Do Babies Need Reflux Medication?
Published November 15, 2011 | 
When a friend of mine had her second child, I found out what simple “spitting up” could really be. Her son spit-up like nobody’s business–it was forceful and there was A LOT of it. If you took a turn holding him, you needed to have some kind of protection on. And, if he was down on the ground (he started crawling at five months), you could easily find him by following the puddles of spit-up. He was what’s called, “a happy spitter.” He never cried, he never let it stop him–he would just up-chuck and move on. I would ask my friend, “Are you sure he doesn’t have reflux? Are you sure nothing’s the matter?” And she would always assure me that he was fine, that she asked the pediatrician, and for whatever reason, he just spit-up a bunch.
So, with this experience in mind, I find it interesting that Continue reading
Studies Show That Natural Ingredients Can Help With Colic
Published April 1, 2011 | 
A new study which was published on March 28, 2011 in Pediatrics online magazine shows that in clinical trials, relief of colic was seen with fennel extract, herbal tea and sugar water–two of which are found in Colic Calm (sugar is NOT in the Colic Calm formula). Both fennel, which calms and soothes and acts as a digestive aid, as well as chamomile, which also has calming and soothing properties (and can be found in herbal teas) are in the Colic Calm formula.
Although it is reported that the trials do have limitations (i.e. too few patients or not being double blinded) pediatricians agree that these natural ingredients are safe to give to babies, so there is no harm in doctors recommending them.
An article in U.S. News quotes, “”It’s reasonable for parents to consider those kinds of interventions for which there is some suggestion of benefit but no known risks,” said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York.”
Colic causes misery for both parents and babies alike, yet researchers have Continue reading
What is Craniosacral Therapy and How Does it Help with Colic?
Published January 4, 2011 | 
Craniosacral therapy–it’s a mouthful, and if you’re like most people, you may have no idea what it is. But, for those of you with a colicky baby, tune in, because it could help your child.
Wikipedia defines craniosacral therapy as, “Craniosacral therapy (also called CST, also spelled CranioSacral bodywork or therapy) is an alternative medicine therapy used by osteopaths, massage therapists, naturopaths, and chiropractors. A craniosacral therapy session involves the therapist placing their hands on the patient, which allows them to tune into what they call the craniosacral rhythm. The practitioner claims to gently work with the spine and the skull and its cranial sutures, diaphragms, and fascia. In this way, the restrictions of nerve passages are said to be eased, the movement of cerebrospinal fluid through the spinal cord is said to be optimized, and misaligned bones are said to be restored to their proper position.”
In layman’s terms–trauma in a person’s life can cause the cerebrospinal fluid to be blocked–craniosacral therapy, through gentle massage and touch, can release it. Although craniosacral therapy can be performed on people of all ages, it’s especially useful for babies because it’s non-invasive. Continue reading
Is Colic “Normal?”
Published December 10, 2010 | 
A recent Canadian study states that colic is normal–that not just babies, but every mammal, goes through it. However, pediatric chiropractor Dr. Chris Chlebowski, who specializes in colic, disagrees. He says, “Practitioners of natural medicine have long stated that what a mother eats, and therefore exposes her baby to, through her breast milk, is the most common cause of colic.” Chlebowski goes on to say that, “95% of colic symptoms are due to the types of food mothers are eating or the formula they are feeding their infants.”
So, essentially, what we’re being told is, Continue reading
Colic–Telling it Like it Is
Published September 13, 2010 | 
Babble recently posted a story on colic–and what I love about it is that 1) the story is from the Dad’s point of view and 2) he really tells it like it is. The author point blank talks about how awful colic is, how hard it can be to bond with a baby whose constantly crying, and how it can make every day worse than the last. Fortunately, it gets better–there IS a light at the end of the tunnel, which can be hard to believe. To read the story, click here.
Breastfeeding and Colic
Published September 7, 2010 | 
This photo shows proper latch.
