Is Infantile colic compatible with breastfeeding? Do we have alternatives for Infantile colic?

Infantile colic

February 1, 2017 (Very Low Risk)

The causes of infant colic are not well understood, yet it is known that it is not a disease with spontaneous disappearance around 3-5 months of age. Infant colic, as a source of anxiety, is a risk factor for cessation of breastfeeding (Howard 2006).

There is a controversy on whether breastfeeding affects the frequency of infant colic, for some authors breastfeeding would pose a preventive and / or curative factor (Saavedra 2003, Howard 2006, Canivet 2008, Yalçın 2011, Cohen 2012). However for others it does not (Clifford 2002, Johnson 2015).

It has not been well established whether maternal feeding would affect infant colic in spite that some authors recommend a variety of modifications of maternal diet (Aksoy 2016). There is some level of consensus on that some cases of colic may improve by suppressing cow's milk from mother’s diet (Jakobson 1983, Kenny 2016, Vandenplas 2016), yet the latter is not shared by others (Evans 1981, Carranza 2010, Pärtty 2015).

Parent smoking may be a factor for increased risk (Reijneveld 2005).

Based on several well-designed studies, meta-analysis and opinion by experts it is well known the ineffectiveness of the use of probiotics (Sung 2013 and 2014, Pärtty 2015), herbal teas, body manipulations or acupuncture (Savino 2014). Likewise, allowing the baby to burping after a feeding, (Kaur 2015) is not effective on treating or preventing infant colic.
Trying to manage it with the use of herbal teas increases the risk for stopping breastfeeding (Jain 2015).

Whatever case, suppression of breastfeeding should be never recommended (Toca 2015, Morais 2016, Vanden Plas 2016).

Very Low Risk

Compatible. Not risky for breastfeeding or infant.

Low Risk

Moderately safe. Mild risk possible. Follow up recommended. Read the Comment.

High Risk

Poorly safe. Evaluate carefully. Use a safer alternative. Read the Comment.

Very High Risk

Not recommended. Cessation of breastfeeding or alternative.

Synonyms

  • Baby colic
  • Colicky Pain of Infancy
  • Infant colic

References

  1. Aksoy Okan M, Gunduz M, Okur M, Akgun C, Esin K. Does maternal diet affect infantile colic? J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2016Abstract
  2. Morais MB. Signs and symptoms associated with digestive tract development. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2016Abstract
  3. Kenny P. [Excessive crying in infants in the first months of life: review]. Arch Argent Pediatr. 2016Abstract
  4. Vandenplas Y, Alturaiki MA, Al-Qabandi W, AlRefaee F, Bassil Z, Eid B, El Beleidy A, Almehaidib AI, Mouawad P, Sokhn M. Middle East Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis and Management of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in <12 Months Old Infants. Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr. 2016Abstract
  5. Kaur R, Bharti B, Saini SK. A randomized controlled trial of burping for the prevention of colic and regurgitation in healthy infants. Child Care Health Dev. 2015Abstract
  6. Pärtty A, Lehtonen L, Kalliomäki M, Salminen S, Isolauri E. Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG therapy and microbiological programming in infantile colic: a randomized, controlled trial. Pediatr Res. 2015Abstract
  7. Johnson JD, Cocker K, Chang E. Infantile Colic: Recognition and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2015Abstract
  8. Toca Mdel C, Sosa P, Aprigliano G, Furnes R, Marchisone S, Mora M, Orsi M, Saieg G, Tabacco O, Wagener M. [Management of the most frequent functional gastrointestinal dis orders in healthy infants]. Arch Argent Pediatr. 2015Abstract
  9. Jain K, Gunasekaran D, Venkatesh C, Soundararajan P. Gripe Water Administration in Infants 1-6 months of Age-A Cross-sectional Study. J Clin Diagn Res. 2015Abstract
  10. Sung V, Hiscock H, Tang ML, Mensah FK, Nation ML, Satzke C, Heine RG, Stock A, Barr RG, Wake M. Treating infant colic with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri: double blind, placebo controlled randomised trial. BMJ. 2014Abstract
  11. Savino F, Ceratto S, De Marco A, Cordero di Montezemolo L. Looking for new treatments of Infantile Colic. Ital J Pediatr. 2014Abstract
  12. Sung V, Collett S, de Gooyer T, Hiscock H, Tang M, Wake M. Probiotics to prevent or treat excessive infant crying: systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2013Abstract
  13. Comité de Lactancia Materna AEP. Preguntas frecuentes sobre lactancia materna. Folleto. 2012 Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  14. Cohen Engler A, Hadash A, Shehadeh N, Pillar G. Breastfeeding may improve nocturnal sleep and reduce infantile colic: potential role of breast milk melatonin. Eur J Pediatr. 2012Abstract
  15. Yalçın SS, Kuşkonmaz BB. Relationship of lower breastfeeding score and problems in infancy. Breastfeed Med. 2011Abstract
  16. Carranza-Lira S, Uribe-Medina A, Ogando-Suárez M. [The effect of milk products consumption in mothers during breastfeeding]. Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2010Abstract
  17. Canivet CA, Ostergren PO, Jakobsson IL, Dejin-Karlsson E, Hagander BM. Infantile colic, maternal smoking and infant feeding at 5 weeks of age. Scand J Public Health. 2008Abstract
  18. Howard CR, Lanphear N, Lanphear BP, Eberly S, Lawrence RA. Parental responses to infant crying and colic: the effect on breastfeeding duration. Breastfeed Med. 2006Abstract
  19. Reijneveld SA, Lanting CI, Crone MR, Van Wouwe JP. Exposure to tobacco smoke and infant crying. Acta Paediatr. 2005Abstract
  20. Saavedra MA, da Costa JS, Garcias G, Horta BL, Tomasi E, Mendonça R. [Infantile colic incidence and associated risk factors: a cohort study]. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2003Abstract
  21. Clifford TJ, Campbell MK, Speechley KN, Gorodzinsky F. Infant colic: empirical evidence of the absence of an association with source of early infant nutrition. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2002Abstract
  22. Jakobsson I, Lindberg T. Cow's milk proteins cause infantile colic in breast-fed infants: a double-blind crossover study. Pediatrics. 1983Abstract
  23. Evans RW, Fergusson DM, Allardyce RA, Taylor B. Maternal diet and infantile colic in breast-fed infants. Lancet. 1981Abstract