Parents Diet And Breast Milk
The cause of colic may not be known, but many things are thought to contribute to the condition, including the breastfeeding parents 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 foods that your baby may react to include 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.
What Are The Complications Of Colic
As such, colic does not cause any short-term or long-term medical problems for a child. Colic can be stressful for parents. Research has shown an association between colic and the following issues in relation to parental well-being:
- Increased chances of postpartum depression in mothers
- Early weaning of the child
- Feelings of guilt, exhaustion, and helplessness
In some cases, the stress of calming a crying baby may prompt the parents to shake or otherwise harm their child. Shaking a baby can have severe implications. It may damage their brain and even cause death.
Ways To Reduce Colic: A Holistic Approach
Having a colicky baby can make a parent feel helpless, but it doesnt have to be that way! After reading this blog, you will be empowered by 7 holistic ways you can reduce colic and calm your colicky baby!
First, lets start with some definitions. Colic is intense or excessive crying, which lasts more than 3-hours per day for more than 3-days per week, in an otherwise healthy baby who is between 3-weeks and 3 months old. It is often worse in the evenings and peaks at around 6-weeks of age. Its unclear what causes colic, but one theory is that babys digestive system is still immature and learning how to work. Other theories include food intolerance, reactions to emotions or family stress, or just a normal developmental stage. Whatever the cause, colic can make your baby appear very uncomfortable, making parents equally miserable.
Before we jump into some integrative and holistic tips to help colicky babies feel better, lets make sure all of the babys needs are met. Is she hungry? In need of a diaper change? Too cold or too warm? Sometimes its as simple as addressing those needs.
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Is My Baby Overstimulated
Another explanation is that by the end of the day, the baby has had enough. Supporters of this theory advise parents to reduce stimulation of their baby to improve crying.
In practical terms, this means keeping the baby away from bright lights and loud noises , and lightly wrapping the baby.
The research on these interventions is split. Some studies show a reduction in crying.
Provided a caregiver is still nearby or with the baby, there is little harm in this intervention, and it may be of benefit.
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If You Suspect Overstimulation:
- Respond. Crying is a baby’s only way of communicating his needs. But it’s also his only way of wielding any control at all over a vast and bewildering new environment: He cries, you come running to his side powerful stuff when you’re otherwise completely powerless. In fact, studies show that responding promptly to your baby’s cries will reduce his crying in the long run.
- Excise excitement. Limit visitors and avoid exposing your baby to new experiences in stimulating environments, particularly in the late afternoon and early evening. Watch how your baby responds to certain stimuli and steer clear of any that seem to offend.
- Create calm. Trying to make your baby’s environment peaceful might help him relax. Dim the lights, speak or sing in soothing tones and keep other noise and distractions to a minimum.
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Massaging And Close Contact
Baby massage and other methods that focus on physical touch might be just as comforting to babies as a nice back or foot rub is to adults. Additionally, some babies benefit from skin-to-skin contact, an aspect of kangaroo care.
Some research studies on preterm infants have shown that kangaroo care helps stabilize breathing, improves heart rate, promotes successful breastfeeding, and enhances parent-child bonding. All of these benefits may contribute to decreasing the fussy periods your baby experiences.
What Does Colicky Mean
Specialists in pediatric medicine refer to colic as prolonged crying in infants under three months old with no apparent cause. Its linked to a possible immaturity in their digestive systems that cause stomach pains. On the other hand, it could be due to allergies or food intolerances.
Research on colic is still very uncertain. Researchers can find a cause in only 5% of cases. Despite this uncertainty, there are possible causes:
- Intolerance to milk proteins
- Psychological reasons, like the transfer of anxiety from parent to child. Additionally, it could just be a characteristic of the child.
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Does Colic Happen At The Same Time Every Day
Although colic can strike at any time of day, most parents find that it affects their baby in the late afternoon or evening, and usually consistently happens at the same time of day. In fact, excessive crying at the same time of day for more than three hours at a time is a classic sign of colic in babies..
Living With Colicky Baby
Having a colicky baby can be very stressful for parents. It can make you feel tired, guilty, and even depressed. Your babys healthcare provider can suggest some things to do that may help to calm your baby. Its important to know that colic is a common condition in young babies. It will go away on its own, often by age 3 months. In most cases it is gone by age 6 months.
If possible, have someone else watch your baby when you become stressed. If no one else is available, make sure your baby is safe and go into another room. Distract yourself from your babys cries. Crying will not hurt your baby. Some communities have free or low-cost care called respite nurseries. You can leave your baby there for short periods of time.
