Does your bottle-fed infant cry often, even though you do not see any reason for it? There is a probability that colic and constipation are the cause. To help your little one, consider using a special baby formula for colic to facilitate the baby’s digestion and improve his or her well-being.
What is baby colic?
Baby colic is a baby’s condition that causes abdominal pain, the consequence of which is crying and fatigue of the baby. The most common colic symptoms include cramping the legs and tensing the body and the abdomen. Colic appears in the first months of a baby’s life and usually disappears spontaneously at around 5-6 months.
So far, the cause of infant colic has not been clearly defined. Both breastfed and formula-fed babies, including the ones fed Anti-Reflux formula, can have colic attacks. Specialists distinguish several reasons for colic:
- immature digestive tract and deficiency of some digestive enzymes (the baby’s stomach and intestines are just “learning” to work efficiently);
- incorrect feeding technique, due to which the infant swallows air with food;
- intolerance to some foods that pass into breast milk from a nursing mother’s diet or intolerance to a selected component of the baby formula;
- hypersensitivity to external stimuli, such as mother’s stress;
- tense atmosphere at home;
- excess of strong coffee and tea on the mother’s menu;
- smoking mother;
- intestinal microbiota disorders.
If colic is suspected, see a doctor who will first rule out other possible diseases. Do not underestimate the problem because many children’s ailments can manifest themselves similar to colic.
Baby formula and infant colic
Do not act hastily when looking for ways to bring relief to your baby. Here are the three crucial points:
- Do not experiment with the infant’s diet, and do not change baby formula in a short time just because the baby has had colic for several consecutive days. Decide on a change in consultation with the doctor.
- Prepare the mixture according to the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging. If you add too much powder to the water, the meal will become too hard to digest and thus may cause constipation in a child.
- Ask the pediatrician about baby formulas for colic.
Baby formulas for constipation differ in composition from classic formulas because they usually contain:
- more fiber, which stimulates bowel movements;
- less lactose, which is hard to digest;
- prebiotics, which provides food for the good bacteria in the intestines;
- different proportions of fatty acids to make them easier to digest.
Still, such products are wholesome meals for infants. Baby formulas for colic and constipation soften fecal masses, restore the balance of the intestinal microbiome, and provide all the necessary nutrients.
Which baby formula to choose?
On pharmacy and store shelves, you can find different formulas for colic and constipation. You can recognize them by the addition of “Sensitive,” “AC,” or “Comfort” in the name.
Here are some of the best organic baby formulas you can consider to give to your baby suffering from colic:
- HiPP Hypoallergenic and HiPP Comfort. Both options are based on organic cow milk but have hydrolyzed (broken-down) proteins and reduced lactose content. Due to removed milk casein proteins, these formulas only contain more digestible hydrolyzed whey protein. Along with a reduced lactose content, this may lead to the baby feeling relief from gastrointestinal ailments. Please note that the HA formula contains partially hydrolyzed protein, which is not suitable for babies with cow milk protein allergy.
- Holle Goat Milk Formula. These mixtures are based on goat milk, which is digested faster and easier than cow milk protein. It contains A2 goat milk protein, composed of smaller molecules. Due to such a composition, the formula helps reduce or avoid colic.
- HiPP Goat Milk Formula. This line is also based on goat milk. Besides, the manufacturer’s products contain probiotics, contributing to a better digestion process.
Some tips on helping your baby cope with colic
How to effectively help an infant with colic? There are many ways to deal with this painful ailment. While you can find a lot of information on this subject, not all of it is reliable and true. Some methods have worked only for a few babies, but there are also those that help more babies during colic. Still, some ways to deal with this condition are described below.
- Hugging and rocking. These are the most common ways to calm the baby. During colic, the baby feels pain, which annoys and frightens it, so it is recommended to gently rock the baby, which has a calming effect, and cuddles it to make it feel safe. Consider also undressing your little one, removing the upper part of the garment, and cuddling the baby directly skin to skin. Thanks to this, you will keep the baby warm while helping it relieve abdominal pain symptoms.
- Soothing noise. Babies respond well to noises that remind them of sounds inside the mother’s womb. The so-called whisbears are suitable for this purpose. These are special humming toys containing sounds of the appropriate frequency. However, if you do not have such a toy, the noise of household appliances, like washing machines or dishwashers, or white noise from the Internet will work just as well.
- Drops for colic. In pharmacies, you can find special drops that help soothe colic symptoms. They should be given as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the leaflet. In difficult times, they help to soothe the baby’s pain, but they should not be used excessively.
In addition, useful accessories for feeding a baby are special anti-colic bottles. How do they differ from traditional models? Bottles of this type are enriched with a system that prevents air bubbles from entering the formula. This is very important because the swallowed air often leads to abdominal pain, bloating, and other gastric problems. Consider purchasing such a bottle for your artificially fed infant to avoid unpleasant symptoms in your little one. Besides, ensure the bottle nipple is always full of milk and does not include air when you feed the baby.
