The fact that your baby has a stomach ache may be down to several different things. It may be because their intestines are not fully developed, that they are swallowing too much air while eating, ingesting spicy food from the nursing mother or has baby colic.

Some babies may experience colic and appear to have a stomach ache due to this. There can be several causes of colic. For one thing, children have an immature intestinal system and have not yet developed their own gut flora, which in itself creates an imbalance. Some children are very voracious when they eat and swallow a lot of air which can cause pain in the intestines, especially if they do not burp during or after a meal. A small child probably cannot tell the difference between pain and hunger, which makes them want to eat more or less constantly. This can increase their discomfort because their stomach is does not get rest between meals.

The problem is often referred to as newborn colic, as the problems often get better around three months of age. This is a completely harmless condition but can be frustrating for parents as their child may have periods of screaming and being inconsolable, usually in the afternoons and evenings. You can try giving the child “good bacteria” in the form of  stomach drops, which can give them a better balance in their stomach. Some also try Minifom drops, which can help the gases come out more easily and cause less pain.

If the colic becomes particularly severe, and above all if your child also has skin symptoms in the form of a lot of scabs or an eczema-like rash, it may well be that they are sensitive or allergy to cow’s milk. This can also cause blood in the stool due to irritation of the intestinal lining. The smaller the child, the more difficult it is to get a reliable answer from a blood test or spot test, and often the diagnosis must be made based on the symptoms. The treatment is of course a diet free from cow’s milk. If the mother is breastfeeding, she could try to exclude milk and dairy products from her diet for three weeks in order to evaluate the effects. If your child drinks formula, switch to formula free from cow’s milk, which you get a prescription for and pick up at the pharmacy.

Some breastfed children can react to other things that the mother has eaten, especially if the mother has eaten a lot of a specific food, such as strong spices, chocolate, berries, onions, etc.

Constipation can also be an underlying cause of stomach aches and is almost never seen in fully breastfed children. However, they can have a varying frequency of pooing, anything from ten times a day to once every ten days is normal if the child does not seem to be in any trouble. Some people react to regular formula and you can then try switching to formula for sensitive stomachs. If, despite this, it is difficult for your child to poo and they seem to be having difficulties, you can try giving them lactulos, which can be bought without a prescription at the pharmacy. Should this not have an effect, you can contact your paediatrician or health centre for help.

It is common to have short-term stomach problems when switching to more solid foods because the stomach is readjusting and your child can then become temporarily constipated.