Colic - what is it and what can be done to help?
Colic
You may have heard someone describe their baby as ‘colicky’, but what is colic?
Infantile colic is a condition occurring in an otherwise healthy, well-fed infant with crying or fussing for more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week and for more than one week (1).
It can happen to any baby whether they are breastfed, formula fed, or mixed fed (1). It is also quite common, affecting 1 in 5 babies under the age of 3 months.
For many new parents, colic can cause a lot of stress, anxiety and exhaustion. Babies who have persistent crying problems, such as colic, may also be at risk of having issues with ADHD, learning difficulties and negative emotions later in childhood (2).
Crying is a normal and important behaviour for a newborn baby. It helps them express that they need something o they are feeling some kind of discomfort. But the trouble is, it is often tricky to work out exactly what it is that a crying baby needs (1).
What causes colic?
Despite many years of research, there is no solid understanding of what causes a baby to experience colic.
However, research has shown that there is a significant difference in the gut bacteria of colicky babies verses babies who are not (1). Babies with colic seem to have less diversity of gut bugs and are slower to increase diversity from birth.
Can it be treated?
Probiotic therapy has been effectively used to manage colic in babies. The specific strain, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 has been shown to reduce crying time in exclusively breastfed babies with colic in just 3 weeks (3).
Unfortunately, the same effect was not seen in formula-fed babies. This is possibly because there is a significant difference in gut flora between breastfed and formula-fed babies (2).
Dietary changes such as using specialised formulas and cutting out dairy products and soy from mum’s diet have not shown to reduce crying time in babies. So, you don’t need to go pulling out food groups from your diet so that you can breastfeed your colicky baby.
So, what now?
Coping with a crying unconsolable is tough. If you are going through this, seek support. Connect with other parents. See your local health practitioner. And if you would like to talk about how to manage your baby’s colic with probiotics, make a booking for a friendly and informed chat here.