Digestion
It is common for parents to have questions about gas, spit-up, bowel movements and all the noises and effort that can seem to come with digestion. Remember, a baby’s digestive system is still developing during the first months of life.
Some babies seem completely comfortable through it all, while others grunt, strain, squirm, arch or become unsettled around feeds, passing gas and bowel movements. Understanding why your baby is in pain is be helpful.
Straining to Poop
Young babies can grunt, turn red, pull their legs up and strain considerably before passing a soft bowel movement. This can happen while they are still learning to coordinate the muscles involved in having a bowel movement.
Straining doesn’t always mean constipation. The consistency and frequency of your baby’s bowel movements, their age, feeding and overall comfort all help provide context. Hard or very dry stools, blood in the stool, significant pain, poor feeding or other concerns should be discussed with your baby’s healthcare provider.
Gas, Spit-Up and Feeding
Feeding and digestion often overlap. Babies may swallow air while feeding, especially when they are having difficulty maintaining suction or managing the flow of milk. This can contribute to burping, gas or discomfort during and after a feed.
Spitting up is also very common in infancy. How much a baby spits up doesn’t always tell us how uncomfortable they are, so it can be useful to consider the bigger picture — how they feed, whether they are growing well, their bowel movements and how they seem between feeds.
Persistent vomiting, poor weight gain, blood in vomit or stool, significant feeding difficulty, or a baby who appears unwell should always be assessed by an appropriate healthcare provider.