It's sad to see your baby experiencing discomfort, but stomach pains often go away on their own and you can make your baby more comfortable until the pain goes away. Colic, although the cause is not fully understood, is often a cause of discomfort in the baby's stomach. At other times, it may be a stomach virus that requires further treatment to help the baby recover.
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Method 1 of 4: Colic
Step 1. Warm the baby
Warming the baby will soothe his body and relieve tension and cramping in the stomach. To warm him, blanket the baby. Hug your baby to channel your body heat.
A warm bath also helps soothe the stomach
Step 2. Massage the baby to get rid of spasms in the stomach
Try massaging your baby's belly in circular motions, clockwise, to relieve pain and pressure in the digestive tract. You can use baby oil, which is warmed between your hands. Massage increases blood circulation in the baby's tummy, which can help relieve colic.
Step 3. Help the baby to perform movements that encourage bowel movements
You can help your baby to do exercise pedaling a bicycle which will encourage the acceleration of digestion and bowel movements. Be gentle with the baby and do this exercise on a soft surface.
- Place the baby in a supine position.
- Lift the leg and move it like pedaling a bicycle slowly.
- Continue this movement for a few minutes to achieve maximum results.
Step 4. Place the baby in a prone position
Placing the baby in a prone position can make it easier for gas to escape. Do this when your baby is old enough to roll over and support his head.
- Leaving the baby in this position will help relieve the pressure caused by trapped gas.
- Do this method only when you are with the baby and do not let the baby sleep on his stomach.
Step 5. Hold the baby in different positions
Sometimes this is enough to put pressure on the stomach and keep it warm. Some of these positions are:
- Holding a soccer ball --- position the baby balanced in your arms and slowly move it back and forth.
- Hugs to the chest-with his belly against your chest and head under your chin.
Step 6. Take the baby in the car to calm him down
Place the baby in the infant seat and drive short distances. The rhythmic movements and the roar of the car will soothe the baby. If you don't have a car, you can sing a song or play some quiet music that moves your baby in rhythmic motions.
Method 2 of 4: Prevent Stomach Pain
Step 1. Try feeding more slowly
Also try shorter times between feedings. Sometimes if he's not hungry, he'll eat more slowly, so he's less likely to be taking in too much air with the milk. Air bubbles are often the cause of colic and slower feeding can often help cure it.
Step 2. Eat right to produce healthy breast milk for the baby
Be careful with your eating habits and avoid substances in food that can pass through breast milk and harm the baby's stomach. Stay away from anything that can cause bloating and gas. You should also avoid the following foods and drinks:
- Caffeinated Drinks
- Alcoholic beverages
- Dairy products
- Cabbage
- Nuts
- Pod
- Beans
- Mold
- Soya bean
- Spicy food
- Orange
- Strawberry
- Cauliflower
Step 3. Think about what you eat before the baby's tummy gets sick
See if you can identify what's causing the problem. If your tummy hurts, chances are your baby's tummy hurts too.
Step 4. Pay attention to how the baby eats
Either by breastfeeding or bottle feeding, it is possible that both ways will allow air bubbles to enter the baby's stomach, causing discomfort. Check the baby carefully when feeding the baby to see if he is being fed the right way.
- Make sure the baby's mouth is tightly closed and not swallowing air.
- Swallowing air can cause gas and stomach pain.
- If you think a baby bottle is producing a lot of air, try replacing the teat with a hole that is the right size for your baby. Or try a different bottle type. A bottle with a pocket inside can keep your baby from swallowing too much air.
- Be sure to keep the baby upright when feeding and do not allow the baby to bottle feed in bed or when lying down.
Step 5. Get the baby to burp to expel excess air
This can happen every time you feed the baby. Make your baby burp to let the air out of his tummy and relieve the pressure on his tummy. You can do this by picking up your baby and gently but firmly patting him on the back.
Step 6. Try different formulas
There may be ingredients in formula that affect the baby's tummy. As with breast milk, different babies react differently to ingredients in milk and some ingredients in formula can cause a baby's stomach to become bloated or gassy.
Talk to your doctor before changing to formula, as formula is often not the cause
Step 7. Seek medical attention if the baby does not appear to be recovering
There may be something else – it's really hard to know what's bothering the baby. Pediatricians can have an opinion on the causes that make the baby sick.
