What causes colic? There are no known reasons why some babies get colic &ndash some doctors think it's a type of stomach cramp. But it may happen because babies find it harder to digest food when they are really young. Constant crying could also be due to food allergies, such as cow's milk allergy.
1 Breastfeeding is not a cause of colic, and babies who take infant formula get colic, too. Switching to formula may not help and may even make the situation worse.
Most babies with colic do much better on their mother's milk than on any of the formulas, so your best bet is most likely to continue nursing.
While six weeks is the established peak age for infant crying, those fed formula peaked much earlier and at 2 weeks intense crying/colic behaviour occurred in 43% of formula fed babies and just 16% of those fed by breast. These findings link the timing of the infant crying peak to the mode of feeding.
Here are the most commonly believed causes of infant colic:
Overstimulated or Overtired Newborn. Immature Digestive System/Gas Pain. Food Allergies or Sensitivities. Infant Reflux Pain.
Episodes of colic usually peak when an infant is about 6 weeks old and decline significantly after 3 to 4 months of age. While the excessive crying will resolve with time, managing colic adds significant stress to caring for your newborn child.
If your baby shows negative symptoms after drinking breast milk. Consider how your baby responds to breast milk after drinking it. If symptoms occur such as fussiness, irritability, crying, gas, increased spitting up and/or drawing their legs up due to tummy pain, write down everything you ate that day.
Colic usually starts when babies are about 3 weeks old. It gets worse when they are between 4 and 6 weeks old. Most of the time, colicky babies get better after they are 6 weeks old, and are completely fine by the time they are 12 weeks old.
Conclusions: Removing bananas from the maternal diet may reduce colic. The consumption of a protein-rich maternal diet, grapes, lemons and potatoes by breastfeeding mothers may protect infants from colic.
This was confirmed by another study, which also demonstrated the reappearance of colic in a majority of such babies, after dairy foods were reintroduced into the mother's diet. Many of these babies developed colic when their mothers were given whey from cow's milk.
Foods like beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or some dairy products can cause fussiness, gassiness, or colicky behavior in some babies. Foods like cow's milk, soy, wheat, corn, oats, eggs, nuts and peanuts, and fish or shellfish are common allergy-causing foods.
If your baby is getting too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk, they might get an upset tummy from the high sugar content of foremilk. Help your baby consume a healthy ratio of foremilk and hindmilk by ensuring that you fully empty one breast before switching your baby to the other.
New mums should be advised that it is normal for their baby to cry more if they are breastfed, say experts. The Medical Research Council team says this irritability is natural, and although formula-fed babies may appear more content and be easier to pacify, breast is still best.
If your infant shows signs of severe abdominal discomfort (lots of crying and grunting), has hives or eczema, is experiencing severe diarrhea (often with blood in the stool), vomiting, and/or has difficulty breathing that lasts up to several hours after breastfeeding, call your pediatrician immediately.
Sometimes, your milk lets down so fast that your baby can have trouble swallowing the amount of milk that's being released. Because of this, your baby may act fussy at breast or choke and sputter at the breast, and he or she may be quite gassy.
Colicky babies often cry from 6 p.m. to midnight. Colicky crying is louder, more high-pitched, and more urgent sounding than regular crying.
Give Them a Burp
A crying baby can gulp down a lot of air. That can make them gassy and bloated -- and make their crying worse. Burp them with gentle thumps on their back. The classic position -- with the baby's head over your shoulder -- works, but can leave a trail of spit-up down your back.
Colic is a relatively common condition that affects up to 1 in 4 newborn babies. It typically starts within the first 6 weeks and goes away within 4 months, although it may last up to 6 months. It is marked by extended periods of crying for no obvious reason.