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Living Through Your Baby's Colic
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By
Arabella Greatorex
Quite simply an absolute nightmare for parents and babies alike,
colic is likely to be the first major test of your parenting skills.
It is dreadful for all concerned, but these tips should help you
cope with this difficult time.
You must at all times remember that your baby is not
crying to annoy you or to punish you for something you have not
done. It is not your fault that she is suffering in this way, nor
is it hers. All you can do is to help relieve her pain.
Is it colic?
Colic is defined as three or more hours of continued
crying in a day. It is not an actual illness or physical ailment,
and doctors are still not sure what the cause is. All that is known
is that a number of babies will suffer from it, starting around
6 weeks, crying inconsolably for hours each day until around 3 months
or later.
If your baby cries for long periods of time and you
are not able to comfort her, it may be colic, but you should first
rule out the normal reasons for crying:
• Is your baby hungry or thirsty?
• Is her nappy wet, or is she too hot or cold?
• Is she bored or in need of a cuddle?
If you can rule out all the above, you should ensure that she is
not ill by checking the following:
• Lots of physical contact is often the only way to comfort
a baby suffering from colic. A baby that is actually ill is unlikely
to want to be handled.
• Nearly every baby will bring back small quantities of milk,
but any actual vomiting should be checked out with your health visitor
or other health professional.
• A baby suffering from colic will continue to feed and has
a good sucking reflex. An ill baby is likely to have a reduced appetite
and may not suck as well.
• Colic is very unlikely to alter your baby's nappies so
any diarrhea should be investigated further.
A baby with colic will quite literally howl with pain and will bring
her knees up into her chest to try to relieve it. Many parents believe
that with lots of patience and hard work, they are able to reduce
the level of discomfort even if they are not able to end it completely.
What causes colic?
It is still not known why some babies suffer from colic, and it
is likely that there are a number of probable causes. Many colicky
babies suffer from excessive wind and doctors will sometimes prescribe
anti-wind drops. Other babies may simply find the transition to
the world a little hard to cope with and display colic symptoms
as a result.
A small number of babies suffer from a milk allergy (either to
breast or formula milk), which may be the cause of the colic symptoms
and may respond to a soya-based milk. This needs to be monitored
carefully, so you must discuss the symptoms with your doctor or
other health professional before altering your baby's feeding.
Preventing colic symptoms
Breastfed babies
Breastfed babies tend to take in less air than bottle-fed babies,
but do remember to burp your baby about give to 10 minutes into
the feed and then again at the end. Even breastfed and fed-on-demand
babies can gulp milk in the first few minutes, so an early burping
can help to remove
this air before too much milk gets on top of it.
Remember to relax when you are feeding. If you are tense, you may
pass this on to your baby and start the process off. Also, this
may be one of the few times in which you will be able to rest yourself.
• Try out a number of positions to see which is most comfortable
for the two of you. Ask for help if you need it.
Bottle-fed babies
A soya formula can help some babies with colic, but do check with
your doctor or heath visitor, as they have been concerns about the
levels of sugar in some formulas.
If you think that your baby is swallowing a lot of air when feeding,
try a different teat and always make sure that the bulb is full
of milk to help reduce this. Keep feeds small and frequent; this
way, your baby will never get panicky for a feed and gulp in air
and also will never suffer from bloating caused by too full a stomach.
All babies
There are a number of other, more long-term preventive measures
that you can take. Many parents swear by massage. It can help to
prevent a bout of colic and also relieve the symptoms when one does
occur. Cranial-osteopathy is another treatment that many parents
opt for; ask around for a recommended practitioner.
When colic strikes
There is no single thing that will give relief to all babies with
colic, but with (lots of) patience and trial and error, you will
find things that will help ease the discomfort. What your baby really
needs is comforting — and lots and lots of it. This will not
spoil the baby. You are simply responding to her needs and helping
her through a distressing time.
Simple things often work best:
• Put her over your shoulder or in another favorite position
and walk up and down the room.
• Cradle her face down over your arm so that all her weight
is on her stomach.
• Lay her face down across your knees and pat her back.
• If you have a rocking chair, try sitting in it and rocking
backwards and forwards.
• A baby carrier may help if your arms begin to get tired.
• Talk soothingly to your baby. She is scared and in pain
and this can help to calm her down.
• Try any other calming tricks that she likes such as dim
lights or soothing music.
• Try massaging her stomach gently in a clockwise direction.
(This can also work as a preventive measure.)
• Try gently pushing her knees into her stomach to help relieve
the pain.
• Try some of the branded gripe and gas-relief preparations
that are available, after checking with your health care provider
which is best for your baby.
Coping with colic is very hard work and extremely frustrating for
you, but you should be able to dramatically reduce your baby's suffering
if you keep at it. If you can, share this time with another adult.
Perhaps you could take it in turns or maybe keep each other company
as you cope with
the baby's cries.
If you really are reaching the end of your patience, put your baby
somewhere safe (such as the cot) and leave the room for 10 minutes.
She may scream even louder but no real harm will come to her and
the short break will do you wonders.
The next day
Your baby is likely to wake up bright and early and not be any
the worse for the night before. You, on the other hand, are likely
to be exhausted and very aware that it will all start again in a
few hours.
Forget about the housework. You and your baby need as much enjoyable
time together and you need as much rest as you can get. Even if
you can't get someone to help you with the nights, perhaps a neighbor
or friend would play with the baby while you catch up on some sleep.
Nor is actually getting dressed in the mornings that important.
If it helps you to rest, then stay in your dressing gown until you
are ready to go out.
Make your life as simple as possible. If friends call round to
see you and the baby, ask them to make the coffee while you sit
down for five minutes. Perhaps they could even hang the washing
out for you — it is amazing the difference even this will
make to the quality of your life. Order in takeaway or make simple
meals such as jacket potatoes and tuna or cheese — easy to
cook and easy to clean up.
This is a very difficult time so try to hold onto the thought that
it will pass in a couple of weeks. Also, remember, this is not your
fault, nor is it your baby's fault.
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