How to Relieve Baby Colic

When my first child was born, she would cry with such intensity for hours on end, that we were certain something was terribly wrong. My husband and I, both entirely ignorant of what was causing her such severe distress, tried to do everything to comfort her. She was breast fed and burped, walked and bounced and we rubbed her back constantly. But within 30 minutes of nursing, she’d be screaming as if I’d just fed her broken glass.

When her doctor examined her and explained that her symptoms were colic, we were overjoyed that there was a cause and presumably a cure for this condition. But his response was that she would outgrow it before too long and recommended that I stop eating broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, as they might be contributing to her gas.

Colic we learned, was perfectly normal for a baby whose digestive system is still not completely developed. But it was hard not to call that doctor every day, because even after eliminating those vegetables, the symptoms didn’t improve and she was clearly one miserable baby. If you suspect your baby is suffering from colic, ask yourself the following questions:

* do they cry vigorously for long periods, despite efforts to console?

* do symptoms occur around the same time, often after meal times, and usually ending as abruptly as they began?

* do they shows signs of gas discomfort, abdominal bloating or a rigid belly?

* do they have a hard, distended stomach, often with knees pulled to the chest, clenched fists, flailing arms and legs, and an arched back?

* do they experience frequent sleeplessness, irritability and fussiness?

Infantile colic is fairly common in the first few weeks to four months of an infant’s life and rarely persists past six months of age – which is when our baby finally stopped having these terrible tummy spasms. There is lot of evidence that suggests that colic is caused by digestive immaturity. Their digestive tract hasn’t yet developed the benevolent bacterial flora that help break down food. Plus, a mother’s diet may be producing gas via their breast milk and so cruciferous or gas causing vegetables are out for those first months. Unfortunately, babies often swallow air while feeding or during strenuous crying, which increases gas and bloating, further adding to their discomfort.

How to Relieve Baby Colic Naturally

Infantile colic can leave you feeling frantic, frustrated, worried, exhausted, guilty and inadequate. When your baby is suffering, you will try whatever is recommended to help ease their distress. There are several treatments available for baby colic but you should consult with your pediatrician first before giving baby any medications, remedies or supplements.

I found several things that helped ease my babies distress. They were:

* Sipping a weak tea from fennel seeds and chamomile with a drop of honey

* A warm compress to the belly or sitting with her in a warm bathtub.

* Massaging her tummy very lightly with a few drops olive oil in a clockwise direction.

* Swaddling her firmly and providing light pressure on the tummy.

* Colic Calm Gripe Water.

Colic Calm Gripe Water is a homeopathic remedy made from a variety of European herbs that are specially prepared to release their greatest beneficial effects with no adverse side effects. Homeopathy has been used for over 200 years to safely treat a variety of nervous and digestive disorders including colic.  Homeopathic Colic Calm boasts over a 90% success rate in treating baby colic and works within minutes, so it is only given on an “as needed” basis. Colic Calm also helps bloating, pressure, stomach cramps, hiccups, teething and even acid reflux.

There are other gripe waters on the market that are sold as “dietary supplements”. But, be careful! These are not regulated by the FDA and fall under loose dietary supplement guidelines. Often, the main ingredients of these products include:

* Sodium Bicarbonate (a.k.a. Baking Soda). Sodium bicarbonate is an alkali (antacid) which alters the naturally occurring pH of baby’s stomach acid. It may counteract some discomfort caused by acid reflux in cases of acidic stomach.  However, changing the delicate pH balance in baby’s system can cause over-alkalinity and exacerbate a colicky condition. Furthermore, sodium bicarbonate is absorbed into the bloodstream and thus can have unwanted side effects. Studies have shown that sodium bicarbonate can deplete and interfere with absorption of Folic Acid and Iron, and is not recommended by most pediatricians.

* Essential Oils and extracts (dill oil, clove oil, fennel extract, ginger extract, etc) are used by most other gripe water brands. There are known safety issues with herbal oils and extracts. Many experts believe they are not to be taken internally by adults, much less infants. I would not recommend these types of products.

In Conclusion

As your baby’s body develops, their colic will subside. In the mean time, they rely upon you to provide comfort, support and relief from a very real pain. During the first three months of life, babies are not well-equipped to calm themselves. Self-calming is a skill that develops slowly over time and at different rates for each child. I hope the methods that I found to help will help you as well. As always, consult with your pediatrician about any alternative treatments you wish to use. Please feel free to comment and share what has helped your baby and you, cope with colic! Thank you for reading my article.

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