A quick note before we start: this article shares general information to help you feel informed — it isn’t a diagnosis or a substitute for your doctor’s advice. If something here concerns you, please reach out to a healthcare professional.
Age Group: Newborn
If you are a parent in a Pakistani household you have probably heard people say things like “The baby has gas” “There’s an evil eye” or “Stomach disorder”. What’s really going on when your newborn screams and arches their back?
Between week 2 and week 16 babies have digestive systems. They swallow air while feeding their gut is still developing and their intestinal muscles don’t know how to move gas along efficiently. This can cause a lot of discomfort.
This guide will help you understand what’s going on and what you can do to help. We will look at remedies and new science.
Part 1: Understanding Gas and Colic
Before you try any remedies you need to know what you are dealing with.
Gas: This is when the baby swallows air during feeding or crying. Air gets trapped in the intestines. Symptoms include:
- Squirming
- Pulling legs to chest
- Loud farting
- Relief after passing gas
The good news is that gas is mechanical. You can fix it by adjusting the feeding position.
Infant Colic: This is a mystery. The “Rule of Threes” – crying for than 3 hours a day 3 days a week for 3 weeks. It isn’t gas; it may be a neurological issue or a gut imbalance.
If the baby is gaining weight has diapers and is happy between crying spells – it is normal. If they refuse feeds or vomit bile call the doctor.
Part 2: Old Remedies
Indian households love using remedies like Janam Ghutti, Gripe Water and Hing. Let’s see what works and what doesn’t.
The Good Remedies
1. Ajwain Potli (carom seeds in a cloth):
- Roast ajwain seeds in a pan.
- Tie them in a cloth.
- Test the temperature on your wrist.
- Place on the baby’s belly while doing bicycle legs.
This helps relax the muscles and reduces spasms.
2. Fennel Seeds Water:
- Boil a teaspoon of fennel seeds in 2 cups of water.
- *. Drink 2-3 cups daily.
This increases milk supply. Helps reduce gas.
3. Tummy. Massage:
- Use coconut or mustard oil.
- Massage the baby’s belly in clockwise circles.
This stimulates the gut. Helps move gas along.
The Bad Remedies
1. Commercial Gripe Water:
Many contain alcohol, sodium bicarbonate or sugar. The FDA and Indian Academy of Pediatrics warn against use.
Avoid in newborns under 1 month.
2. Raw Hing (asafoetida) Paste:
Raw hing is strong. Can burn mucosal membranes.
Use externally only.
3. Janam Ghutti:
Often contains metals and fills the babys stomach with useless calories.
Discard it.
Part 3: The Science of Burping
Burping isn’t just patting the back. It’s physics. Air rises above milk. If you don’t get it out it travels down causing pain.
Burping Positions
- Over-the-Shoulder**: Babys belly presses into your shoulder.
- The Circle**: Sit baby on your lap. Support chin with one hand.
- The Lap Lean**: Lay baby face-down across your thighs.
Burp every 30ml for bottle-fed babies and between breasts for breastfed babies. If no burp, after 5 minutes stop. Some babies are ” burpers”. Stop patting if the baby relaxes.
Part 4: Immediate Relief Techniques
When your baby is crying and you have tried everything follow this plan that combines science and traditional methods:
Minute 0-2: The “Tiger in the Tree” Hold
Hold your baby facing away from you with their back against your chest. Put your palm under their bottom and your forearm under their belly. Apply gentle pressure. Then walk quickly.
Minute 2-4: Warm Ajwain Potli
Put an ajwain compress on your babys belly and do gentle “bicycle legs” with them. The heat helps distract your baby from the pain.
Minute 4-6: White Noise + Shushing
Gas pains can get worse when your baby is anxious. Play a vacuum cleaner sound. Make a loud “Shhhhhh” sound to help calm your baby down.
Minute 6-8: The “I Love You” Massage
Use oil to massage your baby’s belly in the shape of the letters “I” “L” and “U”. This helps with digestion.
Minute 8-10: Bicycle Squeeze
Lay your baby on their back. Pump their legs like they are cycling. Then gently bring their knees towards their shoulder. Wait for them to pass gas. You will hear your baby feel relieved.
