BoooBooo : Homeopathic Medicine Can Help Infant Colic

What is Infant Colic?
Colic is experienced by the baby as severe abdominal pain. The baby pulls the legs up, screams vigorously and is in great distress. Parents try everything to soothe the baby with little success. Many parents end up staying up all night carrying, rocking, and burping their baby, loosing precious sleep and becoming very exhausted and discouraged.
The cause of colic is unknown but it has been suggested that it may be due to acid conditions and production of gas that gets trapped in the gastro-intestinal tract. In breast-feed babies, this can be due to a reaction to foods in the mother's diet like dairy products, wheat, cabbage, or citrus fruits. Even mother’s tension and anxiety can play a role. In bottle-feed babies it may be due to swallowing air and sensitivity to proteins in cow's milk. This condition is typically worse in the evening and may last from a few minutes to several hours and it starts at birth and continues up until the baby is three months old. Colic is also associated with diarrhea, constipation, passing gas, spitting up and more. The baby also becomes very irritable and cries for long periods of time in great distress. Many homeopathic practitioners believe that colic is associated with a weak digestive system that is in a phase of development, as the baby grows the colic pain diminishes and goes away on its own. Homeopathic remedies are meant to help and assist during this transitional period.

What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathic medicine is becoming very popular among parents these days because it is a safe and effective healing system that offers a good alternative to allopathic drugs which can cause side effects. In the early nineteenth century German physician Samuel Hahnemann discovered the 'Law of Similars' based on the principle of 'like cures like.' Homeopathy uses natural substances that, when administered to a healthy person in a crude dose, produce symptoms similar to the condition for which they are treated. Homeopathic medicines are diluted by a special method called 'potentization' that releases their healing potential of the substance. Homeopathic preparations can be obtained by homeopathic pharmacies which follow strict industry manufacturing standards and procedures that ensure the highest quality of these remedies.

Homeopathic Remedies for Baby Colic
Homeopathic treatment can be a real life saver for parents of a colicky baby at a time when they are concerned to find some relief for their baby's pain. Colic most commonly affects infants from about two weeks of age until three months, but babies who suffer from colic during infancy may develop other gastro-intestinal problems later in childhood like food allergies, skin rashes, constipation, and more. This is why homeopathic treatment is very important not only to address the acute discomfort, but also to treat the underlying imbalance and decrease the susceptibility to chronic disease later in life.

How to Administer Homeopathy
Homeopathy can help a baby with colic when the correct homeopathic remedy is selected and administered frequently as soon as the discomfort begins and then less and less often until complete relief is achieved. The best way to treat infant colic is to give a remedy usually selected based on the specific colic symptoms the baby is exhibiting. Refer to a homeopathic practitioner for best results.

Note: If colicky pain is associated with paleness, vomiting, diarrhea or other, please seek immediate medical care.

During episodes, the following homeopathic remedies can be given every 5-15 minutes until improvement is noticed continue for up to 10 doses in a day. There is no harm of giving more if the baby needs it, but do not administer if the baby is doing fine. Be very alert and administer as soon as you notice colic discomfort.

Most Commonly Used Homeopathic Remedies

Colicynthis
The colic pain comes in waves and the baby screams in pain and is better by a firm pressure or tummy massage. The baby likes to be carried tummy-down on someone's arm.

Chamomilla
This remedy is for the impossible child that is angry, peevish and wants to be constantly carried and has green stools.

Magnesia Phosphorica
This remedy helps babies that like warm gentle massage on their tummy and are relieved when the parent pushes the baby’s legs up and down to relieve gas.

Aethusa
This remedy is indicated when the baby is allergic to mother’s milk or cow’s milk.
Usually about one hour after being fed, the baby develops colic pain and may also spit up large curds of milk. Vomiting and diarrhea may also be present.

Discorrea

The baby has colic and lots of gas. You can hear rumbling of gas in baby's belly. This remedy helps the baby that cries inconsolably and arches backwards when in pain.

Is Homeopathic is Safe for Babies?
Homeopathy is classified as alternative medicine, but it has been around for over two hundred years and widely used all around the world. Many natural health practitioners and medical physicians recommend homeopathic remedies for colic pain because they are very effective and safe due to the fact that they are derived from natural substances and are highly diluted. They are also non-toxic without side effects, safe for the entire family including infants.