How to Deal with Colic in Infants
What is colic?
The scientific definition of colic is the name given to sharp intermittent pains in a baby’s abdominal that occur when the baby’s digestive system is still developing. It can occur whether you are breast-feeding or feeding your baby formula. Mothers who are breast -feeding may be able to help ease the pain by avoiding certain foods like dairy products, alcohol, tea, coffee and chocolate. Even vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, onions, green peppers and cabbage can cause gassiness and uncomfortable digestive problems for your infant. A formula feed baby may have sensitivity to cow’s milk, but even soy-based formulas can cause excess acid production.
How can moms help?
If you have had colicky babies like I have you know that you literally have to try everything to see what works. There is not one remedy that will work for everyone. Doctors don’t know exactly what causes it and their advice usually consists of something like: try changing formulas, rock them to sleep or let them cry for a while to see if they will fall asleep on their own. Well I have tried it all, including changing formulas. We tried soy, lactose-free and even Nutramegin (which is supposed to be the easiest formula to digest, but extremely expensive). I spent hundreds of dollars on this special formula and it did not make a bit of difference, so after about 4 months when the crying time began to diminish, I switched back to soy formula and she was fine.
Both of my children would have what I called their “crying time” every night. The doctor did tests on them to see if there was a physical ailment causing the discomfort. They both had expensive tests like an Upper GI (Gastro Intestinal X-ray) to rule out digestive problems. My daughter was diagnosed with acid reflux and they put her on Zantac to help neutralize the acid. She did not spit up much because she would not allow herself to get rid of the food. If it started to come up she would swallow it back down which made it worse. I don’t know if the medication worked or not because she continued to have crying time every night from 9:30 pm – 12:30 pm (it was like it a part of her daily schedule). As a mother it can be frustrating not being able to help you child. Many sleepless nights are spent trying to figure out how to soothe my crying infant. I finally came to the conclusion that there is no magic solution; you have to try anything and everything and see what works for your child. Every baby is different and what works for one baby may not work for another.
Here are some things I have found worked for one or both of my children:
Gentle bouncing on one knee (this is one thing that would calm my daughter most of the time during her nightly crying episodes). I would bounce her on my knee while supporting her chin in my hand. She went to sleep like this every night for the first 6 weeks of her life. My legs certainly got their workout.
Another thing that sometimes would settle her down a little bit was wrapping her snug in a blanket and holding her close to my chest while I stood up and gently bounced. I guess motion was her “thing,” she definitely did not want to you to sit down; you had to stand up and move.
Classical music worked for my son. He loved the soothing music and when you played it he would eventually settle down and close his eyes. He also liked to be held close and rocked in your arms while you stood on your feet.
Suggestions from professionals
The general rule of thumb according to Dr. Prudhomme White, is that infants tend to find bodily contact, repetitive sounds, and gentle, constant motion very calming. “The body’s nervous system responds to consistency,” she says. “If you’re exposed to something long enough, it can soothe you.”
That’s why infants often fall asleep in a moving car or find certain kinds of background noise relaxing. So when you are trying something to calm your crying infant, don’t give up on it after a couple of days be persistent and give it a week or so to see if actually works.
Some suggestions from other professionals for calming a colic stricken baby are:
�·Lay your baby over your knees facedown without putting pressure on their stomach.
�·Swaddle the baby in large blanket wrapping it snug around their body. This will sometimes offer comfort because it keeps them warm and feeling secure.
Ã?·Carry the baby as much as possible (don’t worry infant can’t be spoiled). Research has shown the more babies are carried and held the less likely they are to have colic. It also helps in brain development.
Ã?·If you bottle feed use bottles that don’t store the air and make sure you have the right size nipple, this will cut down on gulping which causes air to get into the baby’s system, which may result in gas pains.
�·Give them a warm bath with a lavender fragrance to help soothe their senses.
�·Try a white noise, which is a noise that resembles the noises they heard while in the womb. A fan, vacuum cleaner or recorded sounds of a heart beat work well.
�·Help your baby pass stool or relieve constipation (which is very uncomfortable) by gently massaging their abdominen; if your infant is constipated they are sure to be a little colicky.
The one thing to remember is to stay calm. If you are growing tired or impatient you need to find someone else to pass the baby to while you regain your composure. Remember there is no cure for colic; it is something you will have to wait out. Luckily, babies tend to grow out of it by 2-3 months of age, this is when their digestive system starts to mature and their body adapts to their food and environment. In the meantime, try some of the suggestions listed above and find a friend or family member to unload on emotionally to get you through the tough times.
Pediatrician source: http://www.sleepingbabe.com/Colic.html
