EBF baby unbearable farts

[toomuchteaching]

Around 9 weeks DD started waking up crying because of farting. Obviously uncomfortable, leg pulling, wriggling around etc. Sitting up on my knees and sucking (dummy or me) are the two things that seem to improve it and get her back to sleep.

At this point I rang the HV, the advice was to give her gripe water and that she will grow out of it soon.

At 12 weeks I went to BF clinic, I think I knew I'd become a bit lazy and needed to improve latch. They agreed and suggested that it wouls prevent any oversupply, which leads to bacteria breaking down excess lactose and thus the farts. This has resulted in less burping because of the better latch, but made no difference to the farting.

Now 13 weeks and last night she slept on me on the sofa all evening. Fed at 10.30 lying in bed with me (we are co-cleeping because I am too tired to keep trying to settle her into her basket - I am not totally happy with this). Woke at 12.50 farting and crying. Settled back to sleep sitting up on me, laid her back down she woke up crying again, so fed her at 1.15. Woke up again 3.00 really crying, DH tried walking with her but it ended up with me feeding her at 3.15. This always settles her back to sleep but as soon as she finished she cried again, so I put her on top of my chest and she fell asleep lying on me at around 4am. At 5 or so (after a bit of a doze) I lay her down on the bed. Up at 6.10 for a nappy change and feed. Up again at 7.30.

The giant farts have woken her from her morning nap and I can't bear hearing her in pain and not knowing how to help.

My questions are... 1) would you take her to the doctor, or will she genuinely grow out of the fart-crying? It has been 5 weeks.

2. Is my feeding her more frequently (we had got down to 10.30, 3.00 and 6.30 in the night but that now feels like a lifetime ago) actually making things worse? It is the only thing that settles her but there is rarely a gap of 2 1/2 hours.

3. Should I try infacol, more gripe water or anything else?

Sorry this is so long but I don't know what to do, I've run out of energy for the nighttimes and she looks so miserable. Any advice appreciated.

Do you have an oversupply? Sorry, wasn't clear if that was a current problem or just a possibility.

Have you tried eliminating dairy from your diet?

Have you changed what you are eating since she was 9 weeks old? I found with my DS that if I ate certain things it caused him to be uncomfy and fart when I was BFing. Too much fresh, acidic fruit was a no no, so I had to cut out my half a bag of grapes habit; I went on to half a ton of cakes habit instead .
I know when my DSis was BFing her eldest she couldn't have anything with garlic in it. My dad was and put garlic in the meal he cooked us all when they were visiting; the effects were horrendous - vile nappy and very gripey, windy DN1!
When DSis was BFing her DN2 she couldn't have anything spicy as it had the same effect as garlic had on DN1!
Obviously you could have already taken this into consideration and I am talking nonsense - if this is the case sorry .
I am sure there are plenty of MNers who have had your experience and will assist more ably than I forthwith .
Hope the situation improves for both you and your DD very soon.

Sorry, no answers, but in a similar situation. My DS is 4 weeks and has had the same symptoms since about 2 weeks. I mentioned it to the HV yesterday who suggested I patted him on the back to wind him (v helpful) then told me that it was very unusual in EBF babies and it would go with time!

I plan to go to a breast feeding group next week to see if they can help. I have assumed he is latching on well, just been guzzling a bit at times, but will now get it checked. As of today I have also cut dairy from my diet (not great as Im already on strict gluten free diet).

I'll watch this thread with interest and report back if I get any help next week.

Thanks Rita and Lillabet... I don't think I have particular oversupply, I can only express 50ml or so (I know that's not a reliable guide, but it's not like I'm getting 10oz every time) but I think I probably do have a fast let down, based on the spurting if she comes off

I've now given up dairy :( at Easter :( :( and hope it's going to make a difference. So far I'd say there is possibly a little less farting, but it definitely doesn't smell any more, which has got to be a good thing. We've had one green poo since the change, and one with clear mucous... I'm hoping that's just because of the diet change. I've been advised to go with it for two weeks, so we'll see. If not I don't know what next!

In the night if I feed her as soon as I get any wriggling we don't have any crying, so I've had slightly better nights on the sleep front, but am now worried I'm feeding her far too often.

Thanks for the advice, and please do return bex if you have any joy... I hope so.

I don't think you can feed too often. Hope avoiding dairy helps!

i have very similar problem with my 12 week old and have done since he was six weeks old.

Took some good ol' MN advice and learnt some baby massage movements, which push the farts out! I'll try to explain them here:

**lay her on her back and push her knees gently into her chest. hold for 6-10 seconds and then gently bounce her legs out and straight again. repeat a few times.

**Take her right foot (hold at the ankle and support at the thigh) and pull it gently across her body to the left - as if you were trying to get her right toe to touch her left ear. Apply pressure on her thigh, gently. swap legs and repeat.

**then take her right foot and fold up across to the left again and the left foot and fold up to the right - as if she were sitting up with her legs crossed - and press lightly on her thighs into her body. bounce both legs down again.

Wind massage:

Always move from left to right when working on stomach.

** walk you first two fingers gently, but firmly from left to right across her stomach. repeat s few times

** put the heel of your hand gently but firmly in the lower centre of her tummy and make a fan going left to right. repeat a few times.

** "Reverse I Love You"

Draw the letter "I" on the left side of your baby's stomach, then draw the letter L, then draw an upside down "U" from left to right under the baby's rib cage.

I hope some or all of these help and please ask if I've explained them badly! They don't stop the farts developing, but they do really help if they are bad and my DS does go back to sleep after doing this, but I try to remember to do the whole sequence before bedtime as part of his bed routine too.

We have the same problem with DS, who is now 15 weeks. What has helped is partly age, in the last few weeks especially. Also dealing with oversupply by letting the letdown spurt into a muslin first. Infacol at every feed helps him burp more and massaging his tum every night helps him poo.

We have still a lot of problems, not with wind which is nearly sorted but with puking and not sleeping, which we think are from cows milk protein intolerance so I've recently given up all dairy, hoping this will sort that.

I spoke to the HV today who advised not to feed too much....no more than every hour and half. During frantic crying sessions I have been feeding more as it sooths DS. I have also started using gripe water, which seems to be having some affect. Fingers crossed, a good day today, now I need a good night!

Did she explain why she thought you should limit feeds?

She said because he is making himself bloated by eating too much/'snacking'.