Inexplicable and ongoing wind

[Greecelover]

My 7 and a half month old daughter didn't have wind until she was eight weeks old. She was exclusively breastfed til three months, when I put her on one bottle of formula at bedtime. That gave her terrible wind for a couple of hours so at 6 months I took her off the formula again and she is now exclusively breastfed again, as the formula clearly didn't agree with her. I have been weaning her from 6 months and she is now on three meals a day. She is gaining weight and generally happy. However, every now and again she will still get terrible wind in the evenings, sometimes several days running, and occasionally during the night. She has no dairy, onion, tomato or beans in her diet, and I try to minimise dairy in my diet and keep right off the other three. She has wheat-free pasta as well. I have tried gripe water and fennel tea, both of which seem to help a bit, baby massage, propping her upright etc. Some of it helps but I really just want to get to the bottom (excuse pun) of the problem. The doctors won't check for allergies yet. I have been keeping a joint food diary for the past week in the hope that it will shed some light.
I really want to sort this out and find out whether it is just a developmental thing or whether it is some other problem. Anyone with similar experience?

Hi GL, my dd was the same, always a bit windy/unable to get rid of it. It does pass (though at 10.5 yrs she's still a bit prone to, erm, gastric aches and pains-she'd be mortified if she knew I'd just said that LOL) Just wanted to reassure you its completely normal at that age. I double checked it wasn't just teething, which sometimes it was, with her front 2 especially. HTH

Thanks BackOnceAgain. I do wonder whether it is teething as well - the arching back and wailing is a familiar symptom. But it is definitely wind so much of the time. Last night she woke at 11.30, 1am and 5am with a scream and when I picked her up or fed her she eventually farted. But it can take ages for her to get rid of it. Yesterday evening she wouldn't settle til 8.30 again. Very much awake and slightly manic. Every time I tried to cradle her she complained and pulled up to sitting on my lap. She is clearly in discomfort and it just seems so unnecessary! I wish I could solve it! Was your dd breastfed? Did your or her diet make a difference? Only I am struggling a bit with the extreme limitations I've imposed and if it makes no difference then i'll be back on the tomatoes!

It may be a reaction the dairy you are having, even if very limited. could you try to avoid it totally for a week minimum better if 10 days, as your body needs a week to clear it and see if there is a difference.
If there is an allergy even a very reduced amount of dairy makes her body react to it.

My DS2 had a severe reflux and I know how difficult it is to avoid so many things. I preferred rice milk (with vanilla) to soy milk. Baby yoga helped also, more than baby massage. Have to go, sorry, I'll try to come back later

Has she been on anitbiotics recently?
There is a theory that a/bs wipe out the beneficial gut flora allowing other not-so-welcome bacteria to flourish and some nutritionists suggest probiotics specially formulated for babies.
Not sure whether if you took a/bs she could also be affected though.

Alternatively, you could keep food diary for both of you to pinpoint when there is unwelcome change?

does it bother her?
babies do get wind, and it's perfectly normal. and it's ok for them to have a lot of wind (mine always did, because they were virtually impossible to wind)

Hi all - and thanks for the suggestions.

yes, the wind does bother her, thisisyesterday. It invariably wakes her up from sleeps - both during the day and at night - invariably with tears and screaming. I am already keeping a food diary and have done for over a week now. I'm interested to hear that even small amounts of dairy can be a problem and linger, so I may welll try cutting it out completely as you suggest, gordonpym. Neither she nor I have been on antibiotics, nightcat.

I am going to risk a tomato pasta dinner tonight and will see what happens over the next couple of days. I will also cut out dairy and report back!

DS2 was tested for allergies at 8m, and it came back positive for wheat, eggs and dairy. I know there is a lot of contreversy about testing so young, but cutting out these from his diet (and mine as I was bf) made a big difference. He still had pain but a lot less and from 12-15 explosive acid poos we passed at 4.
If your GP doesn't want to test for allergies, ask to be referred to a gastroentologist. (we saw both). Your baby is in pain, she shouldn't, there is an issue and it should be investigated. No discussion. Put your foot down.
Food journal never really helped me while bf as reactions may occur days later. To be honest it created more confusion. The allergologist told me that when there is an allergy (vs an intolerance) even a very little quantity (a tea spoon of milk) could be harmful.
Our diet was dairy, wheat, egg, poultry, citrus fruit free. REad all labels, milk is everywhere! Home-made banana bread and coconut cookies made life easier!