Some babies of age few weeks to four months cry throughout the day. No matter what you do, the crying of such baby does not stop. Even if baby is healthy and have no medical condition. This is very worrisome and exhausting experience by parents. This condition is called infantile or baby colic. There is no specific treatment for this condition but proper management helps to minimise exhausting experience by parents.
What is Infant Colic?
Colic is abdominal pain of intestinal origin. Infant colic is characterised by uncontrolled crying of well-fed, healthy baby for the long duration. When a baby cries for minimum three hours a day, 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks, who is otherwise healthy then it can be suspected that baby suffers from colic. This condition is lasts from 3 weeks to 3-4 months of age.
Symptoms of infantile colic
- Baby cries continuously for hours for no apparent reason
- While crying baby lifts head, clenches fists, draws up legs to tummy
- Baby refuses feed and does not stops crying in mothers lap
- Cries differently, baby seems to be in pain
- Excessive gas
- Generally crying episodes occurs in evening and night
- Baby gets relief when laid on stomach side
Reasons for Infant colic
- Allergy to milk protein
- Lactose intolerance
- Malabsorption causing abdominal gas
- Immaturity of digestive system of baby
- Excessive swallowing of air during feed, crying
- Not burping baby properly
What you can do for Colic baby?
- When baby is crying, hold baby in upright position and burp the baby.
- Make sure baby latches properly while feeding.
- Burp baby after every feed.
- Try to note the foods in mother’s diet that increases such episodes.
- You can give fennel water in recommended doses to baby.
- If baby is formula fed, then change it after consulting doctor.
- Herbal medicine such as Bonnispaz (Himalaya) can be given to baby. This Ayurvedic drop is prepared from Carum carvi, Carum copticum and Ginger officinale.
Consult the doctor if other symptoms such as fever, allergy, rashes, etc.appear.