It is estimated that one in five babies have crying spells that often begin in late afternoon and sometimes last for hours. This condition is known as infant colic and is usually diagnosed by doctors using the rule of three: at least three hours of crying, at least three days a week and starting at three weeks of age.
Colic is different from other crying in that your baby appears inconsolable; crying turns to screaming and the ordeal can last for three hours or longer and can occur day after day. This can be very distressing for parents as there is usually no obvious reason why your baby is crying for hours on end.
A classic case of colic is where the baby pulls his/her knees up clenches his/her fists, closes his/her eyes tightly or opens them wide. They may even hold their breath for a short time. Bowel activity increases and your baby may pass ‘wind’.
What causes infant colic?
The cause of colic remains a mystery though there are many theories. Because the baby often passes ‘wind’ during a crying spell it was often thought that the colic was due to a digestive upset caused by allergy or sensitivity to milk. However, there is no medical evidence that the baby cries because of gastric discomfort and colic appears to be as common in breastfed babies as it is in formula fed babies.
Latest research
Sensory overload
For the first few weeks, babies can block out the external stimuli around them so they can focus on eating and sleeping. Once your baby becomes more aware of the world they sometimes take in more stimuli than they can handle.
Bombarded all day with strange sensations such as new sounds, sights and smells, by the time your baby gets to early evening they have sensory overload. If your baby is particularly sensitive to stimuli and is extra alert this may result in crying and colic.
Immature digestive system
Another suggestion is that your baby’s immature digestive system contracts violently and goes into spasm when gas is passed causing abdominal pain and colic.
Reflux
Recent research has found that a common cause of colic is reflux. The milk ‘refluxes’ back up the oesophagus from the stomach and irritates the lining of the oesophagus. This can cause symptoms in your baby that are similar to ‘heartburn’ in adults and may cause colic.
Parental tension
The theory that babies suffer from colic because their parents are tense is controversial. Although some experts believe that their baby’s crying causes tension in the parents, others suggest that parents who are anxious may communicate this to the baby making him/her cry.
It is possible that although parental tension does not cause colic it may make it worse. However, it is difficult to imagine how a parent could be relaxed if their baby is crying for hours on end.
What is reassuring about colic is that a baby who has these crying spells does not seem to suffer any ill effects and continues to feed and gain weight as normal. For parents and families it is also reassuring to know that infant colic will not last forever and their baby will grow out of it.
However, if your baby is crying incessantly it is a good idea to have him/her checked over by your doctor or midwife to rule out any other problems.
Treatment
As a rule, colic does not need medical treatment and because all medication has side effects many doctors prefer not to prescribe medication in any case. However, a drug called simethicone, which has the same anti-gas ingredients found in many adult preparations, is commonly used to treat colic.
Although there is no clear scientific evidence that gas is the cause of infant colic, it is recognised that babies who suffer from colic often pass a lot of gas. Ask your doctor about simethicone drops if your baby suffers from colic and passes a lot of gas. Another over-the-counter preparation that may help to relieve the symptoms of colic is gripe water.
There are some other methods you can use to try to relieve the symptoms of colic. If you are formula feeding you could try changing to another milk formula. You may consider changing to soya milk but there is no clear evidence that this is effective.
If you are breastfeeding it is best to continue as weaning your baby at this stage may compound the problem. If you are breastfeeding analyse your diet to see if you are eating any foodstuffs that may be giving your baby increased wind (cabbage, peas, beans, spicy foods, etc.) and try to exclude these to see if the colic improves.
If your baby has a lot of wind make sure you burp him/her frequently during the feed. Often, bottle-fed babies swallow a lot of air while feeding. There are now bottles containing collapsible bags that deflate as the baby sucks, which are supposed to reduce the amount of air a baby takes in while feeding.
Coping with colic
There is no doubt that although babies do not suffer ill effects from colic, the same can’t be said for the parents. Coping with a baby who has colic can be very frustrating and stress inducing for parents.
Some parents may even admit that they have felt so desperate when their baby has been crying for hours on end that they feel like ‘throwing him/her out the window’. If you find such feelings are more than just fleeting or you are genuinely scared that you could hurt your baby seek help immediately.
To cope during this very difficult period you need rest and support. Try to deal with your baby’s crying as calmly and rationally as possible since your tension may make the problem worse. It is important that you take a break.
If you are left holding a crying baby night after night it will take its toll not only on your health but also on your relationships with your partner, baby and family. Take turns with either another family member or your partner to look after your baby during a crying spell while you get some well-earned rest.
You and your partner should both take a break together at least once a week for a couple of hours. If possible, find someone to mind your baby who is experienced with crying babies. Above all remember that you are doing anything wrong; this is just a phase your baby is going through.
