The fastest ways to relieve gas in a newborn are burping during and after feeds, gentle leg movements, and tummy time. Most newborn gas is caused by swallowed air during feeding or crying, and their immature digestive systems simply aren’t efficient at moving that air through yet. The good news: this is almost always normal, and a few simple techniques can bring real relief.
Why Newborns Get So Gassy
A newborn’s digestive system is still learning how to work. The muscles that push food and gas through the intestines are weak and uncoordinated, which means air bubbles get trapped more easily and take longer to pass. On top of that, the valve between the stomach and esophagus is loose, so pressure from gas or food in the intestines can push contents the wrong direction.
The biggest source of gas is swallowed air. Babies swallow air every time they eat, cry, or suck on a pacifier. A baby who cries for long stretches swallows even more air, which creates a frustrating cycle: gas causes fussiness, and fussiness causes more gas. Some babies are also just more sensitive to normal amounts of gas in their intestines than others, even when nothing is medically wrong.
Burping Techniques That Actually Work
Burping is the single most effective way to release trapped air before it travels deeper into the digestive tract. Try to burp your baby at least once during a feeding (when switching breasts or halfway through a bottle) and again when the feeding is done. If your baby doesn’t burp after a couple of minutes, it’s fine to move on and try again later.
The three main positions:
- Over the shoulder. Hold your baby upright with their chin peeking over your shoulder. Use one arm to support their bottom and the other hand to gently pat or rub their mid-to-lower back. If your baby can’t hold their head up yet, turn their head to one side and let it rest against your chest instead of over your shoulder.
- Sitting on your lap. Sit your baby on your lap facing to the side. Lean them forward slightly, supporting their chest with one palm. Cup your index finger and thumb around their jaw to keep their head steady, but don’t press on the throat. Use your free hand to pat or rub their back.
- Face down on your lap. Lay your baby tummy-down across your thighs with their head slightly higher than their stomach. Support their head with one hand and pat their back with the other.
Gentle, rhythmic pats work better than firm thumps. Some babies respond more to slow circular rubbing than patting. Experiment with all three positions because what works best varies from baby to baby.
Physical Movements to Push Gas Through
When trapped gas has already moved past the stomach and into the intestines, burping won’t reach it. That’s when leg and tummy exercises help.
Bicycle legs are the go-to move: lay your baby on their back and gently push one knee toward their belly, then the other, in a slow pedaling motion. You can also hold both knees together and press them gently toward the belly, hold for a few seconds, then release. Many parents hear (and smell) results within a minute or two.
Tummy time, even just a few minutes at a time while your baby is awake and supervised, puts gentle pressure on the abdomen that helps gas move. Gentle clockwise belly massage (following the path of the intestines) can also help. Use light pressure with two or three fingertips and trace slow circles around the belly button.
Fix the Latch to Prevent Air Swallowing
A poor breastfeeding latch is one of the most common reasons newborns swallow excess air. Signs that your baby isn’t latched well include dimpling or indentations in their cheeks while sucking, clicking noises, lips curled inward instead of flanged out, frequent head movements, or no audible swallowing.
The most common mistake is not waiting until the baby’s mouth is open wide enough before bringing them to the breast. When a baby latches onto just the nipple rather than taking in a large mouthful of the areola, they get less milk and swallow more air. To fix this, wait until your baby’s jaw is as wide as it can get, then bring them to the breast chin-first. You can gently compress the breast with a C-hold to make the areola narrower and easier to grasp. If the latch feels painful throughout the feeding, break the suction by slipping your finger into the corner of their mouth and try again.
Bottle-Feeding Adjustments
If you’re bottle-feeding, two things matter most: nipple flow rate and bottle design.
A nipple that flows too fast forces your baby to gulp, which means swallowing large amounts of air along with the milk. Signs the flow is too fast include gulping, choking, hard swallowing, coughing, lots of drooling, or refusing to eat. Switch to a slower-flow nipple. On the flip side, if feedings are taking unusually long, the nipple is collapsing, or your baby is getting frustrated, they may be working too hard and sucking in extra air. That’s a sign to move up one nipple size.
