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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Do breastfed babies get wind?

76 replies

Turno1 · 25/07/2017 20:33

I haven't found bf easy but now seem to be getting into the swing of it, however my little one who is now 1 week old, gets terribly grizzly after a big feed I.e 40 mins each breast. I was told by midwives, bf support worker that bf babies don't get wind, but I am sure he does. He trumps a lot and we now wind between breast change and after he does burp, and also gets hiccups. It takes ages to settle him and by the time he does, it is literally time for a feed again so that he does not go over the 4 hours they advise. The cycle is change nappy, feed, gets grizzly, winding, almighty trump and follow through, change nappy, sleeps 30 mins then we have to wake him for feed. It's such a viscious cycle for him, no wonder he is getting distressed, I just want to make it go away for for him. Anyone else have breastfed babies getting wind? Going to try infacol tomorrow. Any tips or advice?

OP posts:

fuzzywuzzy · 25/07/2017 23:06

Yes they do. My first two DC never did, current baby DC needs to be taken off the breast midway thro feeding and winded and then re-latched.

I can now see signs of when dc needs to be winded partway thro a feed and she starts fussing and unlatching crying and re-latching.

FartnissEverbeans · 25/07/2017 23:22

Am starting to doubt some of the expert advice given so far and only have a total of 1 week experience with a baby not the years they have.

There's a lot of lies and misinformation circulating about bf. I don't imagine you chose to do it to prevent wind or colic, so just remember what the real positives are for you and take the more outlandish claims with a pinch of salt.

purplesippycup · 26/07/2017 08:18

It is hard and relentless at first but babies are putting on weight you can scrap the 'wake them to feed' thing.

It's only when they are just born and tend to lose some weight that feeding needs to be constant and very regular.

You are doing the right thing waking to feed, but once they are putting on weight you can leave them to sleep and wait for them to let you know they are hungry.

Do give infacol a try, you have nothing to lose, it definitely made a difference in getting trapped wind out with my baby.

koalab · 26/07/2017 09:01

those first few weeks can be so difficult but it sounds like you're doing great. I hope your little one starts gaining weight soon and then enjoy those longer naps!

Hmmalittlefishy · 26/07/2017 09:07

Ds3 was similar and he had tongue tie definitely get a few people to check. The midwife missed it but the health visitor thought there was one and referred anyway.
That can make wind worse and cause longer feeds and no weight gain. You don't necessarily have sore nipples or as it's your first may not realise you don't need to
Noone told us to wind ds1 and I remember by day 3 we were at home with him (and me) crying most of the night.
Congratulations by the way

tiktok · 26/07/2017 12:36

Turno, if your baby is continuing to lose weight (and it's not clear from this just what the situation is) then this does need addressing - people on here can share experience and tips but some of what has been said here is confusing and wrong.

What's the weight situation precisely?

Honestly the wind thing is not the main issue here.

Original poster

Turno1 · 27/07/2017 09:51

Weight situation - He was born at 6lb9. After day 3 only list 3%, then went to 2%, then dropped to 5% so was 6lb 5 on Tuesday. He gets weighed again today. He has not dropped to the average 10% they say they lose but has still lost.
Feeds - feeding regular every 3 hours, average around 30-40 mins a feed. In a day we feed him on rooting cues, don't wait for him to cry. We were told by midwives, peadeatrician, bf support worker to not let him go over 4 hours for a feed, which means waking him on a night to do this.
He is filling nappies, 2-3 stools and lots of wet nappies. If he has a particular big feed he can fill 3 nappies quite quickly afterwards. He does fall asleep sometimes during a feed, again we have tried everything in the book, but he still drops off. He sleeps after a feed - milk drunk, then gets grizzly with a bit of wind.
Crying - is worse between 4pm - 11pm. We try everything in the book to soothe, offering breast soothes, sometimes feeds, sometimes just comforts. Winding as well as can get windy after a big feed, gets burps, hiccups and trumps. We were told bf babies don't get wind, he but he does and the reason for my original question.
Crying during this period could be colic, could be tired, hunger etc, etc. Again we go through everything. Winding and feeding only things seem to settle him.
He can get quite worked up, neck strength is unbelievable strong along with hand grab.
Me - he was csection so I am still recovering, apart from tired and getting used to this whole new experience I'm ok. It's more about wanting to make it ok for him, fix whatever it is, whether wind, comforting, Is my milk filling him, etc. I have huge support from my husband and parents and in laws. So I'm not getting down or anything. With him being cs he was mucusy but coughed it all up in hospital. He is still nasally but they said this was clear up.

We have now started winding him between breasts and afterwards. He does burp. Now got some infacol but have not used it yet.

I have first health visitor visit today, which I have lots of questions for her.

Little one is 10 days old today.

Hope this gives you more info.

