Diamondguaps

As a nurse-midwife I have been caring babies. One of the common problems I encountered with them is colic. It made my patience stretch to the max specially when I am on night shift. It may as well be any parent’s nightmare.

Babies crying literally for hours, so loud the entire neighborhood can hear. We’ve changed their diapers, breastfeed them, cooed to them, sung a lullaby, then gone back to changing diapers and so on. But little ones is inconsolable. We need to know what is colic?

Colic is characterized by abdominal pain and severe persistent crying, according to Gary G. Laborada, MD., a paediatrician-neonatologist. No one can really say what causes colic. “it is presumed to be instestinal in origin, although the cause is not usually apparent. It may be associated with hunger and swallowed air,” Laborada says. Other suspects: overfeeding which, causes discomfort and stomach distention; food high in carbohydrate content, which produces much gas; and milk allergy, which brings about improper digestion. “

Also, emotions such as fear, anger, worry, or excitement that cause vomiting in an older child may cause colic in infant.” The attack usually begins suddenly, the cry is loud and continuous, the face may be flushed, the abdomen distended, and the legs are drawn up to the abdomen. The feet are often cold and the hands clenched. The attack usually stops when the infant is completely exhausted, but often relief comes with the passage of feces or gas.