Many moms underestimate the importance of winding and this often leads to problems later on in the day – which are then diagnosed as colic. To correct this problem, I thought that I would share some winding tips, to help get those pesky bubbles up and out of baby’s system.
We are going to answer 3 simple questions to start:
Do all mothers have to wind their baby?
How do I know which technique to use?
How do I know that I have winded my baby enough?
First question: Do all mothers need to wind?
Yes all mothers should wind their baby, regardless of whether you are bottle or breastfeeding. If bottle feeding, you will need to wind after every 30-40ml of milk, use a Dr Browns or Born Free bottle if your baby is younger than 6 weeks as other ‘popular’ brands, are really bad for causing excess trapped wind.
Second question: which technique?
You will need to look at what your baby is doing. If your baby is arching back, he or she is telling you that there is air stuck just underneath the diagphram – similar to the pain we get when we swallow a drink too fast.
If your baby is arching back – you will need to use upright techniques, over the should, sitting on your knee whilst you straighten baby’s back, or standing up with baby’s bottom on your tummy – bouncing from the knees up.
If your baby is pulling his or her legs up, he or she is telling you that the trapped wind or pain is actually in the gut area. There isn’t a whole lot you can do until this comes out, but you can offer baby more food as this will push what is in the gut out, you could offer baby something to suck until the pain abates, or you can lie baby on his or her back pull up the legs and then gently rotate clockwise.
Third question: How do you know that you have winded enough?
You won’t always hear the air coming up or out – so you need to look at your baby. If your baby seems calm and relaxed, you know that you have winded baby well. If your baby is still arching back or shooting off to one side or the other, there is a little more wind that needs to come up.
Now you can’t spend hours winding the poor child as this will lead to over stimulation and cause other problems.
If you are struggling to get anything up – use infacol. I know it has additives and tastes of orange? but just do it. One squirt before each feed, day and night, for 10 days. Then reassess and decide whehter you want to continue or not.
TIP: to ensure your baby doesn’t just spit it out, put half a squirt into each cheek.
If you are not able to get wind up and baby is getting scratchy – offer the breast again. If the wind has come up – baby will latch and continue feeding.
If the wind is still bothering baby, he or she won’t latch on but will shake their head over the nipple and start getting fractuous. Wind a little more or wait for a poo! Something has got to happen before baby will want to latch 
As this is such a huge problem with many breastfeeding or bottle feeding moms, I will address this subject a lot more over the next few weeks.
However – I hope this helps for now!
Much love,
Geraldine
