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Dealing with baby colic

Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 6:40 am

There is not a baby that does not cry. But there are those that cry forever it seems, not matter what you do to help. This type of crying – endless and endless – in babies between three weeks and three months usually means they have colic. Even though disconcerting for the parents in some babies it is normal.

Doctors will usually diagnose colic in a baby when a healthy baby cries much more than normal in three pattern: for more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week, for more than three weeks in a row. Colic is most common in babies between 6 to 8 weeks and will usually go away by itself when the baby is between 8 and 14 weeks.

Doctors have not been able to pinpoint a reason for what causes colic but many believe it is the result of a baby’s immature nervous system and sensitive temperament. These are some of the things doctors believe make babies cry and as they grow up and develop they are better able to control crying.

For many years parents thought colic was related to health conditions, but it is not even though gas in a baby’s belly may make them cry worse. Pain or illness do not cause colic, so if you think your baby may be crying due to being sick or hurt, you should contact your care provider.

Symptoms of colic are not easy to determine but usually a baby will stop cry when fed, held or given attention. But those things do not always work for a colic baby. Also, when crying they may stiffen their legs and stomach and clench their fists, while some may even arch their back and even other pull their legs up into their stomach.

One way to try and make it easier on you and the baby is try and figure out a crying pattern. If your baby cries more at certain times of the day then try and hold them and comfort them more during those times. You may try rocking them in a quiet room or take them for a walk in a stroller. Whatever you do, just remember, it will all eventually pass.

Dealing with the dreaded colic

Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 2:07 am

For babies, crying is very normal, but some parents may be overwhelmed with a large amount of crying. When a healthy baby cries or screams excessively, it is referred to as colic. Researchers have been unable to figure out why this condition occurs, but several theories do exist.

One theory states that the baby may ingest air when breastfed, while other theories speculate that they may be drinking too fast, which can lead to stomach pains. Whatever the cause, physicians do agree that the condition is normal and will go away over time. There are several ways that parents can best look after a colic baby.
They can try and prompt the child to burp following breastfeeding. This can also help them to stay asleep for longer. They can also try holding the baby if it is inside its crib. If the baby is hungry, breastfeeding the child can often help with the crying.

Parents can also try to give the baby a dummy. This will help the baby when the mother is unable to breastfeed. The baby might possibly be feeling sensitive to noise, which can cause it to wake up. If the baby is exposed to sounds regularly, it will become less sensitive so parents can try playing a classical music CD.

Parents can also give the baby a warm bath, this can soothe the baby and keep it from crying. However, the bath should be at an appropriate temperature to not hurt the baby’s skin. The baby may react well to Simethicone drops, which can help the baby to cry less. Finally, the baby may need a change in diet, if you follow this advice, you will likely see improvement in your baby’s crying.