A child has colic: reasons, how to understand and what to do

The first months of a baby's life are the most wonderful time for a new mother. The baby does not interfere anywhere, sleeps constantly and eats well. But even this wonderful time is darkened by crying. Little babies cry because they are hungry, experience discomfort from a dirty diaper to painful sensations in the tummy. Today we’ll talk about baby colic, why it occurs, how to recognize and treat it.

Causes of colic in children

The little organism is still learning how to work, checking whether all systems are in order. Therefore, it is not surprising that many processes cause discomfort. Colic in a newborn is a pain in the tummy, muscle spasm. Most often caused by increased gas formation and bloating of the stomach. The fact is that in the mother’s stomach, the children’s gastrointestinal tract does not work. After all, all nutrients enter through the umbilical cord directly into the blood.

After birth, the baby begins to actively suck milk or formula. All metabolic processes and systems are launched. But their work has not yet been adjusted; the intestines do not have the necessary bacteria to process milk. Absolutely all children, even completely healthy ones, suffer from increased gas formation.

Causes of gas formation in children:

• new for baby food;
• swallowing air along with milk;
• lack of enzymes for high-quality digestion;
• immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract;
• quality of milk or formula;
• overfeeding the child;
• weak abdominal muscles;
• bowel disorder.

You should not try to independently diagnose the cause of your baby’s crying. Be sure to contact your pediatrician. Only a specialist can correctly recognize the symptoms and prescribe treatment.

Intestinal colic: symptoms

The main symptom of colic is an inconsolable cry. The child does not respond to the mother’s touch or to attempts to distract him with a rattle. The baby arches and screams “like he’s been cut.” The tummy turns to stone. Hands clenched into fists.

Doctors even came up with a theory of three - colic begins at about 3 weeks of a baby’s life. They last no more than 3 hours a day and disappear by the end of 3 months of life.

Children often do not have a well-functioning stop signal system due to the immaturity of the nervous system. If you bottle feed your baby, do not overfeed. Be sure to hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle so that air does not enter the baby, remaining at the bottom of the bottle.

Children who fed with mother's milk often suffer from colic due to improper mom's diet. In the first 3 months of breastfeeding, you need to remember the following simple rules:

1. If possible, switch entirely to cereals.
2. Vegetables include potatoes, zucchini, cabbage. But not often.
3. Among the variety of fruits, at first you can only eat green apples, not very sweet.
4. Switch to green tea; many children experience problems with black tea. constipation.
5. Do not overuse flour and bakery products. These are the main allies of bloating and constipation. And they contain very few useful substances.
6. No beans!
7. Drink milk carefully; it is better to switch to fermented milk products. Add pure milk to tea and porridge.
8. Be sure to include fennel or dill tea in your diet. This will have a beneficial effect on the amount of milk and will help fight colic in the baby.
9. Make sure your baby is latching correctly. The nipple should enter the baby's mouth along with the eagle. The lower lip is slightly turned outward.

Colic in a child’s stomach: what to do

First of all, stay calm. Yes, baby crying gets on your nerves. But if the mother starts to freak out or raise her voice at the baby, the situation will only get worse. The “peace” of the child in the future depends on the mental comfort of the mother. Don't allow yourself to have emotional outbursts around your baby.

If your baby has the following symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

• the baby vomits (not to be confused with regurgitation after eating);
• there is blood in the poop;
• increased body temperature;
• no weight gain.

If none of the above is present, then the baby has normal infant colic. In this case you need:

1. Stand the child up in a column. This is done to allow excess air to escape. This procedure must be performed after each feeding.
2. Heat can be helpful for immediate relief of emergency pain. Place dad's hand on the tummy or on an ironed diaper folded in several layers. The belly to belly pose helps a lot.
3. Massaging the tummy is a good way to help relieve gas. Gently stroke your baby's belly in a clockwise direction with your fingertips.
4. Bathing in the bath also helps relieve pain.
5. An hour or two after feeding, it is recommended to place the baby on his stomach. This helps strengthen the abdominal muscles and promotes the passage of gas.
6. Don't forget to give your child a restorative massage every day. The sooner your abdominal muscles mature, the easier it will be to cope with colic.
7. If your baby is breastfed, be sure to drink some water after feeding. The formula has some differences in composition compared to breast milk. It often turns out a little thicker than it should be. Try changing the mixture if that doesn't help.
8. Be sure to use bottles with nipples that have an anti-colic system. They are produced by companies: Avent, Brown and others.

If nothing helps, then you can try turning to traditional medicine or medications.

Folk remedies for colic

Our grandmothers treated colic with a decoction of medicinal herbs:

• fennel;
• dill;
• mint;
• lemon balm;
• thyme;
• daisies.

Give half a teaspoon of cooled broth before each feeding. You can take no more than 50 grams of infusion per day.

Even earlier, gas vent tubes were often used. You can buy them at the pharmacy. The tip of the tube is lubricated with baby cream and inserted into the child's anus. No more than 3 centimeters. In this case, the baby’s legs should be pulled up to the tummy. It is good to combine the use of a tube and tummy massage. But modern medicine claims that this device does not bring anything good for the child. You can become addicted and develop “lazy bowel syndrome.” When the baby's defecation process takes place only with the use of aids.

Colic medications

Modern pharmaceutical companies offer a wide selection of all kinds of colic remedies. These include syrups, powders, and emulsions. Be sure to consult your pediatrician before giving any medicine to your baby.

First of all, all children are prescribed drugs with bacteria. Bifidumbacterin, Bifiform baby, Linex and others. But to relieve pain due to colic, it is necessary to use a medicine that contains simethicone. This is a substance that helps remove gases from the body naturally. For example:

1. Espumisan.
2. Bobotik.
3. Sub simplex.
4. Mezim.
5. Creon.
6. Lactazar.

Prevention of colic in children

• the mother’s correct diet or the right mixture;
• anti-colic bottle;
• daily massage;
• After each feeding, remember to hold your baby upright;
• when feeding, the baby’s head should not be lower than the body, this leads to swallowing air;
• be sure to place the baby on the stomach one and a half to two hours after feeding;
• Be patient, you will definitely succeed.