Include A Probiotic In Your Daily Regime
If digestive system problems cause colic, then taking a probiotic in your babys daily regime might be a great idea. Talk to your babys pediatrician before introducing probiotics, but its a relatively safe and straightforward step to try.
Probiotics should be given to your baby daily, just like you would take daily probiotics. Mix the probiotics in with your babys formula or breast milk. Powdered probiotics can be rubbed on the inside of your babys cheek with a clean finger.
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Is It Colic Or Something Else
Constant crying doesn’t always point to colic. Be sure to check with your pediatrician to rule out any medical issues that could be causing your baby’s crying. They might have an underlying medical condition that remains to be diagnoseda strong possibility if they’re still crying inconsolably after 4 months.
How To Soothe Colic In Babies
In addition to frustration and exhaustion, you may have feelings of inadequacy and guilt as you try in vain to soothe your fussy baby. So while staying calm is easier said than done, these strategies may help ease the strain until colic passes.
Just give each a fair shot before you switch to another . Talk to your doctor for tips and possible causes of your babys colic too.
- Colic is when a healthy baby cries for a very long time, for no obvious reason.
- It affects some babies during the first 3 to 4 months of life.
- Colic usually begins suddenly, with loud and mostly nonstop crying.
- Colicky babies can be very difficult to calm down.
- Changing how your baby is fed, and using different calming methods, can help to soothe a colicky baby.
- Colic goes away on its own, sometimes by age 3 months. In most cases it is gone by age 6 months.
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Living With Colicky Baby
Having a colicky baby can be very stressful for parents. It can make you feel tired, guilty, and even depressed. Your baby’s healthcare provider can suggest some things to do that may help to calm your baby. Its important to know that colic is a common condition in young babies. It will go away on its own, often by age 3 months. In most cases it is gone by age 6 months.
If possible, have someone else watch your baby when you become stressed. If no one else is available, make sure your baby is safe and go into another room. Distract yourself from your baby’s cries. Crying will not hurt your baby. Some communities have free or low-cost care called respite nurseries. You can leave your baby there for short periods of time.
How To Soothe Colic
The unfortunate thing about colic is, theres no magic cure. Instead, there are a number of comforting techniques and home remedies you can try. Hopefully, one or more will soothe your child.
Swaddling is a popular comforting technique that involves wrapping your baby tightly, but comfortably, in a light blanket. Many babies feel safe when swaddled and are therefore likely to quiet. However, some children dislike being restrained and may squirm and become more fussy.
White noise is another soothing method that can be especially useful when trying to help your baby sleep. There are many white noise machines on the market, many of which have timers you can set to shut off at 15, 30 or 60 minutes.
With colic comes occasional stomach discomfort and gas. Consider gripe water to ease these issues and help your baby feel more comfortable.
Finally, many babies are comforted by swaying or rocking. These gentle motions can lull babies to sleep, giving you a chance to recover. If your child only calms when being rocked, you should invest in a swing or rocking seat.
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What Causes Colic In Babies
While the exact cause of colic is a mystery, experts do know that its not the result of genetics or anything that happened during pregnancy or childbirth. Nor is it any reflection on parenting skills. And its also not anyones fault.
That said, here are some theories on possible causes of colicky crying:
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How Do I Know If It’s Colic Or Normal Crying
Colic is a special pattern of crying. Babies with colic are healthy, and eating and growing well but cry in spells. The spells happen at the same time of day. Most often, the crying starts in the early evening.
During a colic spell, a baby:
- has high-pitched crying or screaming
- is very hard to soothe
- can have a red face or pale skin around the mouth
- may pull in the legs, stiffen the arms, arch the back, or clench fists
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How To Help A Colic Baby
There are five unique steps that parents can do to imitate the womb and turn on the calming reflex, I call them the Five Ss.
Is My Babys Crying Normal Or Is It Colic
Infant crying is a fact of life. Its the only way our newborns can communicate their needs to us. Fortunately, most of the time even a babys most passionate shrieks just mean hes hungry, wet, soiled or lonely, and he will quiet once you give him what he needs.
But what if your cute little guy keeps blasting even though hes been fed, has a dry diaper and is being cuddled in your arms? What happens if you feel like you’ve triedeverything and the screaming doesnt stop? Thats when parents start to wonder if their babymay in fact havemysterious condition called colic, or persistent crying.
