If your newborn baby cries at the same time every day, and you can not calm him down, most likely, he had intestinal cramps. Colic - a sharp, paroxysmal pain in the gut, which are observed in children younger than six months. Pediatricians are often used for the diagnosis of "three criteria": if the baby cries for more than three hours a day, three days a week for three weeks, and at other times calm and satisfied, it means that he has colic. In short, the main criterion for diagnosis of colic remains unexplained prolonged crying, provided that the child is perfectly healthy.

Colic is very unpleasant for the child and for his parents. But despair: colic continues relatively short time. Within a few weeks or months they are completely terminated, and you can congratulate ourselves on the fact that experienced one of the first serious test of motherhood.

The symptoms of colic in infants

For babies is perfectly normal to cry and twist the legs, and if your child can not stay quiet for a minute, that does not mean that he has colic. A healthy, well-fed baby colic symptoms are as follows:

Crying about the same time each day. When intestinal colic baby crying at about the same time each day, usually in the afternoon or evening. Attacks of colic can last from a few minutes to three hours or more each day. Crying usually begins suddenly and for no apparent reason. Toward the end of an attack is possible defecation or flatulence Flatulence - when you need to worry about?   the child.

Strong or inconsolable crying. When intestinal colic cry strong and loud. Face baby often reddens, and reassure him extremely difficult, if not impossible.

The change in body position. The kid draws in his feet, clenched his fists, his stomach muscles tensed and his whole posture expresses discomfort.

Intestinal colic suffered about 25% of newborns. Colic usually occur in the first weeks of life and partially terminated by three months. Fully colic cease to four to five months.

When you need to see a doctor

Seek medical attention immediately if a baby crying can be the result of a fall or injury.

Consult your pediatrician if you are concerned about a baby crying, especially if you notice a change in the behavior of the child, his food or sleep Dreams: how to understand our dreams . Pediatricians recommend to keep a diary every day of the child and write to it as and when the baby ate, slept, and so on.

Causes of colic

The exact cause of colic in infants is unknown. Scientists have studied a number of possible perpetrators of colic, including allergies, lactose intolerance, poor digestive system of the child (gastrointestinal tract is not yet fully formed in the intestine do not have enough good bacteria to milk processing, and sometimes there develops pathogenic microflora and Escherichia coli) , anxiety Anxiety - how to distinguish normal from disease?   mother, especially feeding, and came to the same conclusion. Still can not understand why all things being equal in some children have colic, and others - no.

Risk factors

Increased risk of colic are children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy or shortly after birth (through breastfeeding).

There are several theories to explain why some infants are more prone to colic than others, but none of them has been proved. The idea that colic is more common in first-borns or infants on artificial feeding, wrong. It is also not justified by the notion that the child has colic can cause the mother diet (breastfeeding). Colic occur equally in girls and boys, regardless of what they are in the family account.

Complications of colic in infants

Although colic in the newborn often affects the whole family, they do not have any serious consequences for the health of the child and do not cause complications. Infants who have had colic, grow and develop completely normal.

Diagnosis of colic in infants

Pediatrician examining a child with a view to identifying any possible reason for his anxiety and crying, such as intestinal obstruction. If the baby is healthy, he is diagnosed intestinal colic.

Laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic methods in this case is usually not required, but if there is some uncertainty, they help to exclude other diagnoses.

Drug treatment of colic in infants

Colic in infants with time (typically three months) tested alone, without any medical intervention. At the same time, there are few options for drug treatment. Thus, drugs that reduce gas formation, such as simethicone, were not very effective in treating colicky infants.

Some studies show that treatment with probiotics - substances that help maintain the natural balance of "good" bacteria in the digestive tract - can reduce colic. However, more research is needed to determine the mechanism of the effect of probiotics on colic.

Before giving your child any medication for colic, consult your doctor.

Many young mothers complain that their baby has mixed day and night, and prefers to stay awake at night, and in the afternoon - to sleep. Meanwhile, a long time ago it invented a universal tool that helps you to sleep for children and adults of any age - lullabies. Under gentle calming melody baby eyes closed by themselves.

Special features lullabies

The lullabies are different from other children and adults songs? Interestingly, in the cradle of different nationalities can be found in common. For example, these songs are performed at a slow pace. Lullabies also characterized by a high tone and peculiar intonation. We know that young children are best understood precisely this tone. However, the lullabies sung not only for children - sometimes they sang to one another in love. Also, lullabies are often performed for patients so that they soon recovered.