Method 3 of 4: Overcoming Stomach Virus
Step 1. Look for signs of a stomach virus
Check your baby's temperature to see if he has a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting-which are other signs of a viral infection. If you are not sure whether your baby has a viral infection or not, consult your pediatrician, who will determine if the cause is viral and provide advice.
Always seek medical help if a baby under 3 months has a fever at 38 degrees Celsius
Step 2. Give the baby plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration
Keeping your baby hydrated is important to help him recover from viral infections. Vomiting and diarrhea can dehydrate your baby and you will need to deal with it by giving your baby lots of breast milk or formula, or water if he is big enough.
Electrolyte solutions, such as Pedialyte may also be given
Step 3. Feed the baby to maintain adequate levels of nutrients in his body
If your baby is old enough to eat food, soup is an excellent way to replace electrolytes and other nutrients that have been lost due to diarrhea and vomiting.
- Give the soup little by little, not all at once.
- Try giving a teaspoon of soup every five minutes.
Step 4. Take the baby to the doctor if he is severely dehydrated
If your baby is dehydrated, lethargic or very tired, and cranky, take him to the doctor for medical help.
- You can identify severe dehydration if your baby has signs of dry mouth, hot and dry skin, cold sweats, sunken crown, no tears when crying, and not urinating too often. Babies should urinate at least three times in 24 hours or at least once in eight hours.
- The doctor will prescribe a device to fill fluids quickly or give fluids intravenously.
- You should pick up a prescription liquid filling solution from the pharmacy before giving it to your baby at home.
Step 5. Give medicine to cure stomach pain
With your pediatrician's approval, you can give your baby medicine to treat indigestion and stomach pain. Some of the drugs that can be tried are:
Mylicon or Tummy Calm drops. Drops like Mylicon or Tummy Calm are often effective at reducing gas trapped in the digestive system. You can also try a dose of acetaminophen if your baby seems to be in pain. Be sure to follow the directions on the product packaging or consult your doctor for the correct dosage
Step 6. Seek medical help if symptoms persist or appear regularly
If the symptoms of abdominal pain appear regularly or persist despite attempts to cope with home remedies, you should seek medical help for the baby. Also pay attention to the following symptoms and call the doctor immediately if the baby shows any of these signs:
- There is pus or blood in the stool.
- Dirt is black.
- The stool is constantly green.
- Serious diarrhea and abdominal pain.
- Swollen or hard abdomen.
- Dry mouth, few tears, dark urine, or scanty urine, or lethargy-these are all signs of dehydration.
- Vomiting that persists for more than 12-24 hours or diarrhea that persists for more than seven days or is very frequent.
- Vomiting is severe or the vomit is green or bloody.
- High fever. This can be a symptom of a number of things, if accompanied by an upset stomach, from food poisoning to infection. The best step is to take the baby to the doctor immediately for a diagnosis and treatment.
- These symptoms could indicate something more dangerous than trapped gas, such as a food allergy, infection, intestinal blockage, or poisoning.
- If you think your baby has ingested something toxic, such as a drug, plant or chemical, and is showing signs of poisoning through vomiting and diarrhea, call the national emergency hotline immediately (at 1-800-222-1222 for the United States).
Method 4 of 4: Helping Older Babies with Stomach Problems
Step 1. Give yogurt to the baby
This method will include good bacteria that can help improve digestive problems and upset stomachs. The stomach contains a specific bacterial flora that helps in proper digestion of food. Stomach viruses can disrupt the balance of flora. Yogurt contains bacterial cultures that can restore the balance of bacteria in the upset stomach.
Also talk to your doctor about probiotics, which are "good bacteria" that can also help, especially if your baby has diarrhea for more than a few days
Step 2. Add more fiber to your baby's diet to encourage bowel movements
Gradually increase the amount of these foods into his diet, in small portions throughout the day. Some of the following foods are suitable for babies:
- Dried Plums
- Pear
- Plums
- Oatmeal skin
- Oatmeal cereal
- Barley cereal
Step 3. Give the baby water
When the baby starts eating solid food, he can also drink water. Sometimes babies just need more fluids to move food through their digestive system.
