Colic is extremely common, affecting between 10% and 40% of children, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Although it’s a common occurrence, it can feel like you are the only person in the world experiencing it alongside your baby. There is no cure for colic and it usually clears up within a few months. Some things you should know about breastfeeding a colicky baby and how to prevent it and get through the first few months are listed below.
What Is Colic?
When your baby seems perfectly healthy, has no obvious signs of distress and yet cries continually, they may be suffering from colic. A good way to decipher between colic and reflux is the colic 3-3-3 rule. If your baby is crying for more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week and this continues for 3 weeks then there is likely a consistent issue with colic. Colic in a nutshell, is prolonged bouts of excessive, frequent crying for no apparent reason. Although some abdominal discomfort is thought to accompany it due to the way many babies draw their knees up when they cry which would indicate trapped wind. These episodes can be very distressing for both baby and parent, and can last for several weeks.
Mother's Diet & Breast Milk
Although the precise cause of colic is unclear, several factors are believed to play a role, including the maternal diet. Through your breast milk, the foods you eat find their way to your little one. Certain substances can cause a reaction or an allergy in some babies. The most popular perpetrators are cow's milk and dairy products, which may trigger digestive issues that result in colic or colic-like symptoms.
You can try to remove dairy products from your diet to see if the colic improves. Nuts, soy, eggs, caffeine, garlic, spicy foods, and shellfish are all foods that your baby may react to. When you remove foods from your diet allow for up to a week for any changes to occur. Also inquire about probiotics with your doctor. Studies have shown that lactobacillus reuteri, a probiotic, has been shown to help alleviate colic in breastfed infants.
Overactive Let-Down
An overactive let-down may also be a cause of colic. When your milk flows rapidly and vigorously from your breast into your baby's mouth, they have to gulp at speed to keep up with the flow, meaning they’re also swallowing a lot of air. Gas and stomach pain can be caused by trapped air in the stomach and intestines. As your baby is small and their digestive system immature, it can be difficult for your little one to regulate this indigestion in comparison to how we can as adults. This is what causes the prolonged discomfort.
You can alleviate the pressure in your breast and reduce the initial forceful let-down by pumping to withdraw a small amount of breast milk before you feed. Then, when your milk flow has decreased, you can start feeding your baby. Breastfeeding in a reclined position, such as lying on your back or sitting back in a chair, will also help to slow the flow of your breast milk.
Overabundant Supply & Breast Switching
Colic may also be caused by an overabundance of breastmilk. As mothers are so often vilified for not producing enough milk, it can be disappointing to hear that even an overabundance can cause issues.
Put simply, your baby could be consuming too much foremilk. Foremilk is the thinner milk that flows from the breast at the start of feeding. It has a higher lactose, or milk sugar content. When a baby breastfeeds, the foremilk eventually converts into hindmilk, which is creamier and more filling. However, if there is an overabundance of foremilk, the baby may consume mainly that before receiving enough hindmilk. This is known as a foremilk-hindmilk imbalance, and it can result in gas, loose green bowel movements, and colic symptoms.
Breastfeeding from just one breast at a time will ensure that your baby receives both foremilk and hindmilk at each feeding. If you only breastfeed on one breast the whole time, your child is more likely to hit the hindmilk as that breast is completely drained. If required, you can also pump from the other breast.
Coping with a baby who has colic
There is no clear remedy for colic since the exact cause is unknown but there are things you can do to help alleviate the symptoms. Keep in mind that what works for one baby might not work for another. Furthermore, what works one day might not work the next. Dealing with colic can require of trial and error.
Here are a few things you can do to help:
Play white noise to your baby
Go easy on yourself
Hold your baby closely and securely
Offer a pacifier
Respond quickly
Use gentle movements
[VIDEO OF KERRY TALKING THROUGH HOW THE BABOCUSH CAME ABOUT]
Comforting a baby with colic
Babies cry. It’s how they communicate. But, when your baby cries uncontrollably, and nothing you do can console them, it can be frustrating, stressful, and heartbreaking. All of these feelings are normal. Colic isn’t your fault (or your baby's) and you’re not a bad parent. In fact, many other parents are in the same boat.
You can only do what you can to try to soothe your baby. They know you are there for them. Remind yourself to stop and take a break when you need it. That’s why the Babocush Comfort Cushion was created - to give exhausted parents of colicky babies a break. Our innovative cushion mimics the care that you give your baby around the clock by offering a comfortable ‘chest’ to rest on with heartbeat sounds and vibrations that instantly soothe your little one. This allows you to take a break or get things done without worrying your baby is in distress.
It may seem like it’s never going to get better and when you're in the thick of it, a few weeks can feel like years. But thankfully, colic does go away, sometimes as suddenly as it arrived. You’ll get there. It just takes time, love and patience - with both yourself and your little one.
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