If the newborn cries for a long time and cannot calm down, then it is considered that he has colic. Young parents do not know how to behave in this situation, especially if it all started late at night. They immediately start to panic, call an ambulance, but doctors do not always catch a fit. Basically, the baby is calming down by their arrival. Next, you will learn what to do with severe colic in a newborn and how to avoid excessive gas formation.
Colic in infants: what is it
Colic is the accumulation of gas in the baby’s stomach. A large concentration of the substance provokes spasms that cause anxiety and discomfort to the newborn. The baby's body gets used to a new life, outside the mother’s womb. Earlier, food came to him through the umbilical cord, but now, to get enough, you need to work hard. In addition, along with food, regardless of whether it is milk or a mixture, bacteria enter the body. As a result, new food is digested differently, hence the reaction.
Reasons for the appearance
With the first symptoms of colic, the baby should not be very worried. Parents should understand that excessive gas formation is not a disease, but a physical feature of all small children.
The newborn has severe colic, and what do you do not know? You can facilitate the process, which finally stops closer to six months of age. In some children, colic disappears by four months. To prevent the disease, you must pay attention to the following points:
- The microflora of her own intestines, that is, her mother.
- Was there candidiasis during pregnancy? This disease must be treated, since it is precisely this that causes the intestinal disorders in the child.
- Often colic affects children who had placental insufficiency or premature aging was observed.
- The onset of the ailment is possible due to entanglement of the umbilical cord or hypoxia.
- After giving birth, you must immediately apply to the mother's breast. Otherwise, microorganisms penetrate the intestines of the baby, provoking a violation of microflora.
Signs of occurrence
Do not know how to understand that a newborn has colic? In order to establish exactly what it is they, and not something else, you need to keep a detailed diary for several days. Everything is fixed in it: how much and when the baby ate what mother ate, whether there was a reaction to changes in nutrition, after which there was crying and so on.
After 4–5 days, the results will be known. If the child cried less than 3-4 hours a day, then this is not colic, but ordinary sobs. An uncomfortable fold on clothes, gusts of wind outside the window, noise or an uncomfortable diaper can disturb the peace.
It is impossible to accurately answer the question of how to understand that a newborn has colic, since all signs will be indirect. The baby cannot tell what exactly is the cause of concern. The most obvious symptom is a long cry, which appears at about the same time. Most often, a tantrum begins in the late afternoon, half an hour after a meal. A cry for colic has a rather characteristic sound - pains arise in waves, so crying will also be intermittent.
Symptomatology
In addition to crying, the following symptoms may occur:
- Pulling the legs to the stomach.
- Hardness and bloating.
- Redness on the face.
- Curving the back.
In addition, the child's gaziki are often accompanied by a violation of the stool or constipation.
Ways to deal with colic
If a newborn has severe colic, what to do first? No special tool has been invented to combat this disease, since official medical science believes that it simply does not exist. And those drugs that pharmacists offer act exclusively as a placebo. But do not rush to lose heart, there are many other ways to help the child, in addition, in some cases, a placebo also works.
Warm cloth and massage
The most basic and affordable way to relieve symptoms is a light massage and warmth. If you do not know how to help a newborn with colic, then first of all it is necessary to provide him with warmth. For this purpose, you can use a freshly ironed diaper, the main thing is that it is not very hot. In addition, you can apply a newborn with a tummy to the stomach of a mother, father or any other relative. In this position, you will have to spend a lot of time until the child calms down. You can still put it on your hand, so that the head is on the palm, and the legs hang down on the sides of the adult's hand.
The next option is laying the tummy on your knees, with the head facing away from you. The solution can be a sling, it is enough just to carry the baby in it constantly. He is warm, his stomach is pressed to his mother, and the force of gravity provokes the release of excess gas.
All parents need to know how to massage the tummy with colic in a newborn. It is recommended to perform it between attacks, since in the process of an ailment the tummy will be tense. The ideal time is 20 minutes after feeding, before the onset of pain.
The massage is done with light stroking movements in a clockwise direction for several minutes. In addition, you can neatly bring the baby's legs to his stomach and without tearing him apart to part them. Such movements will trigger the release of gazikov.
And the most basic rule - watch for the correct grip of the chest or bottle. After feeding the baby, it is necessary to keep the “column” on the handles until it burps excess air.
Probiotics
When doctors are asked what to do with severe colic in a newborn, they most often recommend probiotics. But parents should know that these remedies do not cure the ailment. The bifidobacteria and lactobacilli that make up their composition, of course, have a positive effect on the functioning of the intestines, but they give a temporary effect. Bacteria do not stay in the body and do not affect the formation of microflora, they are rapidly excreted. All the necessary and useful microorganisms that work are supplied to the baby only with mother's milk.
