Colic Baby Solution - The Happiest Baby On The Block » Colic

Tears for Baby, Tears for Parents

milan — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:43:00 +0000

Recently, I was reading through Lisa Belkin’s column, Motherlode , in the New York Times and came across a blog called “Too Much Crying?” It was a guest post from a mother named Lee, who shared her exhausting and demoralizing battle with her infant’s colic, or persistent crying. After reading her heartfelt story and those expressed by other parents who commented afterward, I had to jump in and offer some support.

Colic can take an enormous toll on parents, transforming what should be the happiest time in our lives into one of abject misery. As Lee described it, “I was a wreck. You were the same way when you were a baby, my mom told me. You turned out just fine. Just fine? I physically beat myself up because I couldn’t get my son to stop crying.”

Colic usually occurs between a newborn’s second week and up through the third or fourth month, and is usually defined as a baby who cries and fusses for more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for 3 weeks (the so-called rule of 3s). Think about that for a minute! Consider how you would cope with a child who screamed and screamed for hours on end, without the ability to express what was wrong. No wonder it can push an already overwhelmed new mom or dad over the edge into bickering, exhaustion…even depression and aggression.

During almost 30 years as a pediatrician, I’ve worked with countless parents like Lee. They’re at their wit’s end, and feel so helpless and inept. They express a lot of guilt and shame, as if not being able to tame colic makes them a failure as a parent. But when you’re new to the game, and just so darn worn out, it’s very easy to give in to these doubts and bad feelings. As Lee says in her post, “The only thing that changed was my increasing anxiety that my son would not turn out “just fine.” That I was failing on some fundamental level as a mother. That I was in the process of breaking my baby, a little more every night.”

I have my own theory on colic , detailed in The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD , that has helped millions of parents around the world calm their baby’s crying. I believe that in a “weird” sort of a way, our babies are born 3-months too soon (not that I’ve ever talked a mom into trying this!). Baby horses are ready to run from the very first day, but our babies are super-immature for at least the first 3-6 months. Rather than being plunked down on a flat crib in a stone-silent room they need us to imitate the five soothing, hypnotic rhythms they experienced in the womb (the “5 S’s”) to help them stay calm and relaxed.

The Department of Health of Boulder, Colorado tried this approach out with 42 at risk families (teen moms, premature babies, drug users, etc) who all had very fussy babies. They did a study showing that 41 out of 42 very fussy babies immediately improved with the “5 S’s” and three special tools : a Happiest Baby DVD to reinforce the teaching, a large, thin swaddling blanket, and a Happiest Baby CD of womb sounds to play for naps and all night long. After that, the families found they could dramatically reduce their babies’ crying, and often add at least an hour to their nighttime sleep.

Equally important to relieving your baby’s discomfort from colic is relieving YOUR discomfort. Learning to handle the stress that comes with colic is one of your most important goals on this journey. Keep the focus not on the actual discomfort and crying, but on what you can and will do to relieve that crying. This helps you avoid negative thoughts and go into “solution” mode.

Remember to keep taking breathers as needed. Carrying a crying baby around for an entire day is too overwhelming for most parents, whether new or seasoned. Ask your partner to help, or a trusted family member, friend, or neighbor. Taking time to relax and rejuvenate will allow you to come back from your break with more energy and patience (which, we all know, are big requirements for parents, especially those dealing with a screaming baby). Use that time to do whatever helps you press the “reset” button, whether it’s walking around the block in the fresh air, getting a massage, or simply grabbing a quick shower or a nap. Your baby needs you to be the best parent you can be, but to do so you must make time to take care of yourself.

Most often, when the “5 S’s don’t work, it means they are not being done correctly. So, if the “5 S’s” aren’t helping please review the Happiest baby DVD to make sure you are doing each step exactly right. And, if you are doing them correctly and the baby is still very fussy, please contact your doctor to check to make sure the baby is not ill or in pain.

However, never shake your baby! Remember, babies are delicate and can be injured by rough handling. So, if you are getting frustrated or angry because of your baby’s crying, please put your baby down for a little bit and take a break. And, make sure to tell everyone who is helping with the baby how dangerous it is to shake and to take a break if they are getting frustrated or upset.

One of the biggest concerns doctors have about babies with colic is that this type of persistent crying – and the exhaustion it causes – can trigger very serious health issues, including postpartum depression. The slip into depression can happen so easily for some women (though there’s evidence that fathers often suffer from postpartum depression, too) and an infant with colic could definitely push a new mom down that path. Some moms describe that they feel constantly anxious or strangely alienated from their baby, or want to get in the car and just flee! Just recently, celebrity mother Gwyneth Paltrow discussed openly her own battle with postpartum depression , and encouraged mothers to seek help if necessary. Make no mistake about it: colic can wreak havoc on the life of a new family.

