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Colic is a condition where a baby cries for more than three hours at a time for at least four days a week, often every day. It usually occurs in babies around 2-3 months old and goes away by 6 months. There is no known cause or safe treatment, but there are ways to soothe the baby, such as burping, using repetitive movements and sounds, and keeping them in a low-stimulation environment. Parents should also take time to relax and rejuvenate.
Colic is the bane of many new parents’ lives. Rather than a medical syndrome, illness, or digestive malfunction, colic actually describes a condition in which a baby cries for more than three hours at a time for at least four days a week, but often every day. This reaction appears to occur in babies around 2-3 months old and usually goes away by 6 months of age. It is commonly idiopathic, meaning the events have no known cause and no safe treatment.
Babies with colic scream, cry and sob for hours for no imaginable reason. They are neither too hot nor too cold, suffer from a wet diaper, are hungry or sleepy. However, they are likely, to some degree, overstimulated, anxious, lonely, or confused. The dramatic change between living in the womb and being thrust into a noisy, strange, unpredictable world can be unsettling for babies. Many react with colic.
The easiest type of colic to diagnose and treat is the rare situation where a baby has a nagging reaction to food. Both formula and breast milk can cause mild food allergies, gas or intestinal cramps. A pediatrician may recommend an experimental switch to a different brand of formula. If you’re breastfeeding, your system passes on everything in your diet. It’s a good idea to cut out chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, nuts, and strong spices like garlic, chili, onions, and curry.
Colic soon involves a baby in a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break. If it’s gassy, he cries, thus swallowing air and making his stomach explode even more. If it’s not gassy, it soon will be after hours of constant sobbing. This can be an incredibly tense, exhausting, and scary experience for new parents who fear making some kind of mistake. Rest assured that you probably did nothing to cause the colic, and there is probably little you can do to calm it, other than waiting for your baby to grow up.
Most of the actions suggested aren’t really cures, just new ways of carrying, cradling, or holding the baby. For example, to eliminate or reduce gas, always burp immediately after eating. Don’t overfeed when your baby seems to want more milk. She is seeking the comfort of sucking and can be relieved by pinky sucking or a pacifier. Have the baby sit up to facilitate digestion and allow breathing without swallowing air. Experiment and see what works.
Colicky babies usually soothe themselves with repetitive movements and sounds. Take your baby for a ride in the car, use a crib or automatic rocker, or tie a sling around your stomach or back so your baby can walk with you all day. Keep him in an environment with little external stimulation, such as bright lights or loud noises, but generous parental attention, such as holding, cuddling and singing. Finally, your heightened anxiety, while understandable, can antagonize an already tense child. Take some time to relax and rejuvenate as you endure this common rite of passage.
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