Colic in babies

Colic in babies

As you and your spouse begin to adjust and take responsibility as first time parents after arrival of your angelic baby, there are few sudden things that occur in your life. You might feel all the space, freedom has wiped off in your life. It’s not so. You just need to move along with the flow of time and keep adjusting to ensure that you, your spouse and baby enjoy every moment of life.

Today we are going to talk about colic in babies. For many parents, there is nothing more stressful than listening to an inconsolably crying newborn.

Colic facts

·        Colic is self-limited and episodic.

·        Overfeeding, undiluted juices, food allergies, and emotional stress can aggravate colic.

·        It is important for a baby with new abdominal pain and crying to be evaluated by a doctor who can exclude other more serious conditions.

·        Don't give medications or other treatments to an infant unless they've been approved by the child's medical practitioner.

What is colic?

Dr. Morris Wessel, a well-known New Haven pediatrician, has defined infantile colic an infant with colic as "one who, otherwise healthy and well-fed, had paroxysms of irritability, fussing, or crying lasting for a total of three hours a day and occurring on more than three days in any one week for a period of three weeks." It is also important to remember that not all fussy babies suffer from colic. Most infants normally cry two to three hours per day, but this is usually spread out during the 24-hour period. Infantile colic typically begins at about 2 to 3 weeks of age, reaches its peak at 2 months, begins to subside by 3 months, and is gone by 3½ to 4 months of age.

It is certainly known that amongst all colicky babies, there are factors that may worsen the colic symptoms:

·        Overfeeding in an attempt to lessen the crying

·        Feeding certain foods, especially those with high sugar content (for example, undiluted juices), may increase the amount of gas in the intestine and worsen the situation. Remember infants don’t require to be fed juices or water. Breast milk has all the nutrients required for the growth of your baby. Don’t experiment with your child.

Solutions to relax colicky baby

·        Do not overfeed! Stick to the baby's regular feeding schedule of timing and amount of milk taken, as measured in ounces in the bottle-fed baby or in minutes on the breast in the breastfed baby.

·        Breastfeeding mothers should avoid too many milk products, caffeine, onions, cabbage, beans, broccoli, and other gas-producing, irritating foods.

·        Take a break! When the anxiety, fear, and tension get to be too much. Try to have someone else watch the baby, even for an hour, and leave the house. Try to keep a positive attitude.

·        Try walking the baby in a front-pouch-style carrier with his legs drawn up and pressure off of his belly.

·        Some babies seem to be soothed by rhythmic, steady movements, like rocking gently or by rhythmic sounds.

·        Wrap the baby firmly in a comfortable blanket ("swaddling").

·        Consult your child’s pediatrician and give medicine.

·        Try to avoid using gripe water, unless recommended specifically by the pediatrician.

·        You can always try to put asafetida powder in slight warm water and gently apply on the infant’s navel area.

All stress and emotional drain in managing your baby will make its way for happy moments. Don’t worry. I, being a mother of 3 year old daughter, have gone through all the worries and stressful events while nurturing my baby.

Enjoy Parenting and have a great time!!!