Colicky Babies
Colic is a relatively common, but highly impactful collection of symptoms. It is not a diagnosis itself, as it could be caused by a number of different things. The NHS defines the parameters of colic as crying for:
3 hours a day
3 days a week
for at least a week
It affects about 20% of babies between 1-4 months of age.
Potential Causes
Digestive discomfort can cause these periods of extended crying. We’ve covered Infant Reflux before- you may see some of the same patterns in your colicky baby. An arching back or drawn up knees might indicate a reflux issue. Silent reflux can cause the same discomfort without stomach contents leaving the mouth, so don’t rule this out if you don’t see physical evidence of reflux.
You can also investigate potential food sensitivities (applicable to both breastfed and formula fed babies) with your health visitor or GP.
Hearing your baby cry so much can be worrying, and can make you wonder if something more serious is going on. Do contact your GP if you are concerned, and attend local baby clinics if you’re unsure about weight gain. The NHS guidance is to call 999 or visit A&E if their cry is especially high pitched, weak, or doesn’t sound like their normal cry.
Can Osteopathy Help?
Some parents have found that cranial osteopathy helps to calm their colicky babies, reducing crying times or improving sleep. Osteopaths work with muscles and joints, so for babies whose symptoms are associated with muscular tension, treatment may be particularly effective. In any case, a baby who cries a lot is likely to have tension throughout their upper body, including the diaphragm (the muscle that lays between the lungs and abdomen). Gentle release for the diaphragm aims to make the baby more comfortable, and reduce the impact of tension on the digestive system, which works closely with the muscle.
You can read more about cranial osteopathy at Flitwick Osteopaths here.
A 2006 study on cranial osteopathy and infant colic concluded that:
The results suggest that cranial osteopathy may be effective in reducing the symptoms of infantile colic. However, further research using a larger sample size and a randomized controlled trial design is needed to confirm these findings.
Support for Parents
Constant crying, especially around bedtime, can be tortuous for parents. It is important to look after yourself while your baby is colicky. If you feel yourself getting wound up, it’s safest to put your baby in their cot for a minute, and step out of the room to allow yourself to calm down. Don’t be afraid to call on friends and family to give you a break in the day if you can. Please contact your GP if you are not coping well.
The tension from the stress, as well as the physical demands of trying to soothe your baby, can cause aches and pains in the upper and lower back, as well as neck and shoulders. We can help with this, and aim to prevent something more complicated developing from the tension.