What to do when your baby has gas and tummy troubles

A gassy baby may squirm, draw their knees up, clench their fists, turn red, or cry while trying to pass wind. These signs can be upsetting to watch, especially during the unsettled early months, but trapped air and immature digestion are common. Babies swallow air while feeding and crying, and their developing gut may take time to establish a comfortable rhythm.

Most mild tummy troubles improve with calm feeding, gentle movement, and time. Still, stomach discomfort can sometimes point to reflux, constipation, an intolerance, infection, or another condition that needs medical attention. The safest approach is to comfort your baby while observing feeding, nappies, behaviour, and any changes in their symptoms.

Why babies get wind and tummy discomfort

Babies can swallow air when they latch, feed from a bottle, gulp during a strong milk flow, or cry for a long period. A bottle teat with a flow that is too fast may cause spluttering and extra air intake, while a teat that is too slow can make a baby suck hard and become frustrated. Frequent pauses, especially during a large feed, may also lead to more swallowed air.

A young digestive system is still maturing. Some babies strain, grunt, or become red in the face before passing a soft stool. This can look like constipation, although true constipation usually involves hard, dry stools that are difficult to pass. Breastfed babies may have several bowel movements a day or go several days between them.

Crying that occurs for long periods, often in the late afternoon or evening, may be described as colic when a healthy baby is otherwise feeding and growing normally. Gas may accompany this pattern without being the main cause. Keeping a simple record can help a GP or child and family health nurse see whether the discomfort follows feeds, certain times, or changes in bowel movements.

Make feeding calmer and more comfortable

Try to feed your baby before they become frantic with hunger. Early cues include stirring, hand-to-mouth movements, licking, and turning towards the breast or bottle. A very upset baby may gulp quickly and swallow more air. Hold your baby fairly upright, with their head and neck well supported, and keep their body in a straight line rather than curled tightly.

During breastfeeding, check that your baby has a deep, comfortable latch. If your milk comes very forcefully, a lactation consultant or child and family health nurse can help you find a position that slows the flow. A baby who repeatedly coughs, clicks, pulls away, or seems unable to stay attached may need feeding support rather than a change in maternal diet.

For bottle-feeding, keep the teat filled with milk and use paced feeding. Hold the bottle more horizontally, allow regular pauses, and follow your baby’s cues instead of encouraging them to finish. Use the teat size recommended by the manufacturer and prepare infant formula exactly as directed. Never dilute formula, add extra powder, or alter the concentration to manage constipation or wind.

Gentle ways to help release trapped air

Pause to burp your baby during and after a feed, especially if they seem uncomfortable or have been feeding quickly. Hold them upright against your chest or sit them supported on your lap, with their chin clear of their chest. Gently rub or pat their back for a few minutes; a forceful pat is unnecessary. Some babies need to burp, while others pass wind without doing so.

When your baby is awake and supervised, place them on their tummy across your lap or on a firm floor mat for short periods. You can slowly move their legs as though they are riding a bicycle, or bring both knees gently towards the tummy and release them. A light clockwise tummy massage may be soothing, but stop if your baby cries harder, vomits, or appears distressed.

Always place your baby on their back for sleep on a firm, flat surface with no pillows, wedges, sleep positioners, or loose items. An inclined bassinet, cot, or mattress does not safely treat reflux or gas. The Red Nose guidance used across Australia recommends a clear sleep space and back sleeping, even when a baby spits up.

A simple plan for the next few hours

Small changes are easier to assess than several remedies at once. Keep feeds calm, offer pauses, and observe whether your baby settles after burping or passing wind. Cuddling, skin-to-skin contact, quiet rocking, and a warm bath may help relaxation, although a bath should never be used without close hands-on supervision.

Avoid giving water, juice, herbal teas, essential oils, or over-the-counter products unless a health professional has advised you to do so. “Gripe water” and gas drops are widely marketed, including through Australian pharmacies and online shops, but products vary and evidence of benefit is limited. Ask a pharmacist, GP, or child health nurse before using anything for a young baby.

Comfort measures to try

• Hold your baby upright during and briefly after feeds.
• Offer burping pauses without forcing a burp.
• Use supervised tummy time and gentle bicycle-leg movements.
• Reduce noise, handling, and bright light during unsettled periods.

Details worth recording

• Feed times, duration, bottle amounts, or signs of a poor latch.
• Wet nappies, bowel movements, and whether stools are hard or soft.
• Vomiting, fever, rash, blood or mucus in stools, and unusual sleepiness.
• When crying starts, how long it lasts, and what seems to bring relief.

Consider reflux, constipation, or food sensitivity

Spitting up small amounts is common because the muscle between the oesophagus and stomach is still developing. If your baby is comfortable, gaining weight, and producing regular wet nappies, simple reflux often improves with maturity. Repeated vomiting, pain during feeds, poor weight gain, choking, or refusal to feed should be assessed rather than managed with positioning products.

Constipation is more likely when stools are hard, dry, pellet-like, or painful to pass. Do not give a young baby laxatives or extra fluids without individual medical advice. A GP can consider age, milk type, hydration, and growth before recommending treatment.

Cow’s milk protein allergy is different from ordinary wind. Possible signs include persistent eczema, blood in the stool, ongoing vomiting, diarrhoea, marked feeding distress, or poor growth. Removing dairy from a breastfeeding parent’s diet or changing formula should be guided by a GP or dietitian, because unnecessary restriction can affect nutrition and make feeding more difficult.

In Australia, infant formula composition and labelling are covered by Food Standards Australia New Zealand requirements, but individual products are not interchangeable for every baby. Follow the preparation instructions on the tin and use safe water and sterilised equipment as advised by your health professional. Avoid homemade formula and unregulated imported products.

Know when to seek medical help

Call 000 for an emergency, such as a baby who is blue, struggling to breathe, unusually floppy, having a seizure, or difficult to wake. Seek urgent medical assessment for green vomit, vomit containing blood, a swollen or hard abdomen, blood in the stool, or severe pain that does not settle. A baby younger than three months with a temperature of 38°C or higher needs prompt medical review.

Contact a GP promptly if your baby is feeding much less than usual, has noticeably fewer wet nappies, repeatedly vomits, has a dry mouth, seems very sleepy, or is not gaining weight. Persistent diarrhoea, a fever, or crying that sounds unusual also warrants professional advice. Trust your instincts if your baby seems significantly different from normal.

For guidance outside a clinic, Healthdirect is available in Australia on 1800 022 222, and its online service can help direct families to appropriate care. Local options vary: families in New South Wales may contact Tresillian, while parents in Western Australia can seek support from Ngala. Child and family health nurses, maternal and child health services in Victoria, pharmacists, and after-hours GPs can also provide practical feeding advice.

Support your baby while the gut matures

Gas often becomes easier as feeding coordination and digestion develop. A calm routine, responsive feeding, safe movement, and careful observation can reduce swallowed air without turning every unsettled period into a search for a new product. Your baby does not need to burp after every feed, and passing wind is a normal part of digestion.

If crying is affecting sleep, feeding, or your ability to cope, ask someone you trust to help and speak with a health professional. Never shake a baby. Place your baby safely in their cot and step away briefly if you feel overwhelmed. In cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, local early parenting services and community health centres can help families find feeding, sleep, and emotional support close to home.