Colic

Posted on December 5, 2007 in Latest News

What is colic?

Colic is apparently associated with stomach or abdominal pain.

Signs of Colic

The belly is sometimes distended; the legs alternate between flexed and extended straight out; the feet are often cold and the hands clenched; and. the baby cries continuously sometimes for hours and after feeding.

Causes of Colic

No one is sure what causes colic. Babies with colic are healthy, so it’s not caused by a medical problem. Colic may be caused by stomach pain or the baby’s temperament. Babies with colic seem to need more attention and are more sensitive to the things around them than other babies.

Factors that aggravate colic are:

Overfeeding in an attempt to stop the baby crying.
Foods with high sugar content increase the amount of gas in the intestine.
Intestinal allergy to certain juices etc.

Who suffers from Colic?

Colic generally occurs in big, healthy, active, vigorous babies who are great eaters and who grow fast. Sickly, poor- feeding babies with significant underlying problems may be cranky and unhappy.

Age

Colic typically begins at about two to three weeks of age; reaches its peak at two months; begins to subside by three months; and is gone by three-and-a-half to four months of age.

How long will the colic last?

Colic is experienced during a particular phase in a baby’s life. Colic usually starts between the 3rd and 6th week after birth. It usually goes away when the baby is 3 months old. If your baby is still colicky after three months of age, he or she may be experiencing a reflux disorder. It is always safe to consult a doctor and talk to other mothers.

Colic Remedies:

• Do not feed too much; if your baby is really thirsty, s/he will drink it
• Stick to regular feeding schedule of timing and amount of milk taken
• Breastfeeding mothers should avoid milk products, caffeine, and gas-producing vegetables
• Be sure that the juices that you give your baby are very diluted, or just offer plain water
• If you baby is formula-fed, try a low-allergy formula
• When the anxiety, fear, and tension get to be too much the mother is likely to take less care of the baby so there should be someone else to watch the baby
• Try and soothe the baby by rhythmic, steady movements (like placing baby on arms and rocking gently)
• Wrap the baby firmly in a comfortable blanket
• It is better not to give baby a heating pad because if the temperature is too high the baby may cry more due to scalding

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