The debate on the existence of the condition known as "colic" means nothing to the desperate parent seeking to softly soothe or simply calm down a screaming newborn or infant.
Beyond the sheer discomfort to the baby and disruption to the family, it can become a 24/7 terror, especially for new parents. See the article Postpartum Depression & Colic - Risk Factors, Warning Signs by Shoshana Bennett, Ph.D., or My Baby Cried More Than Yours and Noone Knows Why, by Elizabeth Preston. While reflux ruled the world of my second child for nearly two years, with my first I experienced incessant crying, colicky symptoms, and intense fussiness, for at least the first two months. If I didn't go through it myself I might find myself seeing the side of the doubters, but it was a level of crying and discomfort that I really couldn't explain, fix, or wish away; we just had to get through it. That all said, I didn't document this time of my life or how I coped (and frankly blacked out most of it). Fortunately I was recently connected with a very helpful management guide - and extremely accurate title - for parents: How To Soothe Your Colicky Baby Without Losing Your Mind via MomsLoveBest.com and author Jenny Silverstone. Check out an infographic from the guide below and click to learn more. View more colic posts on DWSU and thanks to Jenny for sharing this with us! Learn more about how to soothe your colicky baby at Mom Loves Best ![]()
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Jamie Lee Curtis may have persuaded you to hop on the probiotic train years ago when she was plugging for yogurt. But are probiotics a possible solution for infants with symptoms of colic, reflux, etc.? News came out of Canada recently; a study from The Hospital for Sick Children. According to the Oct. 23, 2014 article: New research led by the Motherisk Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) shows for the first time that probiotics can significantly reduce colic in North American infants. The study assessed the effectiveness of Lactobacillius reuteri DSM 17938 in treating infantile colic in exclusively breastfed Canadian babies. The paper is published in the Oct. 23 advance online edition of The Journal of Pediatrics. The article describes probiotics as supplements, which introduce live microorganisms into the gut, to help regulate intestinal bacteria patterns and suppress inflammation.
Earlier this year, WebMD published news from an Italian study, Probiotic Drops Might Ease Colic. It states that according to Italian researchers, infants given probiotics during the first three months of life appear to have fewer bouts of colic, acid reflux and constipation. However, more research is needed before doctors can "embrace the results." In any case, it's a topic worth following as the debate continues to flare between the "over-diagnosis" of colic and reflux, and the decision to medicate, or wait it out as a natural part of development. ![]() I cleaned out my fridge this week. Now before you go giving me a gold medal for this incredible feat, I had to do this because leftover containers had stacked up so high there was no room for this week's grocery trip. Necessity breeds opportunity I guess. What I found in the back was a bottle of gripe water, leftover from my son's turbulent first nine months of reflux/spitting up, colic and overall discomfort. Now, at 13 months (at the time of this post), I hadn't thought about this staple in quite some time. It brought me back to a truly difficult period, where I put a whole lot of faith in this tiny bottle of fennel water.
Who knows? Maybe just having something that slightly lessens the problem actually counts for more, because it helps calm you and caregivers as well. Call it liquid encouragement of a different kind. And that's what these babies need most: a level-headed person in charge, taking each day as it comes. |
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