Part 5: Probiotics & Gut Health
Your newborns gut is empty when they are born. It starts to get bacteria from birth skin contact and breastmilk. If your baby had a C-section or antibiotics they are more likely to get colic.
What works is Lactobacillus reuteri. A study showed that it reduces crying time by 50% in 21 days. Breastmilk has helpers that feed good bacteria. Yogurt is great for moms. Not for newborns because of the risk of allergy. You can start giving probiotics on day 1 if your baby had a C-section or on week 2 otherwise. Put the drops on your babys tongue. Stop after 3 months.
Part 6: Feeding Fixes
For Breastfeeding Moms:The problem is when your baby drinks much milk too fast. Your baby might swallow air. Get gassy.The fix is to nurse while lying down on your back which slows down the milk flow.. You can take your baby off your breast when the milk sprays, catch the spray and then put your baby back on. For your diet try avoiding onions, cabbage, beans and dairy for 5 days to see if it helps. Turmeric milk is great for moms because it reduces inflammation.
For Bottle Feeding:The problem is when air gets into the nipple.The fix is to use “paced bottle feeding” where you hold the bottle horizontally and tilt it down when your baby pauses. You can also use vents to reduce air swallowing.
Part 7: When to Worry
Gas and colic are normal. But these symptoms are not:
Vomiting green or yellow fluid, blood in stool, fever or not gaining weight are all signs that something’s wrong. If you see any of these, go to the hospital away.
The 4-Month Finish Line
The truth is that your newborns digestive system is still developing. It takes 4-5 months for it to mature.Your job is not to “cure” colic, To survive it. The winning strategy is to use ajwain compresses, probiotics and perfect burping technique.
Final tip: Gripe water is not needed; Warm oil massage is great. Remember, this too shall pass.
Finding a Balance Between Scientific Approaches to Newborn Gut Health
When we talk about newborn gas and colic people often have different opinions. This is because traditional Desi parenting methods and modern paediatric science do not always agree.. It does not have to be a fight. We can find a way to bring these two approaches together. The main question is: Why do traditional Desi remedies sometimes work and when are they not safe for the baby?
The Cultural Significance of “Hawa” (Wind)
In South Asian families when a baby cries people say it is because of “hawa lag gayi” or a stomach problem. Even though the words we use are old-fashioned the idea is correct. Our grandmothers knew that newborn babies have digestion. Modern science says the thing: newborns do not have enough of an enzyme called lactase and their intestines are not fully developed. So, when a Desi elder wraps a baby in clothes to keep the “cold air” away she is actually helping to prevent the baby from swallowing air. This is an idea even if our ancestors did not fully understand why it worked.
The Science Behind Home Remedies
Things get interesting when we look at remedies like ajwain and hing. Science shows that thymol in ajwain can help stop muscle spasms. The traditional Desi practice of using a compress with ajwain is a simple but effective way to deliver this compound to the body and relax the muscles. Similarly when nursing mothers eat saunf it passes a compound called anethole into their milk, which helps relax the baby’s intestines.
However, we need to talk about the dangers of some remedies. Sometimes what is “natural” is not always safe. For example, putting hing on a baby’s lips or using a herbal paste called Janam Ghutti can introduce harmful substances like alcohol, heavy metals or botulism spores into the baby’s system. We should use these remedies externally like in a massage or compress. Not give them to the baby to eat or drink before they are six months old.
What We Can Take Away From This
As a Desi parent you do not have to choose between your mother’s advice and your paediatricians advice. The best approach is clear: use an ajwain compress practice the “I Love You” massage but avoid using gripe water and instead give your baby Lactobacillus reuteri probiotics.
In the end this discussion shows that the best way to care for a newborn is to use science that respects our culture. We should respect practices like burping a baby over the shoulder while walking, which uses gravity and rhythm to help the baby. We should also respect the tiger in the tree hold, which can help compress the baby’s intestines. We should stop using remedies, like Janam Ghutti that can harm the baby. Our goal is not to change the baby but to make our remedies safer and more effective. When Desi families learn to keep the parts of our traditions and get rid of the harmful parts everyone will be happier and healthier.
FAQ’s: Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every child, body, and pregnancy is different — please consult your pediatrician, doctor, or a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.
