Colic in a baby - from when, what it is, symptoms
Colic is a common condition in the infancy period. Although doctors describe it as a mild ailment, young parents may be frightened at first by the intensity of their baby's cry. That's why mom and dad should know how to recognize colic in the first place, and how to help their little one.
What is colic in an infant?
Infant colic is a disorder of the digestive system. It is painful intestinal cramps occurring between 2 weeks and 6 months of age, which later disappear spontaneously. It is difficult to point out specific reasons for the occurrence of this ailment, which can annoy both the child and the parents. It is estimated that about 40% of children suffer from colic.
The most common causes of colic in infants
The main cause of colic is considered to be the immaturity of the digestive system. Babies who have a low birth weight are more susceptible to its occurrence. Also babies with lactose intolerance, food allergies or intestinal microflora disturbances are more prone to colic attacks.
It is likely that this ailment is the result of bloating, excess gas, and gastroesophageal reflux. It may be indirectly related to the infant swallowing too much air during feeding.
Maternal smoking and secondhand smoke are also thought to be factors in colic.
Symptoms of colic in a newborn baby
How is a parent supposed to know that what is happening to their child is intestinal colic? We would be very happy to explain it. Colic can be noticed as a violent, sudden crying of a baby (perceived as screaming). The infant contracts its legs, the circumference of the abdomen widens and the amount of intestinal gas increases. These symptoms intensify in the afternoon and evening.
Watch your baby. You are dealing with colic if:
- you can't pinpoint the cause of the crying,
- The crying lasts at least 3 hours,
- Crying occurs a minimum of 3 times a week,
- The discomfort lasts more than 3 weeks,
- The crying is louder than "normal" and does not go away when hugging etc.
ATTENTION: If crying attacks are accompanied by fever, vomiting, convulsions, diarrhoea, blood in the stool or other disturbing symptoms - consult a doctor immediately!
Until when does colic occur in an infant?
Colic usually goes away on its own when the infant reaches the age of 3-4 months. Sometimes, however, the discomfort lasts even up to 6 months. When the child develops correctly, gains weight and feels well except for crying episodes, we should not have any reasons to worry.
Treatment of colic in a child
Colic does not require any medical intervention. Treatment consists mainly of making it easier for the baby to get rid of gases.
Remember, pharmacies bombard us with colic medications that have never been proven to be effective. Be very careful, do not experiment with meds, dietary supplements or probiotics. Before using such a product, consult your pediatrician.
Ways to treat colic in a newborn baby
Dear Parent, at first start with simple, natural solutions. Herbal medicine will come to your aid. A mother who is breastfeeding is recommended to drink chamomile tea and lemon balm. These herbs have a diastolic, carminative and anti-inflammatory effect.
Also check that the baby is not overheated during a colic attack. The optimal temperature in a room with a dressed baby is 20-21°C. Sometimes the symptoms may disappear when you uncover the baby or air the room.
You can also try a gentle tummy massage, a warm diaper, or a hot-water bottle wrapped around your tummy. Some babies find a warm bath helpful.
Gentle rocking and cuddling are intuitive actions that every parent will use as a reflex. Rocking usually has a soothing effect on toddlers - they feel safe, like in mom's belly. Of course, rocking the baby all night long is practically impossible. However, you can help with special rockers, such as LUMI or LULI, which rock the baby from side to side. They will imitate the way mom and dad rock their baby relieving tired parents at the same time.
The so-called white noise can also help. This is a kind of steady, soft sound. The noise probably reminds the baby of sounds from the mother's abdomen (muffled sounds, the sound of cord blood moving). Babies often respond well to the noise of household appliances, e.g., refrigerator, dryer. Also the sound of a train driving in the distance or rain falling can soothe a toddler. Some parents take their baby for a car ride during colic. Nowadays, there are many devices on the market which produce white noise, such as special teddy bears. You may also find recordings of white noise on the Internet, e.g. on YouTube. However, it is important to avoid overexposing a child to white noise. It should only be used in the short term. Otherwise it can lead to the suppression of other sounds, resulting in impaired hearing and speech development.
How to prevent colic?
An infant who suffers from colic should be carried in an upright position after feeding. It may also help to adjust the cot so that the baby's head is higher than the legs.
There are now beds on the market which have an adjustable mattress angle. This can be found in our co-sleeper cots, such as UNO UP, NESTE UP and NESTE AIR.
Parents should take care to limit the amount of stimuli coming from the environment. Excessive noise or strong light can be an additional stress factor for a baby.
You can also try putting your baby on its tummy - always attentively! Do not leave your baby alone in this position.
Effect of diet on colic
Mom, if you are breastfeeding and suspect that the cause of colic may be a reaction of your baby to any of the ingredients in your diet, consult an allergologist first. Do not make the decision to eliminate a given product on your own.
Observe your child's reactions based on what you ate that day. You can keep a diary. However, do not become obsessed, do not go on a restrictive diet - you will deprive yourself of valuable nutrients. After consultation you can try to eliminate one product. At first it will probably be dairy (especially cow's milk), because it is the most allergenic food. Alternatively, you can also test giving up soy, fish, nuts. Sometimes limiting the intake of hot spices or chocolate helps. However, do this in moderation. You need to have a nutritious diet - for your health and that of your baby.
You can not allow a situation in which a breastfeeding mother eats only rice and cooked meat! The elimination of some products must be experimental - they are excluded for 2 weeks, after which a new product is introduced every 5-7 days, observing the baby's reactions. If there is no improvement, then the mother should return to the previous diet.
If the child is fed on artificial food and suffers from colic, change the current milk mixture to one containing casein hydrolysates. Improvement may occur even after 7 days of introducing the formula. Then the product should be changed to a permanent one. It's also worth remembering not to make the milk too thick, as this can cause constipation.
Breastfeeding and colic
When a baby is experiencing colic, the baby's feeding technique is important.
First, it is recommended that the baby be fed from the breast until it is completely empty. It is suspected that colic may be caused by an excess of pre-milk (flows from the breast at the beginning). This contains more lactose in relation to the amount of fat. However, it is worth knowing that the amount of lactose in breast milk does not depend on the amount consumed by the mother.
Secondly, for feeding, the baby should be placed in a reclining position. The head should be above the buttocks. Also remember about burping. You don't have to put your baby on your shoulder every time - often it's enough to put it in an upright position facing you.
Do not breastfeed a baby who is crying. First calm it down and then feed it. When a baby cries and swallows air, its nose also becomes blocked. Then it starts sucking air while being fed, and this may contribute to the accumulation of gas.
The baby also needs to be properly placed to the breast - the nipple must be tightly covered by the baby's mouth. Also, too fast flow of milk may cause colic attacks. Pediatricians advise to feed the baby shorter, but more often.
If you are having trouble feeding, you can always see a lactation consultant.
Does colic have a negative impact on a baby's health?
We reassure - infant colic does not have a negative impact on the health and development of a child, does not cause any complications. It is a temporary condition. Of course, a baby is tired with crying and abdominal pain, but there is nothing physically wrong with it.
The parent should be aware that colic will pass - the very knowledge that parents possess of colic picks them up. The discomfort disappears spontaneously, usually in 3-4 months of life.
Mom, Dad: Think that colic is an affliction of 40% of infants in the world. You can alleviate its symptoms by applying the tips from our article. It is important to properly breastfeed the baby or use anti-colic bottles. Consider a cot with an adjustable mattress angle.
This challenging time will pass faster than you think. You'll get through it, and then you'll appreciate your little one's calm and good mood even more.
