Nursing babies often experience digestive issues or abdominal colic. Colic itself is a condition of abdominal pain that occurs suddenly and comes and goes. In babies, this condition can also be caused by excessive gas in the stomach due to an immature digestive system.
When experiencing colic, babies tend to be fussy, which makes parents anxious. To avoid excessive worry, let's find out the causes, symptoms, and proper handling of abdominal colic below.
How to Recognize Symptoms of Abdominal Colic in Babies
Symptoms in babies experiencing abdominal colic can vary. However, there are typical symptoms that usually appear when the disturbance is occurring, such as:
- There is a tendency for the baby to cry for a longer time than most babies. Since babies cannot talk, they can only express it by crying. When a healthy baby who is not hungry cries for more than 3 hours and this happens for 3 days in a week, it can indicate that the baby has colic.
- The crying shown by the baby is usually due to severe abdominal pain that comes suddenly. Pain from colic can feel like cramps, twisting, or stabbing sensations in different areas.
Besides the general signs above, when abdominal colic occurs, babies can also experience nausea and vomiting. The baby's stomach often feels bloated, accompanied by diarrhea, fever, and a pale face. This should certainly be a point of concern for mothers, especially if the symptoms persist and even worsen.
What Causes Abdominal Colic?
The exact cause of colic is still unknown. However, this condition can occur when a baby feels discomfort in their stomach because, at that age, their ability to digest food is not yet optimal. Excessive gas in the digestive tract, hunger, or being overfed can also cause colic in babies.
Additionally, colic can also be caused by pain resulting from a disturbance in the baby's enteric nervous system, cow's milk allergy, lactose intolerance, or the baby rarely burping.
Handling Abdominal Colic

Usually, abdominal colic experienced by babies can subside on its own. However, mothers can also take the following steps to calm the baby:
- Ensure the child is not underfed or dehydrated
- Give a light massage around the baby's back
- Find the most comfortable position that can soothe the baby's crying
- Swaddle the child so they feel warm and do not exacerbate their bloating
- Bathe them in warm water
- If necessary, provide a suitable pacifier to help calm the baby.
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Place the baby on a bouncer or a specialized baby rocker.
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Soothe the baby by holding them while they are crying.
When to See a Doctor?
If symptoms worsen and the baby frequently experiences nausea and vomiting, appearing limp, then mothers must take them to the doctor. Additionally, if the baby experiences recurring symptoms of abdominal colic too often, mothers must also consult with a healthcare professional to find the right solution.
Tips to Prevent Colic in Babies
To prevent colic in babies, here are some things that can be done:
- Choose a teat that has an anti-colic design to minimize the air swallowed during breastfeeding
- Replace the teat on the baby's bottle if the hole is too small so the baby does not swallow more air than liquid.
- Stay away from cigarette smoke.
- Avoid consuming coffee, tea, and spicy food if the baby is still nursing.
- Pat the baby's back gently to help them burp after eating.
Although colic is not a serious condition for some babies, the fact remains that mothers must be careful so that babies do not experience colic too often.
Now, so that babies do not experience colic and gain a more pleasant nursing experience, ensure you always give the best for your little one. One way is by trusting your mother and baby product needs only to Hegen.
Hegen has an anti-colic teat design equipped with an integrated smart built-in air vent system that helps minimize the amount of air swallowed during nursing. This anti-colic teat feature from Hegen can help reduce the risk of your little one experiencing colic, choking, bloating, discomfort, and breast milk oxidation.
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Reference:
- Colic in Babies: Recognize the Causes, Characteristics, and Ways to Overcome It | https://doktersehat.com/penyakit-a-z/kolik-pada-bayi-dan-cara-mengatasinya
- https://www.alodokter.com/kolik-pada-bayi-ditandai-dengan-tangisan-berjam-jam