Bellyaches

When I was a new mother I took an infant massage class. I feel it greatly helped lessin her colic and stimulated her growth. Look into it! www.infantmassage-imis.com

Good afternoon,
My daughter is now 20 months old but when she was itty bitty she used to get tummy aches as well.. hers was gas... we used Little Tummies and Mylicon, both worked like a charm but the Little Tummies was cheaper...
Good Luck!
H.

Is she on formula? My first two kids had that for months! It made us so sad to watch them ball their legs up into their tummies. But my second son's doctor recommended switching to Nestle Good Start formula because it breaks down easier in their digestive system, elimiating the tummy pains. It was absolutely amazing to see the change as soon as we switched him to Nestle Good Start. My 3rd is 4 months old and I've only given her Nestle Good Start. She never had the same tummy pains but she would be gassy (which upset her tummy, but it wasn't nearly as bad as my boys from the formula) for a few months and I gave her Mylicon (Gas Relief) and that always helped. Quite a few friends of mine recommended it and swear by it for their own children. I have a $2.00 off coupon (never expires) from the box I bought for my daughter, if you'd like I could send it to you.

what is she doing that tells you she is having bellyaches?

is she breastfed or formula fed?

if she is breast fed, think about what you are eating.... many things you eat can affect her. A general rule is if it gives you gas it will give her gas. There are some things that you will just have to keep track of. I discovered with all of my kids that they could not stand garlic or onions... they did not like the taste and it seemed to make them gassy. I did find out at one point though, that COOKED onions were okay. Chocolate supposedly can bother babies. So if she is breast fed you may want to keep a diary of what you are eating... then a diary of her fussiness.. and see if you see a connection. If her pediatrician's office has a lactation consultant.. call them.. or call your nearest LaLeche League (they can give advice for FREE) and ask about how long it takes for whatever you eat to go to your breast milk. That will also give you an idea to see what may be bothering her.

If she is formula fed.. then ask her doctor about the possibility of switching formulas.. many babies are sensitive to certain types of formula.

If she seems to be having gas and she is not colicky.. then a little bit of Mylicon drops can help through those episodes.

best wishes..

Have you tried gas drops? They seemed to work for my son when he had gas bubbles.

The best solution I ever found was to keep small (4 oz.) bottles of peppermint water on hand. A few sips of it seemed to be enough to break up the stomach gas, and allow my son to burp, when nothing else worked. To make it simply dissolve one peppermint "StarLight" candy (you know - the flat round red and white striped hard candy) in 3 or 4 cups of boiling water. Let it cool, and put into bottles. Store it in the refrigerator, warming it up as you need it. Once a bottle has been used, toss any leftover in that bottle - don't try to re-use it. I've been told a little oil of peppermint will accomplish the same thing, if you don't want the sugar. I feel there is so little sugar in the few sips they drink, that it wasn't an issue, and I don't know how much oil of peppermint to use.
Also - you don't say if you are breast-feeding or on formula. If you are breast-feeding, take note of when she is gassy. Think back roughly 12-14 hours, to what you ate then. There is a good chance that what you ate at that time is the source of her gassiness. Try cutting it out of your diet, and see if that helps. If she is on formula, try a soy-based formula. Sometimes that makes the difference.
Good luck and enjoy every moment with your little angel!!

Hi - If you are breastfeeding, it could be things that you are eating that are upsetting your baby's tummy. Some are sensitive to gassy foods, like broccoli, beans, etc. If you are formula feeding, it could be sensitivity to the type of formula you are using. You might want to try a different one to see if that makes any difference.
Just some suggestions for you!

Have you tried changing your diet? It's possible that something you are eating is not sitting well with her. This is assuming that you are breastfeeding.

Possible problems could be:
dairy,
caffeine
soy
garlic
certain "gassy" veggies

It's very easy to figure out what is causing the problems. Simply eliminate the item, say dair from your diet for a week and see if she gets better. Then sit down and have a big bowl of ice cream one night and see how she responds the next day or two after nursing. Then eliminate the offending food and wala, happy baby. :)

I used Dr. Brown bottles......they really reduce belly aches. My 9 month has not had any problems. I highly recommend them. I did not use them with my first son and he had more gas issues.

