When You Should See Your Gp
Non-urgent advice: Bring your baby to the GP if:
- you are not sure if your baby has colic or why they are crying
- they are vomiting green stuff
- they have projectile vomiting
- they are not feeding well
- their symptoms started after you introduced formula
- they are losing weight or not gaining weight
- they have a temperature greater than 38 degrees C
- you are concerned
- you are finding it hard to cope
Avoiding Your Babys Triggers
Foods that are passed through your breast milk to your baby may trigger colic. If your baby is colicky and you are breastfeeding, avoid eating or drinking the following foods for a few weeks to see if that helps.
- Stimulants, such as caffeine and chocolate.
- Dairy products and nuts. Your baby may have allergies to these foods.
Some breastfeeding moms avoid eating broccoli, cabbage, beans, and other gas-producing foods. But research has not shown that these foods can have a negative effect on your baby.
Other possible triggers include:
- Medicines passed through breast milk. If you are breastfeeding, talk to your own doctor about the medicines you take.
- Baby formula. Some babies are sensitive to proteins in formula. Talk to your babys doctor about switching formulas to see if that helps.
- Overfeeding or feeding the baby too quickly. Bottle feeding your baby should take about 20 minutes. If your baby is eating faster, use a nipple with a smaller hole.
Talk to a lactation consultant to learn more about the possible causes related to breastfeeding.
My Theory About Colic
I believe the key to understanding colic is that that our babies are born 3 months before theyre really ready for the world. And because of that, they are over-stimulated on the one hand and terribly under-stimulated on the other . Life in the womb is one of non-stop sensation. Your baby is held, touched and jiggled, and hears the loud pulsing of blood flow 24/7. Putting a new baby in a dark, quiet bedroom by themselves is actually sensory-depriving. Some kids can tolerate that, and others justfall apart!
What Ive come to learn is that imitating the sensations of the womb doesnt just reassure babies it literally flips a switcha virtual calming reflex that all babies have at birth.
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How Do You Treat Colic
As Dr. Sears explained, since colic can often be linked to digestive problems, many pediatricians will have breastfeeding parents eliminate certain foods from their own diet to see if the crying improvesif so, this usually occurs within two weeks, according to the AAP. For parents who formula feed, a pediatrician may advise them to switch brands or try a protein hydrolysate formula. According to the AAP, if formula sensitivity is the culprit, then colic symptoms should improve within a few days.
If the cause of your babys colic doesnt seem to be linked to digestive problems, then, unfortunately, there arent any quick fixes. All you can do is take measures to relieve symptoms and keep your infant as comfortable as possible until they grow out of this phase. Some suggestions from the AAP include:
- Avoid overfeeding your baby, as it can cause discomfort.
- Wear your baby and go for a walk the motion and skin-to-skin contact will help soothe them .
- Rock your baby and create a soothing environment where they can hear calming sounds like the clothes dryer, a fan, a white noise machine, or even a vacuum running in the next room.
- Offer a pacifierbabies who dont actively refuse it will often experience instant relief.
- Lay your little one across your knees, tummy-down, and gently rub their back .
- Swaddle them so that they feel warm, snug, and secure.
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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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 you’re definitely dealing with colic? It’s 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 can’t take another night of it, the crying will let up and then it’s gone forever.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re 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.
Try A Different Formula
If baby is formula-fed, your child may be reacting to something in the specific variety youre using. Some moms find that changing formulas can make all the difference! Check out this post for the best baby formula, and consider trying this homemade formula recipeits alive, rich in bioavailable nutrients, and easier to digest than many powdered alternatives.
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How To Cope With Your Babys Crying And Stay Sane
An inconsolable baby is a tough trial for a new parent. Its enough to make you cry. Go ahead. Also keep in mind:
Its not personalWhen your baby rejects your attempts to console them or seems angry with you, remind yourself that they are too young to comprehend the concept of blame. And while there are ways to try to console your baby, colic has nothing to do with your parenting skills.
You cant do it aloneShare baby-care with your partner. Or have a friend or relative take over for you once in a while so you can take a peaceful walk, a nap, or a refreshing shower.
If you find yourself becoming angry or frustrated with your baby, take a deep breath and gently place them on their back in the crib or bassinet. Go to the next room to calm down. Or call a friend or relative to come and stay with your baby while you decompress.
If theres nobody you can call to come and support you in person, contact a local crisis hotline or a parent hotline. The people who staff these phones know how to help.
Taking care of yourself is taking care of your babyGetting enough rest, eating well, and exercising are important tools to help you cope with the challenges of caring for a colicky baby.
Learn more:
AAP. 2015. Colic relief tips for parents. American Academy of Pediatrics.
Nemours Foundation. 2019. Colic.
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Nighttime Fussiness Or Colic
Experts claim that most babies experience colic symptoms to some extent. In those babies with less intense symptoms, the condition is rather referred to as nighttime fussiness and all babies will sometimes fuss during the day. The symptoms and peak time of fussy crying are the same as for colic, but colicky babies cry longer and more intense.
With nighttime fussiness, theres no way to end the frustration easily, and its even harder for parents with colicky babies, but there are some natural remedies that you may try to relieve the colicky pain in infants.
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What Causes Infant Gas
There are a number of causes of infant gassome internal, some external. A major contributor is the simple fact that your infants digestive system is immatureits in the process of learning how to get things running smoothly. Another significant factor is somewhat of a catch 22. When your baby cries, they may swallow air, which causes gas if its uncomfortable or painful, it may make them cry, therefore swallowing too much air again. Sometimes our little darlings just cant catch a break!
