest.
Last and most importantly is doing this as SOON as your baby is finished eating. If they’re finished, they’re up on your shoulder. It seems to be a bit harder (at least for me) to help them burp if they sit for a minute after eating. No time to digest here; we need some sweet, belching tunes!
- Over the Legs
This method is similar to burping over your shoulder, but with a slight variation- your cutie will be on your thighs.
Sit so your feet can touch the floor. Lay your baby stomach-down across your thighs, with their head turned and resting on one leg.
Please take care that you lay their head somewhere it won’t be wobbling around, especially for newborns.
With one hand keeping your little one secure, use the other to pat just like you would if they were up on your shoulder. Imagine a bongo drum. Maybe sing a song to the rhythm. A-weem-a-way, a-weem-a-way…
Whatever helps you stay sane works here and will be more fun (and distracting!) for your child as well.
- Sitting/Standing Up Straight
A newer-to-me method I’ve found helpful during the newborn stages is sitting my baby straight up. Don’t ask me how this works, it’s magic as far as I’m concerned.
Sitting-
Support your little one in a seated position. Using one hand on their lower back and one hand around their chest, help them sit up as straight as you can without leaning them backwards. Be careful not to pull on their spine or grip around their chest tightly- your hands are just there to support them in this position. Nine times out of ten, simply sitting this way is enough to help them burp and get rid of any excess gas.
Standing-
Support your baby in a standing position. Their body will naturally be more straight and this can help them pass gas in a similar way. Magic I tell you.
- Tickling
Here’s one I hadn’t heard of or read before but worked for my youngest- yes, tickling!
Lay your baby flat on their back. Play with and tickle them. This is a good time to look for those spots that get them giggling! Make silly noises to get their attention off of their upset tummy for a moment. Smile and have fun! Tickling causes your baby’s body to tense up, and sometimes that tension can bring on a glorious fart. Fun and relieving for both of you!
- Play
In the same vein as above, you can also try laying your baby on their back (if they are amenable to it) and playing. I’ve found that if I make silly noises or mimic a baby cry sometimes my own child will calm down for a moment and watch me. Albeit, they’re probably thinking, “What is this goofy woman doing?”, but hey, whatever works! Sing, laugh, tickle, kiss, munch on those cute little toes- whatever you can do to distract them long enough for the tension to release and let out some hot air. That’ll get you both laughing!
- Run and Jump
Here’s another fun one to help your baby out:
With your little one on their back, hold both legs- one in each hand. I like to loosely grip right behind their knees or thighs.
You’ve probably heard of bicycles for helping pass gas- this is a variation of that method. Use your hands to make your baby “run” while laying down. Pump their legs, one side after the other.
Say, “Run, baby, run!” or “Go, baby, go!” to get their attention. Next, straighten out their legs and have them “jump”. To do this, push your babe’s knees up toward their belly and hold there for a moment. You can cycle between “running” and “jumping” to help them hopefully find some relief. Sometimes I like to make sound effects as well. Think Mario or Pac-Man. Boiiing!
Again, whatever helps us stay sane.
- Warm Bath/Shower
There are different ways to do this one. Personally, I like to run a warm shower and sit down with my baby in it. You could try breastfeeding or bringing a bottle with you to help soothe and relax your little one. Have a support person close by to help get your babe out of the shower if you can. Think SAFETY as your number one when choosing this variation.
If you do sit with your baby on your lap then I cannot stress this next point enough- PUT A SMALL TOWEL UNDER THEIR BUM.
In our home, when we’ve used this method my youngest has almost ALWAYS pooped. Love can allow for many things, but being covered in poo doesn’t have to be one of them.
The most common technique is placing your baby in a bath chair in warm water. Stay with them and use a cup to pour water from the bath onto their belly. This may not be the best method if your little one doesn’t like baths yet, and that’s okay! You’ll find what works for you.
- Tummy Circles
A trick that worked well with my daughter was applying a little pressure and rubbing circles counter-clock and then clockwise directions. We actually got this tip from her pediatrician at the time.
This helps their bellies break up any bubbles and get things moving. Counter-clockwise breaks up gas and clockwise moves things along.
- Slow jumps
Emphasis on slow, or this technique can result in spitting up. Hold your little under their armpits facing you, either on the couch or a chair, and start with their feet touching your legs.
Then, raise them up and back down slowly, as if they are jumping straight upward. If their knees bend, that’s good too! Couple this with some silly noises, smiles, things to make it fun. Anything to get those juices flowing.
And that’s it! Nine different methods I’ve used to help my littles pass gas. I hope at least one of these will help your baby too! If not, remember it will eventually pass on its own and you are not a bad parent for not always immediately knowing how to help. Sometimes those bubbles have a mind of their own it seems like. Keep at it and soon you will be a baby-burping, flatulence-frightening machine!
Let me know in the comments if any of these tips worked for you, or if you have any tricks that weren’t on this list. I’d love to learn from you as well!
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Good luck out there, Momma. You’ve got this!
