Nothing tests a new parent's patience quite like watching your baby squirm, cry, and pull their legs up with gas pain you can't immediately fix. Gas and mild colic are incredibly common in infants — their digestive systems are still maturing, and swallowed air from feeding only adds to the discomfort. The good news is that several gentle, low-risk techniques can genuinely help move things along and ease your baby's distress, often without needing anything beyond what's already in your home.
This guide walks through ten natural approaches worth trying, what the evidence actually says about each one, and when it's time to loop in your pediatrician instead of troubleshooting on your own.
Why Gas and Colic Are So Common in the First Few Months
A newborn's digestive system is doing an enormous amount of new work in a short amount of time — processing milk or formula, developing gut bacteria, and learning to coordinate the muscle movements that push gas and waste through the intestines. None of that happens instantly, which is part of why gas discomfort peaks in the first few months and tends to ease up considerably by four to six months as the gut matures.
Swallowed air is one of the biggest contributors, whether from a fast-flowing bottle nipple, a shallow latch during breastfeeding, or simply crying itself, which causes babies to gulp air. Feeding position, burping consistency, and even a nursing parent's diet can all play a role, which is why several of the remedies below focus on prevention as much as relief.
It's worth saying clearly: colic and gas are uncomfortable but not usually dangerous, and most babies outgrow the worst of it on their own. These remedies are about making the uncomfortable stretch more bearable for both of you, not treating an underlying medical problem — if something feels off beyond typical fussiness, that's a conversation for your pediatrician, not a home remedy.
1. Tummy Massage
Gentle, clockwise circular massage on your baby's belly follows the natural path of the digestive system, which can help move trapped gas along rather than letting it sit and cause pain.
Use light pressure with your fingertips or the flat of your hand, moving in a slow clockwise circle for a few minutes, ideally during a calm moment rather than mid-cry when your baby may resist being touched.
2. Warm Compress
A warm — not hot — compress on the belly can relax tense stomach muscles and ease general discomfort, similar to how a heating pad helps relax adult muscle tension.
Use a warm washcloth or a specifically designed baby heat pack, always testing the temperature against your own wrist first, and never leave it unattended against your baby's skin.
3. Bicycle Legs
Gently moving your baby's legs in a bicycling motion while they're on their back can help physically encourage trapped gas to move through the intestines.
Hold your baby's ankles and slowly pedal their legs in a cycling motion for a minute or two, watching their reaction and stopping if they seem uncomfortable rather than soothed.
4. Fennel Water
Fennel is a traditional natural carminative, meaning it's believed to help relax digestive muscles and reduce gas and bloating, though it's worth noting that scientific evidence specifically for infants is limited.
This is one to discuss with your pediatrician before trying, since appropriate use, dosing, and age-appropriateness vary, and not all sources agree on safety for very young infants.
5. Probiotics for Babies
Infant-specific probiotics are designed to support a healthy gut microbiome, and some research suggests certain strains may help reduce gas and colic symptoms in breastfed and formula-fed babies alike.
As with fennel water, this is a conversation to have with your pediatrician first, since not all probiotic strains or products are studied or appropriate for infants, and dosing matters.
6. Herbal Teas for Nursing Moms
For breastfeeding parents, certain herbal teas — chamomile, ginger, or fennel — are sometimes used with the idea that their properties may pass through breast milk and help reduce gas in the baby.
If you're nursing and want to try this, it's worth checking with your own doctor first, since herbal supplements during lactation aren't universally regulated or studied, and what's safe varies by ingredient and amount.
7. Proper Feeding Position
Keeping your baby in a more upright position during and after feeds, rather than fully reclined, reduces the amount of air they swallow along with milk, which directly addresses one of the most common causes of gas.
Aim for roughly a 45-degree angle during bottle feeding, and hold your baby upright for 15–20 minutes after feeding rather than laying them down immediately.
8. Burping Regularly
Burping during and after feeds releases air that's been swallowed before it has a chance to travel further into the digestive system and cause discomfort.
Pause partway through a feed to burp, not just at the end, especially for babies who feed quickly or seem to gulp. Try different positions — over the shoulder, sitting upright with chin support, or face-down across your lap — since some babies respond better to one over another.
9. Tummy Time
Supervised tummy time does double duty — it strengthens the muscles babies need for later motor development, and the gentle pressure on the belly can help relieve trapped gas and bloating.
Always supervise tummy time fully, keep sessions short for younger babies, and avoid doing it immediately after a feed when your baby's stomach is full.
10. Gentle Movement
Rocking, babywearing, or a gentle walk can calm a fussy baby generally while also helping gas move through the digestive system via the natural motion.
Try a slow, rhythmic rocking motion or a short walk in a carrier, paying attention to what specifically seems to settle your baby, since preferences vary quite a bit between individual infants.
Extra Tips for Fewer Gassy Days
A few additional habits can reduce how often gas becomes a problem in the first place. Avoid overstimulating your baby right before or during feeds, since an overtired or overstimulated baby tends to feed less efficiently and swallow more air. Check that your bottle's nipple flow rate matches your baby's age — a flow that's too fast can cause gulping and excess air intake.
If you're breastfeeding, it may be worth paying attention to whether certain foods in your own diet seem to correlate with worse symptoms, though this varies significantly from baby to baby and isn't something to overhaul your diet around without a clearer pattern. Keeping a calm, soothing environment and a consistent daily routine can also make gas episodes easier for your baby to settle from, even when the gas itself doesn't resolve instantly.
Above all, patience matters here — most infant gas and mild colic genuinely does get better with time as your baby's digestive system matures, typically improving noticeably by three to four months.
FAQ
How do I know if it's normal gas or something more serious?
Typical gas discomfort comes and goes, often resolves with burping or a diaper change, and your baby is otherwise feeding, sleeping, and gaining weight normally. Call your pediatrician if crying is unusually prolonged or high-pitched, if there's fever, vomiting, blood in the stool, or if your baby seems unusually lethargic — these warrant medical attention rather than home remedies.
Is colic the same as gas?
Not exactly. Gas is a specific, identifiable discomfort from trapped air, while colic is typically defined as crying for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, for at least three weeks in an otherwise healthy baby — the exact cause of colic isn't always clear, though gas is often a contributing factor.
When does baby gas typically improve?
Most babies see significant improvement by three to four months as their digestive system matures and they become more efficient feeders, though every baby's timeline varies somewhat.
Should I try fennel water or probiotics without checking with my pediatrician first?
It's worth checking first. While both are commonly discussed as natural remedies, dosing, product quality, and age-appropriateness aren't standardized the way medications are, so a quick conversation with your pediatrician before introducing either is a reasonable precaution.
Can switching formula help with gas?
Sometimes, but it's not something to do repeatedly on your own without guidance, since frequent formula switching can itself be disruptive to a baby's digestion. If gas seems persistent and other remedies aren't helping, your pediatrician can advise on whether a formula change makes sense for your specific baby.
Final Thought
Most baby gas and mild colic is uncomfortable rather than dangerous, and it does pass — usually sooner than it feels like in the middle of a hard night. Try one or two of these techniques consistently rather than everything at once, pay attention to what actually seems to help your specific baby, and don't hesitate to call your pediatrician if something feels different from typical fussiness. You're not doing anything wrong; infant digestion just takes time to catch up.