The best news about dealing with colic? In most cases, the “5 S’s” can dramatically help! I know it feels like it will never end, but it will. And infants who experience colic do not experience any negative effects in the long run. Take care of yourself during this trying time. Get rest, take walks outside, eat well, take turns with your partner, don’t worry about housework and chores, and remember that you’re doing the very best that you can do. In the meantime, check out my website for more information on colic, and share it with friends or fellow parents who might be trying to tame the colic beast.

New Study Finds Fathers Equally at Risk for Postpartum Depression

milan — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:30:26 +0000

“Your turn.” New parents have uttered this phrase to one another hundreds of times in response to their crying infants. In most households, it’s become second nature for both moms and dads to take turns calming their little ones. There’s no doubt about it: when it comes to pregnancy and birth, mothers are the ones doing the heavy lifting. The idea, however, that fathers aren’t up to the task of co-parenting is as “1950′s” as the concept that moms shouldn’t work.

As a recent study concluded, the same goes for a more unlikely shared parenting experience – postpartum depression. The idea that only women suffer from postpartum depression – a very difficult, sometimes debilitating, type of anxiety and worry experienced by 10 -15% of all new mothers after childbirth – is equally out of date. In fact, this disorder seems to affect men in a similar way.

The study, a careful review of 43 previous studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, validates what dads have been feeling (whether openly or not) for years: depression in the early stages of parenthood is not just for women. As many as 10% of new dads experience it, especially when babies are between the age of 3-to-6-months. The shocking new responsibility of parenthood accompanied by the all-too-common sleep deprivation are major contributors to this disorder. The black hole of postpartum depression – the anxiety, pain, fear, apathy, exhaustion, and hopelessness – especially when your baby has persistent crying (colic) – can give way to feelings of shame, isolation, hopelessness and extreme guilt. This condition is not to be taken lightly — it’s widely accepted that postpartum depression can wreak havoc on a new family’s dynamic, not to mention the stability of marriage.

Common stresses like fatigue and colic are powerful triggers of postpartum depression in both men and women. One proven strategy for battling sleep deprivation – for infants, moms, and dads – and building parent confidence despite their baby’s colic is the “5 S’s.” These highly successful techniques activate the “calming reflex” – a virtual “off-switch” for crying and “on switch” for sleep that all babies are born with. This method (demonstrated step-by-step in The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD and book) can make easy babies even easier and quickly stop most cases of colic and boost a baby’s sleep by 1-3 hours per night.

The best news of all is that after learning these simple steps, men often become the best baby calmers in the family! So they gain confidence in their new role as caretaker while getting more sleep. And, as any mom or dad suffering from postpartum depression will tell you, a good night’s rest goes a long way. It’s the first step to recovery. So we encourage dads everywhere to empower themselves by learning the 5 S’s, consider it your best weapon in the battle against postpartum depression, so that men and women alike are equally well-equipped and confident every time they hear the words, “Your turn, honey.”

Cultures Without Colic: Breastfeeding & Other Baby Lessons from the !Kung San

The Happiest Baby — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:19:11 +0000

To get a deeper understanding of the relationship between colic and breastfeeding, it’s good to take cues from other cultures. For example: the !Kung San (or African bushmen) have lived in isolation on the plains of the Kalahari Desert for thousands of years. Over the past forty years, however, the !Kung have allowed scientists to observe their lives, including how they care for babies.

I’ve read reports of the !Kung newborn care with great interest because their infants hardly ever cry! It’s not that they never cry – it’s that they never CRY! (And I know you understand the distinction.) !Kung infants get upset as often as our babies do, but their parents are so skilled that their babies’ fussing bouts average only sixteen seconds in duration – and over 90% end in under a minute. For parents struggling with colic in our culture, this sounds too good to be true.

What the !Kung secret? What ancient wisdom do they that know that we have forgotten? I believe this tribe’s stunning success is based on three main factors:

1. Constant holding
2. Immediate responding
3. Very frequent breastfeeding

Although the !Kung have few material possessions, they have the luxury of having lots of cuddle time with their babies. !Kung mothers carry their babies all day long in leather slings and sleep next to them at night. This closeness makes it easy to soothe fussiness right from the start, to keep it from building up into full-on colic.

