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Intestinal colic is a widespread phenomenon among newborn children. To one degree or another, about 80-90% of infants and their parents face this problem.
However, despite this, there are no special reasons for concern, colic is not dangerous for the life and health of the child. Such phenomena are of a natural physiological nature.
Colic is a painful spasm of the smooth muscles of the large intestine due to irritation (during passage or stretching) of the walls of the organ with intestinal gases.
There are many remedies and methods to relieve colic and reduce the frequency of their occurrence.
Causes of intestinal colic in newborns
The main and main reason for the development of physiological intestinal colic in a newborn is the “inexperience” of the gastrointestinal tract and secretory organs involved in the digestive process through the production of enzymes. While in the womb, the child receives all the nutrients in a ready-made form that does not require any processing. Therefore, the entire digestive system is at rest.
As soon as the child is born, she begins to feed on mother’s milk. Milk is a rather heavy product for processing. For the first time since the birth of a child, his gastrointestinal tract is being tested. Specific enzymes begin to be produced. Since the baby eats small portions at first, colic may not appear.
By the end of the 30th day from the moment of birth, the baby’s nutritional needs increase, he consumes more milk. At the same time, his gastrointestinal tract and endocrine system remain the same “inexperienced”. In general, the formation of a more or less stable digestive system ends by six months of life, and the gastrointestinal tract begins to work in a full-fledged way only by the time the child is one year old. Therefore, it is difficult for the body to process such a large volume of mother’s milk. The production of intestinal gases sharply increases.
In addition to natural physiological reasons, there is also a subjective reason regarding the mistake of mothers in breastfeeding. Sticking to old-fashioned advice, compassionate mothers breastfeed only for a short period of time, which is a huge mistake.
With a short feeding time, the child consumes only the so-called. “front” milk. It is rich in carbohydrates, and therefore difficult to digest.
The baby does not receive the so-called. “hind” milk. And as you know, it is it that has the maximum nutritional value and contains immunoglobulin proteins.
Colic can be aggravated by nervous tension, and a quick break in contact with the mother can be stressful for the child.
How do colic in infants manifest?
Colic in newborns is manifested by a number of symptoms, the main of which is crying. In general, a child can cry for a huge variety of reasons: a newborn may be hungry, he may be bored, he may be teething, he may demand a change of diaper, he may be scared, etc. You need to pay attention to the nature of crying and the behavior of the child.
Unlike the crying of a child when hungry, crying from colic is sharp and loud, moreover, it is accompanied by pulling the legs to the stomach.
Crying appears suddenly and abruptly, often immediately after feeding or 5-10 minutes after eating. Crying differs in duration, sharpness. When the pain disappears, the child calms down.
The abdomen may feel hard, tense, and swollen to the touch. After the passage of intestinal gases, the abdomen is soft, and the child calms down.
How to help a baby during colic?
Every mother wants to alleviate the condition of her child. In order to relieve pain, there are several measures. But still, the main thing that mothers should know is that colic is not dangerous, although it is uncomfortable for the baby. They will pass by 2-3 months of life.
Proper breastfeeding
Breastfeeding guidelines include:
It is necessary to allow the baby to suckle for as long as he wants to, even if it takes hours. In the first days and even months of life, this is extremely important and is of great importance for the normal development of the child.
It is important to properly attach the baby to the breast. It is important to do this so that the child does not swallow air. Otherwise, air will enter the intestines and flatulence will develop.
Do not supplement your baby with artificial formulas. Contrary to common misconception, the mother’s milk is enough for the child.
If possible, artificial nutritional mixtures should be completely excluded from the child’s diet. The cow’s milk that is part of them is not digested by the child’s body for a long time, since he does not have enzymes for its processing at all. The introduction of a new type of food into the diet is a colossal stress for the unformed baby’s body.
At the end of feeding, it is important that the air that has entered the gastrointestinal tract of the child is released back. To do this, you need to hold the baby for 5-10 minutes. It should be borne in mind that when feeding from a bottle, much more intensive absorption of air occurs. Therefore, the “anti-colic” bottles on sale are just a hoax and a fiction.
Specialized Diet
This is not about a diet for a child. The diet should be taken by the nursing mother herself. With the blood flow, the resulting substances are sent to the mammary glands and enter the synthesized milk. And this means that to some extent the child eats the same as the mother herself. To reduce the frequency of colic, it is worth eliminating certain foods from the diet. Of course, this is not a panacea, and there is no question of completely getting rid of colic. But there will still be relief.
