do caesarean babies get more colic?

 

yes, they do have a greater likelihood of getting colic, or at least, colic-like symptoms. c-section babies don't get 'stretched' out and 'squeezed' as they pass through the birth canal. as a result, they tend to be a little more 'curled up' and stiffer. not all are like this but some are noticeably more stuck in this 'foetal ball'.

 

as a result of being in this curled up and slightly stiff position,  gas is more easily stuck in the digestive tract. moms often report that they don't wind easily and feel quite stiff. they often present as niggly and fussy, arch themselves and kick out their legs. the assumption is that the innate intelligence of the baby is doing things to try and relieve tension.  

 

we call this muscular colic and find that it responds best to stretching and massage type exercises. to prevent this from becoming an issue, learn the muscular stretches that give a sort of a re-birthing experience.

 

what about premature babies?

 

yes, preemies do seem to have a slightly greater likelihood of getting colic. we  believe it is simply due to their smaller size and less developed digestive tract. they are often a little more 'curled up' and stiffer and are thus prone to have gas pockets develop in the intestinal tract. being so small, they're not yet strong enough to 'push' them out.

 

what about traumatic births like forceps and ventouse deliveries?

 

yes, babies born traumatically are far more likely to have neck tension or spasms. this will be noticed by the parent in the early weeks particularly at feeding times. the baby will have a marked preference for feeding on one side and will often not want to look either right or left.

in some cases, the entire body is curved to one side because of spinal tension or misalignment. we call these banana babies

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treatment

 

we've put together a unique series of stretches that relieve muscle tension, loosen the baby up and help gas to pass through. most cases respond very well to the routine of 5 stretches which you can easily learn on our learning center.