Before I had my second child, the word colic didn’t mean much to me. My first child, Jaxon was a pretty easy baby. He rarely cried, slept great from the day he was born and was constantly smiling.
Three years later his little sister Teagan arrived. I frequently joked had she been my first, she would have been my last! When she was a newborn, I experienced what 1 in 5 parents experience… colic.
The medical definition for colic is unexplained crying for at least three hours, more than 3 days a week. colic usually rears it’s ugly head between 2-3 weeks, hits the peak around 8 weeks and starts to calm down between 4-6 months. The medical reason behind COLIC is unknown. There is little to no evidence any medication soothes colicky babies. But, there are some methods of treating colicky babies that seem to have some success.
Here are some of the Tips and Tricks for dealing with colic I was able to find:
1. Babies that are held more, earlier in the day before their fussy time, seem to cry less. Nowadays there are so many carriers and wraps to help moms hold their babies, while still having free hands.
2. Dancing with your baby. I know this sounds silly! I didn’t even know it was actually a treatment when Teag was a baby but it was something we did. Her grandpa would dance around the house holding her like a football and she would not cry! I thought it was a miracle. The science behind it is the movement, up and down, side to side and back and forth is similar to their movement in the womb and helps to calm them. It worked many times for us.
3. Another way to soothe them is a warm bath. This too reminds them of being in the womb and helps to lessen the crying.
4. Numerous studies have shown babies with colic are more sensitive to light and sound. This is where the HUSH Hat helps. By turning down the lights in the house and putting your baby’s sound absorbing HUSH Hat on, you can successfully reduce the impact of your child’s surroundings and help put them at ease.
5. Take care of yourself. As parents having a colicky baby can be so exhausting. Relax, breathe, and know this wont last forever. Ask family and friends for help if you are feeling overwhelmed.