Description Of The Intervention
The role of aberrant gut microbiota in infant colic has resulted in the increased study of the use of probiotics in this area . Probiotics are live organisms with potential health benefits they provide resilience to bacterial insult and threat to the host .Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species are the organisms most commonly used as probiotics. Associated terms include ‘prebiotics’ and ‘synbiotics’. Prebiotics are indigestible food ingredients that benefit the host by selectively stimulating favourable growth or activity, or both, of one or more indigenous probiotic bacteria , while synbiotics are products containing both probiotics and prebiotics and are often used. They can be delivered through tablets, capsules, suspensions or even as dry foods or granules. As the licensing arrangements for probiotic preparations vary from agent to agent and in different countries, there is a variety of specific dosing regimens and a range of different methods of accessing such agents.
There have been numerous studies around the effectiveness of supplementing the already symptomatic infant’s diet with various probiotics and synbiotics to reduce the symptoms of colic, but these seem inconclusive when taken as a whole . However, evidence is building around the effectiveness of prophylactically supplementing the newborn infant with probiotics to prevent colic and other symptoms . Additionally, evidence is accumulating on the safety of such an intervention .
How To Minimize Reflux:
- Hold your baby in an upright position, not lying down, while you feed them and burp them several times during each feeding.
- Keep your baby upright for 30 minutes after feeding
- Baby wearing can be beneficial during times of fussiness
- Check with your GP if you can elevate the mattress to avoid your baby laying complete flat.
While youre here, check out Chantals guide to baby sleep and why your newborn might be crying.
Dietary Manipulations For Infantile Colic
Infantile colic is characterized by paroxysms of uncontrollable crying or fussing in an otherwise healthy and well-fed infant younger than three months of age with crying that lasts for more than 3 h per day and more than three days per week for at least three weeks . The condition can be profoundly disturbing to both the infant and the family . There is increasing evidence that bovine milk proteins may play a role in the pathogenesis of infantile colic and that removal of cows milk from the infants diet may reduce the symptoms of colic in a small percentage of infants . We reviewed the literature and want to share with our readers the current information on the dietary management of infantile colic.
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How Long Does Colic Typically Last
Colic episodes can last for about 3 hours a day until your baby is about 6 weeks old then, these episodes may get shorter and last about 1 or 2 hours a day until your little one is about 3 or 4 months old.
In general, colicky crying tends to stop when you child is about 4 months old, but it can sometimes last until around 6 months of age.
How To Manage Your Own Distress
Caring for a screaming baby who cant be soothed is extremely distressing. If you feel that you are getting too upset, you need to take some time out to calm down. Suggestions include:
- Put your child in a safe place, such as a cot, and leave the room.
- Walk around the house or go outside.
- Relax your body by dropping your shoulders, clenching and unclenching your fists and stretching your back, arms and legs.
- Have a drink and something to eat, if you can manage it.
- Do something physical like running.
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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.
Key Points About Colic
- Colic is when a healthy baby cries for a very long time, for no obvious reason.
- It affects some babies during the first 3 to 4 months of life.
- Colic usually begins suddenly, with loud and mostly nonstop crying.
- Colicky babies can be very difficult to calm down.
- Changing how your baby is fed, and using different calming methods, can help to soothe a colicky baby.
- Colic goes away on its own, sometimes by age 3 months. In most cases it is gone by age 6 months.
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Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- When will my baby get over colic?
- What is the best way to feed my baby to avoid colic?
- Should I hold my baby upright for a certain amount of time after they eat?
- Is there a good position to hold my baby in to make them feel better?
- Can I give my baby any medicines to make them feel better?
- What can I do to help myself from getting angry or frustrated when my baby cries?
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.
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How To Soothe Your Colicky Crying Baby
Unfortunately, there isnât a cure for colic, but take heart: it usually clears up by itself within a few weeks or months. Still, many parents feel helpless and confused about what to do to soothe their colicky baby.
Here are some remedies you could try to comfort and soothe your little one, and give some relief from colic or lessen the symptoms:
Take Heart Baby Colic Will Pass
Be patient with implementing these natural remediessome can take time to see the effects, particularly the diet/digestive-related ones. Know that your baby will get through this phase. For most, colic lasts for the first 3-4 months of life. You can look at it as growing pains, as baby makes the transition to life on the outside. You will get through it and get to the other side.
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When To See Your Healthcare Provider
If your babyâs crying persists and nothing seems to help, it could be time to visit your babyâs healthcare provider. He will be able to determine whether your little one has colic or pinpoint another medical condition.
Also, if your baby still shows signs of colic once heâs more than half a year old, speak to your babyâs healthcare provider to find out if there is an underlying cause.
Seek immediate medical attention if your baby
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is sleepier than usual for a baby .
The Facts About Colic
Colic is normal most babies suffer from it to a degree. The crying usually starts at two weeks, peaks at six weeks and is decreasing by 12 weeks.
Most babies who exhibit colic, cry in the early evening between 5 and 9pm. Colic is defined as crying more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week and lasting for more than 3 weeks.
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How To Help A Baby With Colic
There is no treatment for colic. Different things will help different babies. As you get to know your baby, you will learn what works for you.
Things that might help include:
- Hold your baby close during a crying episode. You are not ‘spoiling’ your baby by responding to their needs in this way.
- Sit your baby upright during feeds.
- Wind or burp your baby after feeds.
- Gently rock your baby.
- A warm bath can really help some babies with colic.
- Avoid over-stimulating your baby with loud noise, bright lights or a crowded room.
- Gently massaging your baby’s tummy before they are likely to cry may help. Do this in a circular motion. Do not massage after a feed.
There are some other things you may like to try. There is no scientific research to support their use, but some parents find them helpful:
- Movement and motion, for example a walk in the buggy or pram, or a car journey.
- Music.
- ‘White noise’ like the low frequency noise of a vacuum cleaner, a radio not tuned in properly or ‘white noise’ music or apps.
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.
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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.
Signs And Symptoms Of Colic
- Your baby is crying inconsolably for more than 3 hours, nothing you do seems to console him, and this happens at least 3 times a week.
- The crying bouts are especially worse in the evening to early morning hours.
- Your babys stomach seems bloated and hard, and he is burping and passing gas.
- Your baby is clenching his fists, arching his back, extending and pulling up his legs to his stomach.
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Clever Colic Remedies To Stop The Crying
There are tons of colic remedies out there from natural treatments to colic drops.
If you are reading this post, Im going to assume you are desperately searching for a way to treat the colicky pain your tiny baby is experiencing.
It can be an awful feeling to watch your baby cry endlessly and not be able to comfort or soothe them. Whether you want to try some old-fashioned remedies for colic or are looking desperately for something to help, this list is what you need.
Truly, the only way to know which solution will work for you is to systematically go through the list of colic remedies below until you find the one that works for your baby.
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When Should I Call My Child’s Healthcare Provider
Before assuming your child has colic, look for other signs of illness. These may include:
- Not sucking or drinking a bottle well
- Drinking less milk than usual
- Vomiting
- Becoming more irritable when held or touched
- Having a strange-sounding cry
- Having a change in breathing rate or using extra effort to breathe
- Being more sleepy or sluggish than normal
- Fever of 100.4°F or higher, or as directed by your child’s healthcare provider
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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.
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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