How To Tell If My Newborn Has Colic

Adjust What Mommy Is Eating

Other less popular options include watching what you eat and changing the infants formula when you notice discomfort. Your current diet could be causing gas for both you and your baby when breastfeeding.

What you eat affects a baby when he or she is breastfeeding. Lactose intolerant babies can thrive on lactose-free baby formulas and experience reduced signs of colic.

Colic Symptoms In Newborn Babies

• Crying is a normal reaction in babies. Children cry as a way to express hunger and other situations suppressing them. Strangely, colicky children cry even for more reason.
• Parents who notice that their children cry after they are fed and even when they are under suitable conditions should suspect infantile colic infection by the infants.
• Colicky children also tend to shout for long hours especially in the evening at the same time daily. They also make high intense sounds like screaming. Colicky babies might clench their fists and have bloated tummies.
• Since colic results in abdominal pain, the infants tend to move their feet toward the belly. The infants tighten their stomachs when crying, stretch their muscles and pass gas as a result of swallowing air when crying.

When To Visit A Doctor

Talk to your Plunket nurse, call PlunketLine, or your doctor’s office if your baby:

• isn’t feeding well
• doesn’t settle or continues to cry for long periods
• has a different cry than normal. A louder, more urgent or high-pitched cry could be a sign of a more serious illness.

Or if you:

• aren’t coping well with the crying
• feel anxious or depressed
• feel your baby’s crying has an impact on how you feel about them
• feel the crying is affecting your relationship with your partner.

Colic

The Period of PURPLE Crying program aims to prevent the shaking and abuse of infants.

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Seeing Your Baby’s Health Care Provider

Your baby’s health care provider can often diagnose colic by asking you about the baby’s 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.

Coping With A Baby Who Has Colic

If your baby has colic, itâs important to pay attention to your own emotional state. Caring for a baby with colic can be tough, and it can make you feel anxious and inadequate, not to mention stressed.

No matter how frustrated you feel, never shake your baby. Shaking an infant can cause bleeding in the brain, leading to permanent damage and even death.

If you find yourself feeling out of control and unsure if you can cope with your babyâs crying, try one or more of the following steps:

• Breathe deeply and count to 10. Remember that many parents experience these feelings sometimes. Itâs nothing to be ashamed of.

• Put your baby safely in his or her cot and leave the room for a short break. Decide how long youâll be â for example 10 minutes â and go back when the timeâs up.

• Ask your health visitor or doctor about support groups in your local area

• Ask for and accept help from family and friends who can take care of your baby for a short period to give you a little time out.

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Colic In Babies: How To Know If Your Baby Has Colic

If your baby has been crying at least 3 times a week for 3 or more hours for the past three weeks, she may be colicky. Colic affects up to 1 in every 5 babies. Having a baby with colic can be a highly stressful situation for us parents It affects up to 1 in every 5 babies, and nobody really knows for sure why it happens!

Colic can happen to any baby, full term or preemie. However, premature babies have an increased chance of developing it. It usually resolves on its own when the baby is 4 to 6 months , and there is nothing to worry about. That is, except the countless nights of excessive crying.

What we have to keep in mind is that theyll eventually go away. And, although nothing but time can fully resolve colic, there are things you can do to soothe your crying baby.

Keep reading to find out if your baby has colic, and how to calm a colicky baby.

When To Call Your Babys Doctor

You should call your babys doctor if you are feeling concerned, at all. Other times that you may want to call your babys doctor include, but are not limited to:

If your baby is not gaining weight or if they are losing weight.

Your baby is crying uncontrollably and cannot be soothed at all, even if only for a minute or two.

If it appears that your baby is having any trouble breathing.

Your baby is not eating normally.

If your baby has a fever. This post is really helpful if you want to learn more about fevers, including what temperature is safe and remedies to help your childs fever.

If your baby is having diarrhea or is vomiting.

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If You Suspect Overstimulation:

• Respond. Crying is a baby’s only way of communicating his needs. But it’s also his only way of wielding any control at all over a vast and bewildering new environment: He cries, you come running to his side powerful stuff when you’re otherwise completely powerless. In fact, studies show that responding promptly to your baby’s cries will reduce his crying in the long run.
• Excise excitement. Limit visitors and avoid exposing your baby to new experiences in stimulating environments, particularly in the late afternoon and early evening. Watch how your baby responds to certain stimuli and steer clear of any that seem to offend.
• Create calm. Trying to make your baby’s environment peaceful might help him relax. Dim the lights, speak or sing in soothing tones and keep other noise and distractions to a minimum.

How Long Does It Take A Baby’s Stomach To Adjust To Formula

Same goes for a baby, you need to give the baby time to recover from one formula before judging the next. Dr. Young suggests giving it at least a week or ten days.

How do I know if my infant is allergic to formula? Typically babies with milk protein allergies will suffer from stomach cramps that make them cry, get cranky, and spit up after feedings. Loose poops and diarrhea, as well as blood in the stool, are also common symptoms. Some children may also vomit, break out in hives, or even have difficulty breathing in severe cases.

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How Do I Know If My Baby Has Colic Or Reflux

Filed under:baby colic, baby reflux, colic, newborn, newborn crying, reflux

Colic and reflux are two of the most common conditions that can affect newborn babies. Around a quarter of all babies suffer with colic, and reflux is estimated to be double that. As an expecting or new parent, it is important to know the difference between the two so you can know how to comfort your baby. At babocush, we are extremely familiar with both colic and reflux, so these pointers on how to address the conditions should help.