Since !Kung parents spend so much time close to their babies, it’s easy for them to comfort their babies’ cries quickly – usually within ten seconds!

In addition to holding and cuddling, the !Kung calm their babies by putting extra emphasis on breastfeeding. They give quick little feedings 3-4 times an hour. That’s 50-100 times a day!

We in the West might think that all this lavish and immediate attention would spoil a baby, but that’s not the case. !Kung children generally grow up to be happy, independent, and well-adjusted.

Of course, I’m not suggesting we adopt all the !Kung ways – but by studying their successful parenting practices, Western moms and dads can glean some helpful tips – especially for parents dealing with poor infant sleep, excessive infant crying, and colic.

Did You Know? The Use of the Side/Stomach Position Through the Ages to Soothe Infant Crying

The Happiest Baby — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:17:56 +0000

In most traditional cultures around the world, babies like to hang out – literally. Their moms, sisters, aunts and neighbors carry them in baskets and sheets on their fronts, backs, hips, and shoulders for up to twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Few parents across the globe lay infants flat on their backs to sleep, and they usually put them on a curved surface, not a flat one. The mild arc of a small blanket suspended from a tree or tripod cuddles a baby in the softly-rounded fetal position, which helps activate the calming reflex and promotes more peaceful infant sleep.

The Lapp people of Greenland carry their babies curled up in cradles that hang on one side of a reindeer (counterbalanced on the animal’s other side by a heavy sack of flour.

The !Kung San people of the Kalahari Desert carry their infants in leather slings all day long. They keep them in a partially-rounded (semi-sitting) position, which they believe encourages a baby’s development.

In parts of Indonesia, loving mothers never let their babies stretch out completely; to them it is too reminiscent of the position of the dead. Infants, compactly bundled and suspended from the ceiling in a seated position, sleep like little floating Buddhas. (Even new mothers are advised to sleep sitting for forty days after delivery to ward off evil spirits who are believed to be attracted to people weakened by illness or injury.)

The Efé pygmies in Zaire don’t put their babies down – even for a moment. They keep their tiny tots happy by holding them in their arms all day long, and all night, too. Since it’s such a big effort for one person to manage all this carrying, the Efé rely on teamwork. For the first several months, moms pass their newborns back and forth – an average of eight times an hour – among up to twenty close tribal members!

Even when women in different cultures begin to let their infants out of their arms, they usually hang them over their laps, backs or chests, thus allowing the baby’s soft tummy to keep in constant contact with their mother’s warm, comforting skin.

The Side/Stomach position is a cornerstone of The Happiest Baby approach. When used properly, these methods can quickly soothe fussing and crying, calming even most cases of colic!

The Great Surprise About Using Swaddling to Calm Colic

The Happiest Baby — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:16:58 +0000

The biggest myth parents have about wrapping is that it’s supposed to quiet their fussy, crying baby. Wrong! Swaddling by itself doesn’t turn on the “calming reflex” (which – when done properly – is like an off-switch for crying and an on-switch for your baby’s sleep).

This point often confuses inexperienced parents. In fact, many new moms and dads lose patience with bundling because initially it makes their babies struggle and scream louder – not less!

So why is swaddling the first step of calming? Because it does calm some babies and it prepares all babies for parents to do a few more of the 5 S’s (like “shushing” and “swinging”), which almost always soothes fussiness by triggering the calming reflex.

Think of it this way: What’s the first thing a mother does when her hungry toddler clamors for food? Set the table to serve the meal. Yet doing that often makes her scream louder, as if she’s yelling, “Hey, would you please hurry and put some spaghetti on the table!” However, you are determined to put it on a plate with a fork and napkin before letting her eat, so you buzz through her preparations despite her protests.

In a similar way, swaddling “sets the table” for the feast of calming you’re about to serve. It’s the critical step before the actual “shhh”ing and jiggling begin. So don’t worry if your baby struggles more right after you’ve wrapped her snugly. Once you begin “feeding” her the other 4 “S’s” from The Happiest Baby DVD, you’ll be able to meet her needs completely.

Getting To The Bottom of Colic

The Happiest Baby — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:00:07 +0000

About 1 in 6 of all babies experience colic. And what is colic? It’s usually identified when babies cry for long periods of time, with no identifiable cause, and seem absolutely inconsolable. Many site digestive issues as the main cause of colic, although the real cause of colic remains a medical mystery. One thing is certain: The stress of colic not only affects the infants it strikes, but it can have a debilitating effect on the parents who deal with it, too. It’s an overwhelming and often discouraging experience. The good news is that, if the cause of your baby’s crying is ONLY colic, there is no real physical danger involved, and the symptoms of colic are only temporary.