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Coping With A Colicky Baby As A Parent
When your baby has colic, itâs important to pay attention to your own emotional state. Caring for a colicky baby can be tough, and can make many parents feel anxious and inadequate, not to mention stressed.
No matter how frustrated you feel, never shake your baby. Shaking an infant can cause bleeding in the brain, leading to permanent damage and even death.
If you find yourself feeling out of control and unable to cope with your babyâs crying, try one or more of the following steps:
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Take deep breaths and count to 10
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Put your baby in his crib or another safe place, and leave the room to take a break
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Ask for and accept help from family and friends who can take care of your baby for a short period, giving you a much-needed break
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Donât feel guilty about soothing your baby. You are not spoiling her. By holding and comforting her, you are trying to make her feel better, and eventually the colic will subside.
How To Soothe A Colicky Baby
Wondering what to do for a colic baby? According to experts, a great place to start is with the “Five S’s” strategy to mimic the womb environment. When that doesn’t work, work your way down the list of parent and expert-approved colic-soothing tactics.
- Swing and rock your baby
- Offer a pacifier or breastfeed
- Give them awake tummy-time
- Talk to a healthcare provider about probiotics
- Consider an elimination diet if breastfeeding
- Burp your baby frequently
- Pump their legs to relieve gas
- Wear them in a sling or carrier
- Give them a massage
Read more about these strategies and other ways to soothe a baby with colic.
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Change The Formula Milk Brand
If your baby is colicky all the time, changing the formula milk brand may help. Sometimes, the ingredients of a particular formula milk brand may be the cause of colic. If you have started giving formula milk to your baby along with breastfeeding or otherwise, and he suffers from colicky, try changing formula milk.
Look After Yourself Too
Having a baby who cries a lot can be very wearing and stressful for parents. Make sure you keep yourself sane. Discuss your worries about your baby with your health visitor or doctor. Seek help from them if you feel very down or anxious. Take up offers from family or friends to help so you can take time out for rests and time for yourself. You and your partner will need to support each other, and take it in turns to spend time consoling a crying baby. Talking with others who have babies with colic may help, or contact a support group such as Cry-sis. Remember that colic does go away, and it is a phase your baby will come through.
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What Is The Difference Between Normal And Colicky Crying
Sometimes your baby will cry because she is hungry or tired, or because she has a wet diaper. But when sheâs been fed, cuddled, or had her diaper changed, she will stop crying.
If, however, she seems to cry for no reason, and continues to cry even once youâve checked her diaper, fed her, and comforted her as best you can, she may have colic.
This is what sets normal crying apart from colicky crying. With normal crying, your baby will respond to comfort measures and will stop crying eventually with colic, your baby persistently cries and canât seem to be consoled.
Advice For Colic If Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding your baby can help them to relax and relieve pain.
Try emptying your milk in one breast during a feed before changing breasts. You create two types of milk when breastfeeding and the second half of your milk has more fat in it.
Fat slows down digestion and helps to release food slowly, helping with digestion.
If breastfeeding, avoid drinking tea, coffee and other drinks that contain caffeine.
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How To Soothe Colic In Babies
In addition to frustration and exhaustion, you may have feelings of inadequacy and guilt as you try in vain to soothe your fussy baby. So while staying calm is easier said than done, these strategies may help ease the strain until colic passes.
Just give each a fair shot before you switch to another . Talk to your doctor for tips and possible causes of your baby’s colic too.
Whats The Difference Between Colic And Normal Crying
There isnt a clear definition of exactly what colic is or how it differs from other types of crying.
But doctors typically agree that colic crying is louder, more intense and higher-pitched than normal crying sometimes almost like screaming.
Colicky babies also seem inconsolable, and tend to cry more throughout the day than babies without colic.
Most often, colicky periods recur daily, though some babies take an occasional night off.
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When To Seek Medical Attention For A Colicky Baby
- Baby is not feeding well, having diarrhea, excessive vomiting, or losing weight
- Baby has a fever: A temperature of 100.4 or higher is considered a fever and needs immediate evaluation in infants, especially those who are under 4 weeks old or unvaccinated.
- Crying is lasting more than 3 hours per day
- Your baby is having colicky symptoms outside of the expected age range younger than 3 weeks or older than 3 months.
What If It’s Not Colic
Babies cry for other reasons that are not colic. The first step is to make sure a baby doesn’t have a health reason to be crying.
