Understanding Colic
Something is amiss, when you hear your baby’s writhes and grunts that lasts for an unusually long period. She cries incessantly, screams for few hours and then abruptly stops. As your baby’s doctor would define, it’s certain your baby is colicky! |
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Colic
The term colic has been associated with crying spells that usually lasts for more than three hours a day in an otherwise healthy well fed baby. This duration gradually declines to one or two hours a day by three to four months. In some cases, it continues till around six month’s age, but mostly it ends by the time your baby is about nine to ten months old. |
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Symptoms
Clinched fists, curled up legs, flatulence problems, bloated stomach and a distinct noise while crying i.e. shrill are characteristically observed in colic. |
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Causes
The underlying causes behind a colic pain are still not known. But few observations that have been cited as per researchers belief is stated below: |
- Baby’s immature brain:- When your baby is being nurtured for the period of nine months, she gets accustomed to the comforts and warm environment of your womb.
- When she is expelled out of the womb, the sudden exposure to an extremely alienated world serves as a rude wakening. Since her brain is still not well developed, it is unable to differentiate and adapt smoothly to newer changes, adding to her distress.
- Smoking:- It is also been reported that infants of mothers who smoke during pregnancy are also likely to develop colic. However more clinical trials are needed to ascertain these facts and arrive to rigid conclusions.
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- Lactating mother’s diet:- It might so happen that the new infant formula that has been introduced to her feeding regime is not being taken up well by her digestive system, so she is crying. Also the diet of a breastfeeding mother could alter the flavour of milk, to which now the baby has developed an aversion and has become unusually fussier than before.
- Allergies and lactose intolerance:- These have also been attributed to colic pain in babies.
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| Comforting Her Cries |
- Swaddling:- Don’t let your baby suffer next time. Usually babies express their distress during crying by taking up their hands to their ears or simply throwing them upwards above their heads. Swaddle her with a warm cozy baby blanket that works to replicate the ambience of your womb. The snugness experienced by being wrapped in a soft cotton cloth can also help your baby pacify and remain composed.
- Swinging:- When inside your womb, your baby was sailing and being jiggled constantly in the amniotic sac. Imitate a similar experience by swinging her in a baby swing. A sling or a hammock can be used for the same purpose. Even a buggy ride down the lane would help divert her attention. But don’t go in for a vigorous swinging process. Keep the movements small and light, also watching that the baby’s head is in align with his remaining body.
- Feeding your baby:- Feeding at regular intervals i.e. at a span of every two hours can certainly help calm your baby if she is crying out of hunger. Continue to nurse for a longer time at one breast and then switch your baby to the other side. This is because feeding more on the hind milk will help satisfy your baby’s hunger as compared to the foremilk. Strongly flavoured foods like Onions, Cabbage, Radish, Caffeine will give the milk an unfavourable taste which the baby may dislike. So eliminate these from your diet.
- Side or stomach position:- Switching her to her sides carefully or placing them on their stomach for sometime can also help resettle a colicky baby.
- Help with a massage:- Sometimes giving your baby a gentle massage around the tummy area would also help soothe her pain. Sing a soothing Lullaby or let her get an ear to listening the pre-recorded sound of ocean waves. This would provide an instant change besides deviating her attention.
- Give time to yourself:- A brisk walk down the park would help you rejuvenate well, with a much broad positive outlook towards everything.
Remember:- Never vent out your anxiety over not being able to resettle your cranky baby by shaking her vigorously. It can result in brain damage, blindness or even death in some cases.
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It’s unalarming to see your baby cry for a short span of time and be relatively peaceful for the rest of the day. But long crying jags needn’t be ignored. This is because, they might indicate a serious medical condition like hernia or any other illness remaining undiagnosed. So discuss them with the baby’s paediatrician to prevent her from any unnecessary distress.
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