Treatment of colic in infants. Colic in a newborn - what to do. How to cope with abdominal colic in a newborn. What to do with colic

You've been waiting so long for your baby to be born, and it finally happened. But the joy of the first days of communication with the baby is often overshadowed by the child’s anxiety caused by painful sensations in the tummy - colic, which appear due to the immaturity of the digestive system. What to do if colic affects your baby? How can I help him?

Colic that occurs in a baby in the first months after birth is a physiological phenomenon, and not some kind of pathology. After birth, a baby's digestive system is still developing, so it doesn't work as well as an adult's. When digesting food, the baby may experience difficulties with bowel movements and gas. It is these phenomena that cause pain, this is colic in newborns.

It is important to understand: Colic in newborns is not a disease or pathology!

It is difficult for any mother to remain calm when she sees her child in pain and crying. And having heard “horror stories” from friends about colic in the stomach of newborns, young mothers become more frightened and are ready to buy their baby any medicine just to save him from suffering.

But Crying does not always mean colic in babies. If the baby cries for less than three hours a day (in total), most likely, his crying is due to other reasons: the desire to eat, inconvenience or discomfort associated with non-compliance (stuffy room or drafts), etc. If the baby cries more than three hours a day, it means , he really suffers from colic and bloating.

During colic, newborns restlessly wave their arms and try to press their legs to their tummy, this whole process is accompanied by loud crying. The baby refuses to eat, and it is almost impossible to calm him down. In this case, it is better to show the child to the treating pediatrician, who will confirm the presence of colic in the abdomen or, perhaps, suspect some kind of disease. The fact is that a child can cry for a long time due to headaches, allergies and lack of milk in the mother. An examination by a doctor will help dispel all doubts, and timely treatment, if necessary, will be very helpful.

Treatment of colic in a newborn: traditional methods

If the doctor confirms the presence baby has colic, your task is to try to help him by relieving the pain. As a rule, the best way to deal with colic in the abdomen is: “dill” water, warming the baby’s belly and gas tubes. But every baby is unique, so this “traditional” set may become useless in a particular case. Try different methods to find the one that works for your child.

Warm your baby's tummy to relieve pain. You can do this with an ironed, warm diaper, or place your baby with his tummy on your stomach, gently stroking his back.

A light abdominal massage, as well as special poses, can help get rid of accumulated gases in the intestines. For example, you can bring your baby's legs to your stomach and hold them in that position. Or place the baby stomach down on the mother's lap while stroking his back.

Problems with a baby's tummy are often completely independent of the mother's diet. Colic is a normal phenomenon in the development of children's ventricles. The baby's intestines are immature, and there are not always enough enzymes to digest breast milk. That is why the child cries so often. This forces mothers to look for medications that ease the digestion process in babies. Let's learn about such medicines for children.

Drugs against colic in newborns

Mom and dad should know that all pharmaceutical medications to ease the digestion of newborns are divided into two groups: preventive and relieving colic. The former do not at all guarantee that they will normalize the digestion process. They are more likely to make the child’s attacks less frequent and shorter. Preventive medications reduce gas formation. Their main active ingredients are extracts of anise, dill, and fennel.

Another group of drugs is indicated for use during colic. They should be used precisely at the moment of an attack to stop it. These medications are made on the basis of simethicone, a substance that relieves tension in the intestinal walls, breaks down gases into bubbles and reduces anxiety in the baby. Pediatricians advise parents to have medications of the first and second groups in the first-aid kit.

To prevent colic, Plantex (a product based on fennel in granules) and dill water are often used.

Anti-colic bobot for newborns

The medicine belongs to the second group. This is a white emulsion in drops. It contains simethicone, which breaks up gas bubbles and provides relief from colic and bloating. The drug does not enter the bloodstream and does not affect the microflora of children's intestines. The instructions warn that Bobotik should be used from the baby’s 28th birthday, not earlier! Although it is worth noting that many pediatricians prescribe the medicine from birth due to its safety.

Before use, you need to shake the bottle, count out the number of drops you need, and then add it to the container with the artificial formula, or simply give it from a spoon if the baby is breastfed. Some mothers use syringes without needles to administer such medications. The instructions recommend a dosage of 8 drops of the drug per dose for a child aged 28 days to two years. This should be done no more often than four times a day after feeding or during feeding.

Espumisan for colic for newborns

This is a very popular medicine among first-time mothers. The drug line has three types of products, so when purchasing a drug for colic for a baby, you must indicate that you need Espumisan L. The main advantage of this medicine over others is the possibility of using it from the very first days of life.

This is due to the fact that the medicine based on simethicone is not absorbed through the intestinal mucosa. It does not have a systemic effect on the body, that is, having done its useful work, the drug is simply excreted from the intestines in its original form. Another advantage is the absence of age restrictions.

The drug is a sweet emulsion with banana flavor. There is a dispenser on its bottle.

