The Real Reason Your Baby Has Gas at Night (And How to Help Them)

Nighttime gas is one of the most common causes of broken newborn sleep, and yet so few parents are ever told why it happens. Babies have immature digestive systems: their gut muscles are still developing strength, their enzymes are still balancing, and their ability to release air efficiently is limited. Add in fast feeding, swallowing air, or laying flat too soon after a bottle, and nighttime becomes the perfect storm for discomfort.

Gas doesn’t always look like crying. Babies grunt, draw their legs up, arch, twist, whimper, or wiggle endlessly as they try to process trapped air. Sometimes they appear restless for hours, especially between 12–5am when digestion slows. Parents often assume hunger or overtiredness, but for many babies, the issue actually begins earlier—in feeding mechanics. Bottle flow rates that are too fast, bottles held horizontally, or babies feeding in reclined positions lead them to swallow more air than their bodies can release.Simple changes make a world of difference: holding your baby more upright during feeds, using paced bottle feeding, ensuring their lips create a deep latch on the bottle nipple, and keeping them upright after feeding for at least 10–15 minutes. Certain burping positions work better depending on your baby’s body—some do well over the shoulder, others need more structured tummy pressure or seated burping with gentle torso rotations.

Gas also increases when babies are overstimulated. Their digestive system mirrors their emotional state, so a dysregulated baby processes food less efficiently. This is why some babies become gassier after busy evenings. Creating a calm, low-stimulation environment before bed, with slower transitions between activities, helps digestion immensely.Parents don’t deserve to guess their way through this. That’s why I created the full Gas & Burping Guide inside the Digital Product Bundle, complete with photos, steps, troubleshooting, and relief techniques you can start using today. Your baby doesn’t need to suffer through nighttime gas—and neither do you.