Many things have come up in the last month, as friends care for their babies. Yes babies have bad days, don't we all? Besides needing to be fed, changed and napped, they can be gassy, teething, and many other things, but a hard day Lord willing is the exception not the rule :-)
I have been asked "how can I tell if a baby is in pain from gas?" Babies, even happy ones, when gassy will have a tight belly, bring their legs up or kick. They maybe happier upright or on their stomachs than laying flat. Feeding should be a happy time so if they are unhappy after eating they may need to burp.
During feedings some babies need to be put upright and patted often. Sucking is a comfort for gas unless the baby is sucking more into their bellies, creating more pain. The action of sucking helps with digestion. Most babies get mad when you interrupt their feeding for a burp, but it is best for them. One way to deal with this is to use a pacifier. Many children do not take pacifiers at first, but if it is offered as an alternative often, many will take it eventually and they will feel better.
I didn't want my first baby to have a pacifier, I told the nurses in the hospital, but changed my mind when I learned they are a tool and can be used wisely. I love comforting babies, but my job is to help them develop their own comforting skills, pacifiers can help. Some reasons I didn't want my kids to have them came from seeing a baby not be able to interact without it, or an older child that had to take it out of their mouth to talk.
So after my husband and I discussed it we decided the pacifier would be for when young ones were being fed, in bed, swing, car seat and stroller then as they got older only for nap and bed time. Out of 5 I only had one that had a harder time giving it up at 18 months, but necessity is the mother of invention and when I got an idea it only took a week for him to be quietly weened. Praise God, so much easier than getting the bottle away from the first child at 14 months.
Some Mom's say "my baby gets burped between breasts or every 2 ounces isn't that enough?" For some babies yes, for others no, their digestive systems are different and they need more help. So burping more often is very beneficial.
When you can tell a baby is gassy there are many things that may help: patting their back firmly, rubbing their belly, laying them on their stomachs, or sides, rocking, by someone or in a swing, a warm compress on the belly or an ounce of warm water with or without mint.
When my second child was born she cried alot the first 6 weeks, and I needed to care for my other child, home and husband. So she spent alot of time in the swing, I'm glad she was happy and I didn't cater to her. At that time I was encouraged by an older mom, to go longer between feedings and feed her longer each time. If I had her today I would do shorter feeding, more burping, less time between feedings and warm water. I learned from that and have helped mine and others babies have a less painful first six weeks :-) Living and learning that's what God intended.