Colic’s Roots
As mentioned above, although the theories of colic and its causes abound, pediatricians and researchers cannot agree on one specific cause of colic. Some point to the nature of the baby in question – is he/she particularly sensitive? – while others swear that the root cause of colic is a digestive and/or dietary issue.

Colic’s Indicators
While the cause remains undetermined, the symptoms of colic are easily identifiable. First of all, colic generally strikes within the first 4 months of a baby’s life. Here are some clues you should keep an eye out for:
• Your little one cries in the “Rule of 3’s”: For at least 3 hours, at least 3 days a week, for at least 3 weeks.
• Your baby’s crying bouts generally take place in the evening hours (and often right after eating). .
• Colic bouts of crying are often punctuated by gas or a bowel movement.
• Your baby’s face reddens or loses color because of the intensity of his crying.
• Your infant draws in her legs, squeezing her fists tight during her colic bouts.

Colic and Gas
Colic and gas are inextricably linked, even though there is much debate as to whether gas is actually the cause of colic. There is no evidence that burping and gas relief are cures for colic. In general, gassiness and the need to be burped are not signs of a major digestive problem (and again, they do not always indicate the presence of colic).

Can Colic Be Avoided?
It seems that you can’t necessarily “avoid” your baby getting colic, but some parents say that simple changes in feeding patterns can make a world of difference. For example:
• Try a different position when feeding your baby – perhaps holding her upright.
• Burp your infant more frequently
• Try giving your baby smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day instead of fewer/larger meals.
• In order to avoid extra swallowed air pockets, slow down your baby’s eating process.
• Make some simple dietary changes. If your baby eats formula, try switching to a soy-free or dairy-free version. Or make those changes in your own diet if you’re breastfeeding, cutting back on your own dairy intake, as well as spicy or caffeinated foods.
Many parents claim that dairy leads to sensitivity or even allergic reactions when included in their babies’ diets. Infants may be less-equipped to handle lactose because they haven’t developed enough of the natural enzymes in their digestive tracts that are necessary to digesting the proteins in cow’s milk. Breast milk contains a more-tolerable level of lactose.

Overcoming Colic
While there is no medical “cure” for colic, many natural remedies seem to be effective in calming the crying that comes with colic. First and foremost, shaking your baby is very dangerous and will never help matters – it will only make them worse. Be patient and if you are ever concerned that you might harm your little one because of your frustration levels, seek help immediately. Take breaks whenever needed and ask for help from your partner, family, friends, or trusted neighbors.
If you’ve come to the conclusion that your baby does indeed have colic, talk to your doctor. Many doctors, after checking to assure you that your little one isn’t suffering from a more serious medical condition or disorder, will offer the same advice about dealing with colic: You can’t cure it, but you can calm it. Many recommend using the 5 S’s described in Dr. Harvey Karp’s DVD, The Happiest Baby on the Block..

“Dr. Karp’s work is fascinating. It will guide new parents for many years to come.” —Julius Richmond, MD, Harvard Medical School, former US Surgeon General
“…the best way I know to help crying babies.” —Steven Shelov, MD, editor-in-chief, American Academy of Pediatrics’ Caring for Your New Baby and Young Child: Birth to Five

Sometimes the solution is YOU. Simply showering some extra affection, spending extra time “shushing” and doting on your little one, can create a soothing effect, especially if done in a cool and quiet room.
Snug swaddling in a big, thin blanket and jiggly motion (fast but no ore than 1” back and forth) can help. Try putting him in the car seat for a car ride or holding him while sitting on top of a running washer or dryer. Those small repetitive motions can be very soothing. As for the sound, white noise is key. Strong womb like white noise can help . CD are particularly useful because they can be used in the car or on trips to keep your baby calm an dsleeping well.
(The stream of constant sound can also have a calming effect. On you!)

Unlocking The Colic Mystery

The Happiest Baby — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:58:29 +0000

In the first year of life, it’s very common for babies to experience some form of colic.Colic is usually defined as a baby who cries and fusses for more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for3 weeks (the so-called rule of threes)The nonstop crying and wailing can really take a toll on the entire family. Here are sometips to help you tame (or at least understand) the colic beast.

Defining colic
A great deal of debate continues in pediatric communities as to whetherdigestive issues are actually to blame.Digestive problems like food allergy (and very rarely acid reflux, yes, babies get it, too) are believed to cause 10-15% of colic. Experts and doctors remain divided on whether other types of stomach discomfortare closely related to colic. For centuries doctors have thought that gas inbabies can cause bouts of crying. But over the past 40 years, this belief has been largely debunked.