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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The Truth About Colic

There are so many things you should be taking care of with your baby. If he doesnt have actual colic, youve gotta move on.

If your baby does not have colic but is very irritable, he needs sleep. Sleep. Sleep. And more Sleep. You wont be comfortable sleep training your baby as long as you are worried about him having colic. I can not stress enough the importance of sleep! Read here to fully understand why there isnt much else as important for your baby as sleep.

There is no witching hour. Only a tired baby. Tired babies get fussy. Tiredness happens at the end of the day. In the evening. End of story.

Even your pediatrician will tell you that your baby is colicky when thats not necessarily the case. Why? Because theres not much to do about it. Telling you that your baby is colicky provides a way for your pediatrician to give you an answer without there being a big medical concern

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Colic

If you suspect you have a colicky baby, look out for the following possible signs and symptoms:

• Inconsolable crying

• Give her a warm bath.

• Play soft music, sing, or talk to her.

• Wrap her securely in a large, thin blanket.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for colic. Remember that sometimes no matter what you do your baby will cry. So donât beat yourself up about it. Try any number of these different approaches. If one method doesnât work within a week, go with another treatment on the list.

You may find that by the time youâve tried most of these steps, your baby will have outgrown this colicky phase.

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Some Colic Soothing Suggestions

Its important to remember that baby colic is self-limiting the symptoms usually begin to subside at around the age of four to six months as the digestive system matures and begins to work more efficiently.

The good thing is that there are many ways to help soothe colic naturally. As long as you have checked with a GP or health visitor that there isnt a more serious underlying problem, then your baby can only benefit from the following gentle soothing suggestions.

Colic Symptoms & Signs

You know your baby has colic if he or she displays the following colic symptoms and signs:

• Your baby’s cry seems like a scream or sound as if they are in pain.
• Your baby is fussy even after they have stopped crying.
• Your baby cries at a regular time, usually during the evenings.
• Your baby’s face is flushed during crying.
• Your baby curls up, stiffens their legs and arms, has a tensed abdomen, and a clenched fist.
• Your baby passes the gas and feels relieved .
• You cannot console your baby.

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How Do Doctors Diagnose Colic In A Baby

For a babys crying to be diagnosed as infantile colic, the three criteria are:

• The crying present for at least 3 hours a day.
• The crying occurs at least 3 days a week.
• The crying is persistent for at least 3 weeks in a row.

There is no test to confirm colic. The doctor does a physical examination of the baby, and if needed, they can order a few tests to rule out:

• Infection

There is no treatment to eliminate colic. It usually goes away on its own by the time the baby is 4 months old. Your doctor may give some medications, such as simethicone, fennel extract, or some nutritional supplement containing probiotics to ease the discomfort in the gut, if any.

Some steps can help alleviate the severity and duration of the episodes. Here is what you can do:

• Feed the baby after you make sure that they are hungry.
• Bottle-feed the baby in an upright position.
• Check your baby’s diaper, change the diaper if dirty, and keep the diaper area clean.
• Increase the frequency of burping after the feedings.
• Swaddling the baby in a blanket, preferably in dim light.
• Try changing the infant formula.
• Walk with the baby in your arms.
• Talk to your baby.
• Take the baby out for a ride in the stroller or a car.
• Make use of a pacifier.
• Give the baby a warm bath.
• See if eliminating certain foods, such as eggs, wheat, or soy, helps resolve the colic. Try cutting back on one food item at a time to see which foods are associated with the colic.

Things That Probably Wont Work With Colic

Medications and mixturesOver-the-counter colic mixtures from pharmacies have no scientific basis. These mixtures arent recommended as a way to deal with colic because they dont work and/or havent been thoroughly tested in young babies.

And although many babies who have colic also have reflux symptoms, theres no evidence that reflux medication reduces crying and fussing.

Doctors dont recommend naturopathic or homeopathic medications to treat colic, because theres no evidence to say they work or are safe for young babies.

Chiropractic treatmentChiropractic treatment doesnt help with colic, and spinal manipulation can be dangerous for young babies.

Changes to mothers dietIf youre a breastfeeding mother, changing your diet is unlikely to reduce crying unless your baby is diagnosed with an allergy to something in your diet for example, cows milk, egg and soy.

If allergy is the cause of your babys excessive crying or colic, your baby will usually have other red flags in addition to colic. These red flags include:

• diarrhoea, especially with mucus or blood
• poor weight gain

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What Are The Complications Of Colic

As such, colic does not cause any short-term or long-term medical problems for a child. Colic can be stressful for parents. Research has shown an association between colic and the following issues in relation to parental well-being:

• Increased chances of postpartum depression in mothers
• Early weaning of the child
• Feelings of guilt, exhaustion, and helplessness

In some cases, the stress of calming a crying baby may prompt the parents to shake or otherwise harm their child. Shaking a baby can have severe implications. It may damage their brain and even cause death.

Create A Calming Feeding Time

Try making feeding time as peaceful as possible for both of you. Find a quiet spot and enjoy the peace of nursing, it will do wonders for your nerves and your babys digestion. Turn off the TV, play some soothing music, dim the lights and let your energy level slow down and become peaceful. A drop of lavender essential oil in the hollow of your throat will help you de-stress and soothe your baby, too. Just sitting, breathing and inhaling the scent will relieve the jangled nerves.

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