- has a fever of 100.4°F or higher
- is less alert or active than usual
- isn’t feeding well
- isn’t sucking strongly when taking the bottle or breast
- has loose stools or blood in the stool
- is losing weight or not gaining weight
- can’t calm down no matter what you do
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What About Other Colic Remedies
You may have heard that some home remedies can relieve colic. Most arenât proven and they could hurt your baby. Always talk with your childâs pediatrician before trying something new. These are things you may have heard about.
- Rice cereal in a bottle. This is a definite no-no. It’s a big choking hazard, and it is not proven to work.
- Herbal remedies such as chamomile, or gripe water. Itâs best not to use these. The FDA doesnât regulate over-the-counter remedies. You canât be sure what they are made of, and ingredients arenât always labeled. Some can have things in them that are very bad for your baby, like alcohol or opiates. Babies can also have allergic reactions to them. Theyâre also not proven to work.
- Simethicone gas drops. These can be OK to try. But will they work? They may or may not help.
Try Tummy Rolls For Colic Relief
While laying a securing hand on babys back, drape him tummy-down over a large beach ball and gently roll in a circular motion. Another use for a large beach ball is the baby bounce. Hold baby securely in your arms and slowly bounce up and down while sitting on the ball. We still have the big red ball rolling around our house as a memento of our bouncing past.
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Baby Blues And Postpartum Depression
Having a baby who is difficult to comfort can increase parents stress and can contribute to the baby blues and/or postpartum depression. As many as 50%80% of new mothers experience the baby blues in the first 10 days after childbirth. Symptoms may include tearfulness, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and feelings of loss. The baby blues usually get better after about 10 days.
Approximately 8%15% of new moms experience postpartum depression in the first year of motherhood, which is different from the blues. With depression, symptoms last more than 2 weeks and include feeling down and hopeless, increased crying, feeling little pleasure or interest in activities one used to enjoy, and loss of energy. If you are experiencing these feelings, it is very importantfor you and your babythat you seek help from a trusted health professional.
Check If Your Baby Has Colic
All babies cry, but your baby may have colic if they cry more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for at least 1 week but are otherwise healthy.
They may cry more often in the afternoon and evening.
It may also be colic if, while they are crying:
- it’s hard to soothe or settle your baby
- they clench their fists
- they go red in the face
- they bring their knees up to their tummy or arch their back
- their tummy rumbles or they’re very windy
It can start when a baby is a few weeks old. It usually stops by the time they’re 3 to 4 months old.
There are other reasons why your baby may be crying.
It could be they:
- have constipation
If you’re not sure what’s wrong, it’s best to speak to your health visitor, call NHS 111 or see a GP to be sure.
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How Do I Know If The Crying Is Normal
Working out what could be causing the crying and how to make a difference is difficult. In most cases, no medical cause can be found but its always helpful to rule it out first. Its difficult to soothe a crying baby if youre worried about their health. If you suspect there is a medical reason that your baby is crying it might give you peace of mind to seek advice from your GP or maternal and child health nurse. Dont just assume its colic.
Slower More Frequent Feedings For Colic Relief
Feeding too much, too fast, can increase intestinal gas from the breakdown of excessive lactose, either in mothers milk or in formula. As a rule of thumb, feed your baby twice as often and half as much. A babys tummy is around the size of her fist. To appreciate the discrepancy between usual feeding volume and tummy size, place your babys fist next to a bottle filled with four to six ounces of formula or breastmilk. Its no wonder tiny tummies get tense.
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How To Comfort A Fussy Baby
Observe and Learn
Identifying, as best you can, the reason for your babys crying will help you figure out how to respond to him in the most sensitive and effective way. The following questions can help guide you:
- Are there certain times of day when your baby is fussier?
- Are there specific situations that lead to crying such as visits to busy, noisy places where your baby is overwhelmed by all of the stimulation?
- Are there differences in her cries for hunger, fatigue, boredom, anger, feeling overwhelmed? For example, many babies will look away and arch their backs, in addition to fussing and crying, when they are overstimulated and need a break from play and interaction.
More specifically:
- Is your child sick? Teething? Tired? Hungry? Sad? Mad?
- Has there been a recent change in his world that may be making him feel less safe and secure overall? Perhaps he recently made the switch from bassinet to crib, or nana has just left after a long visit.
- Is your childs fussiness mostly around feeding? For example, does your baby tend to take a few sips from the breast or bottle, then arch her back, cry or fuss, and turn away?
- Frequent irritability , back arching, stiffening of the legs, and head turning may be symptoms of reflux. If you are seeing these symptoms, it is best to consult with your childs health care provider to determine the appropriate response.
Respond Based on Your Best Understanding of the Behavior
Look for ways to support your baby and yourself: