Colic is the name of the sharp, continuous abdominal pain that a baby may suffer from a few weeks after its birth. This baby colic results in the baby crying continuously from two to three hours a day, non-stop. This abnormal crying behavior is very unsettling to both the parents and the baby, resulting in an unhealthy atmosphere at home. It has been said that baby colic is found in about 20 to 25% of babies and can occur due to a variety of reasons.
What is Baby Colic? The intermittent abdominal pain from which the baby suffers is called colic. This is an unbearable pain and hence the baby keeps crying uncontrollably for even about 3 hours a day. This is loud and very different from normal crying and is accompanied with the baby twitching its legs and body in pain. Colic is, however, not a serious condition and it can affect even otherwise-healthy, well-fed babies.
Symptoms of Colic: There are several symptoms of colic and babies exhibit all or most of these symptoms:
1. Colic starts within 2 to 4 weeks of birth and can occur in babies under 3 months of age
2. The baby cannot be controlled while crying and usually, it cries for 2 to 3 hours, non-stop
3. The baby has bowel pains and expresses this through abnormal contortions of face or twitching of the body
4. Baby produces a lot of wind and experiences discomfort throughout
5. Baby cries roughly at the same time everyday, with the stomach rumbling severely
Causes of Colic: Only newborn babies are affected by colic. Doctors feel that there can be several causes of colic and no particular cause can be pinned down as the exact reason. Some of the possible causes can be:
1. Cramp caused due to overworking of the baby’s intestines
2. Slow bowel movements, resulting in the expansion of the intestines and thereby, pain due to that
3. Eating too fast or too much can also cause surfeiting of food and a lot of undigested food in the intestine. This can result in colic.
4. Swallowing too much air without burping is also a cause
5. Lactose intolerance or mother’s dairy habits also play a role
Colic and Lactose Intolerance: Lactose Intolerance, according to recent research is suspected to be caused by baby colic. The reason behind the severe abdominal pain can be undigested lactose which ferments with bacteria in the guts and causes lactic acid and gas. The wind, bloating and gas in the tummy make it rock hard, resulting in acid reflux and diarrhea or dehydration. However, mostly, premature babies are the ones who suffer from this condition as they are the ones who have under-developed intestines.
How to treat colic from lactose intolerance? Including lactase enzyme in food can reduce baby colic caused by lactose intolerance. Though this cannot be done with breastfeeding babies, one can give lactase enzyme liquid drops to babies before feeding in order to avoid excess lactose intake. Also, mothers should try to maintain foremilk/hindmilk balance in order to feed babies a diet that is rich in fat and lactose.
