Colicky Baby

the SAFE ... EASY ... CHEAP ...FIX

This article is offered by A GRANDFATHER (Scott Clayton) for whatever information value (and assistance) it may provide to any MOTHER, FATHER, or GRANDPARENT  tormented by a colicky baby.

TORMENTED is the operational word.

Colic is defined as uncontrollable, extended crying in a baby who is otherwise healthy and well-fed. Every baby cries, but babies who cry for more than three hours a day, three to four days a week, may have colic.

In general, Colic appears two to four weeks after birth, and lasts 10 days to three months, though it always seems longer, and in some cases actually is.

Roughly 20% of babies get colic, with boys and girls equally afflicted.

The primary symptom of colic is continuous crying for long periods of time. Although this crying can occur at any time, it usually occurs after feeding and worsens in the evening. Although many physicians do not believe colic is due to pain, a baby with colic may look uncomfortable or appear to be in pain. If an adult demonstrated many of these same symptoms, his Physician would probably put him on medication for acid reflux disease. Of course, a baby can't tell anybody where or exactly what hurts. (The group of individuals known as physicians...have been known to operate on babies without anesthetic, both within and outside the womb. Think not? ... what pain killer is a baby routinely given prior to circumcision ...ASK YOUR DOCTOR!) A baby may lift his/her head, draw his/her legs up to his/her tummy, become red in the face and pass wind. Some babies refuse to eat. Difficulty falling and staying asleep is also common.

The main problem with the condition is the stress and anxiety it creates within the home. Parents and other family members may find it difficult to cope with the constant crying. Young, inexperienced and /or relatively isolated parents (those without good support systems or avenues of "escape" from the constant crying) may, and often do, "snap" under the strain of noise and lack of sleep, hurting the baby in the process.

The cause of colic, as I understand it, is an undeveloped digestive system. For whatever reason, the digestive system of the colicky baby has not begun to make enough digestive enzymes for the baby's system to cope with food...primarily milk. The baby is in pain because it's tummy is filled with food that will not break down for assimilation.

At this point, we, the concerned adults introduce a time honored harmless, gentle, effective digestive herbal remedy to the mix. This is an enzyme that will not affect the normal development of a child's digestive system, and that can be discontinued when it is no longer needed, without any undesirable side effects.

The Fix

Over the past 30 years we (our family, friends, and associates) have dealt with numerous (over 25) colicky babies.

This is a very small sample and by no means statistically significant. HOWEVER, the following plan worked EVERY TIME IT WAS USED, WITHOUT EXCEPTION. As greater numbers of parents use the technique, these statistics may change, but they may not...I cannot say for certain.

In addition to holding and comforting the child ... as any loving parent is inclined to do when a baby cries for an unknown reason :

1. Buy some "papaya enzyme tablets" at a health food store ... these are not expensive, nor are they harmful in any way. The ones we have always used contain papaya, and/or papain, and generally some milk sugar. They are uncoated. [Links at the bottom of the page for internet shoppers]
2. Contact your pediatrician and confirm that the ingredients listed on the label will not be harmful to your child, particularly in the amounts listed below. FEEL FREE TO TELL YOUR PHYSICIAN WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO. TELL HIM/HER THAT IT IS AN EXPERIMENT AND ASK IF THERE IS ANYTHING TO LOSE. FOLLOW YOUR PHYSICIAN'S ADVICE.
3. For "breast fed" babies ... {MOM...PLEASE NOTE: there is nothing "wrong" with your milk. The baby just needs a bit of assistance digesting it at this point in his / her development} Crush up one of the papaya tablets and dissolve it in an ounce or so of water. Using  a baby dosage dropper (like a huge eye dropper) give the baby 15ml of the liquid just before feeding, and the same amount in the middle of feeding. Babies normally like the taste, which is sweet and mild. The objective is to give the baby enough of the enzyme mixture to make digesting the milk easier and less painful.
4. For bottle fed babies: Add 30ml to each bottle of formula, before feeding. ( I am uncertain how long in advance the papaya enzyme mixture can be added to the formula. We have added it 5 to 30 minutes in advance, but I have no other experience to draw upon.)
5. For either bottle fed or breast fed babies, give 15 ml of the mixture at the onset of crying. Anticipate rapid, if not instant pain relief together with cessation of crying.

Results are normally evident within minutes.

Discontinue use after a month or so, or when they no longer seem necessary.

As for other uses for the papaya enzyme tablets, we use them to counteract:

• indigestion (for ourselves),
• bad breath caused by poor digestion (ourselves, our grand children, our dog ...they make great "puppy tic-tacs".)

Papaya enzyme tablets are available at most health food stores, including GNC, Wild Oats, Vitamin Cottage, etc. Most major vitamin distributors sell a "house brand", which seems to work comparably to other brands. Stick to the ones containing papaya, papain, and sucrose. Other ingredients may or may not work, but we have had success with this formulation.

Vitamin sellers on the web who carry papaya enzymes ... not a complete list, just three easy choices. You will need to use their search engines to find papaya after you arrive at the site.

Puritan's Pride Website       

Vitamin World Website

Vitamin Shoppe Website