Baby Stomach Ache – Treatment and Causes

Babies cry for different reasons, including stomach aches. Getting to know the cause of your baby’s cry requires a great deal of attention from you. Thankfully, the fact that you’re reading this article is a step in the right direction.

Stomach aches are common in babies and they really not fun. Your baby has not started making verbal communication so they may not be able to describe their pain. The good news is: You are not alone.

Stomach aches occur in about 20% of babies in their first few days or weeks of life.

Baby Stomach Ache

This article provides you with answers to your questions concerning stomach aches in your baby. You will get to know about the various causes, how to know if your baby’s cry is from stomach ache, how to ease stomach ache in babies, and the foods to try when your little one has a tummy ache.

What causes stomach ache in babies?

Stomach ache can result due to various reasons like:

  • Constipation
  • Lactose intolerance
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Reflux
  • Intestinal blockade
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Allergy
  • Infection.

Based on origin, infections may be viral or bacterial. Thankfully, stomach aches of viral origins do not last for long. In fact, they often disappear within a couple of days.

Some of these causes are explained below:

Constipation

Babies’ poo as many times in a day. The rate is usually high in the first few weeks of life and then decreases again, only to increase again when they are introduced to solid and stage 1 baby foods after six months. As a parent, it helps to be familiar with the number of times your baby poos in a day. If this number reduces, it may be that your baby is constipated. This may be the cause of your baby’s stomach ache.

You can also read this post to learn about the treatment of constipation in babies.

Allergies

Your baby may be allergic or sensitive to certain diets. If you notice your baby gets uncomfortable right after eating, they may be sensitive to some things in their diet. Some allergies can even show on your baby’s skin.

Other symptoms of food allergies include vomiting, swelling of the lips or face, and skin rash.

Breast milk

As usual, we recommend exclusive and effective breastfeeding in the first six months of life. However, in some rare cases, your baby may react negatively to your breast milk. This is because there is something in your own diet that your baby is reacting to. These things may include spice, caffeine, and some dairy product.

In this article, you’d find 20 healthy meal options for pregnant and breastfeeding moms.

GERD

Babies with gastroesophageal reflux disease come down with stomach aches. This is usually accompanied by poor feeding and choking. GERD occurs when there’s excess acid in the stomach. This goes up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation.

Baby Stomach Ache

How do I know if a baby is crying from a stomach ache?

Babies cry for different reasons. You will know if this particular cry is a result of a stomach ache if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as:

  • Refusal to eat
  • Excessive cry
  • Restlessness
  • Caned posture
  • Irregular feeding
  • Poor and interrupted sleep

How can I ease stomach ache in a baby?

You can try out some of these home remedies to ease your baby’s stomach ache:

Track the pain

Can you figure out what your baby has eaten in the last 24 hours? What do you think has changed about your baby? Did they sleep well? Have they eaten enough or did they overeat? Getting answers to these and more questions would help get to the root of the pain. It will do you a lot of good if you are able to find the trigger that led to the pain.

Give a massage

Massage is a very natural way to help relieve your baby of stomach aches. Their digestive tract is still developing, therefore, providing some external relief also helps to aid in digestion.

Little exercises

Trying out some baby leg exercises can also help relieve your baby from pain. One of these exercises is bicycling their legs. You can also help them pass gas by bending their legs and bringing their knees to their tummy. This kind of motion helps the gas trapped in their stomach to find its way out and helps relieve pain.

Baby Stomach Ache

Choose the right formula

One of the possible reasons your baby is having stomach pain is that they’re not feeding right. If you are giving them the formula to take, it may be that one or more of the ingredients is irritating their stomach. You can go for an easy-to-digest formula that won’t upset your baby’s stomach. If you’re thinking your baby has lactose intolerance, you can go for milk products that have been partially broken down. This makes the entire digestion process a lot easier.

Read this post on how to select the best baby formula for your little one.

See a doctor

Stomach ache sometimes can be a signal of some underlying medical conditions like hernia and intussusception. You cannot handle this at home and you will need to consult a doctor. If you have tied many remedies and it seems not to work or the pain keeps increasing, please consult a doctor.

What food should I give a baby with an upset stomach?

Go for liquids if your baby can take them in. Also, avoid solid foods as this may aggravate the pain. Give a lot of fruits and vegetables and also keep your baby hydrated.

Conclusion

Stomach aches in babies can be a result of indigestion or constipation. Sometimes, it may be due to some other underlying medical conditions. Be sure to know your baby’s normal routine. This will help identify and break in the normal circle.

Don’t opt for self-medication. Let your doctor approve any drug before you give your baby, especially if you’re still breastfeeding.