Gas and Tummy Trouble: Easing Digestive Discomfort in Newborns

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In the early weeks of life, many babies seem happiest curled in your arms—but just as many suddenly twist, grunt, and cry with no clear cause. If your baby pulls their knees up, clenches their fists, or wakes from sleep with a tight belly, gas might be the reason.

Digestive discomfort is one of the most common issues during the newborn stage. It’s rarely serious, but it can feel distressing—for baby and for you. The good news is that with a little patience and some simple care, you can help ease their discomfort and support their developing system.

Why Gas Happens So Often in Newborns

Your baby’s digestive system is still very new. After months of getting nutrients through the placenta, the gut is now learning how to handle milk, absorb nutrients, and move waste. This process doesn’t always go smoothly.

During feeding, babies also swallow air. This happens more often when they feed quickly, latch loosely, or cry before eating. That swallowed air can collect in the stomach or intestines, causing pressure and discomfort.

Other times, the issue is simply that milk is moving through the gut too slowly or too quickly. Gas builds up, muscles spasm, and your baby reacts by fussing or crying.

Recognizing Signs of Gas or Tummy Trouble

While all babies cry, gas-related discomfort often comes with specific patterns:

• Squirming or writhing during or after feeding
• Pulling legs up toward the chest
• Clenched fists, red face, or arching back
• Passing gas followed by relief
• Trouble settling after feeding, even when full

These signs can happen once in a while or more regularly. For many babies, evening is the most difficult time. This doesn’t mean something is wrong—it’s part of how the digestive system is learning.

What You Can Do to Help

Start with gentle movement. Hold your baby upright after feeding for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This can help trapped air rise before it moves deeper into the gut.

Burping more frequently also helps. Don’t wait until the end of a feed. Pause midway and gently burp your baby in an upright position. If one method doesn’t work, try another—over the shoulder, sitting on your lap, or lying tummy-down across your knees.

Tummy time (even short sessions on your chest) can help relieve gas by applying light pressure to the belly. Just make sure your baby is awake and supervised.

A warm bath or soft massage may also bring comfort. Use slow, circular motions on the belly, moving in a clockwise direction. Some parents find that bicycling their baby’s legs—gently moving them up and down—helps release gas as well.

If your baby is bottle-fed, check the nipple flow. A nipple that releases milk too quickly can cause more air swallowing. Consider switching bottles or trying paced feeding.

When to Be Cautious

Tummy trouble is normal, but it should not be constant. If your baby is vomiting frequently, not gaining weight, or seems inconsolable for long periods, speak with your provider. Reflux, dairy sensitivity, or other feeding issues may be involved.

Green, frothy stools or blood in the diaper should also be discussed with a doctor, especially if paired with discomfort.

This Phase Doesn’t Last Forever

Gas is a common part of the fourth trimester. As your baby’s gut matures, feedings become more efficient and digestion becomes smoother. By three to four months, most babies have fewer digestive troubles, and their cries become easier to interpret.

Right now, your calm presence is part of the solution. Soothing your baby during these moments teaches them that help always arrives—even if the discomfort can’t be solved right away. And that lesson of safety, learned early, lasts long beyond the gas.