When to Switch Formula Because of Gas, and When Not To

A baby who grunts, squirms and passes gas after every bottle can make any parent wonder whether the formula is the problem, and when to switch formula because of gas.

The short answer: gas alone is rarely a reason to switch formula; gas is common in young babies, and swallowing air during feeds adds to it. An AAP-hosted bottle-feeding guide says switching formulas for crying, spitting up or gas is rarely helpful. Start with how the bottle is given, and talk with your pediatrician before any change. Call right away if the gas comes with vomiting, blood in the stool or spit-up, fever, poor feeding or crying you cannot soothe.

If you and your pediatrician decide to try a different formula, switch bottle by bottle and never mix two formulas in one bottle. The formulas parents most often ask us about are in our comfort formula collection. We make no claim that any formula changes how much gas a baby has.

Disclosure: Formuland sells the formulas named in this guide; this guide does not rank them. Medical guidance comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) HealthyChildren.org site and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), checked November 8, 2026. It is general information, not a diagnosis.

Is It Normal for a Formula-Fed Baby to Be Gassy?

Yes. AAP notes that all humans produce gas, even the littlest ones. Gas can be especially uncomfortable for newborns, who are still learning to let it pass, but it is not dangerous. AAP adds that gas discomfort typically peaks at 6 to 8 weeks of life and improves a lot by about 3 months.

Swallowed air is a big part of the picture. AAP's burping page says young babies naturally fuss when they swallow air during feedings, and that this is common with bottles. An AAP-hosted crying guide goes further: it says the gas comes from swallowed air, is normal and does not cause crying. That differs in emphasis from AAP's abdominal pain page, but both point to the same first fixes: less air, not a new can.

Formula preparation can add air too. AAP's gas page explains that the more you mix and shake powdered formula, the more air bubbles get into the bottle. It suggests letting a freshly mixed bottle settle before feeding, or asking your pediatrician about ready-to-feed or concentrated formula in the early days.

Look at the whole baby, not just the gas. A baby who feeds well, has wet and dirty diapers, gains weight and settles between feeds is usually showing ordinary newborn gas. Our post on the signs of a gassy baby covers what everyday gas looks like and simple ways to help.

Does Formula Cause Gas, or Does Switching Formula Help?

This is where the guidance surprises many parents. The AAP-hosted bottle-feeding (formula) guide says switching from one milk-based formula to another is not helpful for any symptom, and is not harmful either. It adds that switching formulas for frequent crying, spitting up or gas is rarely helpful, and that you should not switch without talking with your child's doctor.

Other AAP pages leave room for a change when a doctor recommends it. AAP's gas page says that when a lot of gas is involved, trying a different formula may be what your doctor orders. AAP's colic page says less than 5% of colicky crying is caused by food sensitivity. For formula-fed babies, it suggests talking with your pediatrician about a protein hydrolysate formula.

Two ingredients come up most often. AAP notes that lactose intolerance is not very common in infants, so a lactose question belongs with your pediatrician; our lactose-free formula guide explains what those labels mean. On goat milk, AAP does not say goat milk formula helps with gas, and it says babies with a cow's milk allergy should not use it.

Signs to Call Your Pediatrician About Gas

Gas is rarely the whole story when a baby is unwell. The AAP-hosted symptom guides sort warning signs by how fast to act, and they apply whatever formula your baby takes. If you are unsure, call; your pediatrician's office would rather hear from you.

Stool changes matter as well. AAP says to always mention blood in your baby's stool to the pediatrician. It lists pain with feeds, vomiting, blood or mucus in the stool and poor weight gain as possible signs of a milk protein allergy. Sudden bouts of intense crying with the legs drawn up, vomiting, a swollen belly or dark, bloody, mucus-filled stools need a call or medical care right away.

A milk protein allergy is diagnosed by your pediatrician, who also chooses the formula. AAP says to ask your pediatrician to recommend a hypoallergenic formula if your baby needs one for allergies. The AAP-hosted guide says protein hydrolysate formulas are most often advised for cow's milk allergy. Our hypoallergenic formula guide explains those label terms.

