Colic

The Babble Staff

Colic exists, right? Some childcare experts such as Dr. Cohen would argue that it doesn't. Colic is an umbrella term for a nebulous set of behaviors involving fussy babies who cry, possibly due to stomach pain. The origins and causes of colic are cloaked in mystery. As nobody knows exactly what causes it, there are any number of theories on the condition: Colic appears to be more common in babies who were born via C-section — perhaps vaginal birth "compresses and straightens out" an infant in necessary ways. Another theory is that babies grow so fast that their digestive systems don't have time to catch up, causing discomfort and colic. Stress and food allergies have been cited as other possible culprits. Dr. Karp theorizes that colic is all about "the missing fourth trimester" — colicky babies miss the womb and are vocal about it. Dr. Greene thinks that colic exists so that you will be forced to change existing behavior patterns and spend more time on your baby. Dr. Sears asserts that colic is simply the pediatricians shorthand for "I don't know." The good news is that colic tends to vanish as suddenly as it arrived, at around three to five months.

Colic is a generic term used to describe the condition of a young baby who cries more than normal. As far as I'm concerned, colic does not really exist. First of all, it is unclear what the normal amount of crying should be. Second, some of this excessive crying is actually caused by the obsession to suppress crying.

Now imagine a trickier situation: She's crying her head off at three in the morning. You know she isn't hungry, because she takes the nipple for a second but then starts kicking you as her face turns red. She does the same when you rock her and sing to her. What's the problem? You've just discovered what all new parents have learned throughout the ages: Every now and then Lucy cries, not because of hunger and not because of a need for closeness but simply because she needs to cry. We associate her horrendous cries with pain or suffering and immediately feel compelled to stop them, but that's not always the best thing to do. For newborns, crying is as much a tension-relieving mechanism as a sign of discomfort.

What to do:
? When you have reasonably exhausted all methods of soothing, leave Lucy to cry in dim light and warmth in the bassinet.
? After ten minutes, you can attempt to soothe her again.
? If she is still frantic, put her back in the bassinet. She'll eventually fall asleep for return to a calmer state. Be prepared for two or three bouts of crying.

What not to do:

Why is my baby crying so hard?

There is only one way for Lucy to cry: She holds her breath, gets all red, and then lets out an ear-splitting shriek, all the while flailing about. It looks intense, especially if you're related to her, but that's just how your average newborn cries.

Could she have a belly pain?

When Lucy cries, you look at her, and the first thing you see is her big belly. Lucy cries by contracting her abdominal muscles, which makes her raise her legs toward her belly. The effect is to create the impression of a bellyache. In fact, this is the origin of the word colic...

Do not give in to temptation to help Lucy get rid of gas by massaging her belly, pumping her legs, or aggressively burping her. This will only bug her even more... Since there's nothing wrong with Lucy, there's no need for colic medications.

I have seen countless babies treated unnecessarily with anti-heartburn medications. In case you haven't noticed, babies always regurgitate some milk. Real reflux is seen in those rare babies who can't hold on to their food after eating and just vomit. They do not usually cry more than the other babies unless they get hungry because they've vomited too much.

Colic is somewhat of a medical mystery despite many studies and theories about its origin and causes. You'll find that some doctors don't buy into the idea of colic while others believe that it is a very real condition that needs to be addressed by the parents and possibly even the doctors. Whatever your child's doctor may believe, you are probably sure in your mind that colic is a very real condition based on your sleepless nights and inconsolable beautiful little baby. Colic appears to be more of a grouping of symptoms than an actual condition. The symptoms are usually crying, spasms and contractions, reflux, hiccups, moaning, groaning, pushing, and grunting with a red face and little fists. These symptoms usually seem to be associated with gas trapped in the intestinal tract, muscle spasm in the iliopsoas, spasms of the diaphragm, or spinal misalignment or spasm. For whatever reason, there appears to be a higher incidence of colic in babies that have been delivered via Cesarean. Doctors believe that babies delivered through Cesarean don't go through the normal decompression and straightening out that a baby that goes through the birth canal does, is this the true cause? We don't know for sure, but it makes sense.

