Colic, MSPI and Why Some Babies Cry: A Solution for the Breastfed Baby

It could happen to you. Maybe it already has. One week you are admiring your placid newborn who seems content to sleep and eat most of the time. The next week you are holding a writhing baby who cries out in distress every evening for several hours before you and she (or he) finally give out in exhaustion. What can be done? Your doctor may or may not offer you helpful advice. One of our pediatricians opined that all babies fuss and the crying peaks at about six weeks--after that things should improve. Her insight was not very helpful for me. However, another pediatrician at the hospital who told me that, as a breastfeeding mother, I should not drink milk or orange juice for a while. Instead of heeding his advice, I arrogantly proceeded to drink more milk than ever, thinking I needed the calcium. In retrospect, this was a huge mistake.

A week after my milk binge began, an awful transformation from sleeping angel to misery-maker occurred. In desperation, I revisited some advice from Dr. Sears. Recalling that he offered advice to parents of fussy or colicky babies, I found his list of "fuss foods" that nursing mothers should avoid. Dairy products were at the top of the list of possible offenders. So I began, very reluctantly, to eliminate dairy products from my diet. The change in my daughter was remarkable. After few days, she was no longer screaming during and after every evening feeding. As I removed more "fuss foods" from my diet, like tofu and soy milk, she seemed even happier. I reported this to our regular pediatrician, but she didn't seem all that persuaded. Two friends of mine had babies in the following months, and after the two week lull, fussing began. I suggested these moms alter their diet as I did, and they reported happier babies as well.

A third pediatrician was quite skeptical that diet could have such an impact, especially since there was no blood in my daughter's stool to indicate an allergy. I however, remained convinced, and found hard data in medical journal articles to validate my experience.

In addition to first hand accounts from mothers who have breast fed, there are now scientific studies which support the link between colic and what a mother and her breastfeeding infant ingest. In one study, mothers who eliminated dairy, nuts, and other common allergens from their diet reported their babies spent significantly less time crying than babies whose mothers ate these potentially allergenic foods (Hill et al, 2005). Another study reported that administering probiotic drops to infants with colic seemed to reduce crying time as well (Savino, Pelle, Palumeri, Oggero, and Miniero, 2007). It seemed that none of my health care professionals were aware of these studies, nor did they mention the possibility that my children might have Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI). I am quite sure that two of my three children had this condition, and my sanity was saved by eliminating dairy, soy, and and several other irritating foods from my diet.

Yours may be one of "colicky" infants out there who have not yet been diagnosed with MSPI. If a baby is breastfed, simple but perhaps sacrificial adjustments to the mother's diet can result in a reduced suffering for the mother and child. If a child is bottle fed, hypoallergenic formulas are available, though they can prove very costly. After hearing how much specialized formula can cost, I was gladder than ever that we had opted to breastfeed, even if it meant making changes in the way I ate. If you are breastfeeding a baby that shows signs of colic, don't despair. Modifying your diet might just be the magic bullet that helps you and your baby feel human again.

References:

Savino, F., Pelle, E., Palumeri, E., Oggero, R., and Miniero, R. (2007, January 1) Lactobacillus reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) versus simethicone in the treatment of infantile colic: a prospective randomized study. Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved August 29, 2008 from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/119/1/e124

Hill, D., Roy, N., Heine, R., Hosking, C., Francis, D., Brown, J., et al. (2005, November 5) Effect of a low-allergen maternal diet on colic among breastfed infants: a randomized, controlled trial -- . Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved August 29, 2008 from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/116/5/e709