Determining colic
Crying, of course, is a major colic clue. But not just your run-of-the-mill crying bouts. We’re talking aboutextreme crying sessions that seem as if your little one is truly uncomfortable. A common indicator is when he clenches his fist while crying, and draws his knees up. This may seem like a digestive issue, like an upset tummy or built-up gas – because it often occurs after a feeding.Another colic clue: Colic seems to strike right around the same period (thought this is not always the case).There is no evidence that built-up anxiety can have a “trickle-down” effect, actually causing your infantto experience an increase in tension and leading to more crying and discomfort (this theory islargely discredited by the medical community).

Colic & Food
Some have theorized that breastfeeding is to blame for colic. Others claim that formula is the culprit.So what’s the real cause? The answer may be neither . . . or both. There’s also disagreement inthe medical community as to whether the foods a mom eats can lead to colic if the mom is breastfeeding.Some say that breastfeeding moms who eat acidic, spicy, or caffeinated foods are likely to give theirbabies colic, while others claim that these foods have little to no effect. But there is consensus that colic in breastfed babies can occasionally be triggered by proteins coming form a mother’s diet into the milk and triggering allergic pain in the baby. The main causes of this are dairy, soy and egg. In addition, stimulants can pass through the breast and cause infant irritability. These irritants that can provoke colic include: coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, Chinese herbs and decongestants. If you’re concerned that your dietis causing sensitivity – or even colic – in your little one, you might try removing some of them from yourdaily meals, and then re-incorporating them one by one, over a slow period of time, so that you can testout which ones seem to have a real effect on your baby. If you are bottlefeeding your baby, speak to your doctor about changing the formula.

Calming Colic
So can colic be cured? Or, at the very least, can colic be calmed? It’s an age-old question that hasconfounded parents and pediatricians for many years. Up until recently, the only answer seemed to be that certainmethods are effective.Parents were advised to give their babies tummy massage to relieve pent-up gas, or bathing them gentlyin warm water (all of which may be comforting, but rarely has a soothing effect on the severe crying of colic.) Two studies looking at the benefits of giving babies “burp” drops (simethicone) have show them to be no more effective than plain water. And, no studies have show any benefit of an old herbal formula known as gripe water.

Since 2002, many parents have been amazed at much their baby’s colic can be helped by doing the 5 S’s as demonstrated in Dr. Harvey Karp’s bestselling DVD (and book) The Happiest Baby on the Block. The great success of these anti-colic techniques is based upon doing 5 steps correctly – and in combination – to turn on a baby’s calming reflex.The 5 S’s include classic rocking motion. Jiggly (fast, tiny) motion is often helpful when it comes to calmingcolic. Carrying your infant with you while you walk, or positioning her on her side or stomach may havea soothing effect for colic. Swings are also a great option.Make sure that these techniques are not only soothing for your baby, but that they are soothing for you,too.

Very important is to use a CD of womb sounds (played as loud as a vacuum cleaner to calm a screaming baby and as loud as a shower – all night – to help a baby sleep an extra 1-3 hours). This particular type of white noise is highly effective for helping babies sleep…throughout the entirely of the first year of life!Regardless, it’s important to create a soothing,calming environment in which your little one can truly unwind and begin to relax.Some pediatricians also recommend the “bicycle technique” – putting your infant on her back andmanually moving her legs up and down like pistons in a circular motion, as if she’s riding a bicycle

This can also relieve gas, soothing crying and colic.(And don’t forget to take time to for some rest and relaxation yourself – as a parent dealing with colic.)

Dealing with Colic
Equally important to relieving your baby’s discomfort from colic is relieving YOUR discomfort from colic.Learning to handle the stress that comes with colic is one of your most powerful tools on this journey.Keep the focus not on the actual discomfort and crying, but on what you can and will do to relieve thatcrying. This helps you avoid negative thoughts and go into “solution” mode. .New Moms and Dads can get extremely overwhelmed when it comes to colic. Remember to keep takingbreathers when you need to. Carrying a crying baby around for an entire day is too much for any parent totake, new or seasoned. Ask your spouse to help, or a trusted family member, friend, or neighbor. Taking time to relax and rejuvenate will allow you to come back from your break with more energy andpatience (which, we all know, are big requirements for parents, especially those dealing with colic).Use that time to do whatever helps you press the “reset” button, whether it’s walking around the blockin the fresh air, getting a massage, or simply grabbing a quick shower, or even a nap. Your baby needsyou to be the best parent you can be (especially if he is suffering from colic), and one key aspect of that ismaking time to take care of yourself.

