How to massage your baby to relieve gas
Gas
may be a natural part of infant development, but it can still be uncomfortable
for infants and frustrating for parents. While this problem can be difficult to
treat, common solutions include burping newborns and keeping them upright after
feedings.
To
help their children find relief, parents may look for other solutions such as
gas drops, flu water, or herbal supplements. However, they are not always
effective and can sometimes be harmful. When performed correctly, baby massage
can be a safer way to get the gases moving, as well as help strengthen the bond
between parents and their children.
Children's
massage, aimed at eliminating gas, may be slightly different from regular
children's massage. Traditional massage tends to be less targeted and requires
much less pressure. Use the following steps to determine when and how to safely
massage your baby for gas relief:
- Consult your doctor. If you suspect your child has a
serious gas-producing health problem, check with your doctor before starting a
massage regimen. Depending on the problem, other remedies may be more
effective. If not, your doctor can give you advice on how to get massage
safely.
- Massage at the right time. Avoid massage immediately after
feeding, as it may cause vomiting. Massage is generally more effective as a
preventive measure against gas if your child is already calm. Many parents
choose to incorporate massage into their children's nightly routine to create a
calm environment and help them fall asleep.
- Use the oil safely. Some parents prefer to massage
their baby using an oil that reduces friction. But this is optional. Choose an
edible oil that is safe if your child accidentally swallows it. Coconut oil is
a great option, but products made for babies can also work, depending on the
ingredients. Be sure to test it on a small patch of skin to determine if there
could be an allergy problem.
Safe baby massage techniques
Use
some of these techniques when massaging your baby:
- Paddle. This basic massage uses the sides of the arm, moving them one at a time from your child's chest to the pelvis. As soon as one hand reaches the bottom of the massage zone, the other should already begin to move down the ribs.
- Bicycle legs. A common throttle-dumping technique among new parents, bike legs are exactly what they sound like: it looks like your child is riding a tiny bike. Lay the child in a supine position with legs bent. Hold one foot or leg in each hand and perform slow vertical circles by bending the knee and extending the leg one side at a time. Pay close attention to the child's reaction and stop if he feels uncomfortable.
- Technique "I love you." This approach to massage can
quickly relieve bloating. Draw an inverted "I" on the left side of
your child's abdomen with your hand. Then perform an inverted "L",
starting again on the left side of the abdomen and working up. The last step is
to form an inverted "U" that will run across your baby's belly.
- Clock hands. Incorporating strategic,
continuous circles, this style of massage moves from left to right from your
point of view (or right to left for your child) to move gas through the
intestinal tract into the intestines. Use your right hand to slowly massage in
a clockwise direction while your left hand starts at 10 o'clock and moves in a
crescent shape until it reaches 5 o'clock.
Why massage helps kids with gas
The
above massages were designed to help relieve gas in infants as they aim to
circulate trapped air throughout the body. They can also be deeply relaxing,
which makes them beneficial even if they cannot prevent or eliminate gas. In
addition, parents find that massage allows them to have more fun parenting,
whether or not their child is currently suffering from gas, colic, or other
problematic conditions.
Some
research suggests that baby massage can help increase insulin levels or vagus
nerve activity. This, in turn, can reduce gastric motility and promote
efficient absorption of nutrients. There are conflicting studies on these
effects, but experts believe that the duration of massage as a gas mask may
affect its effectiveness in studies and in the general public.
How to know if a child has gas
Gas is a common problem in newborns, but it can persist into infancy when babies start eating solid foods. How gas appears can depend to some extent on the age of the child, but common signs include arching the back, pulling the legs up to the stomach, and general twitching. Some parents report that their baby's cry sounds different when they have gas and when they are hungry or in dirty diapers.