COLIC IN BABIES
Colic in infants usually start on the second or third week of life (later in premature infants) and at 6 weeks they usually occur in their worst form. They are characterized by a shrill and sudden cry, the baby twists the legs. Crying is briefly interrupted and then starts again. The baby compresses fists, draws legs in and arches its back. By 12 weeks the problem usually starts to wane, and by 3.5 months (in premature infants it’s later as well) it passes; only some keep crying up to 4-5 months.
It is not known what causes cramps in children. It might be immaturity of the digestive system: in the first three months of life the enzymes of the stomach are formed, the intestinal walls "learn" to contract rhythmically, and so food moves through the intestines with difficulty. During the first two or three weeks the baby was under the beneficent influence of maternal hormones, and now he has to exist and digest food independently.
Colic can also be triggered by some products, introduced with the milk of nursing mothers.
They should exclude from their diet the following:
• Citrus fruits or acids
• Dairy products (milk and cheese of quick fermentation)
• Raw vegetables and greens, replacing them with boiled
• Root vegetables, cabbage, legumes and grapes
• Spices, caffeine and chocolate
• Sodas
Three quarters of the gas that is in the gastrointestinal tract of a baby, is swallowed during screaming, crying, feeding.
During feeding, properly lay your child down: the head shall be slightly higher. Change the incline of the bottle; to avoid air with the mixture, check the size of the hole – it shouldn’t be too big. In case of breast-feeding, make sure that the halo of the nipple is captured properly. Once the child ate, lift it up, and hold upright, snuggling its tummy to your chest, stroke, and even better – slightly pat the back, as such a massage is very good. The toddler will belch - it means the air, trapped with food, is coming out.
Tea with mint and chamomile helps well. A nursing mother can drink this tea herself – the child will get everything necessary.
There is an easy set of exercises to improve the functions of the digestive system of the child
No need to carry out these exercises during cramps. Wait until the child has no pains. It can be done four times a day, for example, during diaper changing.
Put warm hands on the child very calmly and easily.
Using only the palm, pat the baby's tummy from the top down six times. Contact with the tummy should be continuous. As soon as one hand reaches the bottom, the second one starts moving. To help the gasses come out easier, you can put a small platen under the baby’s legs.
Raise the legs that are bent at the knees, to the tummy, having slightly spread them apart and hold them like that for 10-15 seconds. After stretching its legs, slightly shake them to relax the muscles.
Slightly pushing, draw a ring around the belly button, clockwise. Do it six times. The contact with the baby's tummy should be continuous.
Gentle swaying of the baby’s hips with the help of relaxing touches shall complete the massage. These moves will relieve the child's muscles from strain.