The Nursing Baby - Q&A

Dear Michelle:
There are certain foods more likely to make babies more gassy in the early months, like onions, chocolate, and broccoli, but sometimes babies are just gassy, and not much can be done. I'd continue working on burping (do you try 'sitting' her on your knee holding her chin and bending her back and forth?). Gassiness certainly seems to be worst the first 3 months of a baby's life, then tends to get better. I remember with my son being sure that gassiness was causing his colic, then discovering he was only gassy after a crying bout (they do tend to swallow air when they cry). If your pediatrician recommends it, you can try simethicone drops, if the gassiness is causing discomfort.

Sometimes babies are more gassy when they get a lot of foremilk, this might be indicated if her diapers were green instead of yellow. If so, keep her on the same breast longer and switch less often. With more fatty hindmilk, she may be satisfied to go longer in between nursings.

Nursing every 2-3 hours during the day is completely normal for a baby. Some take nips every 30 minutes or so. Mine nursed every hour 1/2 during the day till he was 10 months. Others are too involved with other things and nurse every 4 hours. Be assured that your baby's nursing patterns are a reflection of her needs, and if you continue to feed on demand, she will get all the milk she needs, when she wants it. I'm afraid there's no such thing as a nursing schedule that fits all babies, as each one has his or her own unique nutritional needs, which can be best met by nursing on demand. Mothers who nurse on demand are also much less likely to encounter insufficient milk supply, since the baby self-regulates the supply. If the length of the feeding seems too long for you to bear, put her in a sling and start walking, chances are she'll be happy to take a break when you start moving.

Remember that it's normal for babies to be fussy at night, whether they are breastfed or bottlefed. Try popping your daughter in the sling and letting her nurse as often as she wants during her fussy times to see if that calms her. You might also try taking her on a walk in the evening - babies really enjoy fresh air.

Good luck mothering your nursing baby!