Long crying spells are exhausting. AAP says that when you feel tense, it is OK to lay your baby on their back in the crib and leave the room for a few minutes, or ask another adult for help. A baby should never be shaken. If you are afraid someone might hurt or shake your baby, call your doctor now (AAP-hosted guide).

For fever, AAP says a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby 3 months or younger means calling your pediatrician immediately, even with no other signs of illness.

Bottle-Feeding Fixes to Try Before a Formula Change

Because swallowed air adds to gas, the bottle is the first place to look before you switch formula. Each step below comes from an AAP or CDC page.

Slow the Flow and Check the Nipple

AAP suggests slowing the flow from bottle to mouth so your baby swallows less air. Trial and error with different bottles and nipples tends to work best, it says. The AAP-hosted guide says a clean nipple should drip about 1 drop per second when the bottle is turned upside down. A feed should not take more than 20 minutes; if feeds run long, check that the nipple is not clogged.

Be skeptical of bottle claims. AAP's gas page mentions vented, angled or collapsible bottles meant to cut down on swallowed air. Yet the author of AAP's bottle-feeding basics writes that he has not seen good scientific literature behind bottle makers' gas claims. More important than the bottle, he says, is how you hold your baby.

Hold the Bottle at an Angle and Let Your Baby Set the Pace

CDC advises holding the bottle at an angle rather than straight up and down, so milk only comes out when your baby sucks. Let your baby take breaks, and stop when they show they are full, even if the bottle is not empty. Never prop the bottle or leave it in your baby's mouth.

AAP recommends a semi-upright position, with your baby's head in the crook of your arm and the nipple fully covered with formula so your baby is not swallowing air. Do not bottle-feed a baby lying flat on their back. Feeding before your baby is frantic helps too: AAP notes that a baby who is overly hungry may swallow more air.

CDC lists early hunger cues for babies up to 5 months: hands to the mouth, turning toward the bottle, puckering or smacking the lips and clenched hands. Crying is often a late sign. Fullness cues include closing the mouth, turning the head away and relaxing the hands.

Burp During and After the Feed

AAP suggests burping a bottle-fed baby after every 2 to 3 ounces (60 to 90 ml), even without signs of discomfort. The pause and change of position slow gulping. If no burp comes after several minutes, keep feeding; no baby burps every time. Afterward, hold your baby upright for 10 to 15 minutes.

AAP describes three holds. Hold your baby upright with their head on your shoulder, sit them on your lap with the chest and head supported, or lay them face down across your lap with the head higher than the chest. Pat or rub the back softly. The AAP-hosted guide calls burping optional: it can mean less spitting up, but it does not lessen crying.

Mix Calmly, Measure Exactly and Do Not Overfeed

Wash your hands, measure the water first and then add the powder, as CDC advises. Let a freshly shaken bottle settle so fewer bubbles reach your baby (AAP), but settling never stretches the safe window: CDC says to use prepared formula within 2 hours of preparation and within 1 hour after feeding begins. Measure with the scoop from that can and the exact water the label lists; never add extra powder or extra water, and throw out what is left after the feed. Our guide on how to prepare and store baby formula covers safe water, storage times and CDC's extra steps for babies younger than 2 months, born early or with a weakened immune system.

Overfeeding can cause discomfort of its own. The AAP-hosted crying guide notes that some babies cry from a bloated stomach after too much milk, and says to let your baby decide when they have had enough. Do not encourage your baby to finish the bottle.

Tummy Time and Bicycle Legs

AAP suggests laying your baby on their back and moving their legs in a bicycling motion, plus supervised tummy time while your baby is awake. If your baby falls asleep on their tummy, move them onto their back for sleep (AAP).

Gas Drops and Other Remedies: Ask First

AAP writes that it cannot find definitive evidence that gas drops with simethicone pay off. It adds that studies suggest simethicone does not help with colic, and that pediatricians increasingly recommend against them. AAP's abdominal pain page says probiotics, gripe water and gas drops are not always helpful. Talk with your pediatrician before giving any of them.