Dealing with something OTHER than Colic
It goes without saying that, colic or no colic, if you are worried about the health of your little one in any way, you should speak to your pediatrician immediately. Colic is no laughing matter – but keep in mind thatthe discomfort that’s causing your baby’s crying could be caused by something else.. Always better to play it safe, so if you have any concerns, it’s always a good idea to run them past your doctor for feedback. And of course, do not try “treating” whatever your baby’s symptoms are (colic or otherwise) without consulting your pediatrician, too. Using medicine without a doctor’s recommendation can lead to disastrous results.

Life After Colic
The best news about dealing colic? It’s temporary! Infants who experience colic do not experience anynegative effects in the long run. Some parents even claim that their little ones who once had colic go onto have a heightened sense of awareness because of this sensitivity experienced so early in life.In general, colic (and the extreme bouts of crying that come with it) goes away in the first 3-4 months oflife. (And again – talk to your pediatrician if your little one’s colic seems to last longer than this period.)

Do tiny tummy troubles cause colic?

The Happiest Baby — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:05:40 +0000

There’s no way around it: All babies cry, and many babies cry a lot. Fortunately, most of the time, even a baby’s most passionate shrieks just mean he’s hungry, wet, soiled or lonely. But, what if your cute little guy keeps wailing even though his diaper is dry and you’re cuddling him in your arms? What happens if you try everything and he still doesn’t stop screaming? That’s when parents start to wonder if their baby has COLIC…which begs the questions: Where did it come from? And how do I stop it?

The word colic derives from the more than 2000 year old Greek word, kolikos, meaning “large intestine or colon”. Even back then, parents mistakenly believed that their babies were crying because of intestinal pain.

As you can imagine, since time immemorial, parents of crying babies have been analyzing their child’s movements, tone of voice, and facial gestures, trying to come up with an explanation for why their contented little infant suddenly “morphs” into one of the un-happiest babies on the block. But can any of these theories explain the true cause of colic?

THEORY #1) Do Tiny Tummy Troubles Cause Colic?
Intestinal “gas” – Do babies cry from gas…or, is that just a lot of hot air?

If your baby is like most infants he’ll have gas…often. Don’t be surprised if you get to witness virtuoso performances of his burping, tooting, and grunting several times a day. Many parents firmly believe that gas causes colic…it’s an open and shut case!

However, fussy newborns have no more gas in their intestines than calm babies. In 1954, Dr. Ronald Illingworth, England’s pre-eminent pediatrician, compared the stomach x-rays of normal babies with those of babies with colic, and found NO difference in the amount of gas, even at the peak of crying.

Pooping Problems – Can constipation trigger colicky crying?

Some parents worry constipation is the cause of their baby’s colic because they struggle to poop like they’re in a heavy weight wrestling match. However, the word constipation doesn’t mean straining to poop, it means”hard poop” and only a few, fussy, formula-fed babies actually suffer from that. Most infants who groan and twist when they poop usually pass a stool that’s soft or even runny.

So, if grunting babies aren’t truly constipated, why are they working so hard? What’s the problem? There are a couple of reasons why babies with soft stools struggle to “go to the bathroom”:

1) Most babies aren’t very coordinated – In order to poop, an infant has to tighten his stomach and relax his anus, at exactly the same moment. Many young children try so hard that they accidentally end up clenching both and end up trying to force their poop through a closed anus.

2) They’re lying flat on their backs – Imagine the trouble you would have if you tried to poop in that position.

I believe the true reason babies grunt and frown when they poop is because they’re working so hard to overcome these 2 challenges, not because they’re in pain!

“Overactive” Intestines – Crying, cramps and the gastro-colic reflex

Does your baby begin to cry and double-up shortly after you start a feeding? It certainly may look like he’s having indigestion and stomach cramps, however, this twisting and grunting is actually just an overreaction to a normal intestinal reflex called the gastro-colic reflex (literally, the “stomach-colon” reflex).

This valuable reflex is the stomach’s way of telling the colon: “Time to get rid of the poop and make room for the new food that was just eaten!” If you’ve noticed your baby tends to poop during or after eating…this is the reason why.

Most babies are unaware when this reflex is happening. For them, it’s as unconscious as blinking. Other infants may feel a twinge of spasm after a really big feeding or if they’re particularly frazzled at the end of the day. But, for a few babies, the squeezing of the colon is as intense as a punch in the belly! These infants jerk back and writhe as if they’re in terrible pain.

