Can drinking milk relieve baby's colic?

Written by Liu Li
Pediatrics
Updated on September 15, 2024
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If the baby experiences colic, drinking milk not only fails to alleviate it, but can also easily increase the symptoms. It's best for the mother to give the baby an abdominal massage in a clockwise direction, and also choose some prone positions. It's best to opt for exclusive breastfeeding, as such situations are mostly caused by gastrointestinal overload. Therefore, administering probiotics to the baby can effectively provide relief and further observation can continue. When feeding the baby, it is important to choose a good feeding position and to burp the baby promptly after each feeding.

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Written by Yao Li Qin
Pediatrics
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What are the symptoms of infantile colic?

Infant colic mostly occurs between 2-4 weeks after birth, generally reaching a peak around one and a half months after birth. The symptoms of infant colic primarily include four aspects: firstly, the child will suddenly start crying loudly and inconsolably, which is clearly different from usual. Second, the crying episodes can last particularly long, even up to about three hours, and may occur more than three times a week. Thirdly, these episodes generally occur in the evening or late at night, hence the colloquial term "twilight crying." Fourthly, with colicky infants, conventional soothing methods are ineffective; for example, holding or comforting the baby does not help, and the child continues crying until completely exhausted before falling asleep. This is a typical symptom of infant colic.

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Written by Huang Kun Mei
Pediatrics
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How long does infant colic last?

Intestinal colic is a very common disease and symptom in children, generally affecting 10%-20% of them. It usually occurs two to four weeks after birth, peaks between four to six weeks, and generally improves by four to six months. Once intestinal colic occurs, children will repeatedly cry, so prevention is essential. After each feeding, make sure to burp the child for ten minutes and massage the abdomen clockwise between feedings to prevent gas buildup and alleviate the symptoms of intestinal colic. If a child does suffer from intestinal colic, it is crucial to apply a warm compress to their stomach and massage the abdomen clockwise to relieve the condition.

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
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Can drinking milk relieve intestinal colic?

If symptoms of intestinal colic occur, it is primarily important to avoid consuming milk temporarily. Symptoms can be alleviated by using a hot water bottle or by massage to relieve smooth muscle spasms and intestinal colic. It is also important to keep warm, avoid cold exposure, and drink plenty of warm water. Care should be taken not to consume raw or cold fruits, or chilled beverages, as these may exacerbate the symptoms of intestinal colic in babies. For adults, appropriate medications, including pain relievers, can also alleviate intestinal colic. However, by paying attention to certain details in everyday life, medication can often be avoided. Therefore, diet is crucially important.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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Is pediatric tuina massage effective for intestinal colic?

When infants experience intestinal colic, it is generally due to excessive gas accumulation in the intestinal cavity, where the gas cannot be normally expelled from the body, leading to abdominal pain. Appropriate use of pediatric massage techniques can be employed to treat this condition, which can effectively alleviate the symptoms. Especially, clockwise massaging the abdomen of the affected child has a very clear clinical effect in promoting intestinal peristalsis and gas expulsion. In addition, assisting children with some lower limb exercises can also promote gastrointestinal motility and gas expulsion. If there is abnormal stool, combining oral probiotics to regulate and maintain the intestinal flora can be beneficial. If necessary, medications that promote gastrointestinal motility can also be taken orally to help with gas expulsion.

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Written by Wu Ben Rong
Pediatrics
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Will a baby's stomach make noises if they have colic?

When a child experiences intestinal colic, they often experience severe abdominal pain, and may exhibit behaviors like crying or discomfort. They might also kick around, but usually, there will not be noises of rumbling in the stomach. The rumbling sounds in a child's stomach are usually due to reasons like indigestion which cause the sounds of gastrointestinal motility. When a child eats too quickly and a large amount of air enters the stomach, it can lead to this phenomenon. If the child has started on solid foods, consuming foods that produce a lot of gas can also cause these symptoms. If the child does not show other symptoms such as diarrhea, special treatment is generally not necessary.