Exclude from the diet:
Dairy products (milk, kefir, etc.).
Beans, beans, lentils, peas.
Cabbage (white cabbage).
Grapes, bananas, raisins.
Apples.
Yeast dough.
Do not abuse sweets. It is desirable to refuse milk completely (in the first 2-3 months of lactation). Not only does milk not improve lactation, but it can also cause a severe allergic reaction in an infant. (Cow and goat milk for children – why is it harmful and dangerous?)
Preference should be given to herbal teas based on fennel, anise.
If these methods have not had an effect, there is no choice how to resort to medical assistance. However, you should not “stuff” the child with a huge amount of drugs, thinking that this will be useful. Any medicine burdens the body, and it has a double burden on the child’s body. Before taking it, it will not be superfluous to consult a pediatrician.
Other recommendations
In addition, there are 3 more recommendations:
Use of dry heat. Dry heat is an excellent remedy for spasms, as it improves local circulation and relieves tension in the smooth muscles of the intestine. A diaper is heated with a hot iron or on a battery. Then a warm diaper is placed on the baby’s stomach. It is important not to overheat the diaper, otherwise you can burn the baby. For long-term preservation of heat, it is better to put the child along with the diaper on yourself.
Laying out on the stomach and doing gymnastics. You should do gymnastics with the child and often lay it on the stomach. The main thing is not to do this immediately after feeding: the likelihood of regurgitation is high. Gymnastics will strengthen the muscles and improve intestinal motility.
Massage. Massage also has a beneficial effect on intestinal motility. The massage technique is simple. Confidently pressing the palm on the stomach, it is necessary to make circular movements clockwise for 2-3 minutes. Then bend the child’s legs at the knees and press them to the stomach several times. Massage is carried out before each feeding 2-3 times.
Drug treatment of colic in newborns
There are many anti-colic agents on the market today.
Simethicone-based preparations
Simethicone preparations contribute to the fusion of gas bubbles together, thereby reducing pressure on the intestinal wall. Large bubbles of gas leave the body naturally.
This group of drugs includes:
Bobotik (in drops, approximate cost – 200 rubles).
Espumizan (emulsion, approximate cost – 300 rubles).
Subsimplex (approximate cost -200 rubles).
Espumizan L (in the form of an emulsion, the approximate cost is 250 rubles).
Probiotic preparations
The intestines of a newborn baby are not yet filled with beneficial bacteria. They colonize the intestines within 2-3 months. Useful flora enters the body of a child with mother’s milk. To speed up the process, use probiotic preparations. But it must be remembered that probiotics can have a negative effect on the child’s body. You should strictly follow the recommendations of the treating specialist for dosage and duration of administration.
Trade names:
Bifiform Baby (about 400 rubles).
Acipol (about 300 rubles).
Bifidumbacterin Forte (about 300 rubles).
Linex (for children) (about 400 rubles).
Enzymatic preparations
The organs of the digestive system responsible for the production of enzymes necessary for digestion in newborns are underdeveloped, so a young unformed body needs support. Such support is the intake of enzyme preparations. The preparations of the enzymatic group include, for example, Creon. It is allowed to use it only on the direct prescription of the attending physician. Otherwise, the medicine will do more harm than good.
Biologically active additives (BAA) are also prescribed. For example, Lactosar. Lactosar contributes to the rapid and efficient breakdown of lactose (contained in large quantities in milk). This drug is prescribed for lactase deficiency, because it contains the enzyme lactase.
Trade names:
Creon (at a dosage of 10000).
Lactazar. (approximate price 200-300 rubles, depending on the number of tablets in the package).
Phytotherapeutic preparations (based on herbal ingredients)
Preparations based on fennel and anise have a significant anti-colic effect. Their action is based on the acceleration of intestinal peristalsis, which means the rapid removal of intestinal gases from their body.
Among the drugs in this group can be distinguished:
Baby Calm – contains extract of fennel, mint, anise (approximate price – 150 rubles).
Plantex – a mixture of fennel extract with the essential oil of this plant (it costs about 300-500 rubles, depending on the number of tablets in the package).
Following the recommendations presented above, it will be possible to solve the problem of colic much earlier than upon the onset of 3 months of age. It is important to remember that colic is a physiological phenomenon and it is almost impossible to get rid of them. The only thing that can be done is to alleviate the pain syndrome and the condition of the child. Colic just needs to be outgrown and the problem will no longer bother the child.