What is Colic | What Causes Colic in newborns

What is colic? Well besides for being a nonsensical, immensely frustrating condition that tiny babies suffer from and something sent to test a parents every reserve. Colic is up there with myths and legends and things like UFO’s and Big-foot and nobody really knows why it happens to seemingly happy babies and although people tell you about it, you can only truly understand it, if happens to you.

Unfortunately doctors don’t know what causes colic, what the disorder is, or how to cure it. It is also uncertain whether colicky babies are in pain but what they do know, is that colic does not indicate the presence of a serious medical problem. It is maintained that a certain amount of crying is normal and healthy for a baby.

Infantile colic is most common in the first few weeks, to four months of a baby’s life; rarely does it endure past six months of age. Paediatricians often use the “Rule of Three” to diagnose colic: “A baby that cries for three or more hours per day, at least three times per week, within a three-month period”. {Wess, et al., “Paroxysmas fussing in infancy.” Pediatrics 1984:74:998.} About 25 percent of babies worldwide meet the official “Rule of Threes” criteria for medical diagnosis of colic.

What are the signs of colic:

Some of the more common signs are – Constant crying, tongue-trusting, irritability, abdominal bloating, frequent yawning, back and neck arching, spitting-up, blueness around the mouth, mottled skin.

Realistically you may spend every waking hour, either in your paediatricians office or on the internet searching for answers, as to what colic is or how to cure it but may never get the satisfactory answers or results you actually want or need. As my paed told me many years ago – “you will have tried every medical potion and in the end your baby will have naturally grown out of that phase of its life”.

What are the potential causes or triggers of colic in a newborn:

Newborns have an immature digestive system that has never processed food. The gastrointestinal system is literally just learning to function. Muscles that support digestion have not developed the proper rhythm for moving food efficiently thought the digestive tract. Additionally, newborns lack the benevolent bacterial flora (probiotics) that develop over time to aid digestion. This explains why almost all infants outgrow colic within the first six months.
It is also thought that certain foods eaten by mothers while breastfeeding contain volatile chemicals and allergens that in a small percentage of infants result in colic discomfort and upset a babies digestive system. It is possible that while breastfeeding certain trace elements of cruciferous vegetables and other gas-producing foods may be passed via breast milk to baby and cause gas and bloating.
Other factors that can cause colic are: hunger, overfeeding, swallowed air, the ingredients and the reconstitution of formulae could also be an issue.

There are many different trains of though as to what the best cure or remedies are to alleviate colic, so I thought I would share a few of these with you:

Mix a small amount of Rooibos (South African tea) with breast or formula milk for the colicky baby.
Drink one cup of chamomile tea a day as long as you are breastfeeding your baby. CAUTION: Do not give chamomile to a baby because it can cause an allergic reaction.
Other tea remedies for breastfeeding moms to drink, to alleviate colic symptoms are fennel seed tea and peppermint tea, which help to calm and sooth immature digestive systems and provide some relief from gas and bloating.
Products such as Colic Calm Gripe Water, Bennetts Colic Remedy, Colief Infant Drops. {there are many more but these are the ones I know of}
Homeopathic remedies such as Mag Phos and Chamomilla/Millefolium drops may help reduce the spasms and cramps.
Limiting the amount of stimulation that your baby is exposed to can also reduce the symptoms of colic.

Baby massage is also a great way to alleviate colic and reduce pain caused by bloating and it also soothing for your baby and massage can also help them sleep more peacefully. {This was a remedy that I found really worked for me – the pic above is off my youngest enjoying a baby massage!}
Chiropractic manipulation is also thought to help relieve colic, this is not something that I ever tried but many moms use this with great results.
Changes made to a mothers diet while breastfeeding can also reduce colic symptoms in a baby.
The last resort and a sometimes necessary option is medication, which you can obtain with prescription from your doctor or over-the-counter from your pharmacist.

Most importantly is that you seek professional help if the natural remedies do not work for your baby and remember to try one remedy at a time, to establish exactly what works and what does not. Also remember to look after yourself, a frazzled mom or dad is no good to anyone. Have a good support system and seek the help and advice of care givers such as midwives, clinic sisters or other moms that have been through this before – even if it is just to have someone to talk to.

I would love to hear from you – if you have any other colic remedies or would like to share your experience with us, please leave a comment below this post.

Source: Colic Calm, Baby Sense