My baby can’t sleep because he is gassy.
This is not the first time I have heard this! And it very well may be true.
Trapped wind is possibly responsible for your baby not sleeping well, but it is often blamed a lot more than it should be.
Some babies are definitely bothered more by having wind stuck in their tummy, while others don’t seem to be affected by it much at all.
It is a common thought that a baby pulling their legs up to their tummy is a sign of trapped wind. While in some cases, this is true, a lot of the time it’s simply a reflex, or your baby getting comfortable. Remember, they have just spent 9 months inside your uterus, with not a lot of room, therefore having their legs pulled up towards their tummy is a position they are quite used to, so it can be settling for them. If your baby is pulling their legs up, arching their back or screaming, you may need to try another winding method. Here is a link to a video with some different winding methods, if you have already tried the usual over the shoulder, sitting your lap, or lying across your lap options.
Another commonly confused sign of wind is grizzling. A lot of newborns can only cope with being awake for an hour before they are ready for sleep again. In the early few weeks, feeding can take quite a while, sometimes the majority of their awake period, meaning there isn’t much time for play. If your baby has been awake for close to an hour, with the majority of this time spent feeding, and is getting grizzly, they are likely tired. Try helping them off to sleep instead of spending a long time trying to get a burp out.
Babies on medication for reflux (Losec or Omeprazole) may have excessive wind, as this can be a side effect of the medication. You may need to work hard at getting their wind up.
Bottle fed babies may struggle more with wind, as they tend to drink faster. Try pausing the feed several times and burping throughout. This will help the wind that may be getting trapped to come up before more milk settles on top of it.
Using a teat that is the correct flow for your baby’s stage will help reduce wind - if it flows too fast, they will gulp, causing them to take in excess air.
Breastfed babies may take in wind if their latch is not correct, and they do not have a good seal around the breast. Having a fast letdown can also lead to wind trouble, as babies will gulp to keep up with the milk flow, and possibly come on and off the breast more as they struggle to breathe at the same time as swallowing. Try burping your baby after taking them off one breast, before putting them on the other to finish the feed.
However you feed, if your baby starts to fuss while feeding, stop and burp them. If you continue feeding, they will likely swallow even more air, which will only increase their discomfort and may make them spill more. After the burp, continue with the feed!
