The colic of the nursing baby: causes and symptoms
It is normal that during the first months of life you baby cry often, about three hours a day, this being their only means of communication. Parents can be anguished thinking if the baby's cry is due to belly pain, sleep or hunger, cold or just crying.
For these reasons, it is important that you learn as soon as possible to interpret your messages to meet their needs and not spoil it excessively. But when the crying lasts more than three hours and it is not caused by any medical problem (such as a hernia or infection) it is called infant colic. Almost all babies pass it, although with differences in degree.
Causes of infant colic
The normal thing is that your child cries for physiological reasons, such as the sensation of hunger or thirst, cold or heat, discomfort due to noises or wet diapers, desire for company, tiredness ...
1. The specialists attribute it to problems between the mother or the father, and the child. Occasionally, many cramping of the nursing baby calms down when the parents modify their response to the baby's crying.
2. Colic is due mostly to a pain in the belly or simply gas; This crying is easily recognized because it is interrupted and desperate. It is usually enough to hold your child upside down on your arms, resting on your forearm and giving him small massages in his tummy so that he can pass; at other times, tapping him on the back will expel a burp and dislike him. If the crying does not stop, it is best to go to the pediatrician to do an examination and diagnose the origin of the problem.
When the baby has a colic it tends to be unusually sensitive to stimulation. Approximately 20 percent of babies cry enough to fit the definition of infant colic. The timing varies, but colic usually affects during the third week of life until a maximum of the sixth week. If colic is still strong at twelve weeks, you should go to the specialist to analyze another possible diagnosis.
Colic symptoms of the nursing baby
1. Colic often, but not always, starts at the same time each day.
2. For most babies, the most intense ladybugs are during the night.
3. The attack usually starts in a sudden way. The legs are bent over the abdomen, the belly is stretched and the hands are closed in fists.
4. The episode can last from several minutes to hours and it usually ends when the baby falls exhausted or defecates or passes gas.
Despite the obvious abdominal pain, babies who suffer from colic eat and gain weight normally.
The pediatrician will be the one to examine the child to rule out that he does not have a hernia, or any other medical problem that needs attention. If the diagnosis is not clear, more tests may be necessary.
Triggers the colic of the nursing baby
If you are breast-feeding your child ...
1. Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and chocolate.
2. You should also try to eliminate dairy products and nuts for a few weeks, as they may be causing an allergic reaction in the baby.
3. Regarding medicines, think if you are taking any medication that is causing your child's crying.
S your baby feeds on bottles ...
1. Changing the type of milk does not usually help for most babies, but it's important for some, so you can try it.
2. See if the bottle is taken in less than 20 minutes, because it is possible that it is due to the holes in the teat being too big. You should avoid overeating or too fast.
Ana Aznar
Adviser: Dr. Luis Alberto Vázquez. Pediatrician.