It has long been such a mother singing songs to their children, so that they fell asleep faster. Therefore lullabies not require instrumental accompaniment. A soft insinuating voice, gentle tone and monotonous melody promote early relaxation and sleep. As a rule, accompanied by lullabies rocking the baby, so such songs rhythm is particularly important.

History lullabies

It is impossible to say when and by whom was the first lullaby sung, but it can be assumed that this genre appeared very long time. Originally, the song was a lullaby, in all probability, the usual wailing women who uttered rhythmically to the beat of a cradle swing. Over time, the word began to take shape in rhymed couplets, quatrains and later.

Ability to rock children in ancient times was valued very highly: tired of working women could not afford the luxury of hours to rock the cradle. Most were connected to motion sickness older sisters kids. Girls clock nemudrenyh sang songs making sure that the baby fell asleep. Various songs were sung, as a rule, one motif stitched appeals to the child finally fall asleep.

Interestingly, many of the texts of ancient lullabies seem to be a modern man more sinister. Indeed, after listening to some of the works of peaceful sleep it is not so simple: because the songs mentioned toothy predators (eg, gray top), thieving gypsy children and other unattractive characters. This is due to the fact that in this genre are present some elements of the conspiracy-wards. Loving mother tried to court the child nightmares, because they believed that what he saw in the nightmare will never become a reality. Over time, the belief in the magical power waned lullabies, songs began to appear wishes good night and sweet dreams.

Sometimes, using the texts of lullabies women tried to "program" the future of the child, to educate the baby literally from the cradle. Performers of the songs expressed their attitude to the world, warned a child of error, shared with him some information, for example, told in poetic form, how was their day. Stories about work alternated with impressions on purchases at the fairs that have been important developments among the peasants.

Folk art

Lullabies different peoples have much in common. For example, they often present dream images, Napping, Tranquility. If the baby does not fall asleep, then these characters showered reproaches, and then asked for still come to the child. Often sleep Dreams: how to understand our dreams   trying to start negotiating, luring him some gifts and offerings for the visit to Chad. Sometimes as offerings performed and the child - for example, in one of the ancient lullabies girl promised to give to wife lord of the realm of the dead.

It does not manage to lullabies and without a well-known features of the conspiracy, as an appeal to a variety of animals. For example, the chicken asked to take the child's insomnia. This appeal is not accidental: the chicken in many Slavic peoples were a symbol of motherhood.

Later, instead of chicken began to turn to cats and cats. Cats - Animals night, so they were considered authoritative over dreams. In addition, cats are able to issue a cozy murchanie, which acts as soothing as a lullaby. Interestingly, in some countries there was a tradition to lay a cat in the cradle before the first time there will be positioned as a child. This was to protect the baby from evil forces. Cats were the first animals that recognize the child - it is no wonder that these furry animals was given a place of honor in the folk songs for children.

Some people seek to wild animals such as bears and wolves - an important totem animal. They were asked to become a patron of the child and to protect his sleep from evil forces.

The spread of Christianity influenced the lullabies. The songs were the images of the Virgin and angels, who are asked to protect the child and to grant him a restful sleep. Sometimes, however, the mother asked the Higher Forces to quickly take the child away from the world of the living. Scientists attribute these explicit texts from ancient customs to get rid of the weak and crippled children, so that they did not feel the pangs of hunger and cold. And sometimes lullabies with the wishes of the death had the opposite meaning: the mother tried to deceive the evil spirits so that they "did not notice" of the child among the living, and not to harm him. These songs usually appear during epidemics, hunger and various disasters.

Copyright lullabies

Lullabies sang not only the common people - in the homes of the rich and noble children also rocked by the monotonous and gentle songs. The first literary lullabies were allegedly in the middle of the eighteenth century. Lullabies poems written by many poets - both known and not so. For example, its lullabies were Zhukovsky, Lermontov, Blok, Brodsky, Harms and Marshak.

Often the author's lullabies are translating the popular works of this genre. Also, there are also talented imitation of folklore, performed in the best traditions of lullabies. As a rule, the author of folk lullabies longer, they have a clear story, and sometimes a certain morality. But the main features of lullabies - monotonous rhythm, repetition, traditional characters and images - are saved.

It is interesting that, according to scientists, literary lullabies have less impact on the children that people work. This is probably due to the fact that professional poets cared primarily about the harmony and beauty of the poem tunes, folk lullabies also had a purely utilitarian character, and were sung with a purpose: to lull the child. Therefore, it is believed that for children under a year is preferable to folk songs, and then you can move on to poems and songs that are written by poets and composers.