Baby has colic, how can it be relieved?

What are the symptoms of colic in babies?

Colic in infants often results in repetitive crying. In general, these seizures occur for several hours a day, at regular times, more at the end of the day and in the evening. But other symptoms can be added, and confirm the diagnosis:

• Your baby has a hard stomach and gas;
• He has some slight reflux;
• He tenses up, stiffens his muscles, grimaces and clenches his fists during the crying fits;
• He bends his back, or places his legs against his stomach;

These inconveniences are a part of the life of many babies., and are rather a sign of a healthy baby with a developing digestive system. But it is true that these intense and unexplained crying of our babies can make us feel helpless, and that the urge to relieve them is particularly strong.

On the other hand, it is good to note that colic does not cause fever, loss of appetite, problems with sucking, vomiting, weight loss, or abnormal stools. In the presence of these symptoms, it is certainly not colic, and medical consultation is strongly recommended.

Which babies are prone to colic?

In fgeneral, a baby has his first colic around the age of 15 days to three weeks. His cries are then more strident, insistent, and are accompanied by tears. These attacks last for several hours and exhaust the baby and its parents. This phenomenon can reproduce itself until food diversification, around the age of about 4 to 6 months..

Breastfeeding helps reduce the risk of colic. Breast milk is undoubtedly more suited to the development of the intestinal flora, and to the stage of maturity of the infant’s digestive system. The shape of the nipple also reduces the ingestion of air during feedings, thus reducing gas, and reflux.

An older child who has crying attacks probably has another problem to solve. It can be growth spurts, teething, separation anxiety that often occurs after dark.

Why does baby have colic?

Often, colic goes away on its own, and their cause can only be clearly determined in a minority of cases. However, specialists have made several hypotheses in an attempt to find what triggers colic attacks.

First of all, you should know that crying is the only means of communication for babies, and the best way to get the attention of their parents. It is not uncommon for babies to cry for a few hours a day without feeling any particular discomfort. This does not mean that they should be ignored. But when faced with crying, the first instinct is to try to comfort your baby, by hugging him for example, before trying to detect a health problem. When a baby cries at the end of the day, it can also be due to fatigue and intense stimulation felt during the day.

The maturation of his digestive system can however cause feelings of discomfort in the intestines, even painful contractions of the intestines, and cause the anger of your infant. Gas and regurgitation are also sometimes due to the air swallowed when taking the bottle, or intense crying.

The nutrients and fat in milk are also poorly absorbed. through the intestines of newborns. This phenomenon leads to the development of certain bacteria. Children prone to colic have a different gut flora than other infants.

Food allergies to cow’s milk protein are also suspected of causing colic. In this case, other symptoms can be associated like redness on the skin, diarrhea and vomiting. When the baby is breastfed, it can also be an intolerance to certain foods that the mother consumes.

Migraines are also likely to cause crying attacks. Some studies have shown that migraine-prone mothers more often have children with colic. At the same time, it has also been shown that many infants affected by this inconvenience have migraines while growing up.

Colic is ultimately quite difficult to attribute to one cause in particular. What is important to note is that most of the time colic is mild. When complications appear, consulting a doctor is recommended.

Tips and tricks to relieve baby colic

Despite the difficulty in identifying the causes of colic, natural solutions and medical treatment may be considered to calm your baby’s pain.

The right diet to calm baby’s colic

If a food allergy is suspected, your pediatrician may advise you to change your milk., or change your diet if you have chosen to breastfeed. Anti-colic milks are also available in pharmacies, to improve your child’s digestive comfort.

On the other hand, you should know that only 2% of infants really suffer from allergies to cow’s milk, and that a too strict diet of the nursing mother can lead to deficiencies in her child. This is why this type of dietary change should be done on the advice and under the supervision of a doctor.

Tips for relieving stomach aches in infants

• Colic can also be relieved in simpler ways. Install your child in a calm environment, with dim light can relieve a possible migraine, and promote rest and sleep for your child.

• If you suspect abdominal pain, massage your infant’s stomach and carry it against you in an upright position, with a sling or a baby carrier can be effective tips to relieve pain. You can also place your baby skin-to-skin face down against your chest, or place her stomach on your arm, and her head in your hand, to gently rock her. These simple actions can also alleviate stomach aches thanks to a light pressure exerted on his stomach, and the heat of your skin on his.

• You can also use a hot water bottle suitable for babies to apply a gentle heat source to her stomach through her clothes. The heat alone soothes the sensation of pain, and promotes intestinal transit.

• Under your supervision, you can also place your baby on his tummy, on his play mat. With the belly slightly compressed, the painful sensations in her belly will decrease. On the other hand, never lay your baby on his stomach in his bed to sleep, as there is a significant risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

• If you notice that your child has gas, remember to help her burp after each bottle, or breastfeeding. It is also possible to use a bottle and anti-colic teats to reduce the entry of air into your baby’s mouth when he eats.

• To promote digestion, and help your child get rid of bloating, It is a good idea to have him do a little gym. To do this, lie your baby on his back, and with your hands, make him pedal by gently bending his legs one after the other.

• Also think about make sure your baby’s diaper is not too tight, as well as his clothes. If your baby is too tight on the waistband, his digestion may be poor, causing bowel problems.

• Sugar water given in small quantities has also been highlighted by British doctors. They have noticed that sugar water has the ability to calm babies who suffer from colic. It only takes half a teaspoon of sugar diluted in 20 ml of hot water to create a homemade syrup to give to your baby no more than twice a day. Orange blossom water also has the ability to relieve colic and soothe the crying of infants.

• The use of a pacifier can also reassure your baby, and calm his crying. While this solution can get your child used to the pacifier, it works quite well in soothing a tearfulness.

Osteopathy and homeopathy to reduce colic

Natural medicines like homeopathy and osteopathy can also overcome repeated crying babies. The homeopathic remedies most used to calm a baby’s colic are: Magnesia phosphorica 5 CH, Vomica 4CH, Cicuta virosa 9 CH, Lycopodium 5 CH, Magnesia carbonica 5 CH, Nux 5 CH, China 5 CH. You can also opt for Chamomilla granules known to soothe physical suffering.

For his part, the osteopath can also reduce colic thanks to precise gestures that reduce body tensions. Indeed, newborns can maintain tensions related to pregnancy and childbirth, which represent a test as much for the baby as for the mother. However, choose an osteopath specializing in baby care, in order to guarantee the effectiveness of the procedures used.

What medical treatment to use against colic?

Because colic is mild, your doctor may not prescribe medication. to calm colic. However, some treatments have still been proven. These are natural products, like Calmosine syrup, which have the effect of facilitating your baby’s digestion, and reducing his pain. Food supplements based on probiotics can also be administered to restore the intestinal flora of infants.

Keep in mind that colic is mild, and rather synonymous with a healthy baby. If his crying becomes difficult to bear, consider passing the baton, either to your spouse, or to the grandparents, or to other trusted people, in order to take the time to rest and recharge your batteries. a few hours. In any case, do not hesitate to report these events to your doctor or pediatrician, in order to obtain sound advice, and that any other problem can be ruled out.