What’s Good For Colic In Newborns

How Common Is Colic

Colic seems to be very common. It is thought to affect one in five babies. So, if you have a baby with colic, you are not alone! It is most common in the first six weeks of a baby’s life. It is just as common in girls as it is in boys. It is just as common whether the baby is breast-fed or bottle-fed.

Does Your Baby Have Colic

All babies have periods of crying and fussing. Its considered colic when the crying goes on for more than three hours a day for more than three days a week. The crying is often accompanied by burping and other signs of gas, which may be because the baby is swallowing air when they cry.

When parents come to her about a crying baby who isnt easily consoled, Dr. Bonita asks questions and examines the baby to rule out health problems. If the baby is eating well and growing, has no vomiting or diarrhea, and follows a pattern of extended crying in the evening it is probably colic.

Colic typically starts when babies are about 3 weeks old, with extended periods of crying in the evening, between 6 p.m. and midnight. The long crying spells usually end when the baby is about 3 months old, though some babies continue to have crying spells until they are 6 months old.

What Are The Symptoms And Signs Of Colic In Your Baby

All babies cry and cry often. However if your child will cry for over three hours at a time, experiences these crying jags for more than three days and the pattern continues over three weeks, they are considered colicky. They may clench their fists, have a red face, and have a bloated belly especially after feeding.

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Are Probiotics Good For Colic In Babies

So, are probiotics good for colic in babies is not as clear cut as you would hope, but there are some indications that they might be.

There are many different strains of bacteria and yeasts found in probiotics that can help to stabilize the gut, relieve digestive problems like diarrhea or constipation, and even reduce gas.

Probiotic supplements also seem to be helpful with colic symptoms because they create an environment where bad bacteria cannot grow. This allows the good bacteria to flourish instead.

These benefits may include lessening crying time by up to 25 minutes per day, so if your baby has colic its worth trying out a new supplement.

Feed Your Baby With Pure Gripe Water

Pure gripe water can be an effective home remedy for treating colic in babies. However, you need to be very careful when selecting the best pure gripe water so as to avoid those with too many additives and preservatives. What you need for this remedy is pure natural gripe water.

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Colic Always Goes Away

Your baby will most likely outgrow colic by 3 to 4 months of age. There are usually no complications from colic.

Parents can get really stressed when a baby cries a lot. Know when you have reached your limit and ask family members or friends to help. If you feel like you may shake or hurt your baby, get help right away.

How To Soothe A Colicky Baby

If your baby has colic, the never-ending crying can drive you nuts. Here are some expert strategies for soothing a colicky baby.

Does your baby have intense crying spells that last three hours or more? He might be suffering from colic. There’s no specific definition of colic, but it generally means excessive crying for no explainable reason, says Barry Lester, Ph.D., director of the colic clinic at the Brown University Center for Children at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, and coauthor of Why Is My Baby Crying.

Pediatricians generally use the “rule of threes” to determine the condition: “when a baby cries intensely for three or more hours at a time on at least three days of the week, for longer than three weeks in a row for no apparent reason,” says Mary Ann LoFrumento, M.D., author of Simply Parenting: Understanding Your Newborn & Infant.

• RELATED: What is Colic in Babies?

Colic usually begins around week 2 or 3 of the baby’s life and peaks at around 6 to 8 weeks. Unlike with regular infant crying, attempts to stop colic-induced sessions by feeding, burping, rocking, or changing the diaper aren’t successful. The condition subsidies around 3 to 4 months of age.

Wondering what to do for a colic baby? According to experts, parents can try adopting the “Five S’s” strategy to mimic the womb environment. Read more about this strategy, plus other ways to try soothing a baby with colic.

