Why Is My Baby So Gassy? Causes, Comfort Measures and When To Worry
After caring for newborns for more than 15 years, one of the most common concerns parents bring to me is gas.
Many babies grunt, squirm, pull their legs up, go red in the face, and seem uncomfortable, particularly during the first few months of life.
Parents often worry that something is wrong.
The good news is that in the vast majority of healthy newborns, gas is a normal consequence of an immature digestive system adapting to life outside the womb.
Understanding what is normal, what may help, and when to seek advice can make this stage feel much less overwhelming.
Why Are Newborns So Gassy?
Newborn digestion is surprisingly complicated.
Babies are learning to coordinate:
Sucking
Swallowing
Breathing
Digesting milk
Passing stools
Passing wind
all at the same time.
Their digestive systems are still maturing and becoming more efficient.
This means that gas is a normal part of early life for many babies.
Newborns Are Still Learning How To Push
One thing many parents find surprising is that newborn babies do not automatically know how to coordinate the muscles needed to pass wind or stools.
To pass gas or have a bowel movement, we need to do two things at the same time:
Increase pressure in the tummy by pushing
Relax the muscles around the bottom
Adults do this without thinking.
Newborns are still learning.
In the early weeks, many babies do the exact opposite.
They push hard with their tummy muscles while tightening the muscles around their bottom.
The result is a baby who:
Grunts
Strains
Goes red in the face
Pulls their legs up
Appears uncomfortable
all while trying to pass wind or a poo.
Parents often assume their baby is constipated.
In reality, many newborns are simply learning how their bodies work.
One of the most reassuring things I tell parents is that a baby can spend ten minutes grunting and pushing, only to produce a perfectly soft stool.
That is often a sign of immature coordination rather than constipation.
Why Are Baby Farts So Loud?
One of the great surprises of parenthood is discovering just how much noise can come out of such a tiny person.
Many parents are shocked by the volume of their baby’s farts.
The good news is that loud gas is not usually a sign that something is wrong.
Babies have small bodies, immature digestive systems, and very little concern for social etiquette.
As they learn to coordinate their abdominal muscles and pelvic floor, passing wind can sometimes be a surprisingly dramatic event.
Some babies grunt, strain, go bright red, and then produce a fart that would be impressive coming from a fully grown adult.
It can be startling, but it is usually completely normal.
What Does Gas Look Like?
A gassy baby may:
Pull their legs towards their tummy
Arch their back
Squirm during or after feeds
Grunt frequently
Become unsettled when laid down
Pass large amounts of wind
Cry during periods of discomfort
Gas can be uncomfortable, but it is not usually dangerous.
Why Babies Swallow Air
Babies naturally swallow some air while feeding.
Additional air can be swallowed if:
A breastfed baby has a shallow latch
Mum has a very fast let-down
A bottle teat flows too quickly
A baby feeds when extremely hungry
Bottles are shaken vigorously and fed immediately
Reducing excess swallowed air can sometimes improve symptoms.
Breastfeeding And Gas
Breastfeeding itself does not cause gas.
However, some breastfed babies may swallow more air if they have difficulty maintaining a deep latch.
A very strong milk let-down can also cause some babies to gulp quickly and swallow additional air.
If feeding is painful or your baby seems to struggle at the breast, seeking breastfeeding support can be extremely helpful.
Bottle Feeding And Gas
For bottle-fed babies, it can be worth reviewing:
Teat flow speed
Feeding position
Feeding pace
Bottle preparation
A teat that flows too quickly may encourage babies to gulp and swallow more air.
Whenever possible, I encourage parents to use the slowest teat flow that still allows comfortable feeding.
Don’t Shake And Feed Immediately
This is a simple tip that can sometimes make a difference.
Vigorous shaking creates bubbles within the milk.
If possible, allow the bottle to settle briefly before feeding.
Small adjustments like this can sometimes reduce the amount of air a baby swallows.
Burping Helps, But Don’t Obsess
Burping can be helpful, but many parents feel enormous pressure to produce a burp after every feed.
Some babies burp easily.
Others rarely do.
A baby who does not burp immediately is not necessarily uncomfortable.
In my experience, parents often spend far longer trying to force a burp than the baby actually needs. I normally hold a baby upright after a feed for about 20 min.
Position Can Help
Many adults notice that they feel more comfortable after eating when they sit upright rather than immediately lying down.
Babies can be similar.
After a feed, some babies seem more comfortable when they are held upright for a short period before being laid down.
When burping a baby, I often encourage parents to think about comfort as well as technique.
Gentle upright holding, a cuddle against your chest, or a few minutes of calm interaction can sometimes be more effective than vigorously patting a baby’s back.
