Until you have held a baby who is screaming from the pain of Colic, it is hard to appreciate just how painful a condition it is!
Colic simply means sharp, spasmodic stomach pains or cramps. Homeopathic treatment is highly effective in treating Colic in Babies. Colic is essentially due, to the immaturity of your baby’s Digestive System. If you think about it, your baby has been in the womb for approximately nine months, and food is delivered pre-digested, but all that changes…
Breastfed babies usually suffer less with Colic; because the milk they are drinking is totally adapted to them. Cow’s milk or Formula is harder for a baby to digest and will have a slightly soporific effect (make baby sleepy) which might seem like a good idea! I know! I know! I had colicky babies of my own! Cow’s milk was designed for a calf; who has to grow fast, babies don’t. Because of the large molecules in Cow’s milk, it can lead to Leaky Gut Syndrome and Allergies.
Colic can vary from baby to baby, but the typical pattern is crying starting in the evening and sometimes continuing into the night. It is really distressing. For a mother to see her baby in such pain is very difficult. Colic is not life threatening except in the case of intussusceptions, (part of the gut telescopes up over the other, symptoms are extreme pain, and stool like redcurrant jelly, urgent medical attention is needed.)
To get the right Remedy, you need to describe to the Homeopath, whether your Baby is also suffering from constipation; whether they want to stretch backwards or are they pulling their legs up to their tummy. They can have green stools or loose motions; or they can become extremely cross and nothing will soothe them.
Colic can also be caused by the drugs administered during Birth.
The most widely used Homeopathic Remedies are Cham., Coloc., Dios., Mag-M.,and Secale.
Some practical tips!
As the relationship between Mother and Baby is so close, you also need to keep your own health in mind. If you are shattered after the birth, keep house work to the minimum. Just prepare food and rest. If you find visitors a problem, suggest a time when a couple of friends could come together and keep it short. When the baby does get to sleep, you must relax! Don’t use it to buzz around and catch up. When you feel stronger you can do that.
The foods you eat could affect your baby; the main culprits are dairy products, caffeine (in Coca cola, tea and coffee.) Alcohol, spicy foods, the onion family, all the cabbage family, green peppers (!), strawberries, oranges or grapes (stoned fruits). But please don’t think you must remove all these foods from your diet! You take one at a time and see if that improves things; then try another…. Keep it simple, digestible and bland for a bit. If you find a glass of wine helps then by all means have it! Moderation is the key word.
- After you feed the baby, help her to wind, by holding her up on your shoulder.
- Gentle pressure on the tummy may help, on a towel on your knee, face down.
- Or face down with your knees slightly open to relieve pressure.
- Helping your baby to Poo, by gently massaging its tummy in clockwise direction.
- Boiled Fennel or dill seeds, ½ a teaspoon in a pint of water, strained and cooled, from a teaspoon.
- Offer boiled, cooled water as babies are sometimes thirsty, not hungry.
- Experiment with how you hold the baby, they might not have the nipple in right.
Don’t.
Let the baby get really hungry as they can swallow air and cause Colic.
Don’t give Gripe water .It has a lot of Alcohol!
Don’t have the wrong teat size as this can cause air swallowing.
All of these things are hints and tips that have been tried and tested; you just need to experiment and find what works for you. Our Clinic has had plenty of experience with Colicky babies so don’t be shy!
Minding a small baby can be the most fabulous job in the world but also the most exhausting…. Homeopathic Remedies are of course COMPLETELY SAFE for you and Baby.
Dad’s come into their own at these times so don’t shoo them away, hand the baby over for half an hour. They won’t have been with the baby all day and it can just change the Dynamic.
Sue Prickett www.thecastleclinic.ie
