Connection Found Between Mom’s Migraines and Baby’s Colic

Looks like there’s another downside to getting migraine headaches. According to a new study at the University of California, San Francisco turns out if you suffer from migraine headaches, you’re twice as likely to have a baby with colic than moms with no history of migraines are. The findings bring up the question of whether colic is an early symptom of a migraine and whether reducing light or noise could help alleviate the pain -- and may even reduce baby’s excessive crying.

In the past, colic has been associated with gastrointestinal problems, but no one’s ever proved it definitively. The new study surveyed 154 new mothers who brought their babies to the pediatrician for their two-month checkup. The mothers were asked about their migraine history and their babies’ crying behavior. Researchers found that 29 percent of babies whose mothers had a history of migraines had colic (which is when baby cries fror more than three hours a day, three days a week, for more than three weeks) while only 11 percent of babies whose mothers did not have a migraine history had colic. Experts believe that colic is an early indicator of a set of conditions called childhood periodic syndromes (symptoms include vomiting in cycles, an abdominal migraine and vertigo), which can lead to migraines later in life. For researchers, the next step is to study colicky babies during their childhood to see if they development any childhood periodic syndromes.

Plus, more from The Bump:

Tips for Treating Baby's Colic

How to Deal with a Fussy Baby

Biggest New Parent Surprises

-- Sarah Yang

See More: Baby Basics , Sleep Problems , Baby Doctor Visits