How to Treat Colic With Natural Remedies
Colic in infants is characterized by a consistent pattern of excessive crying interspersed with periods when the baby behaves normally. During the colic episodes the cries typically are very loud, piercing and persistent. This pattern may last for weeks. It usually occurs during the second week up to the third month of life. Often there is no identifiable cause for the colic. Possible causes are attributed to having too much air in the digestive system, an infection, gastroesophageal reflux, an allergy to milk, or even a hair that is caught around a toe or finger, called a "hair tourniquet." Colic usually disappears by the time the child is 3 to 4 months old.
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Instructions
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Mix a small amount of Rooibos (South African tea) with breast or formula milk for the colicky baby. This remedy has been used for many years in South Africa to ease colic and is recommended by doctors there. [Source: Joubert, E., et al., "South African Herbal Teas: Aspalathus linearis, Cyclopia spp, and Athrixia phylicoide---a review." "Journal of Ethnopharmacology" 2008 Oct 28; 119(3):376-412.]
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Drink one cup of chamomile tea a day as long as the baby is being nursed and colic continues. The effects of this are cumulative, and it might take 3 weeks to take effect. CAUTION: Do not give chamomile to a baby because it can cause an allergic reaction.
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Prepare fennel seed tea using one tea bag in a cup of water. A nursing mother should drink a cup a day and give the baby one teaspoon three times a day. CAUTION: Mothers with any estrogen-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, fibrocystic breast disease or endometriosis should not take fennel seed.
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Make a tea bag with peppermint. Have the nursing mother take one cup a day and give the baby 1 teaspoon three times a day. CAUTION: Do not take peppermint if there is an existing gallbladder problem.
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Examine carefully the diet of a nursing mother. Some babies may be sensitive to foods the mother eats. Common problems come from chocolate, citrus fruits and drinks, caffeine or spices. Other problems that might be passed through the milk come from eating foods that tend to form gas such as beans, cauliflower, peppers, broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
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Improve the mother's digestion if she is breastfeeding by taking 1/2 teaspoon of Lactobacillus acidophilus powder twice a day. If the baby is being bottle-fed, 1/8 teaspoon can be dissolved in his formula twice a day.
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Tips & Warnings
Try each of the above remedies separately. Do not combine them. As with all herbal remedies, the process may not work immediately or with every baby. However, one small double-blind study did find a 57 percent beneficial rate with herbal tea treatment compared to 26 percent in the placebo group. [Source: Weizman, Z., et al., "Efficacy of herbal tea preparation in infantile colic" "Journal of Pediatrics" 1993 Apr; 122(4):650-2.]
The information in this article is not intended to treat, diagnose, recommend or cure any illness. Always check with a physician before taking any products or following any medical advice on the Web. Certain herbs and holistic remedies may not be advised if pregnant or nursing and should be approved by a doctor before use.
- Photo Credit Charles R Anderson
