Babies Tale

If your baby cries uncontrollably all the time he may have colic. Colic affects 10 to 30 percent of all babies and is not an actual disease; it is just a term to describe an otherwise healthy baby that cries for longer than three hours a day, but the phenomenon is present in almost all babies, only in varying degrees. Colic can be a very difficult thing to deal with and can cause the stress of having a newborn to start to feel overwhelming but thee are things you can do to help your baby and yourself through this time. Here are some facts about the causes of colic and tips to help you deal with a colicky baby.

Causes of Colic:

1. Broccoli, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, garlic, or other spicy foods in mother’s diet often cause uncomfortable gas or irritation and cause colic.
2. Babies on formula may be reacting to the cow’s milk present in it. Cow’s milk is a very common food allergen/reaction in children. If your child is on formula and has colic try switching to a soy-based formula, a pre-digested formula or a hypo-allergenic formula.

No one knows for sure why some babies get colic and others don’t but there is a lot of speculation around it. Some people believe it is due to some babies having a more immature or sensitive digestive systems than others. Some experts believe colic is a physical release for babies whose nervous systems are still developing and are overwhelmed or can’t handle all the new stimuli surrounding them so they cry to get the stress out.

What Can You Do?

1. Stay calm, it is very important for you to stay calm so that you can properly care for your child. If you feel yourself getting angry or depressed put your baby in the crib or another safe place and take a short break to regain your senses, call a friend to help, cry, whatever you need to do but only pick your child up again when you feel you can care for them safely.
2. Offer a pacifier between feedings.
3. Try using the football hold, and holding the baby on their stomach and walking around.
4. Play quite music or sing to your baby.
5. The one that gets the most praise is to take your child on a car ride; the vibration usually puts them to sleep.
6. Try a formula change from cow-milk formula (usually Similac or Enfamil) to a soy-based formula (usually ProSobee or Isomil).
7. Gentle rocking can be very calming.
8. Run a hot shower and rock your baby in the bathroom as the shower runs, the steam and beating of the water has been known to calm a screaming baby.

It may seem like it but Colic won’t last forever so don’t get discouraged, Colic usually only lasts three to six months and sixty percent of babies will be through the worst of it by three months. Whatever you do make sure that you look after your own health, having a colicky baby can become very stressful and leave parents feeling inadequate. Just remember to stay calm and come to terms with how you feel.

Some parents feel guilty for the their feelings when they have a colicky baby its natural to feel some resentment and anger even though you know your baby is not crying on purpose and you know that its not your fault. Recognize your feelings and take comfort that other parents are experiencing the same feelings and going through the same thing and don’t beat yourself up.

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