Baby wind and gas: causes and how to help

Newborn · Care · Reviewed 20 June 2026 · All articles

Few things are more distressing than watching your baby squirm, pull up their legs, and cry, seemingly in pain, while you feel helpless to do anything about it. Wind and gas are among the most common concerns parents raise in the first few months of life. The good news is that, in the vast majority of cases, trapped wind is a normal part of being a newborn. Babies' digestive systems are immature and still learning how to process milk efficiently. Understanding why wind happens and having a small toolkit of techniques ready can make a real difference to both your baby's comfort and your own confidence.

What is wind and why do babies get it?

Wind, sometimes called gas, refers to air that has been swallowed and become trapped somewhere in the digestive tract. It can sit in the stomach, causing discomfort and a feeling of fullness before a feed is finished, or it can pass further into the intestines where it produces bloating and cramping before eventually being expelled as flatulence.

Newborns are particularly prone to swallowing air for several reasons. Their feeding reflexes are still developing, so they often latch onto a breast or bottle in a way that lets air enter alongside the milk. The muscles that control the lower oesophageal sphincter, the valve at the top of the stomach, are not yet fully mature, which can allow gas to move upwards as a burp, or remain trapped and cause discomfort. On top of that, the entire gastrointestinal system is colonising with bacteria for the first time, which naturally produces gas as part of normal digestion.

Formula-fed babies sometimes produce more wind than breastfed babies, partly because formula takes longer to digest, and partly because bottle-feeding can make it easier to gulp air, especially if the teat flow is too fast. That said, breastfed babies are by no means immune: a poor latch, a very fast let-down reflex, or a baby who feeds when extremely hungry can all lead to swallowed air.

Wind versus colic: understanding the difference

Parents frequently ask whether their baby's crying is wind or colic. It is an important distinction because the two are managed quite differently.

Wind is a specific physical cause: trapped air in the gut. It tends to come on predictably around feeds and usually resolves once the baby burps or passes gas. The baby will typically settle within a reasonable period after you have helped them release the air.

Colic is a clinical label rather than a diagnosis with a known single cause. The widely used Wessel criteria define it as crying or fussiness for more than three hours per day, on more than three days per week, for more than three weeks in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby. Colic episodes often peak in the early evening and typically begin around two to three weeks of age, worsening until about six weeks, then improving by three to four months.

Trapped wind can certainly contribute to colic-like crying, but colic is not simply a wind problem. Research points to a combination of gut immaturity, neurological development, and possible changes in gut microbiome as contributing factors. According to the NHS, colic affects up to one in five babies and usually resolves on its own without treatment.

Relief positions and techniques

There is no single magic technique, but the following approaches are widely recommended by health professionals and supported by parental experience.

Upright over the shoulder

After a feed, hold your baby upright against your chest with their chin resting on your shoulder. Support their bottom with one hand and use the other to gently pat or rub their back in circular motions. This classic burping position uses gravity to help move air upwards and out. Keep your baby upright for at least 10 to 15 minutes after a feed where possible.

Sitting up on your lap

Sit your baby upright on your lap, supporting their chest and chin with one hand, and use your other hand to gently pat their back. Some babies find this position easier than the over-the-shoulder hold because it exerts gentle forward pressure on the abdomen that can help shift trapped air.

Tummy time (supervised)

Placing a baby on their tummy across your lap or on a firm surface while you are watching them closely can help move gas through the bowel. The gentle pressure on the abdomen from lying prone can be soothing. Important: tummy time for wind relief must always be supervised and should not be used as a sleep position. The NHS and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) both recommend that babies sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Bicycle legs

Lay your baby on their back and gently move their legs in a cycling motion, alternating each leg as if they were pedalling a bicycle. This movement can help stimulate the movement of gas through the intestines. Do this slowly and gently for one to two minutes.

Gentle tummy massage

With your baby lying on their back, place your hands flat on their abdomen and use gentle clockwise circular strokes. Clockwise follows the direction of the large intestine and can encourage trapped gas to move along and be expelled. Use only light pressure and stop if your baby seems uncomfortable. The NHS recommends waiting at least 45 minutes after a feed before massaging the tummy.

