What Helps Colic In Newborns

How To Help Your Baby

Start by checking with your pediatrician, who can help determine whether theres a medical explanation for your babys persistent crying.

Try the 5 Ss outlined by pediatrician Harvey Karp, M.D.: shushing swaddling sucking side-lying , and swinging gently back and forth. These actions help mimic the conditions of the womb and may help soothe your baby.

Use motion to calm them. This could mean driving around in your car, walking with your baby strapped to your chest, or rocking in a glider.

To expel any trapped gas, try burping them or bicycling their legs: when theyre on their back, gently bend one knee in toward their chest, then extend it as you bend the opposite knee continue to alternate legs.

Have a regular and soothing bedtime routine. Babies with colic usually arent great sleepers, and not getting enough sleep only makes them crankier. Nighttime feedings should be all businesskeep the lights dim, dont talk or play, and get them back to sleep as quickly as possible.

Try to just be there. As hard as it can feel to be with a baby who wont stop crying, you do so much for them by holding themeven if they continue to wail.

What Is The Difference Between Normal And Colicky Crying

Sometimes your baby will cry because she is hungry or tired, or because she has a wet diaper. But when sheâs been fed, cuddled, or had her diaper changed, she will stop crying.

If, however, she seems to cry for no reason, and continues to cry even once youâve checked her diaper, fed her, and comforted her as best you can, she may have colic.

This is what sets normal crying apart from colicky crying. With normal crying, your baby will respond to comfort measures and will stop crying eventually with colic, your baby persistently cries and canât seem to be consoled.

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.

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How To Manage Your Own Distress

Caring for a screaming baby who cant be soothed is extremely distressing. If you feel that you are getting too upset, you need to take some time out to calm down. Suggestions include:

• Put your child in a safe place, such as a cot, and leave the room.
• Walk around the house or go outside.
• Relax your body by dropping your shoulders, clenching and unclenching your fists and stretching your back, arms and legs.
• Have a drink and something to eat, if you can manage it.
• Do something physical like running.

Coping With A Colicky Baby

Colic may be more harmful to worried and frustrated parents than it is to babies. A colicky baby cries for more than three hours a day more than three days a week.

As many as one in 20 babies have colic at some point during their early infancy. Its important to remember, however, that no matter how hard it may be to cope with a constantly crying baby, colic is a harmless condition as long as a medical condition has been ruled out by your pediatrician.

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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.

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 .

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How Does Gripe Water Work

The original gripe water, first used by nannies and moms in England in the 1850s, contained alcohol which people used to think relaxed babies .

Today experts dont fully understand how gripe water might help soothe tummy troubles, but its thought that ingredients like dill, fennel and ginger can help with gas relief and stomach discomfort.

If youd like to give it a try, be sure to get the green light from your babys pediatrician first to make sure that he or she is on board with giving gripe water.

If you get your doctors approval, consider using gripe water only as a backup when other gas relief methods like abdominal massage, tummy time or leg bicycling dont seem to be making your baby more comfortable.

You should also have your doctor confirm that the brand youre using is okay, since gripe water products arent regulated by the Food and Drug Administration . Check the packaging for specific dosing instructions and get your pediatricians approval first about how much and how often to give it to your baby. The general limit is four doses a day, but only under the care of your practitioner.

If your doctor says gripe water is fine for your baby and it seems to work, you should stop using it by the time your little one is 4 to 6 months old, when gassiness typically becomes less of an issue.

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Check In With A Lactation Consultant

If youre a breastfeeding mom, this is so essential. There are so many anatomical issues that could be causing your baby grief! Unfortunately, most pediatricians arent trained to spot these conditions, so be sure you find an IBCLC-certified lactation consultant. Your baby could have a bad latch. She could be tongue-tied. He could be lip-tied. All of these issues could cause some major colic symptoms!

You also want to be sure baby is getting enough hindmilk, which is higher in fat, calms the stomach, helps with digestion, and promotes satiety. If your babys poop is greenish, frothy or mucuosy, this is usually a sign that hes getting too much foremilk, which can cause digestive distress. This often happens when a breastfeeding mom has an overactive letdown or is having oversupply issues, which is very common in the first few months after giving birth.

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Newborn Baby Sleep Help That Works

Need help encouraging your newborn to sleep better, and to sleep longer stretches at night and during the day? We have a great resource designed to do just that. Check out Essential Keys to Your Newborns Sleep, an e-Book from The Baby Sleep Site®. Available in PDF format as well as a variety of e-reader formats, Essential Keys to Your Newborns Sleep is the tired parents #1 newborn resource. Essential Keys lays out everything you need to know about helping your baby to sleep better right from the start. It also includes information on feeding , baby communication, bonding with baby, daily routines, sample sleep schedules, and more. Download your copy today!

Or, if you are interested in personalized, one-on-one help for your newborn, why not consider one of our personalized sleep consulting packages? Our consultations allow you to work directly with one of our expert sleep consultants, and to get a Personalized Sleep Plan® that will work for your family.

First, browse our extensive list of package options and select the one that looks best for your situation. Browse our list of consultation package options here.

Once you make your choice and purchase, you will immediately receive an e-mail with your Helpdesk login information. Youll be able to log in and start your familys sleep history questionnaire right away its that simple!

Colic Signs And Symptoms For Baby

The most common signs and symptoms of colic include the following:

• Baby cries for a long period of time .
• The crying is predictable every day. For example, your baby cries for 3 hours from ~7:00 to ~10:00 p.m. every night.
• Crying is usually in the evening.
• Baby looks like they are in pain when they are crying.
• Soothing doesnt seem to help.

