Farting is the most common problem among infants. Some of the most effective home remedies to prevent farting in infants include frequent gentle oil massages, change in breastfeeding mother’s diet, oral drops, heat fermentation, tummy time for the baby, ajwain, Asafoetida, cumin and garlic.

A colicky baby can break your heart. You may spend hours trying to comfort your baby or stop him from crying without knowing the reason. Babies generally do not cry incessantly unless something is bothering them. And, one of the chief reasons behind their pain and discomfort is gas. This is because your baby’s digestive system is still immature and cannot digest certain proteins found in breast milk. It is also quite normal that babies intake a lot of air while feeding which worsens matters.

14 Natural Home Remedies for Gas Relief in Infants

Relieving your baby from gas problems is easy. While most mothers resort to gripe water and OTC oral drops, we suggest the use of simple home remedies that are highly effective in combatting gaseousness in young babies.

• Gentle Massage

Massaging your baby’s stomach can ease pain and help provide relief from gaseousness to a great extent. Applying soft pressure on the tummy and the thighs does great wonders. For the massage to make a difference, it is important that it is done 2-3 times every day.

Lay your baby on a soft surface or else on your lap before giving a massage. Use suitable baby oils as your baby’s skin is gentle and a harsh oil can lead to rashes. You can keep the diapers on while giving a massage to offer relief from bloating.

• Bicycling your baby’s legs

Try the leg pumping method to give your baby relief from gaseousness. Lay her down on a mat laid out on the floor and hold her feet gently. Pump her legs back and forth gently. Do it in a motion mimicking bicycle pedalling. This will help release some gas and give your princess a lot of relief.

• Follow this with an oil massage

Apply coconut oil on your baby’s chest. Massage down from chest to belly. Ensure the massage is relaxed and slow. Your baby may try to straighten her legs or show little tenseness. This is not abnormal. Talk to your child while you massage her and you will find her more calm and cooperative.

• Heat fermentation

Heat can help ease gastric pain and put your baby at peace. Use a soft cotton towel to give heat fermentation to your baby when you find him particularly uneasy. Dip the towel in warm water, test for warmth, and place it on your baby’s stomach. You can gently press the towel down and repeat through the day.

• Tummy Time

If the baby is old enough for tummy time, do it at least 2-3 times in the day. Your child will love tummy time and the gas in her stomach will be easily let out too!

Watch Video: 14 Home Remedies for Gaseousness and Farting in Babies

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• Mustard oil massage

The benefits of mustard oil are numerous. But a handful of people know how useful the oil can be in treating gas in babies. Use a few drops of mustard oil to massage your baby’s stomach every day. Mustard oil will help relieve gas and also strengthen bones and promote better sleep.

• Bishop seeds or Carom seeds

Several studies suggest that Bishop Seeds have gastro-protective properties and can be used if your child is suffering from gastric ulcers. (Jeet K et al, 2012). ( Read the Health Benefits of Bishop Seeds for infants) This is safe and has no side effects whatsoever. Boil a handful of Carrom seeds in a pot of water and use a teaspoon to help your child drink it at regular intervals.

• Asafoetida or Hing

Mix one tablespoon of cooking oil and add a pinch of asafoetida (also commonly known as hing) in a small bowl. Heat this on a low flame. Massage the oil on your baby’s belly button in clockwise strokes and let it stay. This is a highly effective natural remedy that works like a charm.

• Cardamom or Elaichi

This commonly used herb is packed with several minerals like potassium and magnesium. It also contains vitamin C and iron. Elaichi helps reduces the air in the stomach and speeds up digestion too. You can add some powdered elaichi in your baby’s meal for relief from pain caused by gas formation in the stomach.

• Cumin

This is a remedy that you can use to treat babies aged 6 months and above. Cumin is said to contain Thymol that triggers the pancreas to secrete digestive enzymes. This helps your child digest what he has eaten faster. Simply boil half a teaspoon of cumin seeds in some water. Drain the water and feed it your child at regular intervals.

• Ginger:

This is yet another remedy that is best suited for babies over 6 months old. Ginger improves digestion and is easy on the stomach. It also helps reduce flatulence without any side effects.

• Change your feeding patterns

How you feed the baby also plays a role in making her gaseous. When you feed her semi solid and liquid food, do not do it in a hurried manner. Rapid feeding may lead to intake of more air bubble by the infant. Instead, go slow during her feeding time and be sure to burp her after she has had her feed.

• Oral drops

Simethicone gas drops made by several brands are available in most drug stores can be used to reduce baby farting. However, you should not resort to buying OTC drugs without talking with the pediatrician. Besides, Simethicone based drugs do not have much effect on gas produced in the digestive tract.

• Aniseed

Aniseed is an ideal medicine for expelling wind from the stomach. It can also be taken, in combination with other digestives like ginger, cummin and pepper, in the form of an infusion. Gripe water for infants contains aniseed extract.

• Being calm and talking to the baby in soothing tone

Between 2 weeks to 3 months babies go through a phase where gassiness, crankiness, spit ups and colic pain increases, especially in the evenings and night. Baby tries to seek the nipple to pacify herself and in that process she some times ends up overfeeding and being more gassy. Some times she may have genuine growth spurts and parallel feeding bursts. Parent will slowly understand and be able to differentiate between hunger and crying for pacification.

Avoid giving nipple for pacification. Soothe the baby by other means. Firstly, by being calm yourself and then talking to baby in a gentle soothing tone. A warm water bath in the evening would also help. Meet pediatrician if it is still bad

If your baby is farting too much, it means she has a lot of gas in her tummy. If a gentle massage and gripe water doesn’t make things better, see your pediatrician immediately!