Herbal Support for the Gassy Infant

Having a gassy infant is a quite common; I'm dealing with this issue with my little one.  Thankfully, there are a number of herbs that mommy can take that can pass to the infant via breast milk.  Not every baby is the same, so a little experimentation may be needed to help relieve the gas.

While I will not be going into details in this post, there are a few other non-herbal interventions that may help.  These would be clock-wise gentle tummy massage using a few drops of olive or castor oil, taking your infant to a chiropractor for adjustments, diet changes for mommy, and homeopathic remedies.

Some herbs to consider trying would be dill seed, fennel seed, anise seed (NOT star anise), caraway seed, catnip, and chamomile.  I recommend crushing the seeds as this will allow for better release of their nutrients.  These herbs are digestive aides and can help relieve gas.  These can all be taken in tea form and drunk throughout the day and even when you wake up to feed your little one at night.  I often make my daily dose and sip through the day, into the night.

My beloved mortar and pestle for crushing seeds

Like I mentioned, it make take some experimenting to find the right herb or combination for your baby.  Keep in mind, though, that some babies just need more time to grow and mature and eventually will grow out of the gassy stage.  Hang in there, mamas!

Fennel and anise seeds waiting to be crushed.