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• RELATED: Signs Your Baby Has Gas and How to Treat It

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How To Give Gripe Water To A Baby

If your doctor does suggest a kind of gripe water that’s safe for baby, follow these tips:

• Read the ingredients carefully. Look out for vegetable carbon , as it may cause constipation. Only buy brands that are alcohol- and sucrose-free and made in the U.S.
• Read the instructions. The ingredients in gripe water brands vary, and most have different instructions for use. So before tearing open the box, make sure to read the label carefully . Some brands recommend waiting until your baby is at least 1 month old before use. And almost every brand varies when it comes to how long you should use the product, so be sure to read up and get sound medical advice before you dole out doses.

Follow A Clean Nursing Diet

If youre a breastfeeding mama, you may also want to give up foods that can trigger baby colic symptoms. Dairy is a huge culprit, as are other common allergens like wheat/gluten, eggs, shellfish, citrus, caffeine, and spicy foods. While its certainly no fun to give up some of your favorite foods, its worth your effort. After eliminating these foods from your diet, give it a good 2-4 weeks to be sure they are cleared from your body and milk. Consider looking into paleo recipes, as these are often free from the most common allergens.

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Zarabees Naturals Baby Gripe Water

A powerhouse of natural ingredients in Zarabees Naturals Baby Gripe Water help keep stomach troubles at bay. This pediatrician-recommended gripe water can be delivered orally with a syringe and is suitable for babies from 2-weeks-old to 6-months-old. Theres also no additives in this gripe water, making it a safer alternative for infant tummy troubles.

Things You Can Try To Soothe Your Baby

Your baby does not usually need to see a doctor if they have colic. Speak to your health visitor for advice and support.

Health visitors and doctors will usually advise you to:

• hold or cuddle your baby when they’re crying a lot
• sit or hold your baby upright during feeding to stop them swallowing air
• wind your baby after feeds
• gently rock your baby over your shoulder
• gently rock your baby in their Moses basket or crib, or push them in their pram
• bath your baby in a warm bath
• have some gentle white noise like the radio or TV in the background to distract them
• keep feeding your baby as usual

Other things you may hear about include:

• anti-colic drops and herbal and probiotic supplements
• changes to your diet if you’re breastfeeding
• applying gentle pressure to your baby’s spine or skull

But there’s very little evidence these things work. Speak to your health visitor for further advice.

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Feed A Little Longer On Each Breast

Ensure that your baby feeds longer on each breast rather than alternating between each breast. The hindmilk that comes out after the baby has sucked on a breast for a while is more nutritious than the foremilk that comes out at the beginning. Hindmilk contains more fat, which promotes digestion and soothes the stomach. Too much foremilk can cause digestive distress.

Mother’s Diet And Breast Milk

The cause of colic may not be known, but many things are thought to contribute to the condition, including the maternal diet.

The foods that you eat make their way to your baby through your breast milk. Some babies can have a reaction or an allergy to certain substances. Cows milk and dairy products are the most common offenders, and they can cause digestive problems leading to colic or colic-like symptoms.

You can try to remove dairy products from your diet to see if the colic improves. Other possible foods that your baby may react to are nuts, soy, eggs, caffeine, garlic, spicy foods, and shellfish.

Be patient as you eliminate items from your diet. It can take over a week to see results. Ask your doctor about probiotics, as well. Research on the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri shows that it may help reduce colic in breastfed infants.

You do not need to stop nursing. Breastfeeding is not a cause of colic, and babies who take infant formula get colic, too. Switching to formula may not help and may even make the situation worse.

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Is Simethicone Safe To Be Used To Treat Infant Colic

Although no medication can claim to be completely safe, simethicone has been shown to be relatively safe. Simethicone is non-sedating and side effects are rare. However, as studies have shown that simethicone works no better than the same amount of sugar water, you may want to save your money.

* Placebos are sugar pills or sugar water, which are used as a comparison when testing the effectiveness of medications in clinical studies. A placebo effect is when a person reports an improvement in symptoms because they believe the medication was helpful, but in reality they received a sugar pill or mixture that offered no medicinal value. The placebo effect works on the parent rather than the baby.

