Category — Colic

It may seem strange that babies are born without fully functional digestive systems, but many doctors believe this to be true! Colic in babies may occur for several reasons. The baby is unable to digest complex milk sugar due to a lack of gut flora (healthy microorganisms in the stomach) or the lack of Melatonin needed to transport toxins and ease digestion. But then again, sometimes it’s just pent up gas from an immature system. Don’t worry! Your baby will be digesting food, getting rid of waste and adapting to his or her new environment in no time at all. It takes roughly four months for this phase to pass. In the meantime, there are some options to ease colic pain.

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Infant colic is when a baby cries for more than three hours at a time, more than three days per week, for more than three weeks straight. New parents may feel alarmed, but it is not as serious as it sounds. While doctors disagree over the exact cause of this frustrating condition, they generally agree that there are certain remedies that may soothe the colicky baby.

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Colic relief may seem impossible when you don’t know why your baby has been crying for three weeks straight. With every shrill shriek, you fear you’re being an inadequate parent or that something may be seriously wrong. Luckily, there are a plethora of products that you can try to make life more manageable during this difficult transition period.

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You may be familiar with the term, but researchers are still wondering “What is colic?” It is estimated that roughly 20% of all babies are colicky, meaning that they cry excessively for no serious reason at all. This can be extremely disheartening for attentive parents who want to take the best possible care of their infant. Often it’s just a matter of getting used to one’s independent body for these little newborns. Symptoms of colic (crying for more than 3 hours, for more than 3 days, for more than 3 weeks) show up around six weeks of age and persist for up to four months. Generally the condition subsides on its own, but it can be a grueling test of parenthood in the early months.

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There’s a common misconception that colic has symptoms like blood in the stool, mucus buildup, diarrhea or fever. However, none of these are associated with the condition. Rather, colic is the frequent crying of an infant, typically for more three hours per day, for more than three days per week and for more than a three week duration. Irritable infants could also have ear or urinary infections, gastrointestinal disease or lactose intolerance, inflammation of the brain or nervous system, a scratched eye, an abnormal heartbeat, a bone fracture, or a hernia. It’s important to have colicky babies examined by a doctor. The good news is that if it is colic, it will go away in three to four months.

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Biliary colic is a progressive pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, beneath the rib cage, generally caused by a blockage in the gallbladder. Since the symptoms of colic are triggered by a lack of bile in the digestive tract, the pain usually comes after a fatty meal and can last anywhere from one to five hours, with a milder aching for up to 24 hours. A doctor should be called if the abdominal colic pain is severe, regardless of accompanying nausea or not. A fever and shaking chills may indicate a gallbladder infection.

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Renal colic is excruciating, spasmodic pain hitting the kidneys and bladder. If severe, then there may be an inflammation of the kidneys from retained urine (also known as “hydronephrosis”). While colic in babies is not a serious concern, and equine colic can be life-threatening, this form of colic is extremely painful but can be treated with remedies for colic, such as medication or sometimes surgery.

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The birth of a baby is a beautiful thing. Many people prepare their entire lives for having children. They read all the baby books possible and carefully monitor their pregnancy. They watch their blood pressure and do not eat raw fish. They avoid caffeine and always wear their seat belt in the proper manner. The baby’s room is completely outfitted and stocked with every thing imaginable. Diapers, wipes, ointments, bottles and medicines are lined up on all the shelves just waiting for the baby to come home from the hospital.

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