Colic in Newborns

After nearly nine months of staying in the mother’s womb, an infant is finally brought out into the world. It is here that the job of both parents becomes challenging, as a baby will cry for more than three hours daily making it impossible to get the much-needed rest.

Doctors refer to the long excessive crying of a newborn as Colic. Until now, research is unable to pinpoint why this happens. There are various theories that explain this.

The first is when the baby ingests air during breastfeeding. Another claims that the infant is drinking too fast which leads to gastrointestinal pain. It is also possible that the food being eaten by the mother is the cause while some claim that the baby’s newborn’s immune system is not yet able to adapt to life outside the womb.

Regardless of what caused it, doctors believe that this is very common among newborn children. This means there is nothing to worry about since this will gradually disappear in the next few months.

Parents should take it as the first step in nurturing and caring for a child. Some believe that if this did not happen, the period of adjustment will be more difficult.

There is single solution to take care of a colic baby. Sometimes, this idea will work while at times it doesn’t. Here are some of the things that parents can try to find out if it works on the child.

1. If the newborn is in the crib, perhaps getting it out and holding or rocking it in one’s arms can do the trick. Sometimes singing a song is effective, as the baby will once again fall asleep.

2. Making the baby burp after breastfeeding can also prevent the infant from waking up.

3. The baby may be hungry so it is time to breastfeed. If the infant is full and the arms are sore from carry, maybe going for a ride in the car or in the carriage can make it go away.

4. The baby’s sensitivity to noise can make it wake up again and cry. This can be prevented by not making too sounds. Playing a CD of classical music can help make the infant get enough rest.

5. Giving the newborn a warm bath can also help it stop crying. The parent should make sure it is not too hot because this could be too much for the infant’s skin.

6. It is never too late to give the newborn a pacifier. This will make the baby think that it is still sucking onto the mother’s breast when it is feeding time.

7. Since Colic is associated with gas pains, the parents can also try using Simethicone drops, which has been proven to be effective for making the newborn stop crying.

8. Lastly, the mother should make some changes in the diet. This is because the food being consumed may produce gas, which is converted to milk and passes to the child.

Colic is nothing serious because it is not even classified as a disease or a disorder. It is part of the growing phase of becoming a parent until the newborn is able to stand and even speak for itself. This is just one of the many challenges that anyone will face should the couple decide to have a family.

Natural Remedies for Colic

Colic is a normal phase in the life of a baby during the first few weeks until the third or fourth month. Doctors believe that the excessive crying makes parents more aware of the responsibility of raising a child.

There is no miracle drug that can help treat colic babies. Parents will just have to face it until the child is able to adapt to the new environment and use some natural remedies along the way.

One of the simplest ones parents can use is music. This is probably the reason why lullabies were invented and those who don’t have a singing voice can get the same thing on compact disc. This should be placed whenever the infant is in the crib, which can help it, sleep comfortably.

Another natural remedy is the diet that the mother is having. Certain foods produce gas and when this is converted to milk, it is like passing on the same thing to the child. A dietitian can make a plan so this will not happen.

If the mother is no longer breastfeeding and is relying on milk concentrates, perhaps switching to soymilk instead of the regular kind can help the colic baby.

Some parents think that the infant can survive on breast milk alone in the first few months. Babies also need water and this should be checked before giving it to the child. A good way to do this will be to read the ingredients on the side of the product label.

When a colic baby is crying, parents will normally carry the child. This works but since motion comforts most infants. If the mother is having a hard time carrying the baby, another way to do this will be to go out of the house.

The woman can put the baby in a carriage or strap it to the car seat so both mother and child can spend quality time in the park or for a joyride.

Babies at a young age also get stressed out. Giving the infant a massage, a warm bath or using aromatherapy can help comfort the infant. The individual can also use a hot bag and put this on the belly and making sure that the water is not too hot.

Babies are colic because of the new environment. No one can blame the infant especially when the home has been the mother’s womb for the first nine months. In order for the baby to slowly adjust, parents can try swaddling or holding the infant close to the chest. This will make the baby reminisce how it was like before.

The various natural remedies are effective. This may not work all the time so the parents should try something different or a variation when things have not improved.

There are of course medications available that can treat colic babies. Parents should consult with the doctor first which one will do the trick before administering it to the infant.

Parents should not panic if the child is classified as colic. This is because it is not a disorder and this is a good indication that the baby is normal. Both the mother and father should be ready for some hard days ahead since there will be a lot of sleepless nights making one feel very exhausted.

What you need to know about left colic flexure

Because of its complex organization, more and more people have always been fascinated with the human body. This fascination is the primary reason why people immerse themselves to study more on the concept of human body, its parts and its seemingly endless mysteries and potentials.

One of the fields where people conduct extensive research is anatomy of human body to be used for medical purposes. Over the years, thousands and even millions of research, experiments, and studies have been conducted in the hope of discovering new illnesses and causes of various diseases in order to provide solutions to these medical problems.

LEFT COLIC FLEXURE AND THE LARGE INTESTINE

Many people do not know that there are several parts of the body that can be possible causes of other illnesses. One of which is the left colic flexure. Defined as the bend at the junction of the transverse and descending colon, left colic flexure is also known as “splenic flexure.”

Experts say that there are basically two colic flexures in the transverse colon: the right colic flexure—the one that is adjacent to the liver—and the left colic flexure—the one that is near the human spleen. The latter, also called as “flexura lienalis,” refers to the junction of the transverse and descending part of a person’s colon and is located anterior to the left kidney and inferior to the spleen.

Located at the large intestine, the left colic flexure is a minor detail but can be quite complicated once it is not given proper attention.

Today, more and more health professionals pay attention to the large intestine because it can be a venue where many other diseases develop. The large intestine—which extends from the ileocecal junction to the person’s anus—is usually 1.5m long. Medical experts say that one can identify the large intestine by bands of longitudinal muscle fibers known as “taeniae coli,” that about 5mm wide on the surface.

Basically, there are three visible bands at the start of the appendix’s base and extend from the cecum down to the rectum. Along its sides, tags of peritoneum filled with fat known, as “epiploic appendages” are present as well as the sacculations known, as “haustra.” These basic characteristics are just some of the features that set the large intestine apart from the rest of the person’s intestinal tract.

Basically, the large intestine is consists of the cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum, anal canal, and anus. The most functional—if not the most important part of the large intestine—is the cecum. The cecum, which is said to be about 6cm long and is a blind cul-de-sac, lies in the right iliac fossa of a person.

This is basically the part of the colon situated below the opening of the ileum into the colon. One can find it right behind the abdominal wall and greater omentum. Here, there is frequent peritoneal recess are present. If there were, retrocecal recess appears behind the cecum, hiding the appendix.

When looked upon closely, one will find that the vermiform appendix that opens into the cecum about 2cm below the ileocecal opening hangs off. Once the cecum is open, once can already identify and locate the opening of the ileum into the cecum. This said opening is usually surrounded by thickened muscle that forms the iliocolic valve.

Although the left colic flexure or the splenic flexure does not play the same role as the cecum, it is a crucial part of the digestive system that needs to be paid attention if needed.