Firstly, parents need to be aware that colic is not a disorder, and now comes the bad news – there is no treatment for it; you have to simply let nature take its course when dealing with a colicky child as the condition usually fades away after the 4 th month of a baby crying this way or at the most, 8 months. Very few colicky infants cry till they are a year old and it can be due to other reasons. 

    To deal with colic, you must first rule out any other reasons for the baby crying, such as hunger, thirst, tight clothing, or being hurt somewhere and look for symptoms of colic as given above. Many babies simply yell their lungs out due to the discomfort of colic in the stomach but others with a severe case of colic may thrash about and fidget a lot, which can make parents anxious. However, the important thing for new parents with a colicky infant to do is to stay calm so they can identify the signs of colic and then work to calm down the child too. 

    Doctors are divided in their opinion as to the reason behind colic occurring: some say it is due to an immature digestive tract and muscles that an infant has which is not accustomed to processing food and so causes it pain and severe discomfort, others feel it is due to indiscriminate food intake of allergen-triggering or gas-producing food such as cruciferous veggies by a lactating mother that transfers the bloating and subsequent stomach upset the tendency to the infant. Still, other medical experts attribute colic to lactose intolerance or intolerance to cow's milk or powder milk, which many bottle-fed babies are raised on that causes colic.

   Many a time, colic episodes may occur right after meals and are typical for big, active babies who are hearty eaters; it is easy to spot the symptoms in such infants as they occur at a specific time of day, usually evening. 

    Colic can be aggravated due to over-feeding and frequent feeding of foodstuff that babies may not find easily digestible due to their immature digestive tract and sensitive stomachs; before attending to a crying child with more food, parents must establish whether it is a colic attack. Also, parents with the help of a medical expert need to determine if the baby is allergic to certain kinds of food and then remove these from the infant's diet as well as any milk feeds the baby maybe receiving.

Gas producing foods such as coffee, cabbage, beans, onions, broccoli, and certain juices that may trigger off colic episodes should be avoided by lactating mothers so the infant does not suffer colic episodes or juices may be diluted with water to reduce their effect. 

    

      Anxiety felt by new mothers can transfer itself to the infant and post-partum depression, experienced by many new mothers has been attributed to causing colic too; therefore, parents should work to avoid letting the baby feel any tension and ensure a calm atmosphere around the house. 

        Passing of bowels that release gas in the stomach, holding the infant upright, walking with the baby and playing soothing music are sure ways to reduce the colic episode and calm the baby – try them!

Published: 09 Oct 20

Last Updated: 09 Oct 20