The instructions for Espumisan L state that a single dose of the drug is 25 drops. This is what the measuring cap in the bottle is designed for, which is also convenient for mothers. It is recommended to add the emulsion to the mixture if the baby is bottle-fed, or give it from a spoon before feeding. You can use a dessert spoon, a cap, or a syringe for this.

Another advantage of Espumisan is that there are no restrictions on the frequency of its use. That is, you can give the medicine before each feeding. It is recommended to use it until the tummy begins to work more smoothly. And this could be three months, or six.

Infacol for colic in newborns

And in this medicine the main active ingredient is also simethicone. Therefore, the drug does not affect the child’s body, is not absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, and does not ferment. It is excreted unchanged in the feces. The drug has a pleasant taste, because it is designed for newborns. It does not need to be diluted with water or milk.

The medicine is available in the form of a suspension of 100, 75, 50 ml. The bottle comes with a dispenser pipette, which is very convenient.

The drug is intended exclusively for pediatric purposes, namely to relieve colic. For newborns, pediatricians prescribe it 0.5 ml before each feeding. Sometimes the dose can be increased to 1 ml (this is 40 mg of simethicone). Relief in the baby's condition occurs after two days of regular use of Infacol.

It should be noted that sometimes children experience allergic reactions to this medicine, which is the result of individual intolerance to the drug by the child’s body. It is impossible to overdose, since the active substance is both chemically and physiologically inert.

Bebinos for newborns from colic

This colic medicine is a brown or dark brown liquid. Bebinos has a distinct scent of fennel, its main active ingredient. In addition, the medicine contains extracts of chamomile and coriander fruit. Excipients are propylene glycol, sorbitol, sodium saccharinate.

As you can see, Bebinos belongs to the group of herbal preparations. It eliminates and prevents pain and gastrointestinal spasms associated with flatulence.

Dosage regimen of this drug: up to a year - 6 drops once, over a year - up to 10 drops, for preschoolers - 10-15 drops once. You can give the medicine three times a day, adding it to food or simply consuming it before taking it. You should be aware that sometimes allergic reactions are possible when using this drug. The manufacturer of the medicine warns about this. But pediatric practice shows that this happens very rarely.

Babycalm for colic in newborns

This is also a combined medicinal product, the main active ingredients of which are oils from mint, dill, and anise seeds. Bebikalm has a specific smell, its taste is sweet, some mothers even note that the medicine is cloying. Its manufacturer is Israel.

You need to take Bebicalm ten drops before feeding. Due to the fact that allergic reactions are possible when taking the medicine, it is recommended to give the baby 3 drops of the drug for the first time and wait several hours. If you know that your child is allergic, then it is better not to experiment with using Bebicalm.

Simplex for newborns against colic

For newborns, Simplex is a safe medicine for colic in the form of drops. Its action is aimed at flatulence. The medicine naturally removes gases from the child’s body. The indication for its use is physiological bloating of the intestines of newborns.

The drug contains simethicone, which has carminative properties and relieves infant colic.

It is recommended to give 15 drops of medicine to children from one month to one year of age during feeding or immediately after feeding. For bottle-fed babies, you can add it to a bottle, give it from a spoon, or inject it with a syringe without a needle. Pediatricians advise giving Simplex to children under one year of age strictly twice a day and always at night.

Folk remedies for colic in newborns

There is a category of mothers who prefer to use exclusively folk remedies and use their grandmother’s advice. Typically, the category of herbs that relieve colic includes fennel, chamomile, seeds, dill, anise, and cumin. Our grannies advise using such remedies made with your own hands, that is, in the form of decoctions and infusions. For example, a decoction of dill or fennel seeds is prepared using 5 grams of raw materials per 100 ml of water. The product is boiled for 1-2 minutes, covered with a lid, infused for 30 minutes, strained and poured into a baby bottle. You can prepare chamomile tea in the same way.

Note that pharmacies today sell many types of herbal teas for colic from different manufacturers. This is also an option for those mothers who prefer folk remedies for colic relief. Of course, this is a little more expensive than preparing it yourself, especially when it comes to teas from well-known companies, but it saves mommy’s time.

Also, to reduce colic, pediatricians advise nursing women to strictly monitor their diet. It is necessary to completely exclude from it those products that cause increased gas formation. These include legumes, mushrooms, cabbage, grapes, peppers, onions, cucumbers, and hard cheese.

To alleviate the baby’s condition, you should give him a tummy massage before feeding, and gymnastics. A simple grandmother’s recommendation is to apply a warm diaper to the baby’s tummy after feeding. And in front of him, the baby needs to be laid out on his tummy so that his knees are bent.

The “column” exercise is also an effective measure for the prevention of colic. After feeding, you just need to put the baby almost horizontally, waiting for the food to burp.

Many pediatricians advise nursing mothers to take dill and fennel teas to reduce gas formation in the baby's tummy.

