Breastfeeding Issues: Gassy Babies

Gas and explosive, loose bowel movements and gas are common in breastfed babies. Infants have immature digestive systems, so they don't have the same levels of enzymes as adults do. As your baby's intestinal tract matures, the frequency of bowel movements and amount of gas should generally decrease.

However, there are some actions you can take now to help with this breastfeeding issue and reduce gas in your baby. The foods you eat can alter the composition (and taste) of your breast milk. Try to identify which foods give you, yourself, more gas and eliminate those foods from your diet. Eliminating dairy products, nuts, broccoli, cauliflower and onions for a few weeks may help. You can also avoid stimulants such as caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, soft drinks) and chocolate.