Colic is a baby condition that is characterized by prolonged crying of a baby. It creates a lot of frustration for both the baby and the mother. A colicky baby may not necessarily be sick or hungry, which makes this condition very difficult to understand. The good news is that colic does not last forever and generally does not go past 12 weeks.
Babies that have colic cry at the same time every day and rarely with reason. As mentioned, the baby might not necessarily be sick and might not be hungry. They may clench tightly and fold legs as if in a lot of pain. The baby’s eating and sleeping patterns are also disrupted by the colic which in turn disrupts the caretaker’s routine.
“My baby could not stop crying, almost wished my mom could take him. My aunts tried telling me it might be that the baby was under a spell! Can you imagine! ” I decided to figure out what was wrong. Being a first time mum, I was determined to figure out what was wrong with my baby. I spoke to a couple of friends I could trust on this mysterious occurrence, only to discover it was Colic,” Shazz Kimani.
Colic still remains a mystery, however, some studies show it may be caused by several things like an allergy to a particular food that the mother has not yet identified. It could be causing irritation leading to the constant crying. The digestive system is still developing at this young age, and digestion may not be as proper. It could depend on foods fed to the baby. But generally, this may cause pains that result in colic.
How to deal with Collic
- Burping the baby- If the baby’s fussiness is due to gas, sometimes burping him will help relieve the pain. Make sure you’re burping your baby effectively.
- Play soothing music- A crying baby responds to the singing of a lullaby or softly playing classical music. Other infants enjoy the sounds of nature or the whir of a fan. Repeating “shh” or “ahh” to your little one can also help. Experiment to find something your baby seems to like.
- Try swinging or rocking- Newborns find gentle movement comforting, because it feels like what they experienced in the womb.
