Have you hear about colic before? The fact is: all babies cry. It’s like the only way for them to express themselves and communicate their needs at this tender age.
And this is pretty normal.
But in babies with colic, the crying starts suddenly for no apparent reason and has no apparent cure.
Colic is not a disease or an ailment, but the term for excessive and worrisome crying in otherwise healthy babies.
Worse, there is no solution to it besides the passing of time. Colic should go away by the time your baby is 4 months old.
Until then, you’ll welcome to steal these tips to manage colic in your baby.
Symptoms
Generally, crying for more than 3 hours a day at least 3 days per week for more than 3 weeks is categorized as colic. Other symptoms of colic may include:
- Crying for no obvious reason (for example, they aren’t hungry, sick, or need a diaper change).
- Crying around the same time(s) each day. Colicky babies often get cranky toward the end of the day. But then, it can happen at any time.
- Crying like they’re in pain.
- Clenching their fists when crying or curling up their legs.
- Turning red when crying.
- Closing their eyes or opening them very wide, furrowing the brows, or even holding their breath briefly.
- Bowel activity may increase, and he/she may pass gas or spit-up.
- Eating and sleeping are disrupted by the crying — baby frantically seeks a nipple only to reject it almost as soon as sucking has begun, or dozes for a few minutes only to wake up screaming.
Causes Of Colic
In reality, there is no apparent cause for colic. However, researchers and Doctors have looked into many possible reasons for colic, and have come up with some of the contributing factors to include:
- A digestive system that isn’t fully developed.
- Pain or discomfort from gas or indigestion.
- Overfeeding or underfeeding.
- Sensitivity to formula or breast milk.
- Overstimulation.
- Emotional reaction to fear, frustration, or excitement.
- An early form of childhood migraine headache.
On the bright side, if your baby is suffering from this condition, there are things you can do to try to avoid possible triggers, reduce crying, and generally manage colic in babies. They include:
1. Feeding Babies With Colic
If you are breastfeeding your baby, keep track of what you eat and drink, as everything you consume gets passed to your baby and can have an effect on them. You might want to stay clear of caffeine and chocolate, which act as stimulants. Avoid dairy products and nuts, which your infant may be allergic to. And ask your doctor if any medicines you’re taking could be a potential problem.
If you are feeding your baby formula, you might try a different brand. Babies can be sensitive to certain ingredients present in formulas. Also, avoid feeding your baby too much or too quickly. One bottle feeding should last about 20 minutes.
Have you read: 8 Simple Nigerian Baby Weaning Recipes
If your baby consumes food very quickly, try using a nipple with a smaller hole, so as to slow down their feeding pace.
2. Comforting Babies With Colic
Babies who have colic respond differently to movements and stimuli and can be comforted by:
- Giving your baby a warm (not hot) bath or keeping a warm towel on their stomach.
- Providing extra skin-to-skin contact.
- Swaddling your baby.
- Singing to your baby while rocking him rhythmically.
- Giving your baby a pacifier.
- Massaging your baby (ask your pediatrician for guidelines).
- Providing white noise, such as a fan, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, hairdryer, or dishwasher.
- Going for a walk with your baby in their stroller.
- Going for a drive with your baby in their car seat.
- Giving your baby simethicone drops. (an over-the-counter medicine can help relieve gas.)
3. Holding Babies with Colic
Babies who have colic also respond to different ways of being rocked or held. You can try:
- Rocking your baby in your arms or using an infant swing.
- Holding your baby upright if they have gas.
- Rocking your baby in the evening.
- Holding your baby while walking.
- Holding your baby across your arm or lap while you massage their back.
When To See A Dcotor
A true saying is that a mother’s instincts never fail her. While the odds are that your baby’s daily screaming sessions are due to colic, if it seems like your baby is crying excessively, (you know your child better) it may be an indication you need to see your doctor.
The doctor will examine your baby to rule out any other potential causes of excessive crying. And even if they conclude it’s really the case of colic, it’s good to get some reassurance and maybe a few extra coping strategies.
When you get there, do well to describe the crying (duration, intensity, pattern, any alteration from the norm and any accompanying symptoms), as this will help the doctor rule out any underlying medical condition (like reflux, an infection or a diary allergy) that could be triggering the excessive crying.
Welcome to parenting.