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How Your Babys Colic Affects Your Mental Health

Because perinatal mental health problems can negatively impact an infants health and affect mother-infant bonding and childrens health over time, Dr. Donner encourages parents to talk with their babys doctor during well-baby visits or any time in between. Thanks to telemedicine, there are even more options for support.

It can be easyespecially in the weeds of new parentingto want to blame yourself, says Ideran. But know this: Colic is not caused by anything a parent has done or not done. It happens in spite of excellent parenting.

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Is Simethicone Safe To Be Used To Treat Infant Colic

Although no medication can claim to be completely safe, simethicone has been shown to be relatively safe. Simethicone is non-sedating and side effects are rare. However, as studies have shown that simethicone works no better than the same amount of sugar water, you may want to save your money.

* Placebos are sugar pills or sugar water, which are used as a comparison when testing the effectiveness of medications in clinical studies. A placebo effect is when a person reports an improvement in symptoms because they believe the medication was helpful, but in reality they received a sugar pill or mixture that offered no medicinal value. The placebo effect works on the parent rather than the baby.

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Tips To Help Your Colic Baby Sleep Better

If theres any chance that over-stimulation increases colic, it will help you and your baby to help them sleep better. No, we cant get rid of all crying nor can we fix colic but helping your baby sleep better will recharge you during the day. If youre lucky, you can nap during the day so you have more patience in the evening.

Here are 5 tips to help your newborn sleep better:

I hope this article has helped you understand colic better and, most importantly, helped you feel less alone. And, I hope that you now know that this is not a reflection on your parenting skills. Its simply a test of your patience.

Research On Chiropractic Care For Colic In Newborns

A clinical trial published in 1999 in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that Spinal manipulation is effective in relieving infantile colic. For this study the researchers randomly put infants diagnosed with colic into two groups. One group was given the anti-gas medication dimethicone for two weeks and the other group received chiropractic care for two weeks. The babies in the chiropractic group showed a 67% decrease in crying while the babies on medication showed a 38% decrease in crying.

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Give Your Kid Some Knee Pushing Exercise

Knee pushing exercise plays a role in enhancing a smooth digestion as well as eliminating colic pain. You can perform this exercise by allowing your baby to lie down and then gently bend your babys legs from the knees. Try pushing the legs toward the abdomen too. Perform this exercise 5 times daily.

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Hold The Baby Correctly

Holding your baby is one of the most effective ways to stop the constant crying. The more hours they spend being comfortably held, the lesser time they will spend crying in the evening.

If gastroesophageal reflux disease is the reason why your baby is colicky, try holding him upright after feeding sessions.

Making your baby lie on his/her back or making him/her recline in a car seat right after feeding can worsen the symptoms, causing the baby to be fussy.

Also, do not forget to burp the baby after every feeding session. Not burping the baby or incorrect positioning after feeding is one of the causes of colic in babies. Burping helps release gas and prevent the formation of air pockets in the stomach, which can cause a lot of discomforts.

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Listen To Your Babys Cues

• Every parent struggles to understand what their crying baby wants, and it can be especially difficult for those who arent primary caregivers. Lip-smacking, turning the head with an open mouth or placing fists to the mouth are all typical hunger cues, says Dr. Donner. Parents get more confident in these cues over time and when they do, it definitely helps improve their confidence. She also recommends trying to soothe with a pacifier, a snug swaddle or gently rocking your baby in swinging motions.

As A Parent Of A Colicky Baby It Can Be Tiring & Upsetting Rest Assured That It Is A Common Condition & It Will Get Better Heres Our Advice To Help Soothe Those Tears

Adjusting to being a new parent can be a stressful time, particularly if your baby cries a lot and you can’t tell why. Colic is a common problem that affects around one in five babies and is generally defined as excessive or frequent crying when there is no obvious reason.

If your baby is otherwise healthy, its likely they have colic if they cry for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, for at least three weeks.

Symptoms of colic usually begin when a baby is a few weeks old and stop by four months of age six months at the latest. Caring for a baby with colic can be upsetting but the problem will eventually pass its usually nothing to be concerned about. Nevertheless, call 111 or speak to your GP if youre worried.

What are the symptoms of colic?

Prolonged and intensive crying particularly in the late afternoon or evening A flushed and red face when they’re crying An arched back, clenched fists or knees bent towards their stomach while cryingIf your baby has colic, they may seem to be in distress, but you should be reassured that the crying outbursts associated with colic aren’t harmful. Your baby should continue to feed and gain weight as usual.

Caring for a baby with colic

Looking after a colicky baby can be hard, especially for first-time parents. Its important to remind yourself that:

Easing the symptoms of colic

Theres no method that works for all babies with colic, but there are several techniques that can help. These include:

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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.

Colic In Babies And Infants

Colic is a condition where there are repeated bouts of excessive crying in a baby who is otherwise healthy. Colic is common and can be very distressing for parents. It usually goes away by the age of 3-4 months. This leaflet discusses some of the colic remedies available, and gives some tips on coping.

In this article

Colic in Babies and Infants

In this article

• What is the outcome ?

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Keeping Yourself Calm Through Excessive Crying

Trying and failing to soothe a baby who is crying inconsolably can be very stressful. Its important to remember your babys colic is not your fault and youre not a bad parent because you cant get them to stop crying.

If youre feeling stressed, we suggest you check out our article about how to cope and keep calm when looking after your baby. You could also try out one of the many free meditation apps to help you feel more calm.

If youre becoming overwhelmed or feel like you cant cope, its OK to put your baby somewhere safe and have 10 minutes of time out. Make sure youre asking loved ones for support and dont hesitate to reach out for help. A support line like that NCT offers on 0333 252 5051 can also provide help and advice to parents with babies that cry excessively.