Recognize and Relieve Colic in Babies

Stomach pain and 3-month colic in the baby: For many parents, this is part of the new everyday life with a baby. We explain how you can recognize and alleviate the symptoms – and why flatulence and pimples in babies are usually harmless.

Intolerances, colic, and flatulence: what to do if you have stomach pains?

Her little darling desperately pulls her little legs to his body, pushes them away again, screams, cries and squirms. Maybe your tummy feels bloated – the tummy bulges out but can be pushed in – or your baby farts a lot. It’s been about 15 to 20 minutes since your last meal – and the satisfaction of fullness gives way to loud roars. In this case, you can be pretty sure: your baby is restless because it has flatulence and stomach pains. It is not uncommon for babies to have flatulence after breastfeeding or the bottle. In particular, the so-called three-month colic is widespread. Now quick help is required to relieve the colic in the baby.

Try a tummy massage unless your baby is in acute pain and crying. Your baby lies on its back, your hands gently massage the tummy around the navel. Once above, once below the navel. Massage clockwise to relax stomach and intestines. If your baby is crying and is in severe pain, grasp the cuffs on the little feet with one hand, carefully lift your legs up towards your stomach and work with small, circular movements. The aviator grip is also popular. Your baby lies face down in your arms. The head is in the crook of the elbows, the little arms and legs hang down relaxed. It is also possible to give your baby a few sips of fennel tea, which you leave covered before breastfeeding or the bottle. If you are breastfeeding, it is worth paying attention to what you are reacting to with intolerance. Onions, leeks, or beans give you a stomach ache? Then your colicky baby might be no different. By the way: You can find out more information worth knowing about breast milk and the like in the topic Breastfeeding and Breastfeeding Problems.

Help, my baby has a rash on his face!

If your baby has small pimples on their face, this is usually what is known as newborn acne. The small pustules appear about three to four weeks after birth and are located on the face or décolleté. But don’t worry: Baby acne is the result of hormonal changes after birth and affects boys in particular. The pimples usually disappear on their own after a few weeks – and are a natural, harmless reaction of the body. They have nothing to do with an intolerance to breast milk or milk powder. If you are unsure whether your baby actually has acne, your midwife will give you quick feedback and can give you the all-clear in this case.

Hives in babies – cow’s milk intolerance as a cause?

Sharply defined, red welts on the skin and a child plagued by itching: These are the symptoms of hives. If your baby is older and eats a milk-cereal porridge in the evening as part of the supplementary food, an intolerance to cow’s milk protein may be the cause. Your baby then reacts to the milk mixed in it with this allergic rash. Incidentally, this intolerance can also occur with bottle feeding due to the cow’s milk powder. You should discuss with your pediatrician whether your child actually has such a food allergy. In principle, hives can also have other causes, such as insect bites or certain medicines. If other foods are the culprit, it is important to find them and remove them from the menu if possible. Strawberries, citrus fruits, or tomatoes are often responsible for hives.