Colicky Baby? Homeopathy to the Rescue

Just when you feel like you have your new life under control—well, sort of—it hits. Your three to six week old baby cries for hours, won’t be soothed and won’t sleep unless you carry them everywhere. You’ve ruled out the usual problems, no diaper changing needed and they’re not hungry—so it’s likely your baby is colicky. If in doubt, always double check with a doctor to rule out a more serious illness.

Causes are unclear but colics are blamed on a yet undeveloped digestive tract, and typically resolve at about 3-4 months. It’s a good idea to rule out allergies in mother and baby even while breastfeeding, and it’s recommended the breastfeeding mom avoid foods that are known to increase gas (cauliflower, cabbages) or have a punch (garlic, spicy foods). Rest assured that breastfeeding is best for moms and babies, but sometimes a lactation consultant can help to minimize worries and possible problems that can occur while nursing. Increasing infant contact with the parent is a good idea (think baby slings), tight swaddling can provide some comfort and baby massage is another excellent addition to the regimen (take a class near you). Carrying the baby around in a colic hold (see picture) can put just enough pressure on the baby’s tummy to offer some reprieve. 

But there will be times when you’ve tried all that and nothing seems to work—this is when homeopathy often comes to the rescue. Homeopathic remedies are exceptionally safe for young children and babies, as they are non-toxic. Even Dr. Weil, recommends homeopathy for colic. Since there are no generic homeopathic remedies, the medicine must be be selected according to the symptoms. Remedies may differ between babies, so pick the one that best suits your baby.

I’ve found one of these top three usually do the trick!

1. Colocynthis 30ch is an excellent remedy for colicky pains and trapped gas when pressure and warmth bring some relief. Your baby will draw the legs up to the abdomen to help relieve the pain because they really like that pressure. There may be diarrhea, vomiting with the pains but this isn’t always the case. Excitement will aggravate. 
2. Chamomilla 30ch is a remedy you can’t miss for colic because the baby generally seems to have an oversensitive nervous system with screams of irritation that just can’t be soothed. Babies ask for things then throw them away, hit the parents and just seem outright angry with the pain. Vigorous motion, being held and rocked may temporarily soothe, but the screaming begins anew as soon as baby is put down. They tend to overheat easily and feel worse from hot weather. This is an excellent remedy for infants and toddlers who feel pain intensely and let you know about it, whether it’s for colic, teething or even colds with fevers as long as that irritability is present. It’s as though the nervous system is on edge and any pain is felt with excruciating intensity. Chamomilla can also follow Belladonna. 
3. Belladonna 30ch is the better choice when symptoms appear suddenly and intensely and then disappear when lying on the abdomen. Often the head will get very red hot but the hands are cold and it’s an excellent remedy for fevers that develop out of the blue. Fevers in a young baby should always be followed by a medical check up because babies can’t tell you what’s wrong—you can give Belladonna on the way to the clinic and you may find that symptoms clear quickly, as I’ve found Belladonna often works fast.
4. The Schuessler cell salt Mag phos 6x can also be added to one of the above remedies or tried on its own. Schuessler cell salts are lower potencies so they can be repeated more frequently over longer periods, which is perfect for parents who want to give something in between the pain periods, as a preventative for instance if their child is quite colicky and they find they need to repeat the remedies a lot.  It does come in the form of a homeopathic remedy too, Magnesia phosphorica 30ch, but the symptoms are so similar to Colocynthis, they are hard to tell apart – in this case rubbing and warmth improve the symptoms.

Dosages for 30ch potency: The 30ch potency is recommended because it’s widely available at your local holistic pharmacy or health food store. These remedies come in pellets. To give a dose, it’s best to crush 3-5 pellets between two spoons and dissolve in a little water, giving a teaspoon as needed or three times a day (note that you don’t have to give an entire teaspoon, 1/2 or 1/4 will do as a dose. In homeopathy, not the number of pills or the amount of water, but rather the repetition is what increases the potency. In some cases, you’ll need to repeat three times daily and in others, you give a dose and symptoms improve right away. If you’re repeating a lot, I’d recommend dissolving the pellets in 1/4 cup water and stirring well before giving a teaspoon – this stirring action alters the potency so that it’s a little more gentle with the frequent repeition. The golden rule in homeopathy is to stop when the symptoms improve – this is not a preventative remedy in this case. If you find the remedies need repeating three times a day every day for more than three days, you may want to seek the advice of a homeopath as there are other remedies that may be a better fit. 

Dosages for 6x potency (Schuessler cell salts): Mag phos 6x works best when dissolved in a little warm water and repeated frequently, even every hour for the first 3-6 doses and the three times daily as a maintenance dose or a preventative. 

Some parents find choosing their own remedies daunting in the beginning. If this is the case, there are combination remedies available which include the most common homeopathic remedies for colic, for instance Boiron’s Cocyntal, but there are also other brands. Although this is a blanket approach, I’ve heard it often works well. These combinations also come in lower potencies, so you can repeat them more frequently over longer periods of time. 

On another note, studies show that mothers with colicky babies are at an increased risk for postpartum depression, so if your baby and you are suffering, take heart, know it will pass and seek the advice of a classical homeopath if you are nervous to reach out to your doctor. Studies show that women try to avoid medications while pregnant and breastfeeding, and if this is you, homeopathic remedies are remarkably safe and research shows that they can be as effective as conventional alternatives in treating depression. For more information on homeopathy for mood disorders, see my earlier blog: The Homeopathic Approach to Depression. In my experience, many parents turn to homeopathy to help ease the transition of those first few months because they are concerned about toxins in the environment, yet want home remedies that can help.