What is the best remedy for colic in newborns: reviews

On the forums you can find many opinions on the use of the above medications. But there is no clear recommendation regarding a specific medicine, its high rating and exceptional effectiveness. There are many positive reviews about Espumisan. Mothers praise him for the fact that the drug can be used an unlimited number of times a day. But at the same time, practice shows that the medicine is addictive and after a month of use it no longer works as well as initially. And this, in fact, is normal, because by accustoming a child to artificial relief of colic, we reduce his natural immunity in the field of digestion.

Moms also praise teas from the Hipp company, but at the same time point out that these products are not cheap. Parents who have a second and third baby note that, having tried many remedies for colic, they settled on a cost-effective and safe option - dill water.

So, there is no clear opinion that could indicate the best option. Try, check - and let your child be calm and healthy.

Especially for - Diana Rudenko

In this article:

Colic in newborns requires proper treatment, because this problem prevents the baby from growing and developing calmly. Discomfort occurs in the tummy for no apparent reason and causes the baby to cry uncontrollably and writhe in pain. Parents are often ready to do anything to protect their child from suffering and sleep peacefully.

Colic and gas in newborns are common companions in the first three months of life; symptomatic treatment will help cope with abdominal pain and make it easier to endure this difficult period.

How can a mother help her child?

No one knows the needs of a baby better than his mother, which is why she usually has to deal with the treatment of colic in newborns on her own. To help and calm your child, you have to use not only medications to improve the passage of gases. Often maternal tenderness and warmth allow the baby to relax in her own arms and fall asleep, forgetting about the pain in the stomach.

Tips to ease your baby's condition:

1. A good way to help a baby get rid of not only pain, but also the stress that it causes, is to place the baby on the mother's stomach. In this case, close contact between the bodies should be ensured by removing clothes and diapers. The warmth of the mother's breast, natural breathing over the ear and pressure exerted on the tummy will calm the baby and ensure the release of gases.
2. Massage the anterior abdominal wall, performing clockwise movements and applying moderate pressure on the loops of the colon, which will enhance peristalsis and ensure the removal of feces and excess air.
3. Gymnastic exercises are a good way not only to strengthen a child’s muscle corset, but also to save him from digestive problems. Take the baby's legs with your palms and alternately press one or the other to the stomach, as if riding a bicycle.
4. Another simple option for physical activity is the “fold” exercise. Raise the baby's straight lower limbs so that his hips rest against his stomach. Such light pressure will stimulate the intestines and increase their motility.
5. Another affordable option for saving a child from colic is dancing together. Take him in your arms and, holding him tightly to you, make rocking movements from side to side. This method has a calming effect and allows the baby to fall asleep.

To cope with colic in a newborn, you should adhere to complex treatment tactics, because medicine still does not know the exact reasons that cause abdominal discomfort in infants.

The fight against colic includes the following methods:

• psychological - physical contact and closeness of the mother allow the baby to calm down and forget about pain;
• medicinal – taking herbal preparations and drugs that have a carminative effect;
• physiotherapeutic – dry heat on the stomach;
• mechanical – abdominal wall massage and gymnastics;
• nutrition correction - eliminating foods that cause fermentation in the intestines from the nursing mother’s menu;
• traditional medicine - decoctions of herbs and plants.

Diet

In such a situation, a woman needs to reconsider her diet and limit foods that cause increased gas formation:

• peas, beans and lentils;
• Rye bread;
• yeast baked goods;
• pears, grapes;
• kvass and carbonated drinks;
• cabbage.

But often the food that a woman eats plays a secondary role in the occurrence of colic, so the reason may lie in something else.

Physiotherapy

The best way to relieve colic in an infant through physical therapy is to apply dry heat to the abdominal area.

Take a piece of thick flannel fabric and fold it to form a small square pad. Iron it to make the diaper warm, apply it to the newborn's belly and hold it until it cools down. Heat relieves spasms well and allows you to relax the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall.

Clinical methods of physiotherapy can also be used, including:

• ozokerite treatment;
• magnetic therapy;
• SMT therapy (sinusoidally modulated current).

Drug treatment

There is a popular opinion that colic in newborn boys is much more pronounced, which is why drug treatment is more often used in them, although this is not an entirely true statement, because this disease can appear in absolutely any child.

Colic in newborns can be treated with medications , the action of which is aimed at combating increased gas formation:

1. – the powder is based on fennel fruits; to obtain a solution it must be diluted with water. During the day, the child is allowed to drink about 100 ml of the resulting drink.
2. Baby Calm is a medicine consisting of a mixture of dill, fennel and peppermint oils. Measure out the required amount of solution and dilute with water.
3. – emulsion preparation based on Simethicone. During an attack, pour 25 drops and give to the baby.
4. Bobotik is a milky-white viscous liquid containing Simethicone. Can be used from the second month of a baby’s life, 8 drops after feeding.
5. Bebinos is a herbal medicine based on chamomile, coriander and fennel. Dissolve 20 drops in a glass of water and give it to your baby to drink.