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Signs Of Colic In Babies
Dr. Lester says the colic symptom checklist includes the sudden onset of a high-pitched, screechy “pain cry” and inconsolability. Other signs include an enlarged stomach, passing more gas than usual, and extending/pulling up the legs.
What’s the difference between normal crying and colic? With normal crying, the wails are usually related to a need , and come in no particular pattern throughout the day and night. Fussy babies tend to calm down with cuddling, being held, being sung to, or being rocked. Colicky babies, on the other hand, suffer from unprovoked crying spells that don’t stop after trying soothing techniques.
“Colic is not the same kind of cry you’d get with ‘I’m hungry,’ or ‘I’m dirty,’ or ‘I’m tired,'” says Parents advisor Jennifer Shu, M.D., coauthor of Heading Home With Your Newborn. “With a hunger cry, babies feel better when you feed them. With colic, you don’t know what your baby wants.”
When Should I Call My Child’s Healthcare Provider
Before assuming your child has colic, look for other signs of illness. These may include:
- Not sucking or drinking a bottle well
- Drinking less milk than usual
- Becoming more irritable when held or touched
- Having a strange-sounding cry
- Having a change in breathing rate or using extra effort to breathe
- Being more sleepy or sluggish than normal
- Fever of 100.4°F or higher, or as directed by your child’s healthcare provider
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When To See Your Healthcare Provider
If your babyâs crying persists and nothing seems to help, it could be time to visit your babyâs healthcare provider. He will be able to determine whether your little one has colic or pinpoint another medical condition.
Also, if your baby still shows signs of colic once heâs more than half a year old, speak to your babyâs healthcare provider to find out if there is an underlying cause.
Seek immediate medical attention if your baby
-
is sleepier than usual for a baby .
Does My Baby Have Colic
Studies show that colic affects from 10-15% of all babies . While certain aspects of colic, from cause to cure, arent understood, heres what we do know:
- Infants with colic usually begin displaying symptoms approx. 2 weeks after being born.
- After the first 3 or 4 months of life, colic generally goes away.
- Gender and feeding style do not increase a babys chances of getting colic.
- The presence of colic in a baby does not indicate that the child will be less intelligent or less healthy that a baby without colic.
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Newborn Colic: Turn Colic Into Frolic
Are you a victim of newborn colic? Does your baby start crying at the top of his/her lungs without any apparent reason? The diaper is clean and dry the baby is well-fed and healthy and the surrounding is calm – yet he continues to cry everyday, even for hours.
Could this be baby colic? Turn this colic into frolic and rollick .
Whats Normal Crying And Whats Colic
Dont be surprised if your newborn cries a lot. During their first 3 months of life, babies can cry for up to 2 hours a day.
If your baby has colic, though, they are more likely to:
- Cry for what seems like no reason even when they dont need to eat or have their diaper changed
- Start to cry in the evening, or at the same time every day
- Cry for 3 or more hours each day, more than 3 days a week, for at least 3 weeks
- Make sounds that are more intense than normal more like a high-pitched scream than a cry
- Not be soothed, even when you feed or rock them
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What’s Normal Crying And What’s Colic
Don’t be surprised if your newborn cries a lot. During their first 3 months of life, babies can cry for up to 2 hours a day.
If your baby has colic, though, they are more likely to:
- Cry for what seems like no reason — even when they don’t need to eat or have their diaper changed
- Start to cry in the evening, or at the same time every day
- Cry for 3 or more hours each day, more than 3 days a week, for at least 3 weeks
- Make sounds that are more intense than normal — more like a high-pitched scream than a cry
- Not be soothed, even when you feed or rock them
How Can You Soothe A Baby With Colic
As you get to know your baby, you learn to check for the obvious causes of distress when they cry. Are they hungry? Are they hot or cold? Does their diaper need changing? Are they over-stimulated? A baby with colic might be crying for one of those reasons. Or they may be crying for a reason you cant understand.
Once youve checked on their possible physical needs and sources of discomfort, its time to go into comforting mode, using whatever technique helps to calm your baby. Every baby is different, and what works for one may not work for another.
With that in mind, here are some ways to soothe a baby with colic:
- Hold and cuddle your baby.
- Walk with your baby.
- Swaddle your baby in a soft blanket.
- Sing and talk softly to your baby.