It's thought that the fast growth after a baby is born contributes to the pain of colic because the digestive functions are not fully refined. The movement of food through the intestines is said to be not quite right according to this theory, causing pain as digestion takes place. This theory is supported by the fact that babies usually outgrow colic fairly quickly.

Another idea is that it is stress that causes colic. Stress has long been associated with digestive disorders, supporting this theory. Studies suggest that first born children are more likely to have colic, so it's thought that the new mother passes on her stresses and fear on to her baby, causing the digestive pain known as colic. Studies do seem to reflect that more confident mothers typically do not experience colic in their children.

It seems that the more fussy or needy a baby is, the more likely he or she is to suffer from colic. Just like adults, babies have different temperaments or personalities and studies seem to suggest that the crabbier of the bunch usually suffer from colic more often than happy babies.

It's thought that lactose and food allergies cause colic in many children. What's odd is that there isn't a significant different between the number of bottle-fed and breastfed children that develop colic. What's interesting is that adding an iron-fortified formula to many formula infants reduces the symptoms of colic. What this means? There is some sort of dietary issue going on, but what it is could be different in each child.

Almost all babies go through a fussy period. When crying lasts for longer than three hours a day, and is not caused by a medical problem (such as a hernia or an infection), it is called colic. This phenomenon is present in almost all babies, the only thing that differs is the degree.

The child with colic tends to be unusually sensitive to stimulation. Some babies experience greater discomfort from intestinal gas (and they tend to swallow even more air when they cry!). Some cry from hunger, others from overfeeding. Some breastfed babies are intolerant of foods in their mother's diets. A few bottle-fed babies are intolerant of the proteins in formula. Fear, frustration, or even excitement can lead to abdominal discomfort and colic.

Whatever the mechanism, I believe that the fussy period exists in order to change deeply ingrained relationship habits.

Even after the miracle of a new birth, many parents and families would revert to their previous schedules and activities within a few weeks — if the new baby would only remain quiet and peaceful. It would be easy to continue reading what you want to read, going where you like to go, doing what you like to do as before, if only the baby would happily comply. Instead, the baby's exasperating fussy period forces families to leave their previous ruts and develop new dynamics that include this new individual. Colic demands attention. As parents grope for solutions to their child's crying, they notice a new individual with new needs. They instinctively pay more attention, talk more to the child, and hold the child more — all because of the colic. Colic is a powerful rite of passage, a postnatal labor pain where new patterns of family life are born...

Holding your child is one of the most effective measures. The more hours they are held, even early in the day when they are not fussy, the less time they will be fussy in the evening. This will not spoil your child. Body carriers can be a great way to do this.

No one really knows what causes colic. Researchers have explored a number of possibilities, including:
? Cow's milk allergies or intolerance
? An immature digestive system that causes unusually strong intestinal contractions
? Food backing up into the esophagus — the passage connecting your baby's mouth and stomach
? Increased intestinal gas
? Hormonal changes in your baby
? The diet of mothers who breastfeed
? Your baby's temperament
? Maternal anxiety
? Postpartum depression
? Differences in the way your baby is fed or comforted

Yet it's still unclear why some babies have colic and others don't. If your baby does have colic, it's important to remember that it's not your fault.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory warning against the use of star anise tea, which has traditionally been used as a treatment for colic. After performing a chemical analysis of the ingredients in the tea, researchers determined that it contains low levels of a toxic compound called veranisatin. The tea may cause neurological symptoms such as seizures, jerky movements, vomiting and irritability.

After centuries of myths and confusion, I am convinced that the true basis of colic is simply that fussy babies need the sensations of the womb to help stay calm.

Colicky babies, on the other hand, have big trouble with self-calming. They live through the same experiences as calm babies, but rather than taking them in stride, they overreact dramatically. These infants desperately need the sensations of the womb to help them turn on their calming reflex.

For a colic theory to be proven correct it must fit all ten colic clues. After a long and exhaustive study, I have found the only theory that explains all ten and solves the centuries-old mystery of colic is the concept of the missing fourth trimester.

Only the missing fourth trimester explains all the colic clues. However, if soothing a screaming baby is just a matter of imitating the womb with some wrapping and rocking, why do these approaches so often fail to calm colicky kids? The reason is quite simple: Parents in our culture are rarely taught how to do them correctly.