What is colic?

Colic is defined as a condition in an otherwise healthy baby where the infant has periods of severe, unexplained fussiness and crying lasting for several hours and days. But mothers and fathers know when a baby’scrying pattern changes, becomes severe and does not respond to former calming methods.

Symptoms

Sadly we hear in the news from time to time parents so frustrated by their baby’s crying that they resort to violence or terrible verbal abuse. What are the colic symptoms and how can we remain centered and in control during the episodes?

Do you breastfeed? If so, try to see if there is any relation between eating certain foods and your child having a bad episode of colic. You can keep a food diary and correlate it with your child.

Babies love rocking and rhythmic movements. I always fell asleep when my mom would drive me in the car so that’s what she did. But gentle rocking inside the house works well and running a sound machine of running water or the ocean has been used successfully.

hat makes it colic is if it’s three or more hours a day and a few times a week.

Crying is natural for infants but what makes it colic is if it’s three or more hours a day and a few times a week. Digestion, milk and external stimulation are all theories about the cause of the colic. Because it usually occurs late afternoon and evening it can be very frustrating for working moms who come back to be with their child and have to see and hear their child being so unhappy. Sometimes they can even feel rejected, so please don’t take it personally. Your child is not in the perfect comfort zone.

Some common symptoms of colic are difficulty in sleeping, continuous crying for a few hours straight, facial redness and possible gas or discomfort that is visible. Don’t give your baby a lot of extra feeding thinking that will be a comfort as it may not help. Just stick to what is normal. Check how your baby swallows. Is there a lot of air going down? Look at the type of bottle being used. Also look into formulas that are known to be an aid for allergies as that can be very helpful.

Causes

There are a few causes of colic…

One is prematurity. In this type of condition, the infant has an immature nervous system and may not know how to calm themselves. Swaddling, rocking, and tummy wraps are often helpful. Motion helps babies (including vibration, hence the old put them on the washing machine trick) because it probably stimulates a portion of the brain called the reticular activating system.

This deep system is like a switching station for trains. Imagine thousands of trains coming into a hub at the same time (like sensory signals enter our brains.) The RAS sorts through them all and helps us pay attention to just a few. Movement, like rocking, calms this system, making it work better, and makes us feel better. (Have you ever noticed how people rock when they’revery upset? baby where is why.)

Another cause can be parental anxiety.

Babies seem to sense everything around them, and they are finely tuned to stress signals in the environment. This used to be considered the main cause of colic, but not so much anymore. If your home situation is chaotic or if you are tense every time you pick your baby up, then this could be a cause.

A third and more treatable cause can be what is called transient lactose intolerance. It is called transient because it goes away, usually in three to six months. It is the condition of an inadequate amount of lactase, the enzyme required to digest the sugar in milk, lactose.

In an immature gut, sometimes the intestinal lining simply isn’t producing enough lactase yet. But, in time, it usually will. And this is why babies outgrow colic.

It also explains those conditions where a baby is bloated, pulls their legs up as if in cramping-type pain and has flatulence. These are all classic signs of the gastric distress caused by lactose intolerance. Treatment for this is to go to a lactose-free formula or to use lactase drops in the first-fed breast milk (simply express about two tablespoons of breast milk, treat with four drops of a lactase product such as Colic Ninja(TM), feed, then nurse as normal.) Trying the lactase drops can help determine if lactose intolerance is the cause. Most babies show improvement within one to three days with the drops if the transient lactose intolerance is the culprit.

Ideas That May Help Prevent Colic Crying

For new parents or those on baby 2, 3 or more, the experience is always new and exciting. Each baby is different and of course for new parents, the whole experience is colored by the sheer joy and exhilaration of it all. With all the joy and fun, there are also moments of not knowing what to do, feeling overwhelmed, exhaustion and sometimes sheer terror. Baby colic is often the cause of sleepless nights, helplessness and just being at a loss.

Parents new or returning, often receive a great deal of advice, especially around the questions and problems of an upset and crying baby. Colic is often attributed to the baby’s stomach becoming upset due to too much eating, swallowing too much air at feedings, or if the mother is breastfeeding, her diet. For those mothers using formula, it is sometimes the formula brand to cause the colic. Depending on the suspected cause, parents may at first try to change feeding routines, diet or to try a new formula. While changes in diet are being processed by the baby’s GI tract, there still may be colic symptoms.

Recommended soothing techniques include using motion, sound and reducing stimulation. For example, walking the baby, swaying gently while holding him or her or the tried and true, going for a car ride. Along with this, the gentle hum of a white noise machine, swaddling, and dim lights may also help soothe a little one with baby colic. Of course, a parent’s touch can often do wonders as well. Rubbing the baby’s back or temples while keeping them swaddled and or talking in a soothing manner may be as relieving for the parents as for the baby.

When to See the Doctor

There are times when all the best efforts won’t work. When a baby’s symptom seems endless or all of the above home treatments don’t work, it is often a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. Some parents feel that a doctor of osteopathy offers gentle and non-invasive babycare, especially with the tricky issue of baby colic.

There are times colic symptoms are not the cause of stomach distress but start with the suckling mechanism. Babies have very soft skulls which are manipulated during the birthing process. A difficult labor or a C-section may put too much pressure or not enough on the palates, later causing discomfort when suckling.

Treating the whole child and not simply the symptoms may be the medical point of view needed for successfully ending baby colic. Anytime a baby’s cries sound painful or don’t end, parents will feel the need to call a doctor and they should listen to that instinct. Just as they listen to their internal cues, parents should heed caution when exploring home remedies that involve food or OTC medicines or herbs that the baby isn’t ready for. Working with a trusted medical professional will help dictate what solution is best for your baby and you as a parent.

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