By Sada Amir
By Sada Amir
Breast milk provides all the energy and nutrients a baby needs for the first months of life and provides half or more of the baby’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year of birth to one-third during the second year of life according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In breastfeeding, there are steps that the mother should take to ensure that the baby sucks well and is well fed and if she does not follow proper steps, the baby might end up being gassy leading to long crying episodes.
Dr. Boniface Messanga, a gynecologist at Nyamagana District Hospital in Mwanza Region,states that the baby might suck in a lot of air if you breastfeed while he or she is crying or if the nipple is not well positioned in the baby’s mouth. He also advises breastfeeding mothers to be keen on their diet and avoid gassy foods.
“The baby’s digestive system is not yet mature, so it still adapting to process food, ”said Dr Messanga.
He says one of the methods of helping a baby who is gassy is by applying a little pressure on the abdomen so that gas comes out.
Using soccer ball to explain he says, ” You see the ball is not too hard. So you put the baby to sleep on his stomach, so you are like rolling a ball. (if you roll the ball the baby will move around) that is also a good way to get rid of air ”said Dr Messanga.
Another technique is to tap the baby on the back, the doctor says that this technique is usually done after half an hour of breastfeeding, and the baby is placed between the thighs and then the baby begins to be pressed gently on the back. He warns that if this is done immediately after feeding the baby might end up throwing up undigested milk instead of getting relieved of the gas.
Breastfeeding for a short but regular period, he says, this method is best for babies who have trouble getting regular bowel movements as doing so completely prevents air from entering the abdomen.
“The baby is suckling regularly but only for a short time. The model probably sucks for some minutes but every half hour she is breastfed again. “Because when a baby stays in the breast for a long time, he/she relaxes and lets his mouth open so that air enters his stomach, but if she/he sucks for a while but often you are helping the baby to reduce episodes of gassy tummy,” he said.
Another option is to put the baby on his back and then position his legs like a bicycle. He said this method also helps the baby release gas from the stomach.
Nyanguge Community Health Center health worker Joyce Nyanda said another way to get the gas out is to put the baby on the shoulder after he/she has finished breastfeeding. He said the mother should make sure the baby’s abdomen touches her shoulder and then the baby will feel pressure on the abdomen and release gas.
Joyce has urged mothers with infants to focus on the correct position while breastfeeding to reduce these gassy episodes which are very uncomfortable for the baby.
