What is colic?
Colic is pain and discomfort in a baby’s tummy. It’s a common condition in young babies, usually starting at about two to three weeks and invariably disappearing at about four months old, although it can last up to about six months for some babies. Some studies show that it can affect up to 20 to 40% of breastfed and bottle-fed babies.
What causes colic?
It’s unclear what causes it, but it’s generally thought to result from an immature digestive system, a temporary lactose intolerance, or feeding problems, including swallowing air or trapped wind.
What are the symptoms?
Colic is identified by long bouts of crying over a period of days, which usually start in the late afternoon and sometimes stretch into the evening and beyond. Baby will normally have a very high-pitched cry and will arch their back, drawing knees up to the tummy in discomfort and pain. Cries can then subside, lulling you into believing the pain has gone away, only for the crying to start up again.
How can I prevent colic?
Whilst it can be very difficult to prevent entirely, there are certain steps you can take to lessen the likelihood of your baby developing colicky episodes, or reducing their frequency if they do occur.
Top Tips for preventing & relieving colic:
- If you’re bottle-feeding, opt for vacuum-free, fully-vented bottles. These will prevent your baby from gulping in air when drinking milk. This is a major cause of colic.
- Regardless of whether you breast or bottle-feed, keep your baby in an upright position during feeding to prevent trapped wind.
- Burp your baby well after feeding. After the first burp, give it another 5-10 minutes of winding. You may be surprised to find there’s still more there.
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Coping with colic
There is no definitive cause of colic, so there is no proven cure. But the first step is ensuring your baby really has colic in the first place – so get your baby checked by a healthcare professional. Sometimes, what's written off as colic is really a milk allergy or some other true gastric disorder, like acid reflux. If the baby is on formula, you should ask if changing the brand might help.
Secondly, get help! Swap with your spouse, another family member, or a friend. When trying to comfort your baby, baby-wearing can help. Get a baby sling or wrap, and wear your baby as much as you can. Motion and noise can help settle them down: try some of those tricks everybody tells you about, take the baby for a drive, vacuum, play music, or sit with the baby on the washing machine during the spin cycle.
Don’t try to settle them by feeding them. Sometimes, a baby can overfeed, and you can get into a vicious circle of feeding and wind. Try to have intervals between feedings and watch for signs your baby is hungry as opposed to just crying.
There are over-the-counter remedies that can relieve symptoms for some babies. Get advice from your GP or pharmacist about the best one for your baby. Baby massage comes recommended, as does feeding your baby as upright as possible to prevent trapped wind. Always seek medical advice if your baby has a temperature, vomiting, blood in their stools, a high pitch abnormal cry or feeding problems or symptoms other than just excessive crying.
How Dr Brown’s Optiona+ Anti-Colic Bottles Can Help!
Dr. Brown’s is a long-established, tried and tested bottle brand. The specially designed Options+ Anti-Colic Bottles can help prevent colic - and we all know prevention is better than cure! These bottles are clinically proven to reduce windy colic due to the unique 100% vacuum-free vent system. This system reduces the amount of air swallowed during feeds by cleverly channelling air away from baby’s feed, lessening gas bubbles in the stomach, and slowing down food intake.
Originally devised by a doctor in the USA, now 92% of UK Health Professionals recommend Dr Brown’s Options+ bottles for the relief of colicky symptoms**.
Dr Brown’s bottles are also available in cost-saving bundles, exclusively available from Baby Central. Bundles feature a selection of the most popular and essential baby products, including spare teats, sterilisers, bottle brushes and bottle warmers, all in one convenient, cost-saving package. Buying these complementing products in a bundle can benefit budgeting AND tick lots of those bits and pieces ‘off the list’ in one go. Parents can choose from a variety of sets tailored to different budgets and stages of their baby's development and needs, ensuring they have everything required for feeding, soothing, and caring.
References:
**Research carried out by Mustard Research Ltd amongst a sample of 200 UK Healthcare Professionals during May 2017
If you’re trying to conceive (TTC), you probably know that there are certain foods and nutrients that become especially important once you’re pregnant. But nutrition plays a vital role even when trying to conceive, much like laying a strong foundation before constructing a house.
Certain nutrients create that foundation by supporting egg and sperm health (yes, nutrition matters for both partners), hormone balance and creating a hospitable environment for a fertilized egg to implant. In fact, studies show that certain nutrients can help increase fertility and improve success rates for both natural conception and fertility treatments.
In other words, nutrition is a key player in the TTC journey, but getting the right nutrients in the right quantities can be tricky. That’s where supplements come in. Just as you’d take a multivitamin to fill in nutritional gaps for optimal health, fertility supplements can give you that extra nutrient boost.
Choosing supplements for your fertility journey
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
When choosing a supplement to support your fertility journey, look for science-backed, high-quality ingredients. Our editors are careful to select and partner with brands that use ingredients that have been clinically studied to support fertility. Eu Natural® (pronounced you) covers all those bases and more. We love knowing that Eu Natural® products contain zero artificial additives, binders, or fillers and are lab-tested to ensure purity and potency.
