The Colicky Baby (addendum) or the Purple Baby : Blog
Laurence H. Miller, MD
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The Colicky Baby (addendum) or the Purple Baby

by Doctor Laurence H. Miller on 10/29/18

I've previously reviewed the trial parents encounter if they have a "P.U.R.P.L.E." baby at home.

I've described how the young infant has to LEARN not to squeeze the anal sphincter muscle as they have a bowel movement.

But there are other reasons they become so distressed as they're about to have a bowel movement after they reach one month old:

Fetuses don't have any bowel movements while growing inside their moms. So that when they are born and begin to have BM's, the strength of the intestinal waves that push the waste along toward the rectum is naturally weak, sluggish.  These are muscles that have never been used before.  But as the weeks go by, the intensity of the intestines' squeezing increases.  The muscles being used every day get stronger and stronger.  The baby is bound to FEEL the stronger PUSH of the waste through the bowel, and since it is a NEW feeling of cramping, it is likely to be UNCOMFORTABLE and SCAREY.

At the same time, the baby's BRAIN is "putting two and two together", and the baby becomes more alert, and MORE AWARE of the feelings on and inside its body.  So, while the two week old baby might have a vague sense of discomfort when his gut squeezes swallowed food along, the six week old FEELS the cramp MUCH MORE INTENSELY.  But the baby has NO IDEA what is happening, or why.  It has NO MEMORY of what happened an hour ago, let alone yesterday. So when the baby feels strong pressure in the rectum before a BM, it feels like IT'S GOING TO DIE. EXPLODE. WORSE than appendicitis!  Gradually, over a month or two (or three), she begins to remember the daily pattern of slight belly ache followed by a pushing out of the stool; one always following the other, and she realizes it's not a big deal after all. And the hysterical panic crying begins to ease a bit at a time.   Little by little, the "P.U.R.P.L.E." baby, starts to shade into pink.

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