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What causes colic in the baby? This is a very common question for parents of newborn babies. Before, it is important to know that, all babies cry for several reasons; hunger, cold, tiredness, heat or because you need to change your diaper.
However, a baby can cry even after being well fed, clean, well dressed and cared for. If he has repeated episodes of crying but appears to be healthy and well, he may have colic.
But, after all, what causes colic in the baby?
Doctors say that air intake or poor digestion may be associated with the development of colic. Some of them claim that the baby’s intestine is immature and sensitive to some of the substances contained in breast milk or in the formula.
Milk allergies and lactose intolerance have symptoms similar to colic. However, these theories are not enough to clearly diagnose what causes colic in the baby.
Babies breastfed or formula fed are also likely to have colic . Babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are twice as likely to have colic.
How is Colic Diagnosed?
Knowing what causes colic in the baby is a little difficult, so the doctor can perform a physical examination to determine the cause of the pain, such as an intestinal obstruction . If it is considered healthy, the baby will be diagnosed with colic.
Laboratory tests or exams are generally not necessary, unless the doctor suspects that there may be an underlying cause. Parents who suspect that their baby is not well should see a doctor.
How to Relieve Baby Colic?
Since finding out what causes colic in your baby is not very easy, a number of methods can have some effect on the symptoms of colic. There are some things that parents can do, such as comforting the baby and also trying out various methods and figuring out which ones work. The following suggestions can help:
Make a cigar
The baby who has colic may be more sensitive than others and, therefore, overly stimulated by the environment; being wrapped in a warm blanket can help you feel safe. Using a sling also helps to keep you warm in your contact, it lessens the pain and makes you feel protected.
Give lap (h3)
The more snuggle, the better! Do not believe the tale that a child in your lap is unaccustomed. On the contrary, attending to the crying baby teaches the child to understand that his parents have not abandoned him.
Use sounds to your advantage
Calming words or songs, especially when accompanied by a gentle rhythmic movement, can help to calm the baby. You can also try using noises, such as a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer. There is also a device on the market that simulates intrauterine noise.
Look for silence
Crowds, laughter, conversation or loud noise can shake some babies (others seem to love this type of condition). A baby with colic is more vulnerable to this situation. Therefore, when you are in a very noisy environment, try to take him to a quiet room with moderate lighting and a minimum amount of stimuli.
Keep him face down
Place the baby on your lap, face down, with your belly resting on your forearm. Then, lightly tap the back with the other hand when walking or swinging.
Take a walk on the court
Countless parents of babies with colic attest to the wonders of a car ride. The movement and sound of the engine can calm the baby to sleep – at least for a while. Another strategy is to put it in a stroller and take a walk around the condo.
Dance
The type of choreography that works best to soothe colic mimics the movement that a baby experienced in the womb: from top to bottom, from side to side, and back and forth. Make your own moves and add favorite melodies.
Exercise it
Place the baby with the belly up on the lap or bed and slowly pump the legs in a bicycle motion – this movement can expel the gas that causes colic in the baby.
Heat it up
Place the baby face down on a pillow, use a hot water bottle wrapped in a cloth diaper to make back and forth movements on his or her back.
You can sit it in a bathtub with warm water, which is also very comforting. Or lie down on your bed or on the floor and hold the baby belly to belly, skin to skin, try to position it with your ear over your heart.
Get a massage
Place the baby face up on your lap, with the palm of the hand over the navel, and massage the abdomen with a thumb clockwise. Then, tilt it forward and gently press your hand on the tense belly. Babies love massage, so it’s important to use a massage oil (for babies) and massage it gently.
Take a break
If things get too difficult, it is good to be away for a few minutes to retire. The baby feels the anxiety of his parents, which further increases his own distress. If nothing is working, put the baby in a safe place, such as the crib, and take a few minutes to breathe.
Medical Treatment For Colic
Because colic is a normal part of some babies’ lives and is not harmful, it is generally not recommended to give medication. But if what gives colic to the baby can be alleviated with medication, then it is better to see the pediatrician.
There is no substance that comprehensively cures most cases of colic. However, some treatments have given babies a satisfactory percentage of relief. Are they:
- Exclude protein from cow’s milk – If the baby is formula fed, test other types of milk, if breastfed, remove the milk protein from the mother’s diet. If this works, it does not mean that the baby remains intolerant to milk, it means that the test worked. He may have responded well for many reasons; your gut is still maturing , it may have been a coincidence (the cramps disappeared at the same time as the test), or you may still be allergic to milk, etc.
In some cases, a dairy-free diet can help reduce cramps. - Simethicone – is an anti-bubble agent; which reduces the amount of trapped gases. It gathers small bubbles of gas that are trapped in the stomach’s contents when a baby swallows air. As the bubbles clump and become larger bubbles, they are easier to expel. Simethicone works locally in the intestine and does not enter the bloodstream. It is said to relieve abdominal pain. Normally, a baby will have a 2.5 ml spoon after each feeding.
Despite the complication of knowing what causes colic in the baby, it is important to remember that it is fleeting and part of development. Having patience makes parents and babies go through this phase in a healthier way.
See Also: Constipation in a Baby – What to Do?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