Try going to a local health food store and picking up some Gripe Water. It has ginger, fennel and chamomile in it, and is all natural. It was recommended to me by my doctor for my son's gassines, and it seemed to really work. Good luck! I hope she feels better soon! :)

Your poor little baby. I suggest Little Tummy's Gas Drops. You can get them at the pharmacy dept at Walmart or Target. If you nurse, you can add about 3 drops in her cheek before she eats. If she takes a bottle, you can add 3 drops in the bottle and it eats the bubbles that usually cause gas and hurting tummies. If it still bothers her after this you I would call her pedi. You may have to change her formula if she's on formula or what you eat if you nurse. God luck.

We gave our daughter Gripe Water. It is all natural and worked every time. It should be available at Nature's or anywhere natural products are sold. Good-luck!

Go to New Seasons super market and look in the isle for children's remedies and check out all the Hyland's products. There are other brands that have natral remedies for babies too. You can read them and choose for yourself which one will work for you. Hyland's always worked like a charm for me.

J.~
I am the mother of 3 boys and did not find this information out until my middle child was about 3 years old. I have changed my diet because of it.
When my first was born he had a lot of croup and sinus problems, my second had ear infections from about 1 month on until at age 1 he had tube put in his ears. I did not know then that Cow's milk can cause many of the issues we were having. I have tried to change our diet. My youngest is just 3 now and I have him on Rice milk and as little dairy as possible. He also had tubes placed in his ears. If you are breast feeding then maybe you need to drink more water than milk and try more veggies than fruits. I did it with my latest 2 and got much better results on the bellyaches.

Hi J.,

Congratulations on baby Jasmine. I was wondering if you could elaborate on the bellyache issue. ( Is she gassy alot, does her stomach feel tight more often than not?) What is her overall demeanor like? Usually happy but gets fussy when the bellyaches start? What have you tried so far? Let me know, I would be happy to help offer some solutions!

Congratulations on your little miracle! We had the gassiest baby on the block, it seemed, and the only thing that worked without fail was Mylicon. They're gas relief drops you can get at most any drugstore or grocery store. Some other people had luck with the natural alternative, Gripe Water, but that never worked for us, for some reason. Also, if you're breastfeeding, there are lots of foods that could potentially cause upset tummies, like onions, garlic, broccoli and others. Check to see if there's a pattern in what you're eating if it continues. I never realized how many things contained onions until I wasn't allowed to eat them. Hope this helps!

My first instinct says that it is gas. I like what Arlene had to say for her advice.
Although, I have a strange alternative - if she is not pooping...or is just gassy. This is going to sound weird. I personally haven't tried it. But I was told by a friend of mine to rub olive oil onto your babies tummy. It helps soothe them and I guess it works. What I have done is just rubbing the tummy w/out the oil. But if that doesn't work...maybe try the oil. Good luck.

Also, there is mylocone (spelling) drops that help with gas for babies. I hope that this helps. T.

hay J......

is your little one eating cereal yet? the source to the constant belly aches could be an overload of formula in her tummy.....i know that some docs say not to feed them till they are 4-6 months old but a lot of times they are hungry and need food. if she isnt on cereal yet, start with rice and go from there:)

Hi, J., maybe she has gas, some times, I would lay my child on their back and take their little legs and move them up and down like riding a bicyle, and it would help alot and if that doesn't and if you are nursing maybe it is a gasy food that your are eating, and if not I would call the doctor and just check.
I also had been told that I would not be able to have children, I have eight children, and lots of grandchildren, and they are everything to me. Good luck P. B

Hi J.,
Congratualtions on your little one. It took me 3 years to get my little miracle. She is now 5 months old. About your baby's tummy ache, are you nursing, and if so are you eating chocolate. My daughter had horible tummy cramps, then I realized I was eating alot of chocolate. I stopped eating chocolate and so did her cramps. I spoke with my Ped. and she said it is a common problem and to try to reintroduce it at about 3-6 months. I can finally now eat it without her getting upset. Anyway, give it a chance. K.

