Parenting a Colicy Baby

When my son was three weeks old he began crying at the same time at night. I could hear gas in his stomach and no matter how much I would try to comfort him he would continue to cry. I took Lincoln to the doctors and was told he had formula induced colic. Once I learned more about what colic was I began to formulate ways relieve my baby. I thought that I would share with you some of the ways that I overcame these issues.

What is Colic?

Throughout my extensive research on colic I have found a variety of explanations found from doctors. Some believe that colic is a period throughout the day where an infant cries for at least three hours. This time throughout the day is often consistent. The child is often inconsolable.

Others believe that colic is a buildup of gas in the intestines. This causes the child pain and results in the crying, fussiness, and large body movements such as kicking, squirming, and arching of the back.

And then there are those doctors who believe that colic is a mixture of both of the above beliefs.

Some Solutions and Suggestions

Cradle Hold-

Hold your baby belly to your belly using the cradle hold. This places pressure on their stomachs and may help them express the gas. It also comforts them.

Try different formulas-

Some babies have problems breaking down the nutrients to particular formulas. There are a variety of formulas out on the market that can help babies who may have anything from milk allergies to problems breaking down particular proteins. You should consult your pediatrician prior to changing formulas however.

**once I visted the pediatrician, he recommended that I switch Lincoln from Enfamil Lipil to Similac Alimentum. I am not sure if this has really alleviated his symptoms of if he just simply grew out of the colic (I plan on switching him back within the next few days to see if he his ready for regular formula).

Colic Massage-

Colic massage is a great way to get lazy intestines up and running. Newborn intestines are immature and are still “learning” how to work. The massage shown in the following youtube clip is a great way to get them kick started. (I do not own any of the rights to the following clip)

**The colic massage was amazing and really helped get the air out of Lincoln's tummy. If you are having trouble with colic issues I highly recommend this!

            Check out this video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1kQ-7gREcM

Gripe Water-

There are a variety of gas drops and gripe water available on the market. Gripe water is an herbal remedy believed to help babies break up gas allowing them to get rid of it. Through my research I have found some gripe waters that stand out beyond the hundreds of other brands.

            Colic Calm- I could only find this at my local CVS.

            Mommy bliss-Rite Aid

            Lil Tummy’s gripe water-CVS

Giving infant a bath-

When you find that your infant is becoming fussy a bath just may do the trick. Completely undress your baby and either give them a warm bath or sponge bath. This can help calm them down and the interaction may soothe an inconsolable infant.

Getting Help

 The persistent crying that comes with colicky babies can often be extremely stressful and you may find yourself at your wits end. It really is beneficial when you are in this situation to have a partner or someone else that you trust that is willing to help you out.

If you find that you are becoming over stressed try to have someone take over for you for a few minutes until you can calm yourself down.

Having a safe place that you can put the baby so that you can walk away when alone (such as a swing or pack and play) can be extremely beneficial.

WARNING: Never let yourself get to the point of frustration where you may shake your child. Even though you may not feel that you are shacking hard it can still cause significant damage. It is better to walk away for 2-3 minutes even if the infant is crying than to allow yourself to get so frustrated that you may shake the infant.

I hope that the above information helps those of you whose child(ren) suffer from colic. If you have any additional questions feel free to leave a comment and I will help in any way I can. It really helps to do research on colic. It allows you to both understand what it is and different ways that you can try and help your child. When you feel like you are actively trying to help your child; it helps alleviate some of that stress. Good Luck!