As you might imagine, the gastro-colic reflex can be even more uncomfortable if your baby is constipated and his colon has to strain to push out the firm poop.

However, most babies who cry from this reflex have soft, pasty poops. They don’t cry from pain but rather because they are overly sensitive to this weird sensation of squeezing.

Do big tummy troubles cause colic?

The Happiest Baby — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:05:02 +0000

Indigestion – Are garlic and onions risky for your baby or the spices of life?

To most people, the advice that breast-feeding moms pass up garlic, onions and beans, seems reasonable. After all, we know that many of these things can make us gassy. The trouble is that even this reasonable advice gets confusing the more you think about it. For example, if gassy foods are hard on a baby’s tummy, how can breast-feeding moms in Mexico eat frijoles (beans) and those in Korea munch kim chee (garlic-pickled cabbage), without their babies ever letting out a peep?

Nevertheless, I think it’s reasonable for the mother of an irritable baby to avoid “problem” foods (citrus, strawberries, tomatoes beans, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, peppers, onion, garlic) for a few days to see if she cries less. However, in my experience only a handful of infants improve when these foods are eliminated.

Most babies can tolerate anything in their mom’s diet, except medicines, caffeine and alcohol. Studies even show that babies love tasting a smorgasbord of flavors. So, don’t be surprised if your little one sucks on your breast more heartily after you’ve had a plate of lasagna loaded with garlic!

Food Allergies – Why couldn’t babies with allergies just sneeze…instead of scream?

BesideS giving infants indigestion, food can trigger true allergic reactions. Allergies are part of our immune system, protecting us from unfamiliar proteins (like inhaled pollen or cat dander) that try to enter our bodies.

As a rule, if you have an allergic reaction you’ll sneeze because the fight between your body and the allergens typically takes place in your nose. With young children, however, the battleground between their bodies’ immune system and the foreign protein is usually lower down, in the intestines.

Early in life, your baby’s intestine is not fully developed. Her immature intestinal lining allows large, allergy-triggering molecules to enter her blood stream like flies zipping through a torn screen door. As she gets older, those holes get smaller and smaller until the intestinal lining becomes an almost perfect barrier to these undigested protein intruders (usually by about your baby’s first birthday).

For many years, doctors believed that babies could even be allergic to their own mother’s milk. But in 1983, Swedish scientists proved this to be impossible. They demonstrated that babies whose colic improved when they were taken off of their mother’s milk were sensitive not to their mom’s milk itself but to traces of cow’s milk that had floated across the lining of their mother’s intestines and snuck into her milk.

Please don’t be overly concerned about your diet troubling your child. While it’s true that foods can zoom from your intestine through your milk and into your baby, that’s usually a good thing. This transfer gets your baby’s tongue in tune with your family’s favorite foods.

Unfortunately, babies rarely do develop allergies to foods their moms eat. Infants can become allergic to almost any food from soup to nuts; however, cow’s milk is certainly the most troublesome protein that babies have to deal with. It is the proverbial 800-pound gorilla of baby allergies. That having been said, soy comes in at a not too distant second place. In fact, 25% of babies who are milk allergic are soy allergic as well.

I tell my patients it should come as no surprise that some babies develop an allergic reaction to cow’s milk. After all, this food was never really intended for our babies’ mouths. It’s a food lovingly made by cows for their own babies, which we then sneak away from them to feed to our hungry tots.

Stimulant food – Is your baby on a caffeine jag?

Some babies are super-sensitive. They jump when the phone rings and cry when they smell a strong perfume. So, it should come as no surprise that some babies also get hyper from caffeine (coffee, tea, cola or chocolate) or from stimulant medicines (diet pills, decongestants, and certain Chinese herbs) in their mom’s milk.

Unlike many babies who are unfazed when their mothers drink 1-2 cups of coffee, even that small amount of caffeine can rev a sensitive baby up into the “red zone”. The caffeine collects in a woman’s breast milk over 4-6 hours. And, within an hour of drinking this “lait-au-café,” her baby can begin getting irritable and unhappy.

An anecdote from one of my patients: Everything was going great with Lucas until he turned 10 days old. Out of the blue, he had 2 terrible days of shrieking from 5PM-12MN. His mother Liz said, “The only thing that would get him to quiet was to hook him up to the breast. When he sucked, he was like a wino who hadn’t had a drink in weeks. He quickly calmed and fell asleep. However, as soon as I tried to ease him off the boob…he wailed!”