How Does Gripe Water Work

The original gripe water, first used by nannies and moms in England in the 1850s, contained alcohol which people used to think relaxed babies .

Today experts dont fully understand how gripe water might help soothe tummy troubles, but its thought that ingredients like dill, fennel and ginger can help with gas relief and stomach discomfort.

If youd like to give it a try, be sure to get the green light from your babys pediatrician first to make sure that he or she is on board with giving gripe water.

If you get your doctor’s approval, consider using gripe water only as a backup when other gas relief methods like abdominal massage, tummy time or leg bicycling dont seem to be making your baby more comfortable.

You should also have your doctor confirm that the brand youre using is okay, since gripe water products arent regulated by the Food and Drug Administration . Check the packaging for specific dosing instructions and get your pediatrician’s approval first about how much and how often to give it to your baby. The general limit is four doses a day, but only under the care of your practitioner.

If your doctor says gripe water is fine for your baby and it seems to work, you should stop using it by the time your little one is 4 to 6 months old, when gassiness typically becomes less of an issue.

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Better Understanding Of Probiotics And Colic

Probiotics are good or helpful bacteria. When babies have colic, their intestines contain more of the bad bacteria than the good kind.

However, studies show that giving probiotics to infants with colic does not reduce lengths of crying bouts or the amount of time spent crying when compared to doing nothing at all .

Probiotics are sold as food supplements for adults or children. They can be added to food or drink, like yogurt. A health care professional should be consulted before giving them to babies. Probiotics contain many different types of bacteria and some may not be safe for an infant.

It is also important to note that research suggests that colic tends to improve on its own within 3 months, without any supplements.

Check In With A Lactation Consultant

If youre a breastfeeding mom, this is so essential. There are so many anatomical issues that could be causing your baby grief! Unfortunately, most pediatricians arent trained to spot these conditions, so be sure you find an IBCLC-certified lactation consultant. Your baby could have a bad latch. She could be tongue-tied. He could be lip-tied. All of these issues could cause some major colic symptoms!

You also want to be sure baby is getting enough hindmilk, which is higher in fat, calms the stomach, helps with digestion, and promotes satiety. If your babys poop is greenish, frothy or mucuosy, this is usually a sign that hes getting too much foremilk, which can cause digestive distress. This often happens when a breastfeeding mom has an overactive letdown or is having oversupply issues, which is very common in the first few months after giving birth.

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Avoiding Your Baby’s Triggers

Foods that are passed through your breast milk to your baby may trigger colic. If your baby is colicky and you are breastfeeding, avoid eating or drinking the following foods for a few weeks to see if that helps.

• Stimulants, such as caffeine and chocolate.
• Dairy products and nuts. Your baby may have allergies to these foods.

Some breastfeeding moms avoid eating broccoli, cabbage, beans, and other gas-producing foods. But research has not shown that these foods can have a negative effect on your baby.

Other possible triggers include:

• Medicines passed through breast milk. If you are breastfeeding, talk to your own doctor about the medicines you take.
• Baby formula. Some babies are sensitive to proteins in formula. Talk to your baby’s doctor about switching formulas to see if that helps.
• Overfeeding or feeding the baby too quickly. Bottle feeding your baby should take about 20 minutes. If your baby is eating faster, use a nipple with a smaller hole.

Talk to a lactation consultant to learn more about the possible causes related to breastfeeding.

Remedies With Some Risks

• Elimination diet. If you breastfeed, you mayconsider eliminating certain foods from your diet, including potential allergens like dairy. Since strict elimination diets can be unhealthy and havent been shown to help with most cases of colic, talk with your doctor before making significant changes to your diet.
• Gripe water. Some people suggest giving your child gripe water, a liquid remedy containing herbs such as chamomile or lavender. As its not regulated, there is no way to know exactly what is in the gripe water you buy, and there are many different formulations. Gripe water doesnt have any proven benefits, and given the unregulated nature of its sale, there are some risks associated with it.

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