Should I Switch Formula If My Baby Is Gassy?

Knowing when to switch formula because of gas is a decision to make with your pediatrician. CDC asks parents to talk with their child's doctor or nurse before switching formula brands or types. Use this list as a conversation guide, not a do-it-yourself rule.

• Gas, but feeding well, growing and content between feeds: keep the formula, work on bottle technique, and mention it at your next visit, or sooner if anything worries you.
• Gas with any warning sign in the table above: act as the table says (911, the ER or a call to your pediatrician); a formula change is not the first step.
• A lot of gas or long crying spells that continue after technique changes: ask your pediatrician whether a different formula, such as a protein hydrolysate formula, is worth trying.
• A suspected milk protein allergy: the diagnosis and the formula both come from your pediatrician; goat milk formula is not an option for cow's milk allergy (AAP).

What Comfort Formula Labels Say

When parents ask us about formula for gassy babies, they usually mean "comfort" formulas. The HiPP UK, HiPP German, Kendamil and Aptamil (UK and German) Comfort pages we checked each list hydrolysed milk protein and reduced lactose. The UK pages call the protein partially hydrolysed. These are not the extensively hydrolyzed formulas that AAP describes for babies with allergies.

The labels also limit how they are used. HiPP UK, Kendamil and Aptamil call their Comfort formula a food for special medical purposes (FSMP), a category meant for use with medical advice or supervision. HiPP's German page says to use it only after talking with your pediatrician. Aptamil's German label says not to use it if a cow's milk protein allergy exists or is suspected.

Label facts, not outcomes: These are composition facts from the brands' own pages, checked November 8, 2026, not a promise that any formula will change your baby's gas. UK and EU labels follow a different rulebook from U.S. requirements, so ask your pediatrician before choosing one.

How to Switch Formula Safely, Bottle by Bottle

If you and your pediatrician agree on a change, many babies can move to the new formula straight away. If you prefer a slower change, switch one feed at a time, making every bottle from one formula only, with that formula's own scoop and water amounts.

The schedule below is an example; your pediatrician may suggest a different pace. If your pediatrician tells you to stop a formula right away, for example for a suspected allergy, follow those instructions instead.

• Days 1 to 2: one bottle a day of the new formula, the rest the old formula
• Days 3 to 4: about half the bottles new, half old
• Days 5 to 6: all but one bottle new
• Day 7 on: new formula only

Never combine two formula powders, or two prepared formulas, in one bottle. Each brand has its own scoop and water ratio, and a bottle made with the wrong scoop or water can end up too strong or too weak. Keep every bottle to one formula, prepared exactly as its label says. Our guide to switching formula brands has more on choosing within the same type of formula.

Change one thing at a time so you can tell what made a difference. The AAP and CDC pages we checked give no fixed timeline for judging a new formula, so agree with your pediatrician how long to try it. Keep short notes on feeds, diapers and fussy spells to share at the next visit.

Moving a baby onto formula for the first time is a different situation; our guide on switching to formula covers that step.

Comfort Formulas at Formuland

These are the formulas in our comfort formula collection, with one-time prices for a single unit, checked November 8, 2026. Their brand pages describe them as products to use on medical advice or under medical supervision, so choose one with your pediatrician. Label version is as stated on our listing.

Prices are one-time purchases before any multi-pack discount or Subscribe & Save, which takes 7% off eligible items. Formuland offers free U.S. shipping on orders of $100 or more. For other options your pediatrician may mention, browse our Stage 1 formulas or our goat milk formulas (not for cow's milk allergy).

Formuland also carries baby diapers, baby bath products and a build-your-own baby essentials bundle.

Disclosure: Formuland sells HiPP, Kendamil and Aptamil Comfort formulas and the other formulas linked in this guide. This guide does not rank them and makes no claim that any formula changes a baby's gas. Decisions about your baby's formula belong with your pediatrician.

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