Sharp tummy pain which causes baby to pull legs up, scream, and go red in face; may be a reaction to dairy products, wheat, cabbage, citrus fruit, caffeine, chocolate, bananas, oranges, strawberries or spicy foods in mother's diet, or mother's tension and Anxiety; in a bottle-fed baby it may be due to air-swallowing because hole in teat is too small.
Most common form of colic is 3-month colic, typically coming on in evening and lasting anything from a few minutes to several hours; burping or laying baby over knee or shoulder usually has little effect. If baby turns very pale and limp or vomits, or has Diarrhoea, a more serious condition should be suspected; to be on safe side, consult your doctor if there is no improvement in 12 hours.
Specific remedies to be given every 5 minutes for up to 10 doses
- Symptoms relieved by firm pressure on stomach Colocynth 30c
- Symptoms relieved by warmth and gentle pressure Magnesia phos. 30c
- Baby very irritable, screams at slightest movement Bryonia 30c
- Baby impossible to please, but seems to improve when carried around Chamomilla 30c
- Where mother is breast-feeding and grieving or emotionally upset Ignatia 30c
Self-help: If mother's exhaustion is affecting baby, try to arrange for someone else to do the household chores for a day or two and encourage her to remain in bed. Resting will encourage milk production, and drinking more fluids will encourage a better milk supply in evenings and at night. If mother is irritable from lack of sleep, give Nux 30c every 8 hours for up to 5 days. Try rocking the baby in your arms with a hot-water bottle - not too hot - held to the child's abdomen. |
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