- Sway back and forth while you hold your baby, or find other ways to gently rock her. Some babies are calmed by a swing.
- Gently rub your babys back.
- Change your babys position: Sit them up if they have been lying down, or hold them face-out if they have been facing your chest.
- Hold your baby near low, rhythmic noises, like the sound of the washing machine or a recording of a heartbeat. The steady hum of a fan or a white noise machine can also be soothing.
- Go for a ride in the car. The motion and noise of a car ride helps to calm some babies.
- Give your baby a pacifier. Many babies are calmed by sucking, and a pacifier can satisfy this need between feedings.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Colic
Signs and symptoms that your baby has colic include:
- periods of crying where they are harder to console than usual – over 3 hours a day for more than 3 days a week and over a period of 3 weeks or more
- drawing their legs up, arching their back or clenching their fists
- going red in the face
- seeming to settle and then having another spell of crying
Crying is more common in the evening time. Sometimes a baby with colic can cry for many hours during the day or night.
If your baby has colic, they may appear to be in distress. But babies with colic are fine between periods of crying. Your baby should be feeding well and gaining weight even if they have colic.
Seeing Your Babys Health Care Provider
Your babys health care provider can often diagnose colic by asking you about the babys medical history, symptoms, and how long the crying lasts. The provider will perform a physical exam and may do some tests to check your baby.
The provider needs to make sure your baby does not have other medical problems, such as reflux, a hernia, or intussusception.
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When To Call Your Doctor
If your baby doesnât gain weight or loses weight, they may have another health problem, so itâs best to call their doctor.
Also call the doctor if they:
- Cant be soothed at all, even for a few minutes
- Doesnt suck strongly at the bottle or your breast
- Doesnt like to be held or touched
- Has an odd cry or sounds like they are in pain
- Has diarrhea or blood in their stool
- Is less alert or sleepier than usual
- Eats less than usual
- Runs a fever of 100.4 degrees or more
How Long Does Colic Last
Thankfully, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Colic tends to peak around 6 weeks, and then improves significantly between 3 and 4 months. By 4 months of age, 80 to 90 percent of infants are over colic. The remaining small percentage might take another month.
Yes, that’s a long tunnel. But in the meantime, learn how to comfort your baby as best you can and ask for help whenever you need it. Caring for a colicky baby can be very stressful, and you’ll need to take regular breaks to maintain your own well-being. Have your partner or a friend or relative take over while you go for a walk, take a nap, or let loose with a good cry yourself.
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When To Seek Medical Advice
If your baby is displaying any of the following symptoms, get medical help straight away:
- has a weak, high-pitched, or continuous cry
- seems floppy when you pick them up
- vomits green fluid
- has blood in their poo
- has a fever of 38°C or above or 39°C or above
- has a bulging fontanelle
- turns blue, blotchy, or very pale
- has breathing problems, such as breathing quickly or grunting while breathing.
When To Call The Doctor About Colic In Babies
While the odds are that your babys daily screaming sessions are due to colic, if it seems like your baby is crying excessively, start by seeing the pediatrician.
The doctor can examine your baby to rule out any other potential causes of excessive crying. And if they think youre definitely dealing with colic? Its good to get some reassurance and maybe a few extra soothing strategies.
Describing the crying will also help the doctor rule out any underlying medical condition that could be triggering the crying.
Keep in mind, too, that this shall pass: Just when you think you cant take another night of it, the crying will let up and then its gone forever.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When Youre Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
- What to Expect the First Year, 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.
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Things You Can Try To Soothe Your Baby
Your baby does not usually need to see a doctor if they have colic. Speak to your health visitor for advice and support.
Health visitors and doctors will usually advise you to:
- hold or cuddle your baby when they’re crying a lot
- sit or hold your baby upright during feeding to stop them swallowing air
- wind your baby after feeds
- gently rock your baby over your shoulder
- gently rock your baby in their Moses basket or crib, or push them in their pram
- bath your baby in a warm bath
- have some gentle white noise like the radio or TV in the background to distract them
- keep feeding your baby as usual
Other things you may hear about include:
- anti-colic drops and herbal and probiotic supplements
- changes to your diet if you’re breastfeeding
- applying gentle pressure to your baby’s spine or skull
But there’s very little evidence these things work. Speak to your health visitor for further advice.