Why Are Newborns So Gassy? A New Parent's Guide to Baby Gas

If there is one thing we hear from almost every new parent (especially between 2-6 weeks), it's:

“Why is my baby SO gassy?”

The grunting.The squirming.The turning red.The pulling their legs toward their belly.The tooting at 2 a.m. like a tiny grown adult.

Are they uncomfortable? Was it something I ate? Do they have a dairy intolerance? Should I switch their formula???

Newborn gas can bring so many questions to the surface... let's talk about why most newborn gas is actually a NORMAL part of development!

Newborns have immature digestive systems, they're still learning how to coordinate their abdominal muscles and pelvic floor, and they're learning how to eat, swallow, and breathe all at the same time.

So let's talk about what's actually happening inside that tiny belly—and what you can do to help.

Why Are Newborns So Gassy?

There are several reasons babies can seem exceptionally gassy during the first few months of life.

1. Their digestive system is still developing

Your newborn's gastrointestinal system is brand new. Everything being introduced into their little bellies is brand new to them.

They're learning how to coordinate:

• Eating

• Swallowing

• Breathing

• Moving milk through their digestive tract

• Passing stool

• Passing gas

  
  

All of these things take coordination.

Newborns also have less control over their abdominal muscles and pelvic floor than older babies, which can make passing gas look—and sound—much more uncomfortable than it actually is.

This is one reason you'll often hear your newborn grunt, squirm, strain, or turn red while trying to poop or pass gas.

It can look incredibly uncomfortable.

But looking uncomfortable doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong.

2. Babies Swallow Air

Some gas comes from one very simple source:

Air.

Babies can swallow air while feeding, particularly if they're:

• Eating very quickly

• Crying before a feed

• Having difficulty maintaining a good latch

• Using a bottle nipple with a flow that's too fast

• Using a nipple with a flow that's too slow

• Frequently breaking their latch

• Taking in a lot of air while trying to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing

  
  

That swallowed air eventually has to come back out.

Sometimes as a burp.

Sometimes...

As a very impressive fart.

Both are normal.

3. Crying Can Make Gas Worse

This can become a frustrating cycle.

Baby is uncomfortable → baby cries → baby swallows more air → baby becomes more gassy → baby cries more.

If your baby is already very upset before a feeding, try calming them down a little before immediately putting them on the breast or bottle.

You don't have to wait until they're completely calm.

But getting them from full-blown screaming to relatively organized feeding can sometimes reduce the amount of air they swallow.

4. Bottle Feeding Can Sometimes Mean More Air

Bottle feeding isn't inherently more gassy than breastfeeding.

However, feeding technique matters.

If a bottle nipple is flowing too quickly, your baby may struggle to coordinate the flow and swallow more air.

If the nipple is flowing too slowly, your baby may suck aggressively and potentially take in more air.

This is why choosing the right nipple flow matters.

Signs the nipple flow may be too fast can include:

• Gulping

• Choking or coughing

• Milk leaking from the mouth

• Pulling away from the bottle

• Clicking

• Becoming frustrated during the feed

• Taking very large, rapid swallows

  
  

Signs the flow may be too slow can include:

• Becoming frustrated

• Falling asleep from the effort

• Taking an unusually long time to finish a feed

• Aggressively sucking on the nipple

• Collapsing the nipple

If you're seeing these patterns consistently, talk with your pediatrician, lactation consultant, or feeding specialist before making major changes.

5. Breastfed Babies Get Gassy Too

One of the biggest myths we hear is:

“My baby is breastfed, so why are they so gassy?”

Breastfed babies can absolutely be gassy.

Gas does not automatically mean something is wrong with your breast milk.

Sometimes babies swallow air because of their latch or feeding pattern.

A very fast letdown can also make feeding more difficult for some babies.

You may notice your baby:

• Pulling off frequently

• Gulping

• Coughing or sputtering

• Clicking

• Becoming frustrated at the breast

• Taking very rapid swallows

• 
  

If this sounds familiar, an IBCLC can be incredibly helpful in assessing positioning, latch, and milk transfer.

Do I Need to Change My Diet If I'm Breastfeeding?

This is a question we get all the time.

And the answer is usually:

Not automatically.

A gassy baby does not mean you need to eliminate dairy, gluten, soy, broccoli, beans, coffee, or every other food you've eaten that week.

Most foods a breastfeeding parent eats do not cause ordinary newborn gas.

However, some babies can have a true sensitivity or allergy to a component of their diet, most commonly cow's milk protein.

That typically involves more than just gas.

Signs that warrant a conversation with your pediatrician can include:

• Blood in the stool

• Significant mucus in the stool

• Persistent vomiting

• Poor weight gain

• Significant eczema or allergic symptoms

• Severe or persistent feeding difficulties

• Significant distress associated with feeds

  
  

Don't start eliminating major food groups from your diet without talking with your healthcare provider first.

