Will to Much Foremilk Cause Gas?

Updated on August 01, 2011
S.2. asks from Bakersfield, CA
7 answers

My 3month old is finally starting to sleep almost through the night.
When she begans to wake up I just slip my breast in her mouth and she sucks for maybe 3 minutes and then quickly falls back to sleep. We do this maybe 3 times throughout the night. Lately she's had gas and this is the only thing I can point to. I'm always mindful of what I eat and she hasn't had any medication in over a week so if its not her getting to much foremilk maybe its the prenatal vitamins I just began taking again?

Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

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D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

There is nothing wrong with what you are doing. Please don't let anyone tell you that mom can't be used as a pacifier with a 3 month old breastfed baby! A 3 month old is not ready to self-soothe and she may not be ready to sleep thru the night.

Breastfed babies do just fine with side lying nursing usually.

And do not give her a soft blankie! That will increase her SIDS risk! No blankets, pillows, toys. But you already know that mom!

I believe that foremilk can cause some gas issues. What I would try is don't immediately jump to giving her the breast when she stirs. My oldest would wake and scream for about 20-30 seconds and then pass right back out! I learned this one night when I didn't get to him fast enough. It was just part of his normal sleep pattern that we all have. We all have different levels of sleep thru the night time.

You might also go back to the prenatals that you were taking that didn't seem to bother her.

When you do begin to teach her how to sleep I highly recommend Dr. Sears Baby Sleep book, The baby whisperer and the no-cry sleep solution. Life savers for me! I used info, tips and tricks from each of the books to formulate a sleep plan for my babies.

I breastfed both of mine exclusively, nursed both of them to sleep or rocked them to sleep, held them till they were completely asleep-basically all the things you get told not to do and I had one champ sleeper and one pretty good sleeper!

3 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Burp her.

Now, you said you slip your breast in her mouth as "she begins to wake up..."
But my question is: IS she waking up?? Babies and kids and adults, OFTEN stir, while sleeping. Or toss and turn. This does not necessarily mean... she is 'waking up.'
IF she is FULLY waking, and needing a feeding, you will know.

If she is just stirring in her sleep and is NOT woken up, don't wake her.
Let her be.
She may just be, stirring in her sleep.

Now gas, MANY babies get gas.
So:
Burp her
Give her Mylicon Infant Gas Drops
IF she does have gas.

Now, gas is not a problem per say, unless it is causing them pain.
My daughter as an infant, had gas problems AND the pain. And she'd scream and cry, as a result. She RARELY farted or burped, even if I tried. The only thing that helped her was the Mylicon Infant Gas drops.

To me, you are mistaking her 'stirring' or 'waking' with gas.
Just because a baby stirs during sleep, or rustles in their sleep, does not mean they have gas or pain.
AND you did not mention, that your baby is WAKING waking and screaming/crying.

Any baby, will have gas.
Whether it is a problem or not, depends on if the gas is coming out or causing them pain because it is not, coming out.
And gas, can be caused by what you are eating, too.

NO baby, will sleep still as a statue.
If they move around, it does not necessarily mean they are 'waking.'
3 months old is also a "growth-spurt" period, and baby's intake and frequency of feedings, increases.

ALSO, keep in mind, that a baby's sleep, is NEVER static. It changes, per development and stages.
No baby, will sleep all night and forever all night... at each age.
And per teething/growth spurts/illness/colds/developmental changes and hitting milestones... sleep in a baby, changes.
It is not, static.

2 moms found this helpful

M.M.

answers from Tampa on

I was lovingly my daughter's pacifier until she outgrew the need - that phase does NOT last forever. My daughter also never needed a real latex pacifier nor did she need a lovey of any sort.

Anyways - in the scenario you mention, no, I don't think it's the foremilk causing the gas in this particular instance. Just ensure you are feeding from one breast per nursing session or every 4 hours. If she has 3 sessions in 4 hours, have her nurse from the same side.

Co-sleeping may help too - making overnight nursing easier for both of you.

1 mom found this helpful

M.J.

answers from Dover on

At 3 months old your child does not need to self-soothe yet. Showing her that you're there when she's upset is not the same thing as using your breast as a pacifier for God's sake. Now, if she's latching on for long enough to actually start feeding, even if it's only a little bit & then not burping then that can definitely be attributed to the gas. I never had issues with my son after handing his nighttime wakings precisely the same way you are once he was old enough to eat enough during the day & not wake up hungry. Try to burp her, even if she's laying down just by rubbing your hand from the small of her back upwards. She may very well burp & not wake up at all.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

please don't use your breast as a pacifier....!!

As for the gas, yes...it could be the vitamins. It could also be feeding & then lying back down without a proper burping.

& again, while this may be working for you, it is setting the stage for problems as your child grows. Teach her to self-soothe...using a soft blankie & all will be easier.

as a head's up, you might want to check previous postings about getting your child to sleep at night & how much your current situation leads to this issue! Peace....

1 mom found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

What are you eating. Seriously it changes the baby's reaction to the milk. Ahh see what happens when I don't read all the way. Could be the vitamins.

A.M.

answers from San Antonio on

Colic can start to show up around three months. Your baby's gas may be the beginning of colic. Doctors do not agree on the cause of colic but for my baby it was an intolerance to dairy products coming through the breast milk. Colic may be more pronounced in the late afternoon/evening when the gas in baby's tummy causes crying, spitting up or even vomiting. Good luck.

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