Sometimes they have trouble getting the gass out. I found that a little bit of peppermint-oil in warm water or herb tea sweeten with a little sugar. worked real well. If she seems to spit up a lot that goes farther than dribbleing out then see your doctor as it could be intolerance to her food. You did not say if she was formula or Breast milk fed. If breast milk watch what you eat as you can give her gas. There is a product out now that helps gas for babys check your local drug store for the product. It works great too.

Hi J.,

First off Congradulations on your new baby.
You didn't mention if you were breast feeding. If you are you need to watch what you are eating. Don't eat anything that is gassy or that would give you a bellyache. Everything you eat effects the baby.
If you are not breast feeding...check with your doctor or nurse to see if the formula is right for your baby...it could be too strong for her.
Hope this helps.

Hi J., you've already gotten quite a few responces! Is Jasmine gassy? Lie her on her back on your lap. Take her little legs- hold them by the calves and bend her legs gently easing her knees up to her tummy. Something about that position helps the babies pass gas. I had to go through this routine with my Erynne who is now 10mo old, but as a newborn, we would try this position and she would just let 'em rip. It was hilarious, but provided great relief! If its gas, when you get her knees to her tummy (the knees don't have to touch- they can be open) you will feel resistance as she "pushes" to pass the gas, once you hear or smell, release her legs, and repeat just a couple times. Another thing could be what she's eating. I breastfed for the first couple months, and I'm half-Mexican, so I LoVe spicy food. I didn't want to change my diet, and I wanted Erynne to aquire a taste for the foods she'd eat as she grew up- so I used Little Tummy's Gas Drops (its just Simethicone- which is the same thing you or I would take and can be bought over the counter, but for babies, a smaller dose). That helped with the gas, but when Erynne was really fussy, I gave her Gripe Water. Its all natural, and has fennel and other herb/spices. I tasted it myself and its very mild- like a slightly sweetened water. I was able to find it Seagul's (don't know what part of town you're in), and I think Fred Meyer's carries it too in the homeopathics and supplements section. I wasn't able to find it at Target. If you give her formula, then it just might be a matter of switching Jasmine over to something else. Once I started bottle feeding Erynne, my sister in law who has only formula fed swore by Similac, so that's what I bought, but that actually made Erynne constipated. She didn't like the Nestle Good Start, and we have had best results with Enfamil. No one in my family is intolerant to dairy, so I never put her on soy formulas, but you might ask around in your family. One more tip (I was nurse on postpartum before I became a mommy!) put a wash cloth in the dryer for a few minutes until its nice and warm. Take it out, fold it and lay it over Jasmine's tummy. Make sure you don't put it against her skin so you don't burn her. Good luck, and welcome to motherhood! Its a wonderful and life changing experience.

I know that this is late but I would suggest looking at how she is digesting her formula. I had problems breastfeeding too and after trying about 5 different kinds of formula (from Similac to Enfamil, etc) we switched to Nestle Good Start. It's the only formula my son digested easily. After we made the switch we had NO more upset tummies and no more constipation. I never once had to worry about gas while he was drinking it. We also used the Playtex nurser bottle system (it's a drop in) you can squeeze all the excess air out so all your little one swallows is milk.

Good luck!

Try Gripe Water. It is well-known and used throughout Europe for colic and digestive problems and was a life saver for my daughter. The other thing that really works is Orange Blossom WAter, which again, you can buy in a European or Arabic Deli. Just call around.

If her belly is hard, it's probably gas. You can work her legs in a bicycle motion to help the gas work it's way out. You can also try lying her face down on your knees and bouncing her gently up and down while you gently pat her back.

Do you breast or formula feed? Both can cause gas, but sometimes switching formulas will help with that. Also if you bottle feed try burping her ever ounce she drinks or so.