So...Should I Burp My Baby?

Yes, you can absolutely try.

But here's something important:

Not every baby needs to burp after every feed.

Some babies are excellent burpers.

Some babies rarely burp.

Some babies need five minutes of gentle burping

.

And some babies will burp 20 minutes after you've already decided they're definitely not going to.

There is no magic number of burps your baby needs.

If your baby seems comfortable after feeding, you don't necessarily need to spend 20 minutes trying to force out a burp.

How to Help a Gassy Baby

There are several gentle things you can try.

Keep baby upright after feeds

Holding your baby upright for a short period after feeding may help them release swallowed air and can be particularly helpful for babies who are prone to spit-up.

Try gentle burping

You can burp your baby:

• Over your shoulder

• Sitting upright on your lap

• Supported against your chest

  
  

Use gentle pats or rubs.

You don't need to aggressively pound their back.

Try bicycle legs

When baby is awake and supervised, gently move their legs in a bicycling motion.

This can encourage movement through the abdomen and may help them pass gas.

Try gentle tummy massage

With baby awake and supervised, gentle clockwise circles on the abdomen can be soothing.

Give them floor time

Tummy time is not just for development.

The gentle pressure against the abdomen can sometimes help babies work out some gas.

Of course, tummy time should always be awake and supervised.

What About Gas Drops?

Simethicone drops are commonly marketed for infant gas.

While simethicone is considered safe when used as directed, evidence that it significantly improves infant colic or gas symptoms is limited. Simethicone is actually made to break up the air bubbles in the belly and make it easier for the baby to pass, not elimate gas altogether.

Before giving your newborn any medication or supplement, talk with your pediatrician.

And remember:

You don't need to give your baby something every time they grunt.

Sometimes the best intervention is simply time.

What About Probiotics?

Probiotics are another popular option for gassy babies.

The evidence is mixed and depends heavily on the specific probiotic strain and the reason for the baby's symptoms.

Some evidence suggests certain strains may help breastfed infants with colic, but probiotics are not a universal treatment for newborn gas.

Talk with your pediatrician before starting a probiotic, especially in a young infant.

The Biggest Mistake We See: Over-Intervening

When your baby is grunting, squirming, and turning red, your instinct is going to be:

“I need to DO something.”

We get it.

But sometimes newborns simply need to figure out how to coordinate their bodies.

You may see your baby:

• Grunt

• Bear down

• Turn red

• Pull their legs up

• Stretch their legs out

• Squirm

• Fart

• Calm down

  
  

And then do it all over again.

If they're feeding well, gaining weight, having normal stools and wet diapers, and otherwise acting like themselves, this is often just part of being a newborn.

Gas vs. Something More

This is the part we really want parents to know.

Gas is common.

But significant or persistent symptoms should not automatically be blamed on gas.

Call your baby's pediatrician if your newborn has:

• Persistent or forceful vomiting

• Green or bilious vomiting

• Blood in the stool

• A significantly distended or hard abdomen

• Poor feeding

• Fewer wet diapers

• Poor weight gain

• Significant lethargy

• Persistent inconsolable crying

• Difficulty breathing

• A fever in a young infant

  
  

For newborns, a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher is considered a fever and requires prompt medical evaluation.

If your baby seems significantly ill or you're worried something isn't right, trust your instincts and seek medical care.

One More Important Thing: Don't Put Your Baby to Sleep in a Position to “Help With Gas”

This is worth emphasizing because parents are often desperate for relief.

You may hear recommendations to let a baby sleep:

• On their stomach

• On their side

• In a swing

• In a bouncer

• In a car seat

• Propped up with a pillow

• On an inclined sleep surface

  
  

Don't.

Even if your baby seems more comfortable that way.

The safest sleep position is flat on their back on a firm, level, non-inclined sleep surface with no loose bedding or objects.

You can absolutely hold your baby upright while they're awake and supervised.

But when it's time for sleep:

Back. Flat. Firm. Clear.

Every time.

The Bottom Line

Newborns are gassy.

Like...

really gassy.

And most of the time, it's not because you did something wrong.

Their digestive systems are immature, they're learning how to coordinate their muscles, and they're still figuring out how to eat without swallowing quite so much air.

Instead of trying to eliminate every single fart, grunt, or squirm, focus on the big picture:

Is my baby feeding well? Are they gaining weight? Are they having normal wet diapers and stools? Are they generally comfortable between episodes? Do they otherwise seem like themselves?

If yes, there's a very good chance you're looking at a normal—but occasionally very noisy—newborn digestive system.

And if your newborn's gas seems excessive, painful, or comes with other symptoms?

That's when it's time to call your pediatrician.

Because sometimes the best thing you can give a new parent isn't another product, gadget, or trick.

It's reassurance that their weird, noisy, squirmy newborn is actually being a very normal newborn.