Newborn arch back1/17/2024 ![]() ![]() Deep baths and gentle massage relax some babies, but they often don’t help if your baby is already crying.Baby slings are great to provide comfort and contact if the baby needs to be held.Soft lighting can also help some babies who may be distressed by harsh lights.Many babies soothe themselves by sucking, so a dummy can be helpful, once your breast milk supply is going well.Wrapping or ‘swaddling’ in a cotton sheet can be calming.Check that your baby is not too hot or cold or uncomfortable in some way.Holding them curled in a C (or flexed) position helps to calm them down. Crying babies tend to arch their backs and stiffen their legs.This may mean that they will cry less later on. Respond quickly if your baby is crying.Try the following ideas, which may help to calm your baby: There is no test for colic, so the only way to be sure that it is probably ‘only’ colic is to have the baby checked by a doctor.īy holding or stroking your baby, they are learning that you are there for them, even if they are not able to calm down yet. Some infant formulas now have added lactobacillus (probiotics) but this does not seem to make a lot of difference for babies with colic.Ī crying baby needs to be checked by a doctor, to make sure there is no health problem causing pain or discomfort. Babies, especially if they are breastfed, are likely to have plenty of lactobacillus acidophilus. In recent years there has been a lot of interest in ‘good’ bacteria (such as lactobacillus acidophilus) versus ‘bad’ bacteria in the gut. Brewed coffee and energy drinks contain particularly high levels of caffeine. It may be useful to reduce the amount of caffeine a mother is having through coffee, tea, cola or other drinks and foods. This should only be done with help from a doctor, to ensure the nutritional needs of both mother and baby are met. Removing the substances from both the baby’s and the mother’s diet may be helpful. There is no evidence that gripe water can improve colic in babies and such products should only be used in consultation with your doctor.Ĭhanging the diet of a baby is only of proven benefit for colic if the baby has lactose intolerance or cow’s milk allergies. Different formulas contain different ingredients including some herbal ingredients. ‘Gripe water’ is a generic term for liquids that claim to ease gas, digestion and other ‘colicky’ symptoms. If you use any medications, you should see your doctor first to check your baby’s health. Medications can also make babies more sleepy, which can be dangerous. ![]() Colic gets better by itself, often quite suddenly, whether you use any medicines or not. It is not clear how useful medicines for colic are. General immaturity – babies may take a few months to adjust to life outside the womb.Feeling of fullness – babies may overreact to the unfamiliar sensations of gas or fullness and may interpret these feelings as painful or alarming.Maternal drug-taking – caffeine and nicotine in breast milk have been linked to infant irritability, since the baby’s body isn’t able to efficiently get rid of these substances.Some studies have found that particular foods eaten by the motherincluding cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, chocolate, onions and cow’s milkcan cause an attack of colic in her breastfed infant. Maternal diet – certain foods in the mother’s diet may cause symptoms of food allergy or intolerance in her breastfed baby.There are many theories however, some babies have colic when no clear factors seem to be the cause. The baby recovers, none the worse for the experience.ĭespite much research into this common condition, the cause of colic remains unknown.The baby passes wind or faeces (poo) around the time the crying stops, which could be coincidental.The crying lasts for three hours or more.The baby may pull up its legs, suggesting stomach pains.Usually, the baby seems quite happy until the late afternoon or early evening. Symptoms of colicĬolic tends to appear in the first two to four weeks of life and peaks at around six to eight weeks of age. It is very important not to blame a ‘stressed’ parent for the crying. ![]() Some studies have found that parents under stress are more likely to consider their child as ‘colicky’, but it must be remembered that colic is very stressful to live with. The cause is unknown but colic generally stops, without treatment, after a few weeks. Usually, cuddling or trying to soothe the baby’s cries does not work. Colic affects around one in three babies. The baby seems to be suffering from abdominal pain. These bouts of crying may last for three hours or more and occur mostly in the afternoons and evenings. This usually happens between the ages of about two weeks and 16 weeks. Some babies go through a period of having unexplained and regular crying each day. ![]()
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