Adjusting feeding technique

Addressing the root cause of swallowed air at the source is more effective than dealing with wind after the fact. A few technique adjustments can make a meaningful difference.

Breastfeeding latch

A shallow latch is one of the most common reasons breastfed babies swallow excess air. When a baby takes in just the nipple rather than a good mouthful of the areola, there is a gap at the corner of the mouth where air enters with each suck. A lactation consultant or midwife can assess the latch and suggest adjustments. Signs of a good latch include the baby's lips flanged outward, their chin pressing into the breast, and little or no clicking sound during feeds.

Paced bottle feeding

For bottle-fed babies, paced bottle feeding can significantly reduce the amount of air swallowed. Hold the bottle more horizontally (roughly 45 degrees) rather than tilting it sharply upward. Pause every few minutes, tipping the bottle back to a horizontal position and letting the baby rest. This mimics the natural pace of breastfeeding, reduces gulping, and gives the baby time to signal when they are full. The teat should match the baby's developmental stage: a newborn teat with a slow flow prevents milk flowing faster than the baby can comfortably handle.

Anti-colic bottles

Several bottle brands market designs with venting systems intended to reduce the air that enters a bottle during feeding. Evidence from clinical studies is mixed as to whether they consistently reduce colic or wind. However, some parents do notice an improvement. If standard bottles are not working, they are worth trying.

Breastfeeding diet: what the evidence actually says

It is very common for breastfeeding parents to be advised to avoid certain foods, such as cabbage, broccoli, beans, onions, and dairy, because these might cause wind in their baby. However, the evidence for this is limited.

Gas-producing foods in a parent's diet produce gas within the parent's digestive tract. By the time nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream and transferred to breast milk, the compounds that cause gas in adults do not typically pass through in their original form. A 2017 review published in the journal Breastfeeding Medicine found no reliable evidence that routine dietary restriction in breastfeeding mothers reduces infant colic or wind.

That said, every baby is individual. A small subset of breastfed babies do appear sensitive to specific foods in the breastfeeding parent's diet, most commonly cow's milk protein. If your baby consistently seems more unsettled after you consume a particular food, it is reasonable to remove that food for two weeks and observe carefully. Always speak to a healthcare professional before making major dietary changes while breastfeeding, to ensure you are still meeting your own nutritional needs.

When to seek medical advice

Normal newborn wind, while uncomfortable and distressing to witness, does not require medical treatment. However, certain signs suggest something more than typical wind may be going on.

Contact your GP, health visitor, or seek urgent medical attention if your baby:

The NHS recommends contacting a GP or health visitor if you are worried about your baby's crying or digestive symptoms, even if nothing on the above list applies. Trust your instincts. You know your baby, and healthcare professionals would always rather reassure you than have you worry alone.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between wind and colic?

Wind refers to trapped air in the digestive tract that causes discomfort and can usually be relieved by burping or passing gas. Colic is a diagnosis of exclusion given when an otherwise healthy baby cries for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, for more than three weeks. While trapped wind can contribute to a colicky episode, colic has multiple possible causes and is not simply a wind problem.

Does my diet affect my baby's wind if I am breastfeeding?

Evidence that a breastfeeding parent's diet causes gas in their baby is limited. Research has not reliably shown that common suspects such as cabbage, onions, or beans increase infant wind. However, every baby is different. If you notice a consistent pattern where your baby seems gassier after you eat a particular food, it is reasonable to avoid it for a week and observe whether anything changes.

What positions help relieve baby wind?

The most effective positions include holding your baby upright over your shoulder and gently patting or rubbing their back after a feed, placing them face-down across your lap while supporting the head (a safe supervised position), and laying them on their back and cycling their legs. A gentle clockwise tummy massage can also encourage the movement of trapped gas through the bowel.

When should I see a doctor about my baby's wind?

See a doctor if your baby has prolonged, inconsolable crying that does not improve with wind-relief techniques, if you notice blood in their stool, if they are not gaining weight appropriately, if they vomit forcefully after most feeds, if they have a fever, or if their abdomen feels hard and distended. These signs may point to a condition that needs medical attention beyond normal newborn wind.

Sources

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