Mid Sussex Times, 2015
I have had mentioned to me a number of times over my years looking after babies that “colic doesn’t exist” or “colic has no cure as the cause is unknown”.
In some ways I agree when people say this but I also disagree too!
Colic used to be misunderstood and “unknown” but it really isn’t now.
Colic is a label that is generally used for a windy baby that cries a lot with some sort of tummy pain. In this respect it is a useful term that tells people that a baby cries a lot and doesn’t sleep much.
But as far as being useful to helping a baby get better it really isn’t the best term as it simply describes the SYMPTOM a baby has (wind), not the CAUSE or causes behind it. Once you understand the cause of the colic then you can put actions and treatment in place to help that cause and then the colic will ease. It is said that colic will natural pass at 12 weeks although I have very often found this not to be the case and virtually all parents I’m sure are very keen to have a happy, sleeping baby much sooner than 12 weeks.
In my book called Calming Colic I wrote about the 10 causes of colic and each cause can make your baby windy and unhappy. Fortunately each cause is able to be helped with a combination of cranial osteopathy and nutritional advice. Let’s look at a couple of examples.
It is scientifically proven that colicky babies have a different make up of the bacteria in their bowels. The colicky babies have more “bad” bacteria and less “good” bacteria or they have a different balance between the many different types.
What is also scientifically proven is that having a C-section also causes an upset in this good / bad bacteria balance. And so too does a stressful birth.
Another major cause that alters this unfavourably antibiotic use.
Antibiotic use around the time of birth will be essential for either the mother or baby so it is useful to know that steps can be taken to easily correct a colicky baby afterwards.
By simply connecting the dots we can see that C-section or antibiotic use can create a colicky, windy, irritable baby. This means we have the CASUE of a baby’s colic. You might say a baby has “colic because of C-section” or “colic because of antibiotic use”. Others might be “colic because of a long stressful birth”, “colic because of certain trigger foods the breast feeding mother is eating” or “colic because a baby is cow’s milk protein intolerant”.
Another common cause might be if a baby doesn’t have a poo for a few days. They get “colicky” as they become in pain and desperate to fill their nappy, then after they have all is happy again! I hope you can see from this brief introduction that there are causes behind your unhappy baby and I honestly think there is always a cause to be found and once it is found we can look at ways to correct that and get your baby happy a lot quicker than 12 weeks. All my baby patients receive six free e-books I have written and if you email me at christian@theperrymount.com I will email out to you the one on ways of helping an excessively irritable baby.
Christian has been an osteopath and naturopath for 19 years. He set up The Perrymount Clinic in 2009 and specialises in treating babies and children. The Perrymount has won numerous awards and Christian has won the prestigious Complementary and Alternative Medicine practitioner “Community” award for his work with babies. Christian’s mission is to educate parents so they understand there is help for them and their crying, upset, not sleeping baby. In 2014 Christian wrote the book Calming Colic - How To Help The 10 Causes of Colic & since has written numerous other e-books all focused on helping mother and baby. This book is available to purchase at www.calmingcolic.com and you will receive 6 other mother and baby help e-books completely free. Calming Colic takes you through all the reasons a baby can be upset and hoe to help them immediately and even with their future health because colic can be a predictor of future health issues.
Are you struggling with your baby? Did this article help you understand why your baby is upset? We can help! If you live local to Haywards Heath then you may like to bring your baby in for help, if so call us on 01444 410944 or fill out the form below and we will call you back soon. If you aren’t local then your next best option is to purchase The Happy Baby Project which contains all the advice I give parents on how to help their baby now and into the future.
The Perrymount Clinic
Unit 5
Hurstwood Grange
Hurstwood Lane
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH17 7QX
01444 410944
info@theperrymount.com
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