Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi Everyone

Signing off now!!

Have a lovely Christmas & all the best for 2013 with your bundles of joy!

Nikki

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi Wilde

Babies suffer from colic between the ages of 2-4 weeks of age to around 4 months of age. Colic most commonly occurs in the late afternoon and evening when your baby may cry out in pain, draw her knees up to her chest and go red in the face. Her tummy may be swollen or bloated as if she's swallowed a lot of air, and she might pass wind more than usual.

Colic is usually recognised by bouts of inconsolable crying, often for hours at a time, for no specific reason - i.e. your baby is not hungry, overtired, needs a nappy change or has a raised temperature and can be extremely tiring for both parents.

The most likely explanation for colic may be the build-up of trapped wind in your baby's bowel causing pain and discomfort in these early months due to the immature digestive system of your new-born.

Anti-colic massage techniques about an hour after a feed can help, combined with regular winding techniques throughout & after the feed. Also try keeping your baby upright for about an hour after the feed to help aid digestion.

Some mums find  using a simeticone based product such as Infacol prior to the feed can also help alleviate symptoms. Other tips are ‘white noise’ such as the humming of a washing machine or a drive in the car which can help to settle babies in some cases!

Also always ensure there is milk in the teat and that you wind your baby regularly!

Hope that helps!

Nikki x

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi CAS21

Unfortunately we do not recommend using a cushion to tilt the head or the use of hot water bottles and beanbags to ease discomfort for health & safety reasons. With regards to tummy time, that is fine for a short period whilst she is with you but not to be laid to sleep that way. Also positioning her to sleep on her back can predispose to her rolling on to her tummy which is also not recommended by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) and the Department of Health.

There are other methods of alleviating colic which can help such as anti-colic massage techniques about an hour after a feed, combined with regular winding techniques throughout & after the feed. Also try keeping your baby upright for about an hour after the feed to help aid digestion.

Hope that helps

Nikki

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi Jamie

The recommendnations by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) and the Department of Health is that for the first six months, the safest place for your baby to sleep is in a cot in your bedroom

Other recommendations include to always lie your baby on his or her back to sleep & place your baby with his or her feet at the foot of the cot to prevent them wriggling down under the covers. Don't fall asleep with your baby while sitting or lying on a sofa or armchair & don't let your baby sleep with a pillow. Always use a firm mattress with a waterproof cover for your baby's cot & make sure that bedding is tucked in securely ensuring that your baby's head isn’t covered with bedding. Tilting the cot at an angle is not recommended .

Hope that helps!

Nikki

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi Lizzie Batchelor

Some mums swear by this and it is commonly known as ‘white noise’! Not sure how scientific it is but mums often tell me it works to distract colicky babies, so my recommendation would be to try it & see if it works for your little one!

Nikki  

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Dear Gav

The ‘cry-it-out’ approach is not something we recommend although some mums may recommend it, as you have found out!

Colic can be an exhausting & difficult time for both baby and parents and listening to the persistent cry can be very distressing. There are other proactive methods that my work. Anti-colic massage techniques about an hour after a feed can help, combined with regular winding techniques throughout & after the feed. Also try keeping your baby upright for about an hour after the feed to help aid digestion.

Some mums find  using a simeticone based product such as Infacol prior to the feed can also help alleviate symptoms. Other tips are ‘white noise’ such as the humming of a washing machine or a drive in the car can also help to settle babies in some cases!

The good news is colic symptoms only last till around 4 months and then should gradually subside, so hopefully things should improve soon

Good luck!

Nikki

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi NewMummy2

Infacol works well for a lot of mums and works by breaking down the small trapped bubbles of wind into bubbles that are easier for the baby to pass. It may be that you need to combine other techniques to help move these trapped bubbles such as anti-colic massage techniques and keeping your baby upright for a short period following feeds. Also check out your latching techniques if breastfeeding and if bottle feeding ensure the teat is always full of milk to avoid your baby gulping in too much air. Anti-colic teats may also help!

Hope that gives you some hints! Good luck!

Nikki

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi Domi

Depending on the age of your baby, the symptoms could be attributed to colic as babies suffer from colic between the ages of 2-4 weeks of age to around 4 months of age. Characteristically, the inconsolable crying is worse late afternoon and early evening as in your son’s case.  If your baby is within this age range  then he may be suffering from colic. If so, anticolic massage techniques about an hour after a feed can help, combined with regular winding throughout & after the feed. Also try keeping your baby upright for about an hour after the feed as this can help aid digestion.

Check your latching technique if breastfeeding and if bottle feeding ensure the teat is always full of milk and anti-colic teats may also help!

Some mums find  using a simeticone based product such as Infacol prior to the feed can also help alleviate symptoms & alleviate the trapped wind.

Nikki

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi Elizabeth 1927

Babies suffer from Colic between the ages of 2-4 weeks of age to around 4 months of age. There are several ways you can help to ease your baby’s discomfort . Anticolic massage techniques about an hour after a feed can help, combined with regular winding techniques throughout & after the feed. Also try keeping your baby upright for about an hour after the feed to help aid digestion.

Some mums find  using a simeticone based product such as Infacol prior to the feed can also help alleviate symptoms. Other tips are ‘white noise’ such as the humming of a washing machine which does help to settle babies in some cases!

Time will tell I am afraid, but hopefully the symptoms should subside soon!

Nikki

Help and advice on dealing with colic and crying

Hi Everyone

Check out Infacol's new 'Is it Colic?' indictor app, available free on the brand's Facebook page  which can help determine the early indicators of colic in infants through a series of simple questions!

Try it out!

Nikki

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