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Infant colic can be one of the most devastating experiences for young parents. Bringing a soul into the world is the most beautiful miracle that can happen in a parent’s life and for months parents are looking forward to the day they can look into their new baby’s eyes and hold them and fall in love in a way they never imagined. Bonding early with your new baby is a joy and has the ability to stop time and put you in the present moment like no other experience. When this is interrupted and compromised by infant health issues, this can be a heart breaking time in a parent’s life. Colic is one of the most common health challenges and when you can’t console and comfort your newborn it can create a dark cloud over an otherwise wonderful experience and prevent the sweet bonding that had been dreamed of for months.
“Colic (also known as infant colic, three month colic, and Infantile colic) is a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or screams frequently and, for extended periods, without any discernible reason”. This definition is a common one when you start researching colic. The truth is many cases of colic can be figured out, treated and corrected in a relatively short time. We have seen numerous cases of colic over the years and have been able to make a huge difference in the infant’s and parent’s lives and help remind them once again of the miracle that has been gifted to them.
A detailed history can show if there have been any reasons during the pregnancy and birth process as well as during infancy that have created a “digestive insult” to the infant’s developing and sensitive digestive system. Babies with colic are uncomfortable and finding out what that discomfort is will help alleviate the problem. Digestive discomfort, pain and headaches can be part of that. Certainly having your pediatrician rule out reflux and other conditions that may require medical evaluation and treatment are vital. The problem is that many times these evaluations don’t show anything and that is when parents contact our office.
Medications during the pregnancy and birth process can compromise the developing gut microflora of the infant and cause digestive issues that are very uncomfortable. Infant probiotics can be wonderful in optimizing gut ecology and decrease the symptoms of digestive distress. The birthing process can be very traumatic for the infant and cause musculoskeletal issues that cause pain just like injuries in children and adults. Gentle craniopathy and chiropractic evaluation and treatment can be extremely helpful. Obviously the techniques used on infants are very gentle and appropriate for their size and specific needs. Some gentle techniques that look and feel like massage can be shown to parents to do at home.
Testing mom (if nursing) and baby for food sensitivities and starting an elimination diet can help create breast milk that is much easier for the baby to digest and cause much less digestive stress. Combined with appropriate probiotics for mom and baby, this approach has been very helpful for many infants. Colic need not be something that we have to wait for to go away on its own. Being able to help alleviate the pain of colic and allow the miracle of a newborn child to again pull at our heart strings and let that special bond progress in a renewed and joyful way, has been a great joy and honor in our practice. We are so thankful for the opportunity to be able to help in these situations. Happy Father’s Day!
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