Another reason behind gas can be feeding time, when they may gulp air down with their breastmilk or formula. Air may get trapped in their bottle, too, or the seal between your babys lips and your or a bottles nipple can break, contributing to swallowing air as well. If you give your baby powdered formula, the process of mixing it can generate bubblesso allow time for the formula to settle. Certain ingredients in formula or baby food may also cause gas, like cows milk, especially if your baby is lactose intolerant.
Next: Tummy issues like gas dont stop at infanthood. Kids get them, too. Find out some Common Causes of Stomach Discomfort in Kids.
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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
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Some Tips To Cope With The Colic
We know that baby colic can be really annoying and there is nothing much you can do at that point either. However, here are a few tips which can make a big difference while coping it:
- Keep the baby clean, warm, and close to your body.
- Cuddling and swaying the baby help.
- A peaceful environment and sometimes peaceful music are better.
- Pacifiers are important.
- A walk outside the home can make a difference.
- If you are too restless try switching duties with someone else.
- You can always talk about it with others and get all the help you need.
Avoiding Your Baby’s Triggers
Foods that are passed through your breast milk to your baby may trigger colic. If your baby is colicky and you are breastfeeding, avoid eating or drinking the following foods for a few weeks to see if that helps.
- Stimulants, such as caffeine and chocolate.
- Dairy products and nuts. Your baby may have allergies to these foods.
Some breastfeeding moms avoid eating broccoli, cabbage, beans, and other gas-producing foods. But research has not shown that these foods can have a negative effect on your baby.
Other possible triggers include:
- Medicines passed through breast milk. If you are breastfeeding, talk to your own doctor about the medicines you take.
- Baby formula. Some babies are sensitive to proteins in formula. Talk to your baby’s doctor about switching formulas to see if that helps.
- Overfeeding or feeding the baby too quickly. Bottle feeding your baby should take about 20 minutes. If your baby is eating faster, use a nipple with a smaller hole.
Talk to a lactation consultant to learn more about the possible causes related to breastfeeding.
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Key Points About Colic
- 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.
How Is Colic Diagnosed Or Evaluated
A healthcare provider will examine your baby and obtain a medical history. Questions might be asked about how long and how often your child cries, if you have noticed anything that seems to trigger the crying, and what comfort measures are effective, if any. Blood tests and X-rays or other imaging tests may be done to determine if there are other problems present.
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How Can You Help A Colicky Baby
Your mother, next-door neighbour and hairdresser probably know someone whose babys colic was cured by rice cereal, a rocking chair or voodoo. Many fixes help for a short time, and everything seems to work at three or four months, when colic usually disappears. Still, there are some things parents can try that offer a genuine chance of relieving their babys symptoms.
Carrying your baby as much as possible has been shown to reduce crying. In The Baby Book, paediatrician William Sears writes that parents should carry babies around or start a comforting routine before the colic kicks in. Once your baby is all wound up, shell be harder and harder to soothe. He suggests using a baby sling or carrier. Other traditional colic remedies include a warm hot water bottle on the babys tummy, music, slow rhythmic rocking and running a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer for calming white noise. Some parents have tried putting their babies in a car seat on top of a running, cool clothes dryer.
Some infants respond well to being snugly swaddled in a cuddly blanket. Parents spend scads of cash on swings, crib vibrators and other gadgets that claim to calm babies, but there are no guarantees these will work. As Friedman points out, some babies respond to less stimulation, not more. If nothing else seems to work, you might want to try putting your baby down in a dark room and listening to see if his crying slows after a few minutes.
Heres a look at some of the other treatments used for colic.
How Colic Affects New Parents
Although it’s not harmful in itself, colic can still take its toll. For starters, it puts terrible pressure on new parents. “It sent my husband and me into therapy,” confesses Catherine McManus, a mom from Oviedo, Florida. Excessive crying is also associated with giving up breastfeeding, overmedication of babies, postpartum depression, and shaken-baby syndrome.
Colic is nerve-racking, but it’s helpful to remember that it’s also temporary. “Colic is not your baby’s defining personality trait,” says Laura Jana, M.D., coauthor of Heading Home with Your Newborn . “Once the colic is gone, your child can have a completely different personalityspunky, sensitive, crabby. But colic is not going to tell you which, because it doesn’t carry over.”
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Advice To Parents Of Colicky Babies
If youve reached your emotional limit and the 5 SS are not helping your babys colic, lay him down in on the floor or in a safe baby bed and call a friend or a relative to come help you.
Its normal to feel at wits end when a baby cries for hours, but you never want to allow your frustration or anyone elses to lead to shaken baby syndrome. And finally, if you have a colicky baby, never blame yourself for his cries. Colic may be a mystery, but be confident the cause is not you.
At What Age Can Babies Get Colic
Not all babies end up with colic â on average about 1 in 5 get it. If your little one does go through a colicky spell, the symptoms may start appearing at between 2 and 4 weeks of age.
The crying may be irregular at first, with crying spells getting longer until your little one is about 3 to 4 weeks old.
After this, you might notice a pattern in your little oneâs colicky crying. For example, it might typically last from 6 pm until 11 pm each night.
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What If It’s Not Colic
Babies cry for other reasons that are not colic. The first step is to make sure a baby doesn’t have a health reason to be crying.
- has a fever of 100.4°F or higher
- is less alert or active than usual
- isn’t feeding well
- isn’t sucking strongly when taking the bottle or breast
- has loose stools or blood in the stool
- is losing weight or not gaining weight
- can’t calm down no matter what you do
Swaddling Can Help Relieve Colic In Babies
Swaddling is one of the anciently used ways to keep the baby calm and relaxed. So, if you feel your baby is colicky, swaddling may help you. It helps to provide your baby with a womb-like feel, and this keeps her calm.
For this, you need to take a large and smooth cloth and wrap it around your baby, ensuring that her arms do not move. However, you need to ensure that the legs of your baby are relaxed and finely moveable. It will let the baby pass the gas quite easily.
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