Traditional methods

In many cases, in order to eliminate colic in newborns, there is no need to give the child medication for treatment, because pain can be reduced at home using “grandmother’s” methods.

However, before you begin to help yourself, it is better to take your baby to a pediatrician so that he can examine him and confirm that the cause of restless behavior is discomfort in the tummy.

Traditional recipes for relieving colic in newborns:

1. After feeding, give your baby dill water to drink. This product can be bought at a pharmacy, but not in every one, but only where there is a prescription department, because the solution is prepared on the spot and has a short shelf life. You can also prepare a dill decoction at home. To do this, take the seeds of the plant, rub in a mortar or grind in a coffee grinder, pour the resulting powder into 300 ml of hot water and place in a dark place so that the decoction infuses. After cooling to room temperature, strain the liquid through gauze and offer the child to drink, starting with 10-15 ml, gradually increasing the amount.
2. An alternative option is carrot seeds. Pour 2 tablespoons into a thermos and pour 500 ml of boiling water. After steeping for about 40 minutes and removing the impurities, give the resulting tea to your baby to drink.
3. A decoction of chamomile has a good calming effect, so it is best to offer it before bed. Place 1 sachet in a cup and pour boiling water over it. After cooling, the drink can be consumed.

Prevention

Coping with intestinal colic in newborns, as well as treating them, is not always easy; it is much easier to organize the care of the baby and his feeding in such a way as to prevent their occurrence. A special condition called colic is not an independent disease. This is rather a symptom indicating that the digestive system is not yet fully functioning due to a lack of necessary enzymes that accelerate the digestion of baby food.

One of the main tasks of parents is to help the baby in such a difficult period of life and alleviate his suffering.

In order to reduce the likelihood of intestinal colic, you should follow certain recommendations:

1. Before each feeding, place the baby on the stomach and leave it there for 15 minutes.
2. After your baby has drunk the formula or after breastfeeding, hold him in an upright position. This is necessary so that the air that enters the stomach with food comes out naturally through regurgitation, and does not penetrate further into the intestines and lead to cutting pain in the abdomen.
3. If your baby is breastfed, pay attention to how he takes the breast. When latched correctly, the baby's mouth should contain not only the nipple, but also the dark circle that surrounds it, called the areola. The nose fits tightly to the skin of the mother's breast, and the lips are turned out. Listen to the sounds your baby makes while sucking. When applied correctly, you will not hear any extraneous clicks or smacking sounds. If the nipple latching technique is violated, air enters the mouth and penetrates further into the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to the development of colic.
4. When feeding a newborn with a bottle, use specially designed anti-colic nipples, and also ensure that air accumulates at the bottom of the container.
5. When the baby is breastfed naturally, the mother will have to reconsider her eating habits and eliminate from the daily menu those foods that can lead to increased formation of gases in the baby’s intestines. Increased gas formation is observed after the mother eats some legumes, as well as some types of fruit or confectionery.

Treatment of colic in newborns occupies an important place in modern pediatrics, but not only doctors should know effective therapeutic methods for getting rid of this condition in infants. Knowledge about basic methods of abdominal massage, gymnastics, as well as approved medications will help a young mother relieve her baby of abdominal pain and give good nights not only to herself and the child, but also to other family members.

Useful video on how to relieve a newborn’s condition with colic

Instructions

Take steps to prevent your baby from experiencing colic or reduce its frequency and intensity. First of all, try to find out the reason for their occurrence. It is better for nursing mothers to remain calm, because otherwise excitement can be transmitted through the chest, which can lead to more frequent attacks of colic.

If colic does not stop, go to medications such as Plantex, Espumisan,. However, keep in mind that these remedies are effective only at the moment of the attack of colic, as they help to weaken the surface tension of gas bubbles in the intestines, the subsequent rupture of gas bubbles and their elimination. That is, they cannot serve as a preventive measure and are given to the baby only during colic attacks. These drugs are great help if the cause of colic is increased gas formation.

Also, to prevent colic, carefully monitor the regularity of your baby's bowel movements. If it is absent for a day or more, use a gas tube or an enema. Do not be afraid of this procedure, the child will immediately feel better after it.

When these measures do not help, purchase carminative teas for children at the pharmacy. Particularly effective is tea with fennel fruits and oil, the use of which has a beneficial effect on the child’s intestinal microflora, prevents the development of spasms, enhances normal peristalsis and promotes the passage of gases and stool.

Diet

For those who are breastfed, the basis for the fight against colic should be the mother’s correct diet. A woman who is breastfeeding must remember that everything she eats will have consequences for the baby. Therefore, during breastfeeding, the mother should adhere to a strict diet, avoiding foods rich in fiber and enhancing fermentation processes. Doctors recommend staying away from full-fat whole milk products.

