You're familiar with infant colic; even if you don't experience it with your baby, you've heard about it. And in either case, you'd like to be able to relieve it. At Élhée, you know us too; we innovate for the daily well-being of your babies. So, in this article, we've decided to share our tips for understanding the origin of colic, recognizing it, and, above all, soothing it naturally until it disappears.
SUMMARY :
- Infant colic: understanding this common phenomenon
- 7 Natural and Effective Approaches to Baby's Abdominal Pain
- How our grandmothers treated sore little tummies
- 2 innovations that change babies' lives
- Persistent colic: getting help and preserving the family cocoon
Infant colic: understanding this common phenomenon
Infant colic occurs in 10 to 40% of babies , making it a very common reason for pediatric consultations. In the office, parents describe it as episodes of intense , inconsolable , and frequent crying, usually at the end of the day or in the evening , in a healthy baby .
In parallel, according to the Rome IV criteria (a set of standardized definitions used to diagnose functional gastrointestinal disorders), infant colic is medically defined by paroxysms of irritability , agitation or crying occurring without apparent cause, lasting at least three hours each day , three days a week and for at least one week . Finally, they appear around the age of two weeks, and disappear spontaneously around four months.
To explain them, several hypotheses have been put forward, including those of an immaturity of the digestive system (before birth, the baby was fed by the umbilical cord), an imbalance of the intestinal flora (notably due to a lack of bifidobacterium and lactobacilli), food allergies or intolerances ( cow's milk could be responsible for some cases of colic), or even psychosocial factors such as parental anxiety .
To find the best way to relieve infant colic, you must first identify it and exclude other possible causes of crying in your infant: gastroesophageal reflux , infections, neurological disorders or trauma.
6 Natural and Effective Approaches to Baby's Abdominal Pain
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Place a warm hot water bottle or your warm hands on your baby's tummy to relax the abdominal muscles and help pass gas.
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Try abdominal massages performed with the flat of your hand in a clockwise direction on your baby's stomach. You can also gently fold their legs over their stomach or initiate a pedaling motion, which will also help release accumulated gas.
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Thanks to its relaxing effect on the whole body, a 37°C bath can relieve colic pain and the tension that accompanies it.
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Many of you also notice that a lukewarm bottle heated to around 37°C seems to aid digestion .
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Babywearing is also known to calm babies in many situations, such as colic. Here again, warmth plays a role, as does the closeness of the parent and the babywearing itself, through the gentle compression it exerts.
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Creating a calm environment , soft light, lullabies… is just as beneficial in reducing your baby’s stress and, consequently, the symptoms of colic.
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Regarding nutrition, for breastfed infants, consider a diet that eliminates cow's milk protein from your diet with your pediatrician. For bottle-fed babies, ask about hydrolyzed or amino acid -based formulas (Neocate by Nutricia) that are more digestible (Alfaré and Althéra by Nestlé, Pepticate by Nutricia, etc.) than traditional powdered milks.
How our grandmothers treated sore little tummies
And because colic has been complicating babies' lives for a long time, here are some additional anti-colic remedies used by our grandmothers, to be applied today, again and again with love.
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If you are breastfeeding your baby, drink herbal teas made from fennel, chamomile or verbena , which will soothe their little tummy through your milk, which is smeared with each feed.
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Because slings and baby carriers didn't always exist, grandmothers would place their babies face down on their forearms, gently rocking them . This would exert gentle pressure on the abdomen and relieve the pain of colic.
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Sesame oil , known for its antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and digestive-stimulating properties, can help relieve colic when massaged directly onto baby's tummy.
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Sucking can also bring real comfort to babies and help them calm down. So, if you sense that your baby is struggling or in pain, don't hesitate to offer them their pacifier or introduce them to one . By the way, did you know that Élhée has designed its own pacifier for babies? Extra-thin and extra-soft, it is the only pacifier made from 100% medical silicone and made from a single piece!
2 innovations that change children's lives
Several studies , including one conducted by INRAE Occitanie-Toulouse , have demonstrated that certain oligosaccharides naturally present in breast milk can significantly reduce gastrointestinal and visceral pain in babies . How? By modulating the transmission between microbiota, intestine and brain. Enough to imagine ever more digestible milks, for all infants.
For their part, the Élhée anti-colic bottles are already making their revolution! Round, thanks to a unique design close to the mother's breast , flexible, thanks to a bottle entirely made of medical and innovative silicone , thanks to the anti-colic valve with which their teat is equipped , they significantly reduce the quantity of air ingested during feeding , and in the same way, the risks of colic.
Persistent colic: getting help and preserving the family cocoon
Despite all your kindness and all the soothing methods we've just shared with you, sometimes infant colic can be particularly painful and difficult to manage. In this case, don't hesitate to mobilize other resources, both for your baby and for your family life.
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If symptoms persist despite your care, changing the milk or bottle, massages or hot water bottle, if the baby does not calm down, if the crying lasts for hours or if the colic worsens... Consult a health professional, doctor or pediatrician .
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Some studies suggest that osteopathy may help relieve infant colic by reducing pelvic muscle tension and improving intestinal motility .
Finally, because colic can be a source of stress and fatigue for the whole family, it is important that you seek support from friends, relatives, or parenting groups who have already been through it. Throughout these first months, more than ever, take care of yourself, take turns resting, let your other children rest at their grandparents' house... Infant colic is benign and ends up disappearing spontaneously around the age of three to four months.
Élhée baby bottles will accompany your baby from birth to 24 months and beyond, to allow him perfect autonomy, without risk of breakage.
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