Just as adults may feel less full and more comfortable in certain positions after a meal, some babies seem to find it easier to bring up a burp or move trapped wind when they are upright and relaxed.
In my experience, burping is often most successful when babies are calm rather than when everyone is working very hard to make a burp happen.
Can Bicycle Legs And Tummy Massage Help?
Many parents find that gentle movement can help babies who seem uncomfortable with trapped wind.
While these techniques will not eliminate gas completely, they can sometimes help babies move wind more comfortably through the digestive system.
Bicycle Legs
Lay your baby on their back and gently move their legs in a cycling motion.
Slow, gentle movements are usually best.
Some babies will pass wind during or shortly after this exercise.
Tummy Massage
Gentle tummy massage may also help some babies feel more comfortable.
Using warm hands, make soft circular movements on your baby’s tummy.
Many parents find it helpful to massage in a clockwise direction, following the natural path of the large intestine.
The pressure should be gentle and never forceful.
Make It Part Of Daily Care
Rather than waiting until your baby is very uncomfortable, some parents choose to include bicycle legs, tummy massage, and floor time as part of their daily routine.
Don’t be surprised if these exercises are followed by a burp, a fart, a poo, or occasionally all three.
Why Gas Often Seems Worse In The Evening
Many parents notice that their baby appears significantly gassier during the late afternoon and evening.
Several factors may contribute:
Fatigue
Overstimulation
A full day of feeding
Increased fussiness associated with the witching hour
Sometimes what looks like gas is actually a tired baby who has reached the end of a long day.
Don’t Forget The Basics
When babies become unsettled, it can be tempting to assume that gas is always the problem.
Sometimes it is.
Sometimes it isn’t.
Before blaming gas, ask yourself:
Is my baby hungry?
Is my baby tired?
Does my baby need a nappy change?
Has my baby had enough stimulation or perhaps too much?
Not every cry is caused by trapped wind.
Cultural Approaches To Gas And Colic
One of the privileges of working with families from many different backgrounds is seeing the variety of ways people care for newborn babies.
Around the world, families have developed traditions and home remedies that are often passed down through generations.
When babies seem uncomfortable with gas, parents may be advised to offer:
Herbal teas
Chamomile tea
Fennel preparations
Fruit juices
Sugar water
Various traditional remedies
These suggestions usually come from a place of love and a genuine desire to help.
However, my own practice follows current NHS guidance and evidence-based newborn care recommendations.
For healthy newborn babies, I do not recommend offering tea, juice, water, or other drinks as a treatment for gas.
Why Newborns Should Not Be Given Water
Breast milk and infant formula already provide all the fluid a healthy newborn needs.
Young babies have very small stomachs and immature kidneys.
Giving water can:
Fill a baby’s stomach without providing nutrition
Reduce milk intake
Interfere with weight gain
In rare cases, upset the balance of salts in the body
Because newborns are so small, even seemingly harmless amounts of water can have a much greater effect than many people realise.
Today, we know that breast milk or formula is all a healthy newborn needs to drink.
If a baby seems uncomfortable with gas, I prefer to focus on:
Feeding assessment
Burping techniques
Positioning
Tummy massage
Bicycle legs
Time and developmental maturity
Common Myths About Gas
One of the biggest misconceptions is that every gassy baby has reflux, an allergy, or a medical problem.
In reality, many healthy babies are simply gassy.
Newborn digestion is often noisy, messy, and inefficient.
Some gas is completely normal.
When Should I Seek Medical Advice?
While gas is usually harmless, it is worth seeking professional advice if your baby has:
Poor weight gain
Blood in stools
Persistent vomiting
Significant feeding difficulties
Severe eczema
Excessive distress that seems unusual
Signs of illness
These symptoms may suggest that something more than ordinary gas is going on.
A Final Thought
One of the hardest things about having a gassy baby is feeling that you should be able to fix it.
You feed them.
You burp them.
You cuddle them.
And sometimes they still seem uncomfortable.
The good news is that for most babies, gas is not a sign that something is wrong.
It is often a sign that a tiny digestive system is learning how to do its job.
Some of the healthiest babies I have ever cared for have been noisy, grunty little creatures.
Newborn digestion is messy, imperfect, and still developing.
Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is hold your baby, offer comfort, and remember that this stage is temporary.
Your baby is learning.
And so are you.
If you are doing your best to comfort, feed, and support your baby, you are the best mama.
About Solange
Solange Martins is a maternity nurse and coach. Through Sol Coaching she offers practical newborn support and thoughtful coaching for women navigating motherhood, change and the question of what comes next. She works with clients online and provides in-person maternity care in the UK and across Europe.