Colic in Babies

By Sr Teresa Hayward (RN, RM, Lactation consultant, Infant & Paediatric Nutritionist, Baby Sleep Consultant)

For the first few weeks, all your babies does is sleep, eat, wee and poo, and cry and then one day, about 3weeks later, he erupts in prolonged, high pitched screaming with clenched fists, flailing legs and an unhappy red face. No matter what you try, you can’t comfort your crying baby, an this becomes a pattern that he repeats every night at the same time for what seems like forever. Unfortunately, this is colic.

The positive news is that very few babies actually have colic

What is colic?

The reality is that all babies cry – its their way of communicating their needs to you at this young age. And as parents we respond so those needs are met. But with babies with colic, the crying starts suddenly for no apparent reason and has no apparent cure.

Colic is not a disease or a diagnosis but a combination of baffling behaviour. A lot of people think that colic is cramps, but in fact it is not. It is a catch all term for excessive crying in otherwise healthy babies.

These fussy periods can go on for three hours at a time and often occur in the evening. It is extremely difficult to calm a colicky baby.

When we diagnose colic, we use the “rules of three”. You baby’s crying:

· Totals 3hrs every day at the same time

· Occurs every day for 3 days in a row

· Starts at 3 weeks

· Lasts 3 months

How to soothe colic in babies

Often parents have feelings of guilt and inadequacy when they try in vain to soothe their colicky baby. These strategies may help ease the strain until colic passes

Try each one for a while before doing another and don’t try too many things at once, else you can overload baby and the crying will worsen. Try and assess the causes of your babies colic and chat will a well baby specialist.

If it is due to overstimulation:

· Respond – crying is your baby’s way of communicating his needs, but also his way from showing his stress to a vast and bewildering environment that is stimulating all his external stimuli. Responding to his cries will reduce his crying as he will feel loved and secure.

· Excise excitement/stimulation – limit visitors and avoid exposing your baby to new experiences in stimulating environments, particularly in the late afternoon and early evening. Watch how your baby responds to certain stimuli and steer clear of them if they upset them. Removing them from the busy hub of activity will help

· Create calm – try and make your baby’s environment as peaceful as possible to help him relax. Dim the lights, talk on hushed tones, and keep other noise and distractions to a minimum

If you suspect gastro-intestinal issues

· Apply pressure to baby’s tummy – some babies find relief when pressure is placed on abdomen – and the power of touch alone can be very soothing. Place baby face down on your lap or upright with his tummy against your shoulder or try the colic hold (seen in picture). Gently rub their back

· Try burping your baby – sometimes this will relieve the pain but do not wind for longer than 2min as this will worsen reflux

· Consider Probiotics – probiotics may curb the crying in some colicky babies, because they ease tummy troubles

· Have your babies feeding assessed with a feeding specialist – any gastrointestinal symptoms are caused a feeding problem on an already immature gut. It may be there needs to be some adjustments to their breastfeeding or they are on the wrong formula

· Last resorts would be medication

Other calming remedies for colicky babies:

· Get close – lots of cuddling, wearing or carrying your baby will give your baby the pleasure of security and physical closeness to you, but it also helps you to tune in to their needs. You cannot spoil a newborn – so if holding them soothes them, ignore what anyone might say

· Swaddle – warm up a swaddle blanket and while its still warm, wrap baby in it. The combination of warmth and security with calm your baby

· Try white noise

· Play soothing music

· Get in motion – try swinging or rocking. Newborns find gentle movement comforting, as it feels like what they experienced in utero

· Offer a dummy – often colicky babies want to feed all the time – this is because sucking is soothing and not because they are hungry.

· Get out of the house – put baby in the pram and go for a walk or a drive in the car – the movement often helps

Remember, you should never give any medication to your baby without chatting to you well baby sister or Paediatrician first. Medication should always be the last resort

Colic symptoms

How do you know for sure if your baby has colic? Here are some signs to look for:

· Remember the rule of threes – starts at 3wks old (not before, last for 3hrs per day at the same time, happens every day for more than 3 days a week, and lasts for 3months

· Crying occurs at the same time every day and is usually late afternoon or early evening

· Baby appears to be crying for no reason

· Baby may pull up their legs, clench their fists and generally move their legs and arms more

· You baby will often close their eyes or open them very wide, furrow their brow and even hold their breathe

· Bowel activity may increase, and he may pass gas or spit up

· Eating and sleeping are disrupted by crying – baby may frantically seek nipple only to reject it once sucking has begun, or dozes off for a few minutes only to wake screaming

What is the difference between colic and normal crying?

Colic crying is louder, more intense and higher pitched than normal crying, and is more like screaming. Colicky babies also seem inconsolable and tend to cry more throughout the day than babies without colic.

What causes colic in babies?

The exact cause is a mystery, but the good news is that its not genetic, nor a reflections on parenting skills

The general theories on possible causes are:

· Overstimulated sense - newborns have a built in mechanism which allows them to sleep and eat without being disturbed anywhere, but from week 3 this mechanism disappears, and leaves babies sensitive to the stimuli of their environment. Babies then become overwhelmed, often at the end of the day, and to release stress they cry. Colic ends when baby learns how to filter out their environmental stimuli

· An immature digestive system – digesting food is a big task for a baby’s immature gastrointestinal system and when there is a problem with how or what baby is feeding, it results in discomfort

· Reflux – this can trigger episodes in colicky babies, though it doesn’t cause colic

· Food allergies or sensitivity – such as cows milk protein allergies or lactose intolerance in formula fed babies

· Tobacco exposure – several studies show that moms and dads who smoke during or after pregnancy are more likely to have a baby with colic. Just because you smoke outside or not with baby in the room does not mean your baby is not exposed as it is still on your breathe, skin and clothes.

Tips for parents on coping with colic

Though it can be safely said that hours of daily crying doesn’t have a lasting effect on your baby, it certainly leaves a mark on the parents. Listening to them screaming can heartbreaking, upsetting and anxiety provoking and can take a physical and emotional toll

To help you cope, try the following:

· Break it up – take turns – sometimes a fresh set of arms induces calm in a crying baby

· Take a break – it is important to respond to crying, but every once in a while taking a break during that crying wont hurt

· Talk about it – do a bit of crying yourself – chat to your partner, family member, friend or even your well baby sister. Just knowing your not alone makes a world of difference

· Get help – don’t hesitate to ask for help whether its from your partner or a family member. Chat to an infant feeding specialist who can guide in assessing the causes and correct them

Feel free to contact me for assistance. As a well baby sister with specialty in feeding and sleep, I will guide you.