Can overfeeding lead to increased air swallowing and colic?

Overfeeding can potentially lead to increased air swallowing in infants, which might contribute to colic. Intestinal colic is common in infants and is characterized by symptoms such as restlessness, continuous crying, and the drawing up of the infant’s legs. Eating slower can reduce the amount of air ingested, decreasing the intake of carbonated beverages and whipped foods that contain air bubbles, and avoiding certain gas-producing foods, such as most beans, onions, sprouts, nuts, and raisins, usually help to reduce flatulence.

Can Overfeeding Cause a Baby to Swallow More Air?

When babies are overfed, they may swallow more air. Intestinal gas consists principally of swallowed air and partly of by-products of digestion. Eating slower to reduce the amount of air ingested, decreasing the intake of carbonated beverages and whipped foods that contain air bubbles, and avoiding certain gas-producing foods, such as most beans, onions, sprouts, nuts, and raisins, usually help to reduce flatulence.

How Does Air Swallowing Relate to Colic?

Swallowed air can lead to increased gas in the colon, potentially causing pain and discomfort that may be misinterpreted as colic. Colic is a pain produced by the contraction of the muscular walls of any hollow organ, such as the renal pelvis, the biliary tract, or the gastrointestinal tract, of which the aperture has become more or less blocked, temporarily or otherwise. In infants, usually those who are bottle-fed, intestinal colic is common and is shown by the drawing up of the infant’s legs, restlessness, and continuous crying.

What Other Factors Contribute to Colic in Infants?

Besides air swallowing from overfeeding, other factors can contribute to colic. Colic may accompany any form of enteritis or an intestinal tumor, as well as certain forms of influenza. Colic caused by spastic contractions of the bowel is a common symptom of lead poisoning.

How Can Colic Symptoms Be Relieved?

Treatment for colic depends on the cause and is aimed at relief of symptoms; it often includes the administration of a muscle relaxant such as atropine and, occasionally, meperidine hydrochloride.

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