A recent headline caught my attention, “Breastfeeding is a Cause of Colic.” What?!? We’ve all read that “breast is best” (it even says it in Similac literature) so why would do something that was so good for your baby, cause something so terrible as colic? I continued to read and was interested to find out that it’s not so much breastfeeding–it’s the way that you may be doing it. As a mother of two who nursed both kids until they were one, I feel that I’m somewhat of a veteran. But after reading the aforementioned article, I realized I still had a lot to learn.
First, lets make sure we’re on the same page as to what colic is. Wikipedia defines it as:
Colic (also known as infant colic, three month colic, and Infantile colic) is a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or screams frequently and, for extended periods, without any discernible reason. The condition typically appears within the first two weeks of life and almost invariably disappears, often very suddenly, before the baby is three to four months old, but can last up to 12 months of life. It is equally common in bottle-fed and breastfed babies. Continue reading
Coping with Crybabies
Published August 19, 2010 | 
I recently came across a book review in the online journal, The Jerusalem Post. It was the title that caught my eye, “How to Cope With A Crybaby.” Now, I know that there can be a little lost in translation, but I thought the title was a bit cruel–though I’m sure that wasn’t the intention. The book, written in Hebrew, is called Lama Tinokot Bochim? (Why Do Babies Cry?,www.kingbooks.co.il) and, as the review says, it “. . . focuses specifically on how to reduce babies’ crying – which is probably what makes the parenting of newborns most difficult.”
Reading on, the author of the review says that, “While most of the advice they give is scientifically based, they include some techniques such as Bach flowers and other essences, chiropractic, craniosacral, homeopathy, osteopathy and other complementary medicine techniques that have not been scientifically proven to help reduce crying.” Which I think Continue reading
Colicky Baby? Try Aromatherapy.
Published June 11, 2010 | 
In a previous post, I wrote that infant massage would help a colicky baby to relax. To make it even more effective, you could add some essential oils and go the aromatherapy route. I found the following “recipes” for essential massage oil online–the oils work together to help release the gas that is trapped in baby’s abdomen. To make your child completely melt with relaxation, add a aromatherapy bath as well. The ingredients for those are below too. It’s interesting to see that there are so many variations–choose which one works best for you. (Note: You’ll see that Colic Calm and the recipes below share many of the same ingredients. So if you combine the two–Colic Calm and an aromatherapy rub–you’ll have one happy infant!)
From Wellsphere:
Abdominal massage can bring great relief and help release trapped gas. Infant massage is best done Continue reading
Does Infant Massage Relieve Colic?
Published June 9, 2010 | Who doesn’t like a good massage? Nothing takes away life’s stress like someone rubbing you and getting the kinks out. Why would babies feel any different? Infant massage has been gaining more and more popularity over the years, and now it seems as if massage can help colic too.
No one knows exactly what causes colic. The University of Michigan Health System‘s website states, “No one is really sure, but there are a few suspected causes, such as intestinal gas, food sensitivity or allergy, or an immature nervous system. This last idea speculates that Baby’s immature nervous system can’t handle the stimuli of everyday life, and that crying is their only way of communicating this “overload.” An opposite hypothesis is that Baby needs more stimulation, and gets it through crying. Colic is mysterious, but not harmful to your baby.” What does seem certain is that many times there is trapped air and gas, and baby’s tummy is rigid and tense, so it would make sense that you’d want to try and work that gas out, and ease your baby’s pain by skin to skin touch. This is where massage enters. Continue reading
Stressed? Try Homeopathy.
Published June 5, 2010 | 
If you’re on this site, chances are you know first hand the healing capabilities of homeopathy–you’ve tried the natural solution for your baby by using Colic Calm and it’s worked. Or, perhaps you’re looking to try it. If so, you too, believe in the power of homeopathy. Your baby has colic, and you have had many a sleepless night, pacing your home, bouncing a crying baby up and down and perhaps shedding a few tears as well. As a result, I’m willing to bet you’re pretty darn stressed.
So why not try a Continue reading
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