Digestion problems and colic

Some people have problems digesting milk protein or milk sugar (lactose intolerance). However, these problems are very rare in babies. Until your health professional can evaluate your baby, it is usually not advisable to switch formula or stop breast-feeding as a means to remedy suspected food digestion problems.

Research indicates that a vast majority of babies diagnosed with colic do not have health problems that affect digestion.¹ However, a variety of factors can cause some degree of abdominal gas, which can make crying worse.

Causes of abdominal gas

• Swallowing air when sucking. A baby may swallow excess air during bottle-feeding if he or she drinks too rapidly or is lying down or if the nipple has holes that are too big. For more information, see the topics Breast-Feeding and Bottle-Feeding.
• Swallowing air when crying. A baby who cries for an extended period, especially if it is intense, can swallow extra air.
• Position. Babies may trap intestinal gas while lying on their backs. Babies should always sleep on their backs to reduce the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, when your baby is awake, you may help prevent or relieve some abdominal discomfort by holding your baby upright or allowing some "tummy time" while you closely supervise.
• Improper feeding. Babies younger than 12 months of age are not given regular milk because it contains more lactose than their bodies can break down. The excess lactose passes into the large intestine and is converted to intestinal gas. Similarly, babies who are fed infant cereal too soon (before 4 months of age) or juice (before 6 months of age) often produce excess intestinal gas. Babies younger than 4 months of age are not able to digest the starch in cereals. Also, many juice varieties contain too many carbohydrates for babies to digest and can cause discomfort and excessive crying.²

Relieving abdominal gas

• Use the proper position during feeding. Feed your baby in a partially upright position, and put him or her in a baby seat for about a half hour after feeding. Be sure to burp your baby during and after feeding.
• Massage your baby. Lay your baby on his or her abdomen across your lap and massage his or her back after feeding.
• Put a warm towel on your baby's abdomen. Warm the towel in the microwave or the dryer. Be sure to check the temperature with your hand. Do not use a hot-water bottle.

If your health professional has prescribed medication to reduce gas, use it exactly as prescribed.

Citations

1. Overby KJ (2003). Crying and colic section of Pediatric health supervision. In CD Rudolph et al., eds., Rudolph's Pediatrics, 21st ed., pp. 34–35. New York: McGraw-Hill.

2. Duro D, et al. (2002). Association between infantile colic and carbohydrate malabsorption from fruit juices in infancy. Pediatrics, 109(5): 1–15.