There are many theories on the subject of colic and what may be causing it. After searching for answers to calm my baby boy I found a few possibilities which make a lot of sense to me.

Disturbance In Daily Biological Rhythms
In my son's case, most colic episodes occur during the late afternoon or evening. Most mothers experience hormonal changes in the evening. Prolactin (sometimes refered to as the "perseverance hormone") is highest during sleep and in the morning hours, and cortisone which may also affect maternal coping is lowest around 6:00 p.m.  In baby's body two important hormones, cortisone and growth hormone, are highest in the early morning hours and lowest in the evening hours. In the first few months of a baby's life daily fluctuations in hormones are very disorganized.

By four to six months of age the pattern becomes more consistent which is also the approximate age when colic subsides. Could it be my tension (owing to insufficient hormone levels) are happening at the same approximate times when his important hormone needs are not being met thus sustaining the colic episodes? My answer was to take an afternoon nap when possible to recharge my much needed hormone levels. It has helped me quite a bit and to help my son I try to settle him for late afternoon naps to help him recharge his own hormone levels. This has considerably shortened the colic episodes.

Other Hormonal Disturbances
Progesterone is a hormone that can have calming and sleep-inducing effects. A baby receives progesterone from the placenta at birth but the calming effect of this wears off in a week or two and it could be that colic begins if the infant does not produce enough progesterone on his own. Studies are mixed on this subject but do indicate colic occurs less in breastfed infants (breastfed babies receive higher levels of progesterone).

Prostaglandin, a hormone causing strong contractions of intestinal muscle, has also been implicated in colic. One study showed the infants develop colicky symptoms when given prostaglandin therapeutically to treat their heart disease.

More Possible Causes?
Colic occurs at an age and stage of an infant's life when he can do the least to comfort and amuse himself... when they are almost totally dependent on their caregivers for stimulation. Is it possible colic begins to subside at around three months of age because babies can finally see clearly and can begin doing things with their hands learning self-soothing techniques such as finger sucking, eye contact, and waving their arms and legs to let off steam? At around three months of age most babies also show an increased central nervous system maturity.

These are only a few theories I found - enough to satisfy my initial curiosity, but I still had plenty of questions left. ...Were there possible medical causes? ...How Long Does It Last? ...Is there anything I can do for my baby?
 
 

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Page 1   |   What Is Colic?   |   What Causes Colic?   | Hormones?
Medical Causes of Colic   |   Coping With Colic   |   More Coping Help   |   Getting Doctor's Help
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