7 Home Remedies to Improve Digestion in Babies Naturally

If you are a mother, you probably have experienced it:

Your baby wakes up at night and keeps crying. You are rhythmically moving him in your arms but he doesn’t stop. It’s 2 AM, and your partner is awake too, probably annoyed. 

You both turn by turn try different things – you give him milk, move him in arms, hold him against your chest…and eventually he sleeps. Bit annoyed, you and your partner go to sleep as well.

When the baby wakes in the morning, the problem persists. He starts vomiting and crying, and you get worried since the little thing has no way to tell his mama what’s going on!

If you have experienced it, you aren’t alone. If it’s not serious, often it’s the case of digestion problems.

Babies often struggle with digestion problems since their digestion system is under development, for example, a valve that prevents food from the stomach from returning to the food pipe is developing in babies and therefore they can experience acid reflux – flushing back of food from the stomach to the food pipe. Other common causes of digestion problems include viral/bacterial infection, air trapping, constipation, lactose intolerance.

Since babies often struggle with digestion problems, a mother should be well equipped to deal with them. That’s why let’s explore 7 home remedies you can try to help your baby in case of digestion problems. Please note if the problem feels serious or persists you should better talk to a doctor.

Before we talk about home remedies to help your baby, let’s pause for just a second. If your baby is struggling with any digestion problems and they are persisting (diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, etc.), then you’ll find great help in talking directly to a pediatrician. You can get help by booking an online video consultation or appointment with the best pediatrician t in your city at Marham.

Let’s continue. Here are 7 home remedies to deal with common digestive problems in babies.

1. Breast Milk

Your child has a maturing digestive system, and until 6 months, breast milk is ideal for him/her. 

Breast milk contains all the vitamins, and nutrients a baby needs in the first six months of life, and it’s also packed with disease-fighting substances (antibodies) that protect your baby from illnesses. So breast milk plays an important role in the digestive health of your baby.

Try and feed your baby breast milk until 6 months, you should start feeding him solid food after 6 months. After 6 months, you should feed the baby with breast milk in combination with solid food until he is 2 years old. 

2. Yogurt Milk

Yogurt contains good bacteria and probiotics (microorganisms) which are beneficial for your baby. 

If your baby is suffering from diarrhea, vomiting, or constipation, giving little yogurt can help him. 

Giving yogurt to a baby less than six months isn’t recommended. You should consult a pediatrician (infants and children’s doctor). 

How to do it

Take a few teaspoons of diluted yogurt. 

Feed your baby this mixture a few times a day until he feels better.

You can do this whenever your baby display symptoms of digestive problems, but it’s always best to consult a pediatrician.

3. Do infant massage

Massaging strengthens a baby’s bones and muscles, but it also helps to ease out digestion-related discomfort the baby might be experiencing. 

How to do it

• Take any good massage oil. 
• Massage around baby’s belly button area. Keep the strokes gentle and move your hands clockwise, donwards. It releases trapped gas (if there are any) in the digestive tract. 
• Progress from one finger to the whole palm, gently pressing down. Moving your baby’s legs in and out together in a rhythmic way can also help.
• You can also massage your baby’s legs by pressing them (gently) against his belly. 

4. Do warm Compresses

It’s a great way of helping your baby or toddler get rid of gas and bloating. It also helps in soothing and calming your child.

How to do it

• Soak a clean towel in warm water and squeeze the extra water out. 
• Gently place it over your baby’s belly for 2-3 minutes. 

Repeat it 2-3 times. Do this a couple of times a day to help relieve the symptoms until your baby’s condition improves.

5. Do burping

During breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, the baby ingests a lot of air. The trapped air in the body can cause tummy aches, gas, and bloating creating feelings of discomfort and uneasiness. 

The best way to deal with this problem is to burp your baby often, especially after milk feeding. Burping can also help to prevent the baby from spitting consumed milk. 

How to do it

• Hold the baby in an upright position with your one hand supporting baby’s back, and other supporting the neck.
• Or you can make your baby lay down on his tummy in your lap and stroke his back gently.

6. Adjust his feeding position

Even the minor changes, sometimes, like changing feeding position can really help the baby with acid reflux – the situation where stomach acid is flushed from stomach to food pipe. 

If your baby suffers from constant bouts of throwing up, he might be suffering from acid reflux. 

How to do it

• Hold the baby in an upright position while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. This would prevent the stomach’s acidic content to move into food pipe. 
• Also, holding baby in an upright position for a minimum 30 minutes can help to stop the acid flux after a feed.

7. Give him banana

Bananas are one of the best foods you can give to your baby to improve his digestion. You can also give it as one of the first solid foods because it’s easy to digest for your baby’s body. Bananas can help to treat constipation in babies since it’s rich in fiber. 

If your baby is suffering from vomiting, or diarrhea, giving him bananas can help improve his gut health. However, if the baby is less than six months, he shouldn’t be given bananas since digestive system hasn’t fully matured.

If the above remedies don’t work for your baby, and his condition persists, it’s best to talk to a pediatric gastroenterologist who can guide you to help your baby digest well as well as treat for indigestion if it’s serious. You can talk to a pediatrician or pediatrician gastrologist at Marham.

If you have come reading it here. 

We applaud you, you are an amazing parent.

Thank you for being so committed to helping your child grow and develop fully.

What one remedy you’re going to try when your baby faces digestion problem?