It’s a common experience for all parents when babies cry when they’re hungry. But when baby cry after feeding, it’s alarming, especially if they seem distressed and cry endlessly without wanting to settle down. For both the mother and the baby are struggling with this problem, it is important to understand what causes their fuss after feeding so that a solution can be found.
Why Does Baby Cry After Feeding?
The only way to try and find out why your little one is crying after feeding is to know all the reasons why babies cry after feeding. Here are five common reasons why babies are crying after a meal:
1. Colic
If after feeding your baby looks gassy and cries for hours on end, it might be colic. Generally speaking, colic is the term for the condition in which babies under 3 months of age cry every day for at least 2-3 hours and cry for three or more days a week. While it’s distressing to see your baby cry for long periods of time, whether you’re bottling feed or breastfeeding them, it’s quite common. Approximately 1 in 5 infants have colic, and there is no single reason for this to happen. It is assumed that due to the development of the digestive system, they will receive gas or be unable to fully digest the milk.
When they weep loudly with their hands clenched and cheeks red for no apparent reason, your baby may have colic. They would also raise their knees to the tummy and arch their back. They are their normal and happy self when they don’t cry.
2. Formula
If after eating a certain brand or manufacturer’s formula, you notice your baby crying, they may be sensitive to the ingredients in them. Because each formula has a very different composition, the baby’s stomachs may well accept some and reject others. In such cases, special formulations made for sensitive babies should be attempted. Talk to your doctor before experimenting with various formula brands.
3. Food Allergies
Babies are often prone to new foods and can develop allergies as they are treated as a threat by their immune systems. This is more common in breastfed babies because mothers are still not used to consuming a variety of foods. Of the most allergy-causing baby foods, milk, eggs, and soy, lead to the highest number among allergies in children. If after feeding babies show symptoms such as extreme irritability, redness, hives or bloody stools, it is advisable to contact your doctor for allergy testing.
4. Gas
Gas is also a common cause of babies ‘ discomfort shortly after eating. If after each feed they seem to cry a lot and display bloating symptoms, they may swallow a lot of air while feeding. If you see your baby crying for a bottle while consuming formula, they might have swallowed a lot of air while eating, causing all that gas to get trapped in the belly, leaving them uncomfortable.
Ways To Stop Baby Cry After Feeding
It’s only half the solution to figure out what makes your baby cry, now you need to figure out how to stop the condition that leads to it.
1. Dealing with Colic
To deal with the baby’s colic, try to remove as many causes as you can. Babies suck in more air as they continue to cry and raise their own pain and create a self-reinforcing loop. If you notice other symptoms, the doctor will rule them out as options. Colic recovers about 6 weeks and usually goes away for 4 months fully. For now, except to remove all possible triggers, there is no colic medication.
2. Dealing with Food Allergies
If your baby cries after eating oatmeal cereal or if there are other things that you know the baby is allergic to, avoid these foods and choose substitutes that they can tolerate well. If they are sensitive to certain brands, consider switching the formula and becoming colicky after eating. Avoid foods that can cause them pain while breastfeeding.
3. Remedies for Gas
To deal with gas, sit the babies upright or have them on your shoulders for at least 30 minutes after feeding. Burp them often during feeds and after feeds to release trapped gases mixed with the food. Hold them upright and gently pat their backs to bring the gas up. If patting their back doesn’t work, try gently rubbing their lower backs and tummies in a circular motion to loosen the paths of trapped gases. If the baby cries after feeding, they have probably ingested a lot of air and feel hungry when they are burped.
A systemic approach to testing what kind of foods and feeding habits cause your baby’s discomfort helps you narrow the problem up and find ways to remove it.
Also Read: When Should You Introduce Solid Food To Your Baby?
