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Infant colic: what is the definition?
Colic is common in babies. They have nothing to do with diarrhea or gastroenteritis. They begin around the 3rd week of life and result in intense crying… The more or less official definition states uncontrollable crying that lasts more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, and for more than three weeks. The origin of colic is not known with certainty, but it seems that the immaturity of the baby’s digestive system, and in particular its intestinal flora, is to blame. Rest assured, everything is back to normal spontaneously around 4-5 months. In the meantime, one or two sessions of osteopathy can relieve it.
Swollen belly, crying: how to recognize infant colic?
Infant colic can appear in different forms:
- Baby cries a lot, he’s inconsolable
- His face is red and contorted
- He squirms on himself
- He often wakes up
- He has gas
- Her stomach is bloated and hard
Osteopathy, to treat baby’s colic
How is an osteo session to treat baby colic?
A baby osteo session is very different from an adult session. No “cracking” or strong pressure, here, the baby’s body is gently mobilized, by palpations and slow movements. Osteopaths talk about “appropriate” and “non-binding” manipulations for the baby.
At the first session, the osteopath will ask you about the progress of childbirth, the nature of the crying, the associated signs … Then, using very gentle maneuvers, he will perform a manual examination of the baby, and will look for areas of tension that ‘block’ the intestines, by unrolling the pelvis for example, to help baby cope better with colic.
A second session may be necessary if the discomfort persists or if it is accompanied by gas, diarrhea or constipation, to check for tension in the pelvis, between the skull and the sacrum, or in the diaphragm and ribcage.
Osteoarthritis against colic: choosing the right time of the session
We preferably make an appointment with baby when he is relaxed: in the morning, or in the afternoon just after the nap. We preferably avoid the end of the evening, when the baby may be more nervous. We speak to him very softly to explain to him what is going to happen: even if he does not understand all our words, he will feel our confidence.
Osteopathy to gently rebalance
Osteopathy does not treat a disease, it is a manual therapy which aims to restore mobility to the structures of the body, to correct certain imbalances, to release areas of stress, and also to stimulate the self-regulatory mechanisms of the body. ‘organization.
The testimony of Sophie, mother of Melvil, 8 months
« We saw an osteoarthritis when Melvil was 4 months old. He had colic, cried, squirmed a lot. We no longer knew what to do! Even if we know it’s not a big deal, we don’t like to see our baby like that! In addition, Melvil suffers from Alagille syndrome (a genetic disease which mainly affects the liver). Our motivation was above all the search for his well-being. The reception of the osteo was very kind. She asked us about our baby. We talked for a long time, she was listening. Then she addressed Melvil, then wrapped her arms around him, containing him entirely, peacefully. Afterwards, she made circular movements on her stomach, using very gentle pressure. During this first session, Melvil did not calm down too much. He cried a lot, including during the manipulations. Osteo remained super zen, it managed well. She also gave us tips for wearing Melvil in case of colic, showed us how to massage it. Once home, Melvil fell asleep, KO! We returned a month later for a second session. And there, Melvil didn’t cry at all. I found these osteo sessions super effective. Gradually, his colic disappeared. »
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