Fussy Baby? Try Changing their Diet!
If your baby is crying for hours and hours, you clearly know there is something wrong. What is not quite clear, however, is how to relieve the discomfort your baby is feeling. If the fussiness is an ongoing problem, one very easy thing you can try is changing your baby’s diet.
Breast Milk and Gassy Baby
A newborn’s digestive system is still immature. If the mother is breastfeeding, food particles can actually move from the digestive system lining and into the blood stream. Your baby’s body treats those food particles as an allergen which can cause gas pain and discomfort. Food particles found in breast milk can irritate your baby’s sensitive digestive system as well.
You don’t want a gassy baby. Some mother’s find simply swapping out the foods that are known to cause upset tummies can greatly reduce fussy baby periods. Here are some foods breastfeeding mothers should try to avoid:
- caffeine (yes this means chocolate, coffee, tea and soda)
- spices (cinnamon, garlic, curry, chili pepper)
- some fruits and juices (lemons, oranges, pineapple, limes, grapefruit, strawberries, kiwifruit)
- gas-causing veggies (broccoli, onion, garlic, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, and peppers)
- dairy
We know this sounds like a lot, but it’s basically anything that can upset your stomach or causes gas. It will do the same to your baby. And keep in mind, you don’t have to do this forever, just until about the 4th month when your baby’s digestive system becomes mature.
Formula and Gassy Baby
The same goes for babies on formula. The type of formula that is sent home from the hospital is often too hard for your baby to digest. You can easily switch to a formula like Nestle Good Start which utilizes COMFORT PROTEINS®. These proteins use a gentle 100% whey protein which is broken down into easier-to-digest pieces for your baby’s sensitive tummy.
Another good formula to check out that contains easy-to-digest proteins and is hypoallergenic is Nutramigen Baby Formula by Enfamil.
