Gas Exercises For Newborns | Calm Moves That Help Pass Gas

Gentle leg motions, light belly contact from supervised tummy time, and a soothing carry can help trapped gas move along.

Newborn gas can flip the mood fast: one minute your baby’s milk-drunk, the next they’re scrunching up, grunting, and turning beet red. Most of the time it’s air that got swallowed during feeding, then got stuck on the way out.

Your goal isn’t to “fix” digestion. It’s to help your baby feel better while their gut learns the ropes. The good news? A few safe, simple moves often help in minutes, and you don’t need fancy gear to do them.

Below you’ll get step-by-step gas exercises, a smart order to try them in, and small feeding tweaks that can cut down on how often gas shows up. You’ll also see clear red flags so you know when to stop and call your baby’s clinician.

Gas Exercises For Newborns That Ease Belly Pressure

These moves should feel gentle and steady. No forcing joints. No hard belly pressing. If your baby stiffens, cries harder, looks pale, has trouble breathing, vomits forcefully, or seems unusually sleepy, stop and get medical help.

Set up on a safe spot: a firm bed, a floor blanket, or a changing pad with raised sides. Keep one hand on your baby at all times. If your baby just ate, wait 10–20 minutes before the first round of leg work so milk can settle.

1) Bicycle Legs

Bicycle legs pair hip motion with a soft tummy “wiggle,” which can help gas shift. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists bicycling legs as a simple way to help a baby pass gas. AAP tips for breaking up gas

1. Lay your baby on their back.
2. Hold both ankles with a loose grip.
3. Bring one knee toward the belly while the other leg extends, then switch, like slow pedaling.
4. Keep the range small. Stop before the knee reaches the ribs.

Try 30–60 seconds, pause, then repeat once or twice. If you hear a toot, give a short break and let your baby relax.

2) Knees-To-Belly Press And Release

This is less “exercise” and more a gentle squeeze-and-let-go rhythm. Done softly, it can nudge gas toward the exit.

1. With your baby on their back, hold both lower legs under the knees.
2. Bend both knees toward the belly until you feel light resistance.
3. Hold for one slow breath, then release.

Do 6–10 presses. Keep it smooth, not bouncy. If your baby tenses their tummy, back off and switch to a carry.

3) Hip Circles

Hip circles keep things moving without straight-line pressure. Think “drawing small circles,” not stretching.

• Hold your baby’s ankles.
• Move both knees together in a small circle: down, out, up, in.
• Switch directions after 5 circles.

This is a good pick when bicycle legs seem to annoy your baby. The motion feels more like a rock than a workout.

4) Supervised Tummy Time With Light Belly Contact

Tummy time puts gentle contact on the belly, which can help gas move. The AAP notes supervised tummy time as another option that may help gas pass. AAP note on tummy time and gas

Keep it simple:

• Do it before a feed, or wait a bit after a feed if your baby spits up easily.
• Start with 30–90 seconds on a firm surface.
• If your baby hates the floor, do chest-to-chest tummy time while you recline slightly.

If your baby just ate and tends to spit up, skip floor tummy time. Use an upright hold first, then try hip circles.

5) Belly-Down Forearm Carry

When a baby wants motion, a belly-down carry can settle them while adding light belly contact. The Cleveland Clinic lists gentle leg motions and positioning ideas that can bring relief for gassy babies. Cleveland Clinic gas relief tips

1. Lay your baby belly-down along your forearm.
2. Hold their chest and hip so they feel steady, with the head turned to the side.
3. Walk slowly or sway side to side.

Keep the airway clear. If your baby dozes off, move them to a safe sleep surface on their back.

6) Clockwise Belly Circles

Newborn bellies tend to respond better to light touch than deep pressure. With two fingers, draw slow circles around the belly button, moving clockwise. Stop if your baby pulls away or the skin looks irritated.

If your baby has a healing umbilical stump, stay well away from it. Keep the circles wide and gentle.

Exercises For Newborn Gas After Feeding With Better Setup

Moves work best when you cut down on swallowed air. A small change during feeds can mean fewer gas blowups later.

Burp With Short, Timed Pauses

Burping doesn’t need to drag on, yet it helps to do it at useful moments. The NHS describes burping methods and mentions tummy rubbing and bicycle legs when wind seems stuck. NHS guidance on burping and trapped wind

• During bottle feeds, pause every few minutes for a burp.
• After breastfeeding, try a burp when switching sides and at the end.
• Use steady pats or rubs on the back. Quick thumps can upset some babies.

If your newborn won’t burp, don’t force it. Hold them upright for a few minutes and try the leg moves later.

