©2007 Publications International, Ltd. A certain amount of crying is normal and healthy for a baby.
The first step is to relax in the knowledge that your feelings are perfectly normal. Parents are often conditioned to believe that if their child is crying, something is wrong, something that they should be able to fix. Fortunately, you can take solace in the fact that your child is probably otherwise healthy. Unfortunately for both baby and parents, doctors don't know what causes colic, what the disorder is, or how to cure it. They don't even know if colicky babies are in pain. But they do know that colic does not indicate the presence of a serious medical problem, and a certain amount of crying is normal and healthy. Still, to set your mind at ease, it may be helpful to take your child to the pediatrician to ensure all that wailing and weeping is not a sign of a medical problem. It can also be reassuring to keep in mind that most cases of colic go away by the time the child has reached three months of age.
In this article, we'll address the problem of colic and how to keep your baby as comfortable as possible during the healing process. Keep reading for some home remedies to treat colicky babies.
Home Remedy Treatments for Colic
©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Colic may result from fatigue, so it's important to let your baby sleep.
Set the baby in motion. As most parents can attest, mild repetitious motion, such as that of a moving car or a rocking chair, can calm a cranky baby, knowledge that is doubly important with a colicky child. If taking the baby out in the car is too inconvenient, put the child in a safety seat on top of a running dryer (but never leave the baby unattended).
There are also devices on the market that will rock or vibrate the baby's crib. Some have sound sensors that will start the motion only when the baby starts crying and will stop after it senses that the baby has calmed down or gone to sleep. One device even simulates the motion of a car moving at 55 miles per hour. Some physicians find it effective, while others feel that it makes little difference.
Let the baby sleep. Many parenting books and pediatricians would have you believe that you should pick the baby up every time he or she cries, but keep in mind that infants often cry because they are tired. In such cases, picking up the child only stimulates him or her further, which could lead to more tears. Hard as it may be to follow, the best advice under those circumstances is to leave a crying baby alone.
To assess whether your child is crying because of fatigue, try everything else first: feeding, burping, changing, cuddling, checking for signs of illness such as fever. Then, if the baby is still crying, put him or her down to sleep, and walk away. Often, the child will settle down within a few minutes.
Stay calm. If your baby's marathon crying drives you to the brink of insanity, remind yourself that colic is not a serious medical problem that threatens his or her health. With that knowledge in mind, understand that this is just a stage in your child's development, albeit an unpleasant one, that will soon pass.
Take your baby off cow's milk. Some studies have shown an improvement in colic after dairy products have been removed from the baby's diet. The culprit seems to be a protein in cow's milk, which is present in many infant formulas and in the milk of breast-feeding mothers who eat dairy products. The protein may be responsible for colic in about 5 to 10 percent of babies who suffer from the condition. Changing the baby's formula (there are many soy-based formulas available) or staying off dairy products yourself if you are breast-feeding, is worth a try. If your baby's crying does not seem to improve after two weeks, you can assume that the milk was not the problem.
Add fiber to your baby's formula. Some studies have suggested that colic may improve in certain infants when fiber is added to their formula. In these studies, researchers added Citrucel, a bulking agent that draws water into the stool, to the babies' formula. Anywhere from one-half teaspoon three times a day to one-half teaspoon six times a day seemed to do the trick. Start by adding small amounts of fiber to the formula, and build up to higher doses. Although not the answer for every baby, adding a little fiber is safe and worth a try.
Take a shower. If your baby's crying has driven you to the point of near madness, it's time to stop and take a break, since an overly frustrated parent is no help to anyone. A long, hot shower will relax your shattered nerves, while the sound of running water can mask the baby's crying. (Be sure the baby is in a safe place, such as a crib.)
Keep a calendar. A record of your baby's weight and the frequency and length of crying bouts may be of help in tracking his or her progress. It can also be a handy record to take to the pediatrician's office. A useful bonus: While it may seem like your baby cries all the time, charting will remind you that he or she takes breaks now and then.
Soothe, don't stimulate. Some crying, colicky babies may be overly stimulated, so try soothing the infant instead of bouncing or rocking him or her. Some time-honored tools: a hot-water bottle, filled with warm, not hot, water and placed on a towel on the child's back or stomach; a pacifier; or repetitious sounds, such as the noise of a fan or humidifier.
Be realistic. You know those happy, smiling babies that you see in magazines and books? Count your blessings if your baby manages to resemble one of those glowing cherubs for a few minutes each day and try not to be discouraged or concerned the rest of the time: Your baby is not abnormal just because he or she cries a lot.
Maintain as much direct contact as possible. Pediatricians often recommend carrying and cuddling a colicky baby as much as possible. However, studies have failed to show that carrying actually causes a reduction in crying. On the other hand, carrying the baby frequently before colic ever sets in may prevent the condition from developing in the first place. In one study, caretakers of 99 normal infants increased their carrying of the infants by the age of three weeks. The result? The babies cried 43 percent less than other babies of the same age. The crying peak never seemed to occur in the infants who were carried. Furthermore, studies of a tribe of hunter-gatherers in Botswana, the !Kung San, found that their infants cry as often as North American babies, but only for about half as long. That may be because mothers in the tribe spend significantly more time with their babies held close to their bodies than North American mothers do.
