| |  | | Colicky Baby
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Michelle Ort
Posted on: August 4, 1998
A good friend has a baby that has been stricken with colic. Mom and dad are both exhausted. Mom is breast feeding so and on thyroid medicine (hyperthyroid). I have suggested a few things but they seem hard to come by. I have suggested bottle feeding (so dad can help and mom can sleep) and then I suggested more asparagus and possible powdered carrot (strangely, all of the ideas I have are also possible suggestions for constipation as well). Do you have any suggestion for this nursing mother?
The cause of colic in infants is not clear to modern medicine. Colic appears to be related to natural stresses the baby is undergoing as a new human adapting to this world, and sometimes the best solution is to try to discover what stimuli, including sleep-wake patterns, noises, sights, etc. exacerbate the colicy condition. Fortunately, babies grow out of the problem as they become better adjusted to their new life.
Fennel seed tea is a safe, traditional remedy for colic that has been used for centuries. Seeds are infused for five minutes in boiling water at a rate of one tablespoon of freshly crushed seeds per cup of water. Honey can be used as a sweetener. Give the child a teaspoonful of the cooled tea as needed, every 2-3 hours.
If fennel seed tea does not relieve the colic, your friend should consult a health care provider.
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