If your baby is bottle-fed, special anti-colic formulas offered by some baby food manufacturers will help you avoid trouble. It is important to remember that water must be included in the diet. To reduce digestive problems, your child should be offered a bottle of regular drinking water from time to time. For infants, this item is not mandatory.

Rules for dealing with colic

The baby's position during feeding is very important. Ideally, it should be like this: the baby lies on his side (in the crib, you can place a rolled up diaper under the baby’s back), and his head is above chest level. This position will help avoid swallowing excess air and, as a result, further colic.

For a bottle-fed baby, it is recommended to select special nipples - “anti-colic”. The design of such nipples helps prevent the baby from swallowing air, and, therefore, colic.

Prevention of colic is very important. To minimize the risk of trouble, you should place your newborn on his tummy for about 5-7 minutes before each feeding. It should be placed on a fairly hard surface, and not on soft pillows and blankets. After feeding, you need to hold the baby vertically in a “column” with his head on your shoulder. This is necessary for the baby to burp excess air. To help your baby, you can pat him on the back or even gently pat it.

During passive morning exercises, evening massage and throughout the day, you should devote a few minutes to the baby’s tummy. Soft strokes - regular circular strokes, up-and-down strokes, or simulating the rotation of a windmill - are an excellent means of preventing colic.

Folk remedies for colic

Traditional medicine has found its own ways to combat infant colic. Thus, the most famous folk remedy for alleviating infant suffering is dill water. To prepare such water, you need to take 1 tablespoon of dill seeds and place it in a porcelain teapot or thermos. The seeds should be poured with a glass of boiling water, and then allowed to stand for 1 hour. Then the infusion should be filtered and then given to the baby 1 teaspoon 3 times a day in between feedings.

Modern pharmaceutical means to combat colic

Any pharmacy can offer at least one of the modern means of combating infant colic. These are either carminative drugs such as Espumisan, or natural-based products such as Bebicalm, Plantex and others.

How to relieve a colic attack

What to do if an attack of colic has already begun? How to stop or at least alleviate the baby's torment? Warmth helps best. It is necessary to calm the baby, take him in your arms, lightly press him to you, warming him with warmth and giving him a feeling of security and support. Dry heat on the sufferer's tummy helps a lot. This could be a heated soft diaper, a heating pad, or simply a mother’s warm hand.

In severe cases, if the attack is prolonged or particularly severe, mechanical means will come to the rescue. These include a gas tube, an enema, or even the tip of a thermometer (electronic, of course), generously lubricated with Vaseline. However, the use of such products requires adherence to precise recommendations and the strictest safety precautions, since the child’s intestines are extremely vulnerable.

And the most important thing is to remember that everything ends sooner or later. The unpleasant period of infant colic will also end, returning peace at night to the child and his parents. It will end without leaving even memories of itself.

Abdominal pain is a common cause of crying in young children. Parents cannot go to the doctor every time in such cases, so you need to learn how to quickly cope with the problem at home.

Instructions

Pick up your baby and rock him a little. Affection will help the baby calm down and stop crying. Just remember that you cannot hold the baby too tightly to you or, especially, put pressure on his tummy. Another option is to rock your baby in the crib or carry him around the room. Please note: rocking up and down is often more soothing than side to side, but this varies from person to person, so it is best to gauge your baby's reaction in advance and see which option helps calm him down the most.

Give a light massage: place the baby on his back, and then stroke his stomach with your palm, moving clockwise. If your hands are cold, warm them first to prevent discomfort for your baby. Such a gentle massage will calm the child, relieve pain and help remove gases accumulated in the intestines, which often cause bloating.

Give some dill water. It was used decades ago in cases where it was necessary to relieve abdominal pain in a child. You can buy dill water in many pharmacies. You can give this remedy in small quantities throughout the day so that your baby no longer feels pain in the tummy.

Try turning your baby from one side to the other several times. This “therapeutic exercise” allows you to speed up the process of removing gases from the intestines and eliminates bloating. Another option is to do the “bicycle” exercise, lifting the baby’s legs one at a time and pressing them to the chest.

Place your baby on your chest or stomach. Skin-to-skin contact, according to doctors, often helps calm the baby. To enhance the effect, try speaking kindly to your baby or singing lullabies to him.

In the life of every parent and baby, “colic time” comes. When a baby has colic, appetite, restful sleep, and mood disappear. A few tips that will be discussed in this article will help you cope with them.

Every mother, worried about the crying of a baby who suffers from colic, runs at full speed to the doctor. The doctor, naturally, prescribes medications that should help in this situation. For some they help, they relieve the baby’s pain, but for others they do not at all. As a result, the problem is not solved. We will try to consider all proven ways to solve the problem.