Hope that helps ;) Good luck enjoy your miracle!!

There's a product (Mylicon) for infants to help releive gas. There's another product (i think its called gripe water or something like that-never used that one myself) If you think the tummy aches are caused from gas give that a try. Mylicon worked for me. If its not gas it may be a reaction to lactose. Maybe you can try soy formula instead of regular formula or breastmild.

Mylacon (sp?) Drops are an instant wonder!! Everyplace has them, Walmart, Target etc. They are for gas. Keep in mind that the bellyaches might be something else like an allergy to formula, lactose intolerance........my son has SUPER bad reflux, so even thought it seemed like it was his tummy - he was having heartburn. Also it could be constipation. My sister is a Massage Theripist and she told me to rub the tummy clockwise to help get things moving - it worked wonders!
Good luck, and congratulations on your baby!!

Congratulations!!
I am so excited for you to have a little girl!! I have two, however, they are now 5 and 3. Not babies anymore. So sad.

As for little Jasmine, I would suggest to first talk with your pediatrician/doctor. There could be hundreds of reasons as to why she's acting like she has belly aches. And your doctor would be your best starting point. And trust me, you wouldn't be the first first time mom bringing your baby in for belly aches. I had my oldest in the doctor's office for everything. Then my second one came along and we were much more laid back with her.

However, my 3 year old had really bad gas pains as a baby. We did some simple leg excercises to help her relieve her gas. (and they were fun excercises too that she really liked.) There are also some drops that you can buy to help them relieve the gas in their tummy. But I really wouldn't do anything until you talk with your doctor.

It sounds like you've heard the "mother's intuition" inside, and there is a lot to be said with that. Our doctor trusts that with me. He knows that as a mom, I see my children everyday, all day long. And I'm the first to see a change in my child.

Good luck!!
A B

I am suspecting its gass and its very common in small infants. you might want to try some mylacon drops or a more natural approach with gripe water but its always a good idea to contact your doctor first.

My two boys had bellyaches - the best is fennel tea ( if not available in your store just brew up some water and steep a few fennel seeds in them) - and lots of "bicycling" with her legs to ease the cramps of bloating! (google fennel for bellyaches - it will describe the benefits...in Europe all the moms of newborns use it!)

Congratulations! Your new baby is learning how to digest food! She is probably having trouble with gas bubbles. I would try swaddling, gentle tummy rubs, and keeping her warm. Along with Gripe water and homeopathic colic pills. I would not suggest Mylocan drops. My experience was that they worked great till they wore off then my kids were in twice as much pain as before. If this doesn't help, I would begin to look at your diet. Garlic, onions, and orange juice are a few things that can be hard for your baby to digest from your milk. I hope this helps! Oh, Mothering.com can be a wonderful resource for more information too.

Hi J.,

Congratulations on your sweet baby girl!!!

My daughter had stomach aches as a newborn too (she would go up to 7 days without pooping in those first few months-- this is apparently not abnormal but it sure wasn't fun for her or us).
There were a few things I found that helped her:
1. Massaging her little belly in a clockwise direction around her navel. This is the direction that her bowels move and also the warmth of your hands will bring blood to the area and could be helpful no matter what the cause of the belly ache.
2. I actually found that putting just a tiny amount of a food enzyme powder on my finger and rubbing it around in her mouth. This isn't something I have recommended for other people yet, but it did make a huge difference with my daughter.
Are you breastfeeding? If not then it is most likely that her stomach pains are related to the formula she is taking. If this is the case I have some suggestions for that, but I won't go into it it you're breastfeeding.

It could also be related to something that you're eating if you are breastfeeding. The most common culprits are wheat and dairy (the most common allergens in adults too).

I hope that this is helpful for you and your little one!
warmly,
L.

Hi, and congrats on your new baby. I also have a 3 month old daughter and a two and a half year old son. You should try to iron (to heat up) a wash cloth or some small cloth and put it on her belly under the onsie (make sure it's not too hot). Also they sell gripe water which you can get online or at babies r us.