Anti-colic bottles use venting systems that channel air away from the milk, so your baby swallows less of it. They won’t eliminate gas entirely, but many parents notice a real difference. Also try keeping the bottle tilted so milk completely fills the nipple with no air pocket, and hold your baby in a more upright position during feeds rather than lying them flat.
What About Gas Drops and Gripe Water?
Simethicone drops (sold as Mylicon or Little Remedies) are the most widely available gas remedy for infants. The typical dose is 20 milligrams up to four times a day. Simethicone works by combining small gas bubbles into larger ones that are theoretically easier to pass. It’s considered safe because the body doesn’t absorb it. However, clinical research has not found simethicone to be very effective at reducing fussiness or gas symptoms compared to placebo. Some parents swear by it, but the evidence suggests it may be more of a comfort for caregivers than a reliable fix.
Gripe water is a different story. It typically contains fennel, ginger, baking soda, and various flavorings, and it is not regulated by the FDA. Because herbal supplements for infants don’t go through the same quality and safety oversight as food or medicine, there’s no guarantee that what’s on the label matches what’s in the bottle. Multiple brands have been recalled over the years for serious problems: one was contaminated with a parasite that caused severe diarrhea in a 6-week-old, another contained an undissolved ingredient that posed a choking hazard, and a third was contaminated with bacteria that caused septic shock in a 9-month-old. Pediatricians generally don’t recommend gripe water because there’s no scientific evidence it works and no way to ensure it’s safe.
Do Probiotics Help?
You may see probiotic drops marketed for colicky or gassy babies. The strain most studied for infant colic is Lactobacillus reuteri. Earlier small studies suggested it might reduce crying time, but a larger, well-designed trial published in The BMJ found no benefit. In that study, babies given the probiotic actually cried and fussed an average of 49 minutes per day more than babies given a placebo. The effect was especially pronounced in formula-fed infants, who fussed 78 minutes more per day on the probiotic. Among exclusively breastfed infants, there was no meaningful difference either way. Based on this evidence, probiotics aren’t a reliable treatment for infant gas or colic.
Does Your Diet Affect a Breastfed Baby’s Gas?
If you’re breastfeeding, you’ve probably heard that eating broccoli, beans, or spicy food will make your baby gassy. The evidence doesn’t support this. There are no specific foods that have been proven to cause gas in breastfed infants. Spicy foods, in particular, have not been shown to cause discomfort. Many mothers report that foods like kale, onions, garlic, or peppers seem to bother their babies, but just as many babies tolerate those foods without any issue.
The one well-documented exception is cow’s milk protein. It is the most commonly reported food substance to cause gas and fussiness in newborns. If your baby seems consistently uncomfortable after feedings, a trial of removing dairy from your diet for two to three weeks (with guidance from your pediatrician) is a reasonable step to see if symptoms improve.
When Gas May Signal Something Else
Normal newborn gas, even when it causes real distress, typically comes and goes and doesn’t interfere with weight gain. Some signs point to something beyond ordinary gas. Bloody or mucus-streaked stools are a hallmark of cow’s milk protein allergy and should always be evaluated. Frequent forceful vomiting (not just spit-up), poor weight gain, or refusing feeds can indicate reflux that needs treatment.
A cow’s milk protein allergy can look a lot like regular gas at first, with pain, bloating, and diarrhea. What distinguishes it is that symptoms are persistent, often appear within minutes to a couple of hours after feeding, and may include skin reactions like hives or eczema. In more serious cases, you might see wheezing, difficulty breathing, or significant vomiting. If your baby’s discomfort seems constant rather than episodic, or if you’re seeing any of these additional symptoms, that pattern is worth bringing to your pediatrician’s attention.