If the doctor prescribed probiotics in order to normalize digestion, then they must be taken strictly according to the instructions. Violation of recommendations can greatly harm the health of a child whose intestines are already working poorly.
When treating colic in newborns at home, you can use Bifiform, Hilak Forte, Acepol and Linex.
Drug treatment
Given the fact that in medicine there is no official cure for infant colic, doctors prescribe drugs at their discretion. As a rule, these are preparations containing simethicone. It is a substance that can reduce the amount of gas and relieve pain. The components of the funds are not addictive, are not absorbed into the blood, therefore they are considered safe for children.
Most often, doctors prescribe the following medications:
- "Sub-Simplex", "Simethicone".
- "Espumisan baby" from colic.
- "Bobotik", "Disflatil."
All these solutions are distinguished by additional components and fillers. Therefore, unauthorized appointment is not recommended. Only a pediatrician will be able to correctly prescribe a prescription taking into account the characteristics of the baby.
Folk remedies
Some parents prefer to treat colic in newborns at home by using alternative recipes. In this case, it is imperative to perform an allergy test. In the event that the method used does not give the desired result, you should immediately consult a doctor. So, you can use the following mixtures from colic for newborns:
- The use of dill water. Some mothers are convinced that this is the most effective and safe remedy for the disease. To prepare the solution, you need to pour one teaspoon of dill seeds with a glass of boiling water and insist on a water bath for 20 minutes. After that, the drink languishes under the lid for another 45 minutes, after which it is filtered. How much to give dill water to a newborn from colic? One teaspoon three times a day.
- Tincture of fennel. A teaspoon of the fruits of this plant is poured with boiling water and infused under the lid for about 30 minutes. After this, the drink should be filtered and cooled. The child needs to drink tincture several times a day, one teaspoon.
Artificial Feeding
From a mixture in newborns, colic can also occur. The reason for this is improperly selected food, which significantly enhances the discomfort. If colic is suspected to be mum, the doctors recommend changing the formulas and monitoring the reaction. But this should be done after the parent is convinced that the problem is not in the incorrect attachment of the bottle. The fact is that colic can occur from the incorrect position of the bottle during feeding, as a result of which the baby swallows air. If this is the reason, then you should carefully monitor the grip of the nipples, the position of the bottle and the belching of a tiny bit of air.
The diet of a nursing mother
Colic in the abdomen occurs in absolutely all children, and this process does not depend on what the mother eats and whether she follows a strict diet. However, to make life easier for the baby, the nursing mother should nevertheless carefully monitor what she eats. The absorption of gas-forming products can provoke colic in a newborn during breastfeeding and worsen the baby's condition.
The list of products that cause colic in children includes:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Unboiled cow's milk.
- Fiber-rich foods.
- Legumes
- Rye bread and wholemeal products.
- Pickled vegetables.
It is not necessary to completely abandon these products, since fiber is important for the effective functioning of the intestines, and fresh vegetables and fruits are sources of vitamins necessary for mother and baby.
The diet for breastfeeding is built individually. If the baby does not have a reaction to a certain product, then there is no need to exclude it from the diet. A great helper in this matter will be the food diary. Fixing reactions will help you understand which specific foods cause colic and what you can safely eat.
Preventative measures
The occurrence of colic from the first days of the life of a newborn is considered to be a natural process that stops at a certain age. But no mom can just sit and watch how the child is tormented. To reduce pain, the following rules should be followed:
- Breastfeeding only. It is mother’s milk that is the ideal source of nutrition for the baby. It is very difficult to choose the right mixture, so if you decide on artificial feeding, then be prepared to look for the ideal composition that will not cause the baby to be colic or constipation.
- Not sure how to help a newborn with colic? Follow a diet. Do not consume unhealthy foods and those that can lead to the formation of gases. You should completely abandon carbonated drinks, sweet and flour. Moms should be prepared to comply with a special diet during breast-feeding.
- Lying on the tummy. With the systematic laying of the baby on the stomach, you can get rid of not only excess gas, but also strengthen the front wall of the intestine.
- Daily tummy massage.
- Toddler drinking with special baby water and dill tincture.
Every parent dreams that his child will be the happiest and healthiest. Therefore, adults need to understand that colic in the tummy is a temporary phenomenon that will pass as soon as the intestines get stronger. Do not be nervous because of the physiological characteristics of the newborn, sleepless nights will pass, and you will not even remember about them.