OP posts:

StopShoutingAtYourBrother · 27/07/2017 10:56

You sound like you are doing a fantastic job!!
If it helps my dd used to start grisling from about 4pm until she was about 3 months old. I think it was just a combination of her needing more sleeping and that known phenomenon of some babies being like this in early evening.

savagehk · 27/07/2017 11:00

my first never needed burping, my second does. both ebf. I'd normally also never wake a sleeping baby, although as yours is still so young I might do until weight gain sorted. you're doing great and please don't doubt your abilities!

savagehk · 27/07/2017 11:00

have you done the tiger in tree hold?

BertrandRussell · 27/07/2017 11:01

You should as if you are doing an amazing job! Well done!

tiktok · 27/07/2017 11:05

Turno this all sounds within normal though you'll get a fuller picture with today's weight. The unsettledness is also within normal.

McCheese · 28/07/2017 07:30

Sounds like you're doing an amazing job op!
Myself and DD spent first 10 days in hospital and were told to feed every 3 hours as she was on antibiotics (despite being a good birth weight of 10lb).
Since then I've fed her on demand. My HV recently told me (after DD went 6 hours one night before waking) that so long as nappy output good, weight gain good and baby happy and alert when awake, you should never need to wake them as they will wake themselves when their blood sugar drops and they need food. I like knowing the 'whys' behind everything!

But yes, she definitely needs winding and I find if I do it every 10/15 mins throughout feed she stays comfortable. I don't sit their for 10 minutes waiting for a burp, if nothing after two minutes she goes back on boob. But I think the upright time is inportant for digestion so I always cuddle her upright for 15 mins or so after she's finished and fallen asleep

Keep going, my girl is 4 weeks today!

Roomba · 28/07/2017 08:10

I never burped DS1 as a midwife told me BF babies didn't need it. Fortunately, she was right with DS. He was a bit unusual in that regard though, I'm sure most BF babies do need winding after feeds at first. I only realised this when I had DS2 and would end up covered in his last feed if I didn't wind him pronto!

Hobbitch · 30/07/2017 09:39

I think every baby is different regardless of how you feed them. My son never needed winding in the two years I breastfed him (he was always super farty though). My daughter is a few days old and needs winding after every feed, and she occasionally spits up too. Just your luck of the draw!

Original poster

Turno1 · 30/07/2017 21:27

After still losing weight, I have had to top up with formula the past two days. Today he has put a little weight back on, so the formula top ups working and needs a further 100g. They think my milk too thin ( can happen with csection) and not giving him the rich fat he needs (I'm serving skimmed and not full fat) . I am now on formula fully, a little disappointing but it's all about him getting what he needs and putting weight on. Apparently it's the foremilk which causes gas due to the lactose, and that's all I was giving him so he was very windy as well as being hungry. Now on bottle he is still windy but at least he is getting what he needs and settles much easier. He gets weighed again on Tuesday so hopefully he will have gained more. If not, then we have to see peadeatrician.

OP posts:

NameChange30 · 30/07/2017 21:32

Has he been assessed for tongue tie?

Sorry to repeat the question but I can't see that it's been answered.

tiktok · 30/07/2017 22:02

Turno - so many highly questionable aspects of the advice you have been given :(

tiktok · 30/07/2017 22:04

Utter rubbish about c section and low fat milk.....

tiktok · 31/07/2017 00:03

Turno, so your baby had continued to lose weight at the weigh in on Thursday? So he was less than six pounds five ounces ?

Did he stop losing weight and then start losing it again, then?

Babies feeding well stop losing weight after about day five or six - if your baby had continued to lose weight after that point, then it indicates a problem with intake and this should have been flagged up and someone should have helped you fix it.

If you want to continue breastfeeding then of course you can. You will need to work out what has not been working though - in most instances this is because the baby is not attached effectively, and so removes the milk less efficiently than he would otherwise. This has zero to do with making low fat milk after a section....whoever told you that wants to do a decent retraining course.

If you want to know more about retrieving the situation, just ask :)

ShowOfHands · 31/07/2017 14:52

Tiktok is, as ever, right.

The tales you have been told about thin milk and foremilk are wholly inaccurate.

I do hope you're receiving the correct support to make the right decision for you.

Whippetmamma · 31/07/2017 14:58

My son is bf and very windy from both ends! He also had very bad colic (when I was pregnant everyone seemed to tell me bf babies didn't get colic!) but seems to be over that now :-) he now always gives me a cheeky grin as he farts lol 😂

kirst25 · 31/07/2017 19:27

Yes they can get windy. I'm student midwife. Although they shouldn't get as windy as a formula fed baby they do still get windy and it's absolutely nothing to worry about

Original poster

Turno1 · 01/08/2017 09:34

Yes, he was the ok for tongue tie.

OP posts:

NameChange30 · 01/08/2017 10:02

Who checked? Health visitor, midwife, lactation consultant, other?

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