Colic and Feeding Disturbances

Reflux and milk allergies definitely impact the way your baby feeds. As you may be able to imagine an irritated throat and esophagus make for painful swallowing. When your baby is in pain it does not feel like eating and it will grimace and push the bottle or the nipple away. The baby then remembers it is hungry and tries again. This cycle repeats itself for half an hour to an hour until either the parent or the child becomes so frustrated that they give up.

As the child's intake of food is impaired the parents try to compensate by feeding the baby sooner than is normal. However the feeding pattern of trying and grimacing and pushing away followed by long bouts of crying just continues.

Colic caused by reflux is actually quite likely if you notice an improvement in your baby's feeding habits at nighttime. When babies with sever reflux esophagits are half asleep they feed better because they are all out of fight and they are more relaxed.

Strange as it may seem voracious feeding, which means the baby feeds in a fast and furious manner is also a symptom of infant reflux. These babies will act as if they haven't been fed in days and make squeaking and slurping noises as they suckle.

You will also probably notice that babies with reflux have a lot of gas. Gas comes from the baby swallowing too much air when they are suckling. When a baby with GERD fusses too much around a human or bottle nipple the air creates a gas filled belly. This in turn leads to the pain irritability and crying that is associated with colic.

As gas makes it way through the intestinal tract bowel movements may seem difficult for the baby. Simethicone drops such as Mylicon which typically break up tiny air bubbles can help break up the air bubbles that cause pain.

Chronic irritability is a common symptom in the baby with reflux and milk allergies. As acid washes up into esophagus and throat repeatedly the lining of the esophagus can become inflamed. This is called esogphagitis. With each subsequent reflux even the baby will experience chest and throat pain that makes the cry and cry

the colic is due to colitis then your baby will not like to be on its back.

There is a good anatomical reason for this. The esophagus connects to the stomach closer to the back than the front. When a child is on her back this allows for fluid and stomach contents to flow backward and collect over the LES.

As that LES valve opens milk and stomach acid can pass freely into the esophagus causing discomfort and other symptoms.

As a general rule the irritability that comes with colic caused by esophagi is worse after meals, accompanied by regurgitation and when lying down. The baby may also arch its back, stiffen its legs and turn its head to express that it is in agony. If your baby is doing this convince your doctor to check it for an acid reflux problem.

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How To Pick the Last Tomato

This summer my kids and I grew a gigantic crop of tomatoes and we should try and pick them all before the last frost. It is probably best to pick your tomatoes before they are fully ripe. This means harvesting the fruit at first blush.

A tomato picked at first sign of color and ripened at room temperature will be just as tasty as one left to fully mature on the vine.  Picking tomatoes before they turn red reduces damage from birds.

Never refrigerate tomatoes picked immature. Place them in a single layer at room temperature and allowed them to develop to their full color. If you want them to ripen fast, place them beside a bunch of bananas. If your tomatoes are green there is a simple way to tell if they are ripe enough to pick. Simply harvest one tomato and cut it open. Examine the seed inside the fruit. If the seeds are covered with a clear gel, which causes them to move away from the knife, then that fruit will eventually turn red and ripen. If the seeds are cut by the knife then those fruit will never properly ripen and you should leave the unripened plants on the vine or bush a little longer.   

Tomatoes should be firm and blushing with color before you even think of disturbing them on the vine. They are of highest quality when they ripen on healthy vines and in daily summer temperatures that average about 75°F.  This is also the best time to pick them without traumatizing the plants. P

icking tomatoes in wet weather is not recommended as it may wound the plant and make it susceptible to viruses and bacteria.  Never rinse a tomato plant before you pick its fruit either. To pick a tomato politely, grab it by its base and give a short quick twist.  Avoid tugging and pulling at any part of the plant. If the plant is tall and gangly, you can brace its stem gently with your other hand. Make sure you have not been smoking or handling tobacco products before you do this. Fresh ripe tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, refrigeration renders them tasteless and turns the flesh to mealy mush.  Flavor and texture begin to deteriorate when the temperature drops below 54°F.

Temperatures above 80°F cause tomatoes to spoil quickly. Store tomatoes at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, away from direct sunlight until ready to use. If you want them to ripen faster, then it is okay to store them in the sunlight.  To ripen tomatoes quickly, place them in a paper bag, stem end up. Punch several holes all around the bag and fold the top over. The bag will help to keep some of the natural ethylene gas in place, which aids in the ripening process. Depending on how green they are, tomatoes may take one to five days to ripen. I am looking forward to all the BLT's and tomato sauce I am going to be making in the upcoming weeks.

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