Then, an idea flashed in Liz’s head, “Oh my God! Maybe it’s the coffee!” On each of those 2 tumultuous days, Liz had downed a couple of cups of regular coffee with her lunch. Thankfully, when Liz cut out the coffee, Lucas turned into her little lamb again.

One day, however, Liz awoke at 5AM with a splitting headache. She took Tylenol, but she knew the one thing that would really help her was…coffee. So, Liz brewed herself a cup and held her breath. Lucas was sweet and calm all morning long, but sure enough, at 2PM (8 hours later) he was as wild as a werewolf!

Lactose Intolerance – Can babies get stomach pains from lactose…like adults do?

You, or someone you know, may well get gassy stomachaches or diarrhea after eating dairy products. Over the past few decades, doctors have discovered that 15% of US adults have trouble digesting lactose (the sugar in dairy products). This realization led researchers to wonder if crying babies should also avoid lactose.

However, infants are not miniature adults. Just because older people can get cramps from lactose doesn’t mean that babies can. Lactose makes up 40% all the calories that a baby consumes during the first 6 months of life. And lactose isn’t some kind of baby junk food. It’s highly nutritious: It boosts the percentage of calcium a baby’s intestine extracts from milk, and helps the immune system of breast-fed babies by encouraging the growth of lactobacillus in their intestines.

Stomach Acid Reflux – Do colicky babies cry from “heartburn”?

The most recent adult disease pediatricians have considered as colic cause is stomach acid reflux (also known Gastro-Esophageal Reflux or GER). This is a condition where acidic stomach juices squirt up, towards the mouth, irritating everything they touch. GER has been proven to cause heartburn in adults so it was reasonable to investigate if it could do the same in babies.

Now, a little reflux is nothing new; in fact, most babies have it. We just call it by a different name: spit up. It turns out that the muscle that keeps the stomach contents from moving “upstream” is weak in most babies. So a bit of your baby’s last meal can easily sneak back out when she burps or grunts, especially if she was overfed or swallowed a lot of air.

But when should you suspect reflux as the cause of your baby’s unhappiness? Here are a few telltale signs:

* She vomits more than 5 times a day and more than an ounce each time.
* Her crying occurs with most meals, during the day and night.
* She often wails right after a burp or a spit-up.
* The bouts of crying are no better, or worse, by the time she’s 3-months-old.
* She may have episodes of back arching; hoarseness; wheezing; choking; and/or excessive and even painful hiccupping.

What Really Causes Colic?

The Happiest Baby — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:34:25 +0000

Whenever you ask the parents of babies with colic why they are crying, nine times out of ten, they believe that their infants are suffering from some kind of pain. That’s a reasonable guess for several reasons. Babies with colic:

resist the normal comforts of feeding and holding.
often writhe and grunt.
may start and stop their screaming very abruptly.
have a shrill cry that sounds exactly like the sound they make when they’re in pain (like after getting a shot).

After centuries of old wives’ tales about the causes of colic, researchers determined that colic is not, in fact, caused by thin milk, witches’ spells, or possession by the devil. Even the contemporary, more “common-sense” theories on colic are debatable (some argue that constipation or even anxiety is to blame). While no single “cause” of colic has ever been determined, scientists do agree on 10 fundamental traits of babies with colic. These “colic clues” are:

Crying caused by colic usually starts at 2 weeks, peaks at 6 weeks and ends by 3-4 months of age.
Premies are no more likely to have colic than full term babies. (And, their colic doesn’t start until they are about 2 weeks past their due date.)
Babies with colic have twisted faces and piercing wails, like a person in pain. Often, their wails come in waves (like cramps) and stop abruptly.
Their colic screams frequently begin during or just after a feeding.
Babies with colic often double up, grunt, strain and seem relieved by “passing wind” or pooping.
Colic is USUALLY much worse in the evening (the “witching hour”).
Colic is as likely to occur with a couple’s fifth baby as with their first. The amount of baby experience a parent has doesn’t make any difference.
Colic can improve with rocking, holding, shhhing and gentle abdominal pressure.
Babies are healthy and happy between COLIC bouts.
There are many cultures around the world where babies never get colic.

You might ask, ” Is it ever OK to let my baby yell?” I don’t believe it’s a tragedy if your little one cries for 10 minutes while you are in the bathroom or preparing dinner. The loving and cuddling you’ve been giving her all day long easily outweighs that short-lived frustration. But, for the first few months, you should soothe your baby whenever she has colic bouts. Young infants rarely cry or have flashes of colic unless they’re upset about something and it’s our challenge, and duty, to figure out what they need and how to give it to them.