How to help baby’s tummy problems

• Talk to your doctor if you think that baby’s crying or discomfort is excessive. Read our checklist on what to do if your baby has colic for more tips. 
• Make an appointment with a public health nurse or lactation consultant. They can help you to identify if there are ways to tweak your feeding technique that will help baby be more comfortable.
• Try doing “bicycle legs” with baby’s legs to activate their little digestive system and help them pass gas.
• Make sure to do tummy time with baby, even if they protest. Tummy time can help baby pass gas and relieve belly discomfort.
• Try giving them a warm bath.
• Try clockwise tummy massages after a bath to help move things along. Read our checklist on how to give a baby massage. 
• Try burping baby after every feed by holding them upright and gently rubbing their back  until they seem more comfortable.
• Try burping baby when you switch breasts, if breastfeeding, or after each 1 oz of breast milk or formula from a bottle.
• Help a bottle-fed baby swallow less air by making sure there is no air in the nipple and by holding the baby upright in your arms while feeding.
• Try different feeding positions to find out what suits baby best. For different breastfeeding holds, check out our guide to getting comfortable while breastfeeding.
• Try carrying baby upright, perhaps in a baby carrier, and walk around a little after feeding. 
• Talk to your doctor about whether your baby’s tummy problems are normal and what the potential causes may could be. Read our tips for your baby's happy healthy tummy.
• Consider your own diet if you are breastfeeding. Talk to your HCP about how your diet could be affecting baby.
• Talk to your doctor if you’re worried your baby might be lactose intolerant. You can read up on the symptoms of lactose intolerance here.

Sources:

Health Link BC. Burping a Baby. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/not42086 Accessed August 2020.