Colic and Crying

All infants cry. Studies have shown that the average two-week old infant cries almost 2 hours each day. The crying duration unfortunately lengthens before it starts to get better. Six-week old infants cry a mean time of 3 hours each day, but by the time babies reach twelve weeks, they are crying less than 1 hour daily.

This may not seem like excessive crying, but anyone who has tried to soothe a crying baby for hours at a time without success knows how frustrating this can be. This brings us to the subject of colic. Colic is derived from the Greek word for colon or large intestine and is defined as a painful spasm in any hollow organ, i.e. intestine. This name was given to babies who cried so much because they were thought to be in significant pain from spasms of the gastrointestinal tract. The actual definition of infantile colic is based on excessive, inconsolable crying as defined by parents as greater then 3 hours of crying daily for greater than 3 weeks within the first 3 months of life.

Ten to twenty-five percent of infants are thought to be colicky. So what should one do when faced with a baby with colic?

When a baby cries, there is usually a good reason. One must be sure that the child is not crying from hunger, or because there is a dirty diaper, or because he or she is too cold or hot. Babies also cry because they are tired, bored, or over-stimulated. These are more difficult for parents to determine and one must look closely for cues that the baby is giving as to what might be the problem. If there is any question as to what might be causing the crying, a parent should not hesitate to see a physician. There are medical reasons for a baby to be irritable such as ear infections, scratches on the eye, or food allergies, etc. These may require medical examination and treatment.

Babies who cry from colic usually are worse in the late afternoon and early evening hours. It usually starts around three weeks of age and peaks between six and eight weeks. Behavior that accompanies the crying may include arching the neck back, drawing the feet up to the abdomen, burping, and passing gas.

Because the cause of colic is not clearly understood (this is an understatement), there is no clear cut treatment that will work every time. Different techniques seem to help infants with varied degrees of success, but here are a few strategies that may work for your infant:

• Walk with your baby, rocking her gently. Babies frequently respond better to vertical motion as apposed to side-to-side motion, but again this is variable.
• Take a car ride. Make sure your baby is strapped into your infant car seat properly. The ride seems to soothe many fussy babies. There are even products that one can buy that attach to cribs and give the baby the sensation that he or she is traveling in a car at fifty-five miles per hour. There, of course, is no good data that these products truly work, but some parents swear by them.
• Place a baby near a washing machine, dishwasher, or dryer. Something about the "white noise" of these appliances soothes babies. Some have speculated that the washing machine makes sounds that resemble the womb. Alternatively, you can purchase a "white noise machine" for use in the room where your baby is to sleep.
• Bouncy seats with vibrating options as well as infant swings have also helped many parents with their colicky babies.
• Massaging a baby's tummy may help. Some people like to use a warm hot water bottle over their knees and place the baby tummy down on the water bottle.
• If your baby likes water, a soothing bath in warm water can frequently calm the screaming baby.
• Swaddling a baby snugly may also help some babies. This gives them a sense of comfort and containment. There are swaddling blankets, such as The Miracle Blanket that can aid in swaddling. Try a Moby Wrap. This is a swaddling wrap that allows you to carry your baby in a swaddled position with both hands free.
• There are herbs that can be purchased at grocery and health food stores that are said to improve colic and stomachaches. One should always consult with a physician before using these because some can be dangerous when given to young infants.
• Simethicone sold under the trade name of Mylicon drops can be bought over the counter. Their action is to break up gas bubbles and some parents swear by this medication. There are no dangerous side effects from this medicine when given in the proper dose but medical studies performed on this medication have shown that they are no more effective in treating colic than placebo.
• If mothers are breastfeeding the baby, it may help to consume a blander diet. Babies seem to be fussier after moms have had a spicy meal or eaten foods that are difficult to digest, such as beans, cabbage, or broccoli.
• Probiotics (lactobacillus): A recent study suggests that giving a colicky infant the dietary supplement, lactobacillus (also known as pro-biotics, or "good" bacteria), may reduce crying time. Although the study was small, the results were quite dramatic, with a decrease in daily crying time from 200 minutes to 51 minutes in infants treated. The placebo group started at 200 minutes and only decreased to 145 minutes per day at the end of treatment. This supplement is considered safe, and may be worth a try! The dose of Lactobacillus Reuteri suspension is 5 drops once a day. You can find this in health stores or online.

The most important thing for parents to know when trying to treat colic is that it is okay to be frustrated and to make sure to utilize any and all support systems available. Parents of a colicky infant can be tested to the extreme and should rely on the help of friends, relatives or neighbors. Spending an hour or two away from a colicky baby can do wonders in improving your ability to cope. If all else fails, put your infant safely in his crib or bassinet and allow him to cry for 10-15 minutes before trying again to soothe him. The good news about colic is that it does go away over time and there are no long-term effects for the infant. Babies are almost all over their colic by the age of 4 months and most are much better by 3 months. So, if parents can stick it out for a few months, the end result is a healthy, happier baby.