Last Updated on 9 June 2024 by Brisbane Livewell Clinic
The first 3 months of life can be hard work for both Mother and Baby. Infant Colic adds to the challenges, worsening sleep patterns and making breastfeeding difficult. The good news is that the research on probiotics has good evidence for helping colicky babies.
Colic at a glance
Colic is best described as recurrent and prolonged periods of infant crying, fussing, or irritability. (1) Starting at 2-3 weeks of age, peaking around 6 weeks, and in 90% of cases, resolving by 12 to 16 weeks, typical symptoms during these ‘episodes of fussiness’ include: (1)
- inconsolable crying
- irritability
- ‘screaming’ without an obvious cause
- frequently symptomatic in the evenings
- appears red-faced
- drawing up legs
- tensing abdomen
Causes of Colic
Different theories abound when it comes to what causes colic – so there is no simple answer. Many experts look to the diet and gut health as possible contributing factors, including food hypersensitivity, food allergy and gut microflora imbalance. (2) It’s important to note that there is no correlation between the type of feeding (breast vs. bottle) and the occurrence of colic. (3)
Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA):
- Colicky symptoms can also be due to CMPA. Evidence shows that a maternal elimination diet (CM protein-free) in breastfed infants and hydrolysed formula in formula-fed infants can significantly reduce symptoms in babies with colic. (4)
Gut microflora imbalance:
- One hypothesis is that the microbiome has lower diversity and stability in infants with colic. Increased Gram-negative bacteria and lower diversity have been observed in colic patients. (4) It, therefore, makes sense that the role of probiotics has been the focus of much research.
Caution (in case it isn’t just Colic):
- A small percentage of infants may need a medical assessment to check if symptoms represent a serious underlying condition. (5) Colic can become a confirmed diagnosis when there is no evidence of fever, lethargy, excessive vomiting, distended abdomen and poor feeding or weight loss. (6)
Calling all Mums and Dads of Colicky Bubs
Getting Bub assessed also means the chance to troubleshoot some solutions during an appointment. Switching to a hydrolysed formula is an option for formula-fed infants (3), while your healthcare provider can also discuss diet and lifestyle changes for parents. A low-allergen diet for mothers was found to improve colic symptoms among breastfed infants (6) but remember that changes to diet and nutrition should always be discussed on an individual basis, and a restrictive diet is not necessarily beneficial. Other strategies to combat the stress that parents may experience are important since infant colic has been linked to maternal postpartum depression. (1) Since one proposed cause of colic that may affect some infants is maternal smoking or nicotine replacement therapy, (3) getting help with nicotine and smoking cessation should be a priority.
Considering Natural solutions
Probiotics appear to be the best-researched supplement, providing a healthier intestinal microbiota landscape. (5) The approach can differ somewhat for breastfed vs bottle-fed bubs. The research on probiotics has focused on Lactobacillus reuteri (strain DSM 17938), which is found to have a positive effect in reducing daily crying time in breastfed babies with infantile colic. (4) For formula-fed babies, one study found that prebiotics (as opposed to probiotics) added to infant formula decreases the incidence of colic. (4)
As always in natural medicine, the treatment is decided on a case-by-case basis – with evidence-based medicine guiding individual care. It is always best to avoid giving an infant under 6 months of age natural medicine without advice at a minimum, but preferably a consultation and prescription.
Seeking advice early on may seem like a tricky task, so we offer Telehealth appointments for new patients who may find it harder to attend the clinic. Consider the benefits for you and Bub – and get in touch if you need to address colic and keep those calming baby bliss vibes around for the 4th trimester.
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