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We Switched to Formula and My Baby Is Super Gassy and Wont Poop

Mother with baby bottle and scoop preparing infant formula milk

Read time: 5 minutes

What should I know about switching my baby's formula?

  • Understand that gas and spitting up can be a normal role of infancy
  • Know the symptoms of baby not tolerating their formula
  • Larn how to switch formulas if necessary

If your formula-fed baby is constipated, throwing upwardly frequently, or gassy – you might exist wondering whether it'south time to switch baby formulas. Occasionally babies will need a dissimilar formula, merely there are as well many instances where baby'south symptoms are quite common, and switching is not necessary. In fact, frequently switching formulas tin can potentially upset your little ane's abdomen fifty-fifty more!

If you are unsure about whether switching baby's formula is the right option for you, chat at present with ane of our Happy Baby Experts for free.

What symptoms are common during infancy?

Spitting up

While uncomfortable for the states to sentry, spitting up is quite normal in newborns. While each baby is different, this symptom is mostly due to an young digestive system. The sphincter between baby's breadbasket and esophagus is still a niggling weak, compounded with how much time babe spends on their back and it'due south no wonder milk can come back upwards and so easily.1

Infrequent bowel movements

Yous may be wondering if you should switch formulas due to a constipated baby. Nigh formula fed babies laissez passer stools at least once per twenty-four hour period; nevertheless, some may become one to 2 days in betwixt bowel movements.2

Newborns and young babies have to piece of work very hard to laissez passer stools since their abdominal muscles are all the same weak, then even if infant is fussing, grunting, straining a chip and turning red while trying to pass stool, information technology's normally not an firsthand cause for concern.

Read more: Constipation in Babies and Toddlers

Gas

Gas is also an often unavoidable symptom and ordinarily happens when baby swallows also much air while crying or drinking from the canteen.3 Gas bubbles can be painful for baby, but as your picayune i'due south digestive track and intestinal muscles become stronger, they'll exist better at treatment this symptom.

Sometimes encouraging a full baby to finish their bottle tin can cause infant to exist gassy or to spit up quite a fleck. To help prevent this, follow baby's hunger and fullness cues, stopping when your little one indicates they're done.

Read more: Baby Hunger and Feeding Cues

How can I help my infant with gas and passing stool?

Gently pulling and pushing babe'southward legs in and out, bicycling infant's legs, and low-cal belly massage can all help get things moving.4 Always speak with baby's dr. if the constipation isn't getting improve, if stools are bloody, or if you take whatever other concerns.

Spit up and gassiness keep to be normal fifty-fifty every bit your baby ages. In one case solid foods are introduced, you volition see further changes in baby'southward bowel habits.  Stools become a bit less frequent, smellier, may change color, and become firmer.five

Read more: How Exercise I Relieve Gas In My Formula or Bottle-fed Babe?

Signs your baby may not exist tolerating their formula:6

  • Eczema
  • Typical allergy symptoms such equally wheezing, hives, excessive airsickness.
  • Bloody diarrhea
  • Astringent constipation
  • Excessive fussiness afterwards eating
  • Forceful vomiting
  • Failure to thrive (baby is not gaining weight at the expected charge per unit)

Near of the time, allergy or intolerance issues are due to the milk or soy proteins nowadays in cow's milk and soy-based formulas, although other ingredients could exist the culprit. It's rare for a baby to exist lactose intolerant.seven

When to switch formulas

It's ever important to consult with baby's pediatrician when you experience that you demand to switch baby's formula. If a milk allergy or significant intolerance is suspected, soy formula is oftentimes bypassed for a partially hydrolyzed formula or occasionally a different form (concentrate versus pulverisation versus ready-to-feed) or brand.8 Severe allergies are dealt with using hypoallergenic formulas.

How do I switch baby formulas?

When transitioning your babe from i formula to another due to an allergy, intolerance, or medical status, an immediate switch is usually recommended (equally opposed to a slow transition). Confirm the advisable formula transition timing and switch with your infant's pediatrician.

In the absence of an allergy, intolerance or medical status that would warrant switching formulas immediately, some parents choose to transition betwixt formulas slowly.

If you decide on the slower course, utilize the guide below and transition to the side by side step every 1-two days. Assuming baby takes 4 oz of formula:

  • three oz current formula, 1 oz new formula
  • ii oz current formula, one oz new formula
  • one oz current formula, 3 oz new formula
  • 4 oz new formula

Know what's normal and Await for results

In the end, information technology'southward of import to recognize what's normal and what'southward a red flag regarding baby's digestion. Earlier considering a formula switch, double-check to make sure you are preparing the formula properly and that you lot are following babe's hunger and fullness cues.

It'due south besides important to know that changes won't happen overnight later switching your infant's formula. It could accept a week or 2 for a baby to get used to a new formula and for their symptoms to go away completely.

Permit's Chat!

Nosotros know parenting often means sleepless nights, stressful days, and endless questions and confusion, and we want to back up you in your feeding journey and beyond.

Our Happy Infant Experts are a team of lactation consultants and registered dietitian nutritionists certified in infant and maternal nutrition – and they're all moms, too! They're here to offer personalized back up on our costless, one-on-1, alive conversation platform Mon – Fri 8am-8pm (EST), and Saturday – Sunday 8am-4pm (EST). No engagement needed, no email or sign-up required. Chat Now!

Read more virtually the experts that aid write our content!

For more on this topic, check out the following articles:

Does your Babe Demand a Sensitive Formula?

Formula Feeding On Demand Vs. on a Schedule

Dairy Sensitivities in Babies and Toddlers

How Tin I Manage My Baby'south Colic?

How Much Formula Does Your Infant Need?

Sources

  1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. National Institute of Wellness (NIH). Symptoms & Causes of GER and GERD in Infants. Accessed 20 July 2021. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/wellness-data/digestive-diseases/acid-reflux-ger-gerd-infants/symptoms-causes
  2. American Academy of Pediatrics. Healthychildren.org. Baby Constipation. Accessed twenty July 2021. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-article of clothing/Pages/Infant-Constipation.aspx
  3. University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine. Abdominal Gas and Colic. Accessed 20 July 2021. https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw28959
  4. American University of Pediatrics. Breaking Upward Gas. Accessed 20 July 2021. https://www.healthychildren.org/English language/ages-stages/babe/diapers-clothing/Pages/Breaking-Upwardly-Gas.aspx
  5. University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children's Hospital. FAQ: Introducing Your Baby To Solid Food. Accessed 21 July 2021. https://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/education/faq-introducing-your-baby-to-solid-foods#11
  6. American Academy of Family Physicians. Infant Formula. Accessed 21 July 2021. https://familydoctor.org/infant-formula/
  7. Heine RG, AlRefaee F, Bachina P, et al. Lactose intolerance and gastrointestinal cow's milk allergy in infants and children – mutual misconceptions revisited.World Allergy Organ J. 2017;10(ane):41. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5726035/
  8. American Academy of Pediatrics. Choosing an Infant Formula. Accessed 21 July 2021. https://www.healthychildren.org/English language/ages-stages/baby/formula-feeding/Pages/Choosing-an-Baby-Formula.aspx

We Switched to Formula and My Baby Is Super Gassy and Wont Poop

Source: https://www.happyfamilyorganics.com/learning-center/baby/switching-formulas/