Intestinal colic in newborns – causes, diet

Almost 70% of newborns experience colic, that is, with intestinal spasms, which occur due to increased gas production. The child’s still undeveloped digestive system (after all, for all 9 months the child ate through the umbilical cord) and swallowing excess air during feeding lead to a swelling of the tummy, and the previously joyful baby turns into a crying, screaming and pounding creature asking for help.

See also: Exploring the diaper – what can the poop of a newborn tell about?

The content of the article:

The main causes of colic in infants – when does colic begin and when do newborns go away?

Parents of newborn babies need to be prepared for the so-called The “rule of three”: Colic begins around the third week of a baby’s life, lasts about three hours a day and usually ends after three months.

Colic in newborns occurs for the following reasons:

• Irregular work of the digestive system and imperfect absorption of food leads to bloating (flatulence) in infants. Flatulence occurs due to the large accumulation of gas in the large intestine. As a result, the pressure on the intestinal wall increases and muscle spasm occurs.
• Functional immaturity of the parts of the neuromuscular apparatusthat regulate the digestive tract.
• Immature intestinal enzymatic systemwhen there is a lack of enzymes for breaking down milk (it happens when the baby is overfeeding).
• Constipation.
• Broken diet of a nursing motherwhen a nursing mother eats foods that cause excess gas production.
• Swallowing air during feeding (aerophagia). It occurs if the baby sucks too quickly, incorrectly captures the nipple and if, after feeding, the baby is not given the opportunity to regurgitate air, that is, they are immediately laid without holding it in an upright position.
• The technology of preparation of baby food is violated (the mixture is too or weakly diluted).
• Weak tummy muscles

Symptoms of colic in newborns – how to recognize them and when is it necessary to see a doctor urgently?

Intestinal colic in a newborn is very similar to the symptoms of pyelonephritis, appendicitis and a number of other diseases of the abdominal cavity. Therefore, quite often adults mistakenly diagnose colic in their baby.

In order not to miss a more serious illness, it is important to consult a doctor!

When colic begins in a newborn, he:

• Knocks with his legs and presses them to his chest;
• Begins to shriek sharply;
• Refuses to eat;
• Too tense, so the face turns red;
• Tightens the tummy.

Wherein stool changes are not observed and the child does not lose weight… Most often, colic in newborns is observed in the evening, after feeding.

With colic there is no vomiting, cough, rash, fever… If such signs are present, then you need to consult a doctor to find out their appearance.

Foods that cause colic in babies – adjusting the diet of a nursing mother

To reduce the suffering of the baby from colic, a nursing mother should monitor her diet: reduce to a minimum, or eliminate altogether foods that cause colic in babies… In order for breast milk to have enough vitamins, a woman should not eat monotonously.

See also: Nutrition of a nursing mother immediately after childbirth – what can a breastfeeding woman eat?

Products are very useful for a nursing mother:

• meat (lean);
• fish (boiled or baked);
• vegetables (boiled, baked, stewed, but not fresh);
• fruits (baked apples, bananas).

You should temporarily not use those foods that increase gas production:

• cabbage;
• beans;
• beans;
• grape.

In the first month of feeding, it is also prohibited to use:

• whole cow’s milk;
• coffee, black tea;
• sour cream;
• raisin.

With colic in infants, mom should completely eliminate dairy productssince foreign proteins in milk can cause colic in newborns.

See also: Proper feeding of a newborn – rules for breastfeeding a baby.

From the second month in mother’s nutrition raw vegetables, nuts, sour cream, cheese, fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk) are introduced

From the third to the sixth month honey, freshly squeezed juices are added to the diet.

A nursing mother should exclude from her diet:

• sweet carbonated drinks;
• smoked and too salty foods;
• margarine;
• mayonnaise;
• canned food;
• foods that contain flavorings (chocolate, chips, croutons)

Many experts argue that what a mother eats does not affect the composition of milk in any way. breast milk is a product of a complex chemical composition, and is synthesized from lymph and blood, not from the stomach.

But each pair of “mother and child” is individual. Therefore, if the baby often suffers from bloating, then adjust your diet and see how your baby reacts. Most likely, colic will not go away completely, but, thanks to my mother’s diet, their number will be significantly reduced.

Diet for colic in a bottle-fed newborn

With a baby who eats mixtures, everything is much more complicated. If a child who eats breast milk needs to be fed on demand, then an artificial child is fed strictly according to the regimen, and it is necessary to correctly calculate the dose of the mixture. Overfeeding is one of the causes of colic.

Another problem is that the formula you buy may not be to the liking of the child. You will need from the mass of artificial feeding products offered choose the right mixture just for your baby. Then, for 1.5 months, observe the child’s reaction to the new product.

Within 5 days after feeding with the mixture, you may experience allergic reactions, constipation or diarrhea, vomiting, but if after a week these symptoms have not disappeared, then you need to change the mixture.

It is best for a specialist to select an adequate mixture.

• To reduce the manifestations of colic in artificial babies, it is necessary, in addition to milk mixtures, to give them fermented milk mixtures, which should take up 1/3 of the child’s total food volume.
• Teas relieve colic attacks well: with fennel chamomile, as well as dill water, which you can prepare yourself, or buy ready-made in the pharmacy.

All babies suffering from colic benefit from warmth and tummy massage, as well as mother’s care, love and tranquility.

The Colady.ru website warns: self-medication can harm the health of your baby! The diagnosis should only be made by a doctor. That is why – if alarming symptoms appear in an infant, be sure to consult a specialist!