Baby Colic Remedies that Work

My son had colic and my sympathy goes out to all the other parents who are suffering through this with their babies. I remember being exhausted from getting up at night with him and taking care of him all day. My poor husband would come home from work and I would fall into bed and he would get our shrieking baby from around 7:00 to 11:00 every night. We were exhausted, stressed and beginning to wonder why we wanted to be parents.

The event that changed our miserable lives was going to my son’s 8 week check-up. The Nurse Practitioner came in and heard him fussing and asked what was wrong. I said this was the way my son always was. Fussy off and on during the day with a predictable shrieking fest between 7-11 every night. She immediately changed our formula to Enfamil-Nutramigen. It was the miracle colic remedy for my son. After that we decided to keep him after all.

Babies cry period. Its how they communicate with us. But babies who cry on a predictable schedule and seem to be inconsolable during these episodes could be experiencing baby colic. The medical community has not pin pointed a cause for baby colic but its estimated that 1 out of every 5 babies will experience some degree of it.

Theories of The Possible Causes of Baby Collic

• Digestive problems, possibly due to intolerance of lactose and other hard-to-digest proteins.
• Reflux (where stomach acid flows back into the esophagus)
• Immature digestive system in which the intestinal muscles cramp up
• Excessive air (gas) being caught in the digestive tract
• Too much stimulation taking it's toll on an immature nervous system

Signs and Symptoms of Baby Colic

1) Predictable periods of crying
The American Academy of Pediatrics defines predictable crying episodes as your baby crying for three or more hours a day, three or more days a week, for three consecutive weeks, it can be diagnosed by a physician as colic. The crying episodes generally start in the early evening and can last until way past bedtime.

2) Intense, inconsolable crying
A baby crying from colic is shrieking and in pain. His face will be red and he may even lose his breath from the intensity of his crying. Nothing you do seems to help and he is inconsolable for most of the crying period.

3) Changes in posture
During these crying episodes your baby might arch is back, curl up his legs, clench his fist and have a rigid, tight stomach.

If you think your baby is exhibiting this type of cry, please talk to your doctor right away. Other conditions may be present such as reflux.

There are baby colic remedies that you can do that can help soothe your baby. My husband and I tried all of these and some worked better than others for our son. Every baby is different and the reasons for baby colic differ. I suggest you try all of these suggested baby colic remedies to see which ones give you the best results.

Baby Colic Remedies

• White Noise is a popular baby colic remedy that can be very effective for comforting a crying baby. We had people telling us to run the vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer to quiet our son. This did work on some nights and not on others. There are a large number of White Noise CDs and White Noise MP3 downloads available on the internet in different soothing sounds. There are also stuffed toys with White Noise sounds inside them available also.
• Gripe Water is a homeopathic baby colic remedy which has proven beneficial for calming symptoms associated with baby colic. Gripe water generally contain natural ingredients such as chamomile, fennel, caraway, ginger, peppermint, lemon balm, aloe, and vegetable carbon. I was actually able to buy Grip Water at my pharmacy.
• Swaddling babies who are crying can help calm them. Especially if your baby's colic is a result of over stimulation. Swaddling can help your baby reorganize himself and feel more secure.
• Motion can also calm an upset baby. Try using a baby sling first because this imitates the womb and may yield faster results. Older babies may respond better to a baby swing, baby stroller or a ride in the car. Babies need smooth rhythmic motion during these times so try not to bounce or jostle your baby.
• Changing your baby's formula to an easily digested brand like Enfamil-Nutramigen or Similac-Alimentum can reduce digestive upset. If your baby is breastfed, try changing your diet by removing foods such as chocolate, tomatoes and cut back on dairy. Remove each one separately for 3-5 days to see if it makes a change in your babies system.(If chocolate isn't the culprit why live without it, right?)
• Infant massage can relieve fussiness and irritability in your baby as well as aiding in digestion and the passing of gas.

Remember that your baby is not screaming to punish you he's in pain and helpless to do anything about it. If you feel stressed or overwhelmed during these times ask someone for help. Never shake your baby. If you feel yourself getting angry put your baby down in his bed and walk away for a few moments. He'll be fine for a minute or two in his bed while you take some deep breaths and regain your composure. He'll out grow colic but he won't out grow brain damage from being shaken.

Baby Colic Remedies

Reflux

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