Keep The Feeding Angle Working For You

For bottle feeding, a more upright hold can reduce air intake. The Mayo Clinic’s colic treatment guidance includes holding babies upright during bottle feeds and burping often during and after feeding. Mayo Clinic colic diagnosis and treatment

• Head higher than the tummy.
• Chin not tucked into the chest.
• Bottle tilted so the nipple stays full of milk, not air.

If you hear a lot of clicking during feeds, air may be sneaking in. Slow down and reset the latch or nipple position.

Pick The Right Moment For Movement

Timing changes the result. If you do bicycle legs right after a full feed, you may get spit-up instead of a fart. Try this rhythm:

1. Feed.
2. Upright hold for a few minutes.
3. Burp once or twice.
4. Leg moves for 1–3 minutes.

If your baby is hungry and gassy, flip the order: do 60 seconds of leg work first, then feed. Many babies latch better when their belly feels looser.

Safety Rules To Keep The Moves Gentle

Newborn joints and bones are soft. The goal is comfort, not range. Use these guardrails each time:

• Move from the hips, not the feet. Your hands are just “handles.”
• Stop before the knees reach the ribs.
• Keep ankles lined up with the lower leg. No twisting.
• Skip floor tummy time right after a feed if your baby spits up often.
• Never do these moves on a couch or any surface where a roll could mean a fall.

Watch the belly itself. A soft belly that gurgles is common. A belly that stays hard with nonstop crying needs a call to a clinician.

When Gas Is Not The Only Thing Going On

Newborn crying can stack. Gas can be one piece, but not the full story. These signs point to gas as the likely culprit:

• Pulling knees up, then relaxing.
• Farting or pooping shortly after leg moves.
• Calming with an upright hold or belly-down carry.

These signs point to something else and need prompt medical care:

• Fever in a baby under 3 months.
• Repeated vomiting, green vomit, or blood in stool.
• Swollen belly that stays hard.
• Poor feeding, fewer wet diapers, or unusual sleepiness.

Which Move To Try First Based On What You See

When you’re tired, decision fatigue hits hard. Use the cue your baby gives you, then match it to a move that fits.

Small Habits That Cut Down On Gas Episodes

Exercises can help in the moment. Daily habits can lower how often you need them.

Slow The Feed Down

Fast gulping pulls in air. For bottle feeding, try paced feeding: hold the bottle more horizontal, let your baby pause, then tip it back up. For breastfeeding, aim for a deep latch that feels more like “hugging” the nipple than nibbling it.

Check Nipple Flow And Bottle Angle

If the nipple flow is too fast, babies gulp. If it’s too slow, babies work harder and swallow air while fussing. Watch your baby’s rhythm. A steady suck-swallow-breathe pattern is the target.

Give The Belly Space

Tight diapers and waistbands can trap pressure. Keep the diaper snug at the legs, looser across the belly. After a feed, avoid curling your baby tightly into a ball for long stretches.

Do A Short Motion Break Before Sleep

Some babies get gassy as they settle at night. A 2-minute routine can cut down on the “wake up to fart” cycle:

1. Upright hold for 60 seconds.
2. Hip circles for 5 each way.
3. Belly-down forearm carry for 60–120 seconds.

Keep the lights low and your voice soft. You’re aiming for calm, not play.

Gas Exercises For Newborns Plus What To Skip

When your baby cries, it’s tempting to try anything. Some common moves backfire.

• Hard belly pressing: It can raise spit-up and can hurt.
• Fast bouncing right after feeds: It stirs the stomach and can trigger reflux-style spit-up.
• Long tummy time on a full belly: Some babies tolerate it, many don’t.
• Frequent formula switches: Rapid changes can add tummy upset. If you’re thinking about changes, call your baby’s clinician.

A Simple 7-Minute Routine You Can Repeat

If you want one repeatable plan, use this. It’s short enough for a midnight fuss and structured enough that you don’t second-guess each step.

1. Upright hold (2 minutes): Chest to chest, gentle sway.
2. Bicycle legs (1 minute): Slow pedals, small range.
3. Knees-to-belly (1 minute): 6 presses with a pause.
4. Hip circles (1 minute): 5 each way.
5. Belly-down forearm carry (2 minutes): Walk or rock.

If your baby relaxes halfway through, stop there. A calm baby beats a finished checklist.

Quick Troubleshooting When The Usual Moves Don’t Work

Some days, nothing seems to land. That can happen. Use this table to pick the next move without turning the moment into a long trial-and-error loop.

If your baby stays miserable after several attempts across the day, or if you see fever, blood in stool, repeated vomiting, or a hard swollen belly, call your baby’s clinician the same day. Trust your gut. You know your baby’s “normal.”