Alicia Santamaría, doctor in Pharmacy and head of technical training at Laboratorios Ordesa assures that infant colic affects one in four babies during the first months and usually appears in the first 15 days of life. It is produced by the immaturity of the baby’s digestive system, by an excessive accumulation of gases at the intestinal level due to its limited ability to digest and absorb food. Sometimes it is accompanied by regurgitation and / or constipation. Generally, it usually disappears at 3-4 months of life, as the infant’s digestive system gradually matures.
The symptoms? Irritability, restlessness, inconsolable crying and abdominal pain that appear more frequently in the afternoon or evening. They can be episodes of more than 3 hours of crying, a minimum of 3 days a week, for at least 3 weeks.
Action tips? According to Alicia Santamaría, try to stay calm and stimulate the baby’s relaxation. “Baths with warm or hot water can be beneficial, as well as singing a lullaby, rocking it in the crib … Infant massages are also useful and keeping the baby upside down supported in the palm of the hand to favor the expulsion of the accumulated gases ».
He recommends consulting with the pediatrician about the possibility of using any of the infusions for children that favor the digestive process , or, in the event of artificial lactation, infant formula with formulas that are easily digested and absorbed to reduce gas formation and promote maturation of the tract. digestive, known as AC (Anti Colic). In the case of nursing mothers, the mother can also take this type of preparation.
Constipation problems
For the breast-fed baby, infusion-type preparations based on fruits that favor intestinal transit can be used. Diluted in small amounts help hydrate baby’s feces so they are softer and easier to pass.
If the baby consumes infant milk, the pediatrician may advise opting for type AE (better known as Anti Constipation), especially if they include ingredients present in breast milk that promote intestinal transit and decrease the consistency of feces, such as ß -palmitate, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA-CL), prebiotics (fructooligosaccharides) or nucleotides.
When complementary feeding has already started, a good option is to use fiber-rich cereal porridges made from whole grains in baby food .
Massaging the abdomen clockwise and lukewarm baths can help baby regulate intestinal transit and facilitate bowel movements, as well as relax him.
Regurgitation
Digestive disorder that consists of the effortless exit of the stomach contents to the mouth. It can be frequent or occasional, and is usually because the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach has not yet closed completely, or is closing improperly. In most cases, it is usually a problem related to the maturation of the infant’s digestive system, and usually disappears during the first semester of life.
Dr. Alicia Santamaría recommends placing the baby in an inclined position, “for example in the hammock or with a wedge under the mattress to encourage food to remain in the stomach and make it difficult to get out. Also, try not to move it much after the shots ».
In the event that the pediatrician considers it appropriate, infant formula AR (Anti Regurgitation) can also be used. “As they are thicker, it is more difficult for them to leave the stomach, helping to reduce the number and volume of regurgitation,” says Alicia Santamaría, from Ordesa Laboratories. In addition, some of them contain nutrients present in breast milk such as omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, prebiotics, probiotics and nucleotides, some of them related to the development of the digestive system and the decrease in regurgitation. ”
