Baby Farts

Today, my wife said she felt a gurgling, bubbly feeling in her stomach near the baby's backside.  Her first thought was that he had farted, and her imaginings of him letting out a little "pssss" left her in a fit of giggles.  I asked her why she was giggling, so she told me.  I laughed too at the thought, but ever the curious sort, I decided to see if that was actually possible.  Can babies really fart in the womb?

Well, after an exhaustive search, the short answer is 'no.'  Some people believe it's because farting involves swallowed air, which is not present in the amniotic fluid.  However, one doctor said that farting can actually occur without air, but it does require a certain bacteria that is missing in babies until they start to eat and digest food.  Those bacteria are responsible for releasing the gas as they attack the food.  Another source stated that babies butts are plugged with meconium, which is a dark green substance that forms the baby's first fecal discharge, thus preventing them from farting or pooping.  So, perhaps it's a combination of all of them.  Still, it wasn't baby farts that my wife was feeling, though I doubt that fact will keep us from laughing about them when they happen.

During my searching, I did find a funny and interesting post that talked about babies trying to fart for the first time after they were born.  Apparently, the act of farting is aided by upright posture, movement, and things that compress the tummy like squatting.  Obviously, those are all things that a newborn baby is not doing.  So, there are actually techniques that you can employ to help your baby "move the gas bubbles."  Gas to a baby, just like to us, can be very uncomfortable.  If he starts crying, pulling his legs into his belly, or has a wiggling and hard belly; then there's a good chance he has gas and can't do anything about it. 

So, what can we do to help him?  The number one remedy is to take his pudgy, little legs and move them in a bicycle kick!  Laying him on his back and moving his legs up and down toward and away from his belly in a pedaling motion.  One woman said that pressing her baby's knees to his chest was like pressing the "fart" button...and the "smile" button at the same time.  It was both a combination of the sweet relief of being rid of the gas and the inherent chuckle that we all get when we pass gas.  Apparently, babies are born with also thinking that this is funny!