The first thing you can do to help a baby with colic is massage the tummy. In a clockwise direction, you need to lightly massage your tummy with smooth movements. With colic, you need to feed the baby on demand, it is easier for him to bear the pain in the tummy, he feels that mommy is nearby, and he is safe.

You can also heat the diaper with an iron and apply it to your tummy. This will also ease the pain, and maybe the colic will go away altogether. You can also try brewing pharmaceutical dill. Buy a pack of dill at the pharmacy, brew 1 teaspoon with boiled hot water for 100-200 ml of water. Wait for it to cool down. Strain and pour into your baby's bottle. You can give it to your baby throughout the day, as soon as the baby wants to drink.

It is also very important to do exercises every morning. The baby relaxes and warms up. This also affects the condition of the tummy.

Bathing also relaxes the tummy muscles and the baby's condition in general. Make it a rule to bathe your child every night before bed.

In general, at this stage of life, it is very important for a baby to feel the care of his parents and the warmth of his mother. Therefore, you need to try to devote all your time to the baby. In the end, colic will not always bother a child; it is just a stage in the life of every baby and his parents.

Every parent sooner or later faces the problem of intestinal colic in newborns. New mothers and fathers, as a rule, are faced with the question of how to alleviate the child’s suffering during this difficult period. You can borrow several practical ways to treat this disease from the material below.

Massage for colic

Mechanical external influence on the abdominal region of the baby’s body is useful in that it allows for more effective peristalsis. The wave-like contraction of the intestinal walls promotes the movement of its contents to the outlet. Massage for colic in newborns should be done with confident circular movements in a clockwise direction. At the end of the session, you need to bend the newborn’s legs at the knees and press them to the stomach. As a preventative measure, massage is recommended for a few minutes after each feeding.

Diet for colic in newborns

Today, the trend is that mothers are increasingly inclined to stop breastfeeding early and switch to artificial formula. When asked by parents how to deal with colic in newborns, young doctors often give strange answers. The recommendations of such would-be specialists often include the complete exclusion of breastfeeding (BF).

Another point of view on the problem “Colic in a newborn - what to do” deserves more confidence. So, in order to prevent severe bloating in babies, breastfeeding consultants advise mothers to reconsider their diet in the direction of reducing foods that provoke colic. As a rule, legumes, vegetables, fatty meats, and some fruits are excluded from the daily menu. It is important to say that the diet of a nursing mother with colic in a newborn should be balanced. The future health of her baby depends on the nutrition of a woman.

Colic medicine for newborns

Experienced experts do not recommend using anti-bloating medications. However, when answering the question of how to treat colic in a newborn, pediatricians note that sometimes it is even necessary to alleviate the baby’s condition with medications. Meanwhile, parents often decide to abandon chemical medications in favor of homeopathic treatment of colic. This method is a safer way to combat bloating in infants in the first month of life. You can find out how to get rid of colic in newborns with the help of medications below:

1. Espumisan. A completely safe emulsion (Espumizan 40) or drops (Espumizan L) for colic. The required amount of the drug is taken with a special spoon or cap. Espumisan for colic is given 25 drops or one measuring spoon (depending on the dosage form) before or after each feeding.
2. Simethicone. The medicine for newborns is available in the form of a suspension. A single dosage of Simethicone for colic is 10-15 drops. The product must be used before or after feeding.

Folk remedies for colic in a newborn

You can also rid your beloved baby of excess gas using home remedies. Mothers who have decided to independently treat their newborn should take into account that folk recipes for getting rid of colic must be checked for allergenicity. If the experience of generations in eliminating flatulence has not had the desired effect, you need to think about using medications. Below you can find information on how to cope with colic in newborns using traditional methods:

1. Dill water. Many mothers are sure that this is the best remedy for colic. A teaspoon of the seeds of this plant is poured into a glass of boiling water, after which it simmers for 20 minutes in a water bath. Next, the drink is kept covered for 45 minutes, after which it is filtered and given to the child 1 tsp. three times a day.
2. Fennel infusion. A teaspoon of the fruits of this plant must be poured with boiling water, after which the liquid should be left under the lid for half an hour. The strained, cooled product is given to the newborn a teaspoon several times a day.

How to help a colicky baby with sensory stimulation

This method of combating bloating in newborns helps create conditions for the release of excess gases. During sensory stimulation, the baby's muscle tissue contracts more intensely, which has a positive effect on intestinal motility. It is also important to say that many pediatricians are inclined to prefer free swaddling of children. In addition, when answering the question of how to help a baby with colic, experts urge parents to:

• Before feeding, place the baby on his tummy;
• feed the baby on demand;
• give the newborn a massage.

