Could it be colic? Comforting with Colief one week trial
When your new baby won’t settle, the combination of a crying baby and lack of sleep can lead any new mum to believe they must be doing something wrong.
Parents of colicky babies can try a one-week trial of Colief Infant Drops to help them discover if sensitivity to the milk-sugar lactose could be the root of the problem.
Colic is defined as repeated episodes of excessive and inconsolable crying in a newborn baby which otherwise appears to be perfectly healthy. The condition affects up to 1 in 5 babies and can be incredibly upsetting for all concerned.
Mum of two, Stacey Balfour, shares; “When you can’t stop your own baby from crying, you feel like the worst mum in the world. It drove me crazy and I felt so guilty for getting angry, but I couldn’t help it. It felt so unfair that other people could enjoy the first few weeks with their baby and I couldn’t.” Stacey was driven to the point of exhaustion which coupled with the distress and upset of watching her baby suffer, took its toll on all aspects of her life.
The exact causes of colic are unclear, but one of the first recommended steps is ruling out milk sensitivity when babies show symptoms of colic . A one-week trial of Colief Infant Drops, which contain the naturally-occurring enzyme lactase, can help rule out or identify milk sensitivity. When added to the babies ‘usual milk’ (whether breast fed or formula), Colief breaks down most of the lactose and makes the feed more easily digestible. If there is a noticeable improvement in symptoms in the space of a week, the drops can be used longer term to ease the symptoms.
Dr Sarah Jarvis commented, “As parents, we want the best for our children and that includes soothing them when they cry. When a newborn baby cries no matter what you do to soothe them, it can be upsetting, frustrating and even traumatic.
“Colic causes healthy babies to cry inconsolably and is remarkably common, affecting one in five babies. So you are not alone! Babies’ digestive systems sometimes have a short term problem with digesting the milk-sugar lactose found in both breast milk and formula feeds. This causes excess gas to be produced, which can be very uncomfortable for your baby, causing bloating and wind – so, no wonder they cry! If your baby has colic, consider a one week trial of lactase drops, which you can continue if it helps their symptoms.”
Symptoms of colic to look out for:
A newborn infant crying for at least three hours a day, at least three days a week, for at least three weeks
Drawing up of the knees
Wind
Redness of the face
By four months old, a baby’s digestive system should have developed sufficiently to be able to digest their feeds properly. Parents can start to wean their babies off Colief firstly by halving the drops per feed, then using at alternative feeds, then using for just one feed per day before complete withdrawal.
Priced at £11.99, Colief is available from pharmacies nationwide. For help and advice, call the Colief Infant Drops Helpline visit colief.com.
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