There is nothing cute about gas. In adults it’s gross, but in babies in can mean the difference between a good night’s sleep and chewing coffee beans to keep your eyes open the next day.
I have been blessed with an easy-going kid… so far. Sabrina doesn’t make a fuss unless something is really wrong; she’s either hungry, needs changing, wants to sleep or has the illmatic gas bubble sitting in her little chest making things really uncomfortable. In the first 9 weeks of her life I’ve grown pretty adept at discerning what the problems are. The legs kicking means the diaper needs changing, the clicking mouth means she’s hungry, head rocking back and forth Stevie Wonder-style means she’s trying to sleep and needs some incentive, and the Hulkmania arm flex means she’s got gas.
Out of all of her maladies, gas is the hardest to deal with because the fix isn’t automatic. When she’s hungry, a bottle of milk gets her quiet instantly. A diaper change has brought out the most beautiful smiles from this little girl, and when she’s ready to sleep, it’s pretty much non-negotiable. However, the gas has taken a steady hand and a lot of patience. I used to place her over my shoulder with the cloth, old school style, but found that I got the best results sitting her upright with her chest in my right palm and patting her back with my left. On more than one occasion my wife has been in the living room feeding Sabrina and she’ll call me in to burp her. After two taps on the back, Sabrina is belching like Shrek after a plate of snail eyeballs and fungus fondue. I’ve gotten so good at burping her that my wife has dubbed me “The Burp Whisperer.”
You’re reading this and thinking, “What’s the big deal?” But spend some time with an infant with gas, and you’ll understand why. Better yet, drink some soda and instead of letting that first burp out, hold it. Feels uncomfortable as hell, right? Now imagine that you can’t get that burp out without some help, and you’re still thirsty/hungry to boot. That’s why burping is so important.
On another note, Sabrina has rejected her pacifier. While she may take it during some road trips to see my parents, she will not accept it as a substitute for food or in any attempt to quiet her down. For example, if she is hungry and I give her the pacifier to calm her down until the bottle warms, she spits it right out. In general, she refuses to be silenced. Or maybe she just wants a clear path for those burps.
