colic

As parents, we are constantly bombarded with new information on what we should or should not be doing with our children. Should we use a crib bumper? How long should we face our child’s car seat backwards? Information seems to be changing daily on what is or isn’t right. For me, one such word is probiotics. I feel like it exploded on the scene–all of a sudden there are probiotics for children, probiotic drinks, probiotic yogurt and much, much more. But what exactly are probiotics? What are the side effects of probiotics? And why should my family be ingesting them? Breezy Mama turned to G0-To Pediatrician, Dr. Jon Conti for help on deciphering what this newest food revolution is all about. (Want a hint? Turns out probiotics can help with everything from not getting this week’s cold to supplementing with antibiotics so your tummy stays healthy to soothing a colicky baby. . .)

Colic–no parent really understands the meaning of the dreaded word unless they live through it themselves. When my second child was born, I thought that I had forgotten how much newborns cried–but after rocking, swinging, walking and bouncing her for hours on end, my husband and I realized that something more was going on. Indeed, she was diagnosed with colic. Colic can be a confusing (and frustrating!) condition, so Breezy Mama got in touch with Jacqueline Lawrence the creator of Colic Calm, and mother of two former colicky babies, to break it all down. –Alex

What exactly is colic?
Colic is characterized more by its symptoms than a specific cause. The traditional definition of colic is “A baby that cries for three or more hours per day, at least three times per week, for a three month period”. For some infants the period may last longer, but eventually subsides.

What drove you to formulate Colic Calm?
My son Kian was clearly in pain at about two weeks of age. I tried everything on the market to no avail. Then with some inspiration from homeopathic traditional remedies and in consultation with my pediatrician and homeopathic doctors, I created the formulation now know as Colic Calm. The results were instantaneous. My husband and I had the idea to “productize this discovery” for the benefit of other parents. After all, the beginning of life should be a time of great joy and enjoyment.

What do you think of Dr. Harvey Karp’s theory that there’s no such thing as colic?
Dr Karp’s theory revolves around the concept of a fourth trimester, and to a large degree, deals with the discomfort and anxiety babies feel in their new and unfamiliar surroundings outside the womb. I think Dr. Karp certainly makes valid points but his theory does not address the challenges newborns face with their immature digestive systems. Their stomachs are literally learning to function for the first time. Another theory holds that colic is a digestive issue resulting from or caused by excessive gas or reflux. This makes sense since babies do not have the probiotic bacteria essential for digestion and also have immature muscle function, which is ineffective at performing peristalsis (moving food through the digestive tract). Colic Calm addresses all of these issues through an integrated homeopathic approach. [Read more…] about Understanding Colic