How to deal with colic by removing gases

You can eliminate the symptoms of excess gas by warming up the baby's tummy. The procedure should be performed using a warm diaper or a salt heating pad. If this method of dealing with colic does not help, use a special gas outlet tube, which, in addition to its direct purpose, also helps to cope with constipation in babies. This simple device is very easy to use. How to help a newborn with colic using a gas tube will be described below:

1. Lay your baby on his back and elevate his legs.
2. Insert the rounded end of the tube, pre-lubricated with baby cream, into the anus 2 cm.
3. Massage your newborn using circular movements.
4. Place the other end of the tube in some container.

Video: what to do if a newborn has colic

Reviews

Marina, 20 years old

When I first encountered the problem of bloating in my daughter, I absolutely did not know what to do about colic in the abdomen in newborns. Later, the pediatrician explained everything and advised her to give her daughter Espumisan three times a day for severe colic. Actually, this medicine saved us throughout this difficult period.

Yulia, 25 years old

We managed to avoid severe colic in the baby with the help of plantings. The procedure, I must say, is very difficult, but very useful. Its meaning is that the child is in a position in which the processes of gas emission and defecation are as facilitated as possible. I can say with confidence that this is the most effective method of eliminating colic.

Elena, 28 years old

We suffered for more than a month with these gas engines. They tried with all their might to eliminate the cause of the newborn’s anxiety, but to no avail. On the advice of my grandmother, we decided to warm up my tummy with a special salt heating pad. To my surprise, within 20 minutes after the start of the procedure, the child’s severe colic went away and he stopped crying.

Often parents are faced with such a problem as colic in a newborn; many do not know what to do in order to solve such an unpleasant anxiety for the child. In such a situation, of course, it is best to contact a specialist, because only he will be able to select the medicine as accurately as possible and tell you in detail about what to do for colic in a newborn baby.

Symptoms of the problem

Only 15% of all parents do not have any problems with the tummy of their newborn baby, and he is not bothered by colic. All other parents (from about 3 weeks of the newborn’s life) decide what to do and what medications to take, either on their own or with the help of a doctor. Such an unpleasant problem causes great anxiety in infants. They begin to curl their legs very close to their stomach and cry loudly. This condition can last for a very long time, and neither games nor motion sickness can soothe the child.

The duration of pain attacks may vary. On average up to 3 hours several times a day. In the abdomen of newborns, strong cramps occur in different parts of the intestines, which cause intense pain. For some children, painful sensations occur at regular intervals and may last for the same duration. It is worth noting that colic in a baby can appear at any time of the day, some time after feeding. In some situations, colic in a newborn occurs directly during the feeding process. As numerous practice shows, most often intestinal colic in newborns appears in the evening.

There may be other symptoms of the problem in babies, besides crying and legs buckling. Sometimes they arch their spine very strongly and begin to throw their head back, very close to their back. At the same time, quite strong redness of the neck and part of the face occurs, then the child may notice severe bloating of the tummy. Another sign of a problem is that the child begins to push, and then develops flatulence. But this doesn't always happen. More often, colic in a newborn is accompanied by severe constipation, which requires a special enema.

Signs of illness

There are certain signs that will help determine whether a young child has this very unpleasant and painful problem. Experts attribute the following signs to them:

1. Colic in a baby appears quite unexpectedly, usually during the waking period between feedings.
2. The child begins to be very capricious, cries and shows noticeable anxiety.
3. The crying is prolonged and shrill, and may not stop for up to 3 hours.
4. Colic in a newborn can be recognized by the fact that the child begins to press his arms to his body, and bends his legs towards his stomach and begins to jerk them strongly. At the same time, the baby's feet become cool and sometimes may even turn red.
5. The baby's belly gradually becomes quite hard, and gases can be felt in it.
6. Some babies experience infrequent regurgitation some time after feeding.
7. The baby becomes completely calm only after all the gases have passed along with the stool. Between attacks of colic, babies have a fairly good appetite, nothing bothers them. They sleep and play well and can smile.

One can also say something about the “3x3” rule, which today is used by absolutely all pediatricians in order to assume the presence of colic in newborns:

• the first attacks of colic begin in a child no earlier than 3 weeks of life;
• may continue until the child is 3 months old;
• Colic in a newborn occurs on average 3 times a week, sometimes more often.

Experts say that abdominal colic is a completely normal phenomenon for a newborn baby, and this is how adaptation to the environment outside the womb occurs. On average, colic can last about 4-5 months, from 2 weeks to 5 months of life, but, as a rule, in most children it stops by the end of 3 months of life. During this period, the baby’s intestines have time to receive new microflora; it will be able to fully digest those foods that were previously unknown to the baby’s body.

The baby's digestive system finishes forming at the age of approximately 3-5 months, and during the same period, colic in the newborn and severe discomfort, pain and anxiety stop.

Food

In order to know how to treat colic, you need to know the reasons that can provoke this unpleasant phenomenon. The reasons can be very different, from the immaturity of the digestive system to the mother’s diet.

All experts believe that the main reason is that the newborn’s digestive system has not yet fully formed. In addition, adaptation to a new type of nutrition occurs in the first months, which can be breast or artificial.