Feed more often. One reason that the !Kung San spend so much time holding their babies is that they feed them almost continuously, approximately four times per hour, four minutes per feeding. Researchers speculate that this approach to feeding may be partly responsible for the reduced crying of the !Kung San infants. Even if continuous feeding does not fit into your schedule, adding a few extra sessions per day may still help. And don't worry that you're feeding the baby too often. Doctors say a normal schedule can include frequent feedings.
Put your baby on a schedule. Some children cry excessively because they simply don't know how to calm themselves down enough to go to sleep. Since babies under 12 weeks old often fall asleep while being fed, it is sometimes difficult for them to fall asleep when they aren't feeding. Start your little one on a regular schedule of sleeping and waking, and try to get him or her to fall asleep without your assistance. Establishing a simple bedtime (or naptime) routine or ritual may serve as a cue and help your baby transition from wakefulness to sleep without a crying fit in between. For example, each night, you might first change the baby's diaper, then sing a lullaby or two while you cuddle together in the rocking chair, and finally set the baby in the crib just before he or she drifts off to sleep. The baby may fuss a bit at first but will eventually get the hang of falling asleep in the crib rather than while feeding or being held.
Touch base with your pediatrician. Having a colicky child can be discouraging, so take advantage of all support systems available to you. Your pediatrician can be an invaluable source of ideas, experience, and reassurance.
Wait it out. Until someone comes up with a cure for colic, the best advice is simply to hang in there. Take solace in the fact that colic generally stops by three months of age. The longest you'll have to wait is until the baby reaches six months, although colic rarely lasts even this long.
In the next section, we'll take a look at colic home remedies that you can whip up in the kitchen.
Natural Home Remedies for Colic
©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Mint has antispasmodic properties that can soothe a colicky baby.
Home Remedies From the Cupboard
Chamomile tea. Chamomile combines antispasmodic and sedative properties and may relieve intestinal cramping and induce relaxation at the same time. In fact, chamomile contains 19 different antispasmodic constituents, as well as five sedative ones. To make a cup of tea: Place 1 teaspoon chamomile flowers in a cup and fill with boiling water. Cover and let stand for ten minutes. Strain and, while warm or at room temperature, give to the infant in a bottle. A nursing mother may also drink the tea, unless she is allergic to pollens. Prepackaged chamomile tea bags may be used instead of flowers.
Home Remedies From the Refrigerator
Soy products. That carton of cow's milk looks innocent enough, but it can be the problem source for five to ten percent of colicky babies. Many studies have shown an improvement in colic after dairy products have been eliminated from babies' diets. The culprit seems to be the protein in cow's milk. (Don't think milk is the only villain. This protein lurks in many infant formulas containing dairy and is also found in the milk of breast-feeding mothers who consume dairy products.) Try eliminating dairy products for two weeks and switch to soy products, both for baby and for you, if you're breast-feeding. If you don't notice any improvement, assume milk isn't the culprit.
Home Remedies From the Sink
Running water. Water soothes the savage beast...and the screaming baby. One of the simplest calming techniques is to place a bowl in the sink and turn on the faucet. Hold your baby next to the sink so he can hear the water cascading into the bowl. If the kitchen sink doesn't produce enough volume, perhaps try the bathroom sink. An enclosed space, like a bathroom, may accentuate the soothing sounds of water.
Warm water. Put warm (not hot) water in a hot-water bottle and place it against your baby's stomach. This can be soothing.
Home Remedies From the Spice Rack
Basil. This aromatic herb contains large amounts of eugenol, which, among other things, has antispasmodic and sedative properties. Place 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves in a cup and fill it with boiling water. Cover and let stand for ten minutes. Strain and, while warm or at room temperature, give it to the infant in a bottle. A nursing mother may also drink the tea.
Mint. Mint has antispasmodic properties, which may help reduce intestinal spasms in colicky infants. Place 1 teaspoon dried mint in a cup and fill with boiling water. Let stand for ten minutes. Strain well and, while warm, feed to the baby in a bottle. Nursing mothers may want to have a cup of mint tea, too.
Although it has never been definitively proven to be effective, peppermint-flavored water is a century-old remedy for colic. Scientists have discovered that the active ingredient in peppermint oil is a calcium-channel blocker, which may ease intestinal distress, a common problem associated with colic. A peppermint stick soaked in water may be used as an alternative, but note that many sticks contain sugar. Never use straight peppermint oil to make tea. It's too potent for a baby.
If your baby has been diagnosed with colic, try some of the simple home remedies in this article to help alleviate his or her fussiness.
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