BFing, trapped wind? Please help

[schplappo]

DD 1 week old, BFing. Last night and today clearly in discomfort. Last night awake from 10.30pm through to 5.30am mewling, crying, occasional screaming, lots of flailing around. Only stopped when at 5.30am she managed some major nappy activity. Spent hours trying to burp her in various positions (tiger in tree, sitting, over shoulder, tummy rubbing) but with no sign of burping. Today have managed to entice a few burps from her but nothing seems to be working.
Has anyone else had this problem? How did you solve it? Please help!

[RitaMorgan]

Did she feed much between 10.30-5.30? Are her poos soft, yellow and frequent?

If it's her digestive system that is giving her trouble, burping won't make much difference I don't think. Burps are from air swallowed during feeding whereas trapped wind is created as she digests her milk. Could try bicylcing her legs and a warm bath.

[schplappo]

Thanks Rita. Yes she did feed - 5 times in that period - although some of that could have been me trying to calm her rather than her necessarily needing food that often. (She has not fed that often any other night.)

Poos are soft and orangey coloured and frequent - usually 1 for each feed.

We've given her a warm bath this evening to try to relax her although she didn't enjoy it and will try bicycling.

Do you think it sounds like digestion probs?

[RitaMorgan]

I think it's just a big shock to the system (being born!) and they take a while to adjust (not necessarily a problem). Human babies are just born too soon basically, developmentally they should spend another 3 months in the womb.

Does she calm down when you hold her? You could try swaddling too.

[schplappo]

She calms down for a little while but then starts up again which is why I think it's discomfort rather than overstimulation etc. We have been swaddling her too...

[kellieb7]

My DD suffered with terrible trapped wind and there were several things that helped -

Warm bath/warm flannel on her tummy
lots of time without her nappy
tummy massage (you can watch a demo on youtube)
moving her legs up and down.

I would agree with RitaMorgan that it is just a shock to their little systems as this soon passed with my DD.

HTH x

[schplappo]

Thank you both - will try all of these. fingers crossed...