Colic in a newborn very often occurs due to the fact that a nursing woman does not eat properly or does not follow a special diet. Certain foods, the components of which end up in milk, can cause increased formation and accumulation of gases in the baby’s stomach. The result of this is quite strong and painful colic. Products that can provoke the problem include cabbage in different types and varieties, sweet fruits, grapes, mayonnaise and legumes, brown bread, raisins, foods high in fiber and much more.

Due to the fact that the mother feeds the baby in a horizontal position, he may experience belching or gastroesophageal reflux. At this time, a small amount of gastric juice enters the child's esophagus.

Numerous studies have shown that if a woman has experienced stress or worries a lot, this can affect the composition of her milk. As a rule, it is this milk that causes colic in a newborn.

Other reasons include improper feeding of the baby. If the mother is young and does not have enough experience, then her baby can capture quite a lot of air while sucking. At the same time, the intense pressure of milk from the breast can cause the baby to choke. In this case, the baby will again swallow milk along with air. Then the newborn will experience severe colic.

Recently, more and more mothers are raising their children on artificial feeding. In such a situation, we can say that the child has an individual intolerance to either artificial formula or lactose. This happens quite often.

Complex of events

In order to prevent colic in a newborn, a whole range of different measures is needed. They need to be carried out as clearly as possible, then the child will not suffer from pain. The basic rules include the following.

Learn to feed your baby correctly. During the procedure, make sure that the child completely grasps the breast areola and does not swallow air. If you bottle feed, then choose those that have a special system that prevents the baby from swallowing air along with the milk. Before feeding, if there is colic in newborns, you can lay the baby on his stomach for 5 minutes, which will become a kind of massage for his stomach.

Immediately after feeding, the baby should be held in an upright position for 10 minutes. Tilt him slightly with his stomach forward. At the same time, gently stroke your stomach and back between your shoulder blades. This will be an excellent massage; it will help the baby burp out excess air, which can cause colic.

Colic in newborns should be treated by stroking the abdomen. Half an hour after eating, stroke the newborn's belly with a fairly warm hand. This improves intestinal motility. You can also cover your belly with a warm diaper, preheat it, and then make circular movements with your hand clockwise along the baby’s belly.

If you don’t know how to treat colic in a newborn, then you can use special gymnastics. To do this, bend the legs and press them with your knees to the baby’s stomach, then spread them in different directions.

If the child is bottle-fed, then it is very important to choose the right formula. Choose it together with the pediatrician who is monitoring the child, so that you don’t have to worry about how to treat colic in your baby.

A few centuries ago, to solve this problem, it was recommended to give a newborn baby dill water or tea with fennel. Such decoctions can be bought ready-made at the pharmacy or prepared yourself. The products are completely safe for the child and can quickly help solve the problem of increased gas formation and colic in a newborn.

In order to prepare your own medicine for colic for a newborn, you need to take 5 g of fennel or dill seeds and add 100 ml of boiled water. Then heat the mixture in a water bath for about 20 minutes. After this, you need to add enough boiled water to get 100 ml of liquid again. If a woman is breastfeeding, then she can drink this infusion herself. You can give it to your child in small quantities instead of water.

Drug therapy

If all of the above methods do not bring any results, you need to contact a specialist. He will help you choose sorbents, medications with probiotics or antispasmodics. Medicines that are produced on the basis of natural oils are considered popular and effective.

Baby Calm is a mixture of mint, dill and anise oils. With its help, you can significantly improve digestion in a newborn, calm the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the level of gas formation in the intestines. The product is sold in concentrated form, so it must be diluted with boiled water in accordance with the instructions. The medicine should be given to the child immediately before feeding. Then it will begin to act in time, and colic will not bother the baby.

Bebinos is a medicine based on extracts of coriander, chamomile and fennel. They very quickly and gently soothe the stomach and intestines of a newborn baby, and put the digestive process in order. The amount of ethanol in the anti-colic product is minimal, so it does not harm the baby’s health at all.

Plantex are dry granules that are sold in 5 g bags. The medicine is based on fennel oil. The product must be dissolved in milk or warm water. It can be given to a newborn baby from the second week of life. Plantex improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and prevents excess gas formation. Most pediatricians recommend using the product as a preventative measure. Its use is especially relevant during the transition from breastfeeding to artificial feeding. A sachet of medicine is designed for 100 ml of water. You can drink Plantex from a bottle or spoon. This product is considered the safest and most useful analogue of dill water.

If your child begins to be bothered by colic, then first of all you need to use the safest methods - dill water and massage, reconsider your diet at the same time. If nothing helps, then contact a specialist and do not self-medicate under any circumstances, because this can cause serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract of the newborn baby, which is not yet fully strengthened. If there is a problem such as colic in newborns, the pediatrician will select the treatment himself.