I wish I would have known all that I know now about a baby who is suffering from colic. As I recall when I had my oldest son I remember him crying and me not knowing what was wrong with him. No magazine or book that I had read (and there were many of them) prepared me for these high pitched wails that came out of him. According to the website Colic Calm there are signs to look for in your infant to be able to identify if he/she is suffering from colic. My son would wail right after he would eat and they would last for long periods of time. I tried everything and nothing seemed to soothe him. I listened to everyone’s advice and at times as a new mother that was even more overwhelming for me. I know how many new moms feel when they are in this situation and I try to tell them what worked best for me once we were able to diagnose the problem.
Recording everything he ate helped me to see when he ate and how much. I also recorded when he had a bowel movement or when his crying would begin and end. This was my own little journal that I was able to revert back to when I called the doctor to let her know what I saw in his behavior. Recording everything was very helpful because it allowed me to see patterns that I would not have normally seen if I was not recording them.
Burping and massaging him for longer periods of time. I remember feeding him upright and after he ate, I would burp him for close to a half hour. I wanted to make sure he was comfortable enough to lay down and all of the gas was out of him. I didn’t want to risk him spitting up and screaming from discomfort. With the massaging I remember helping him move his legs up and down as well as rubbing his belly and back.
Elevating the crib was a great idea I received from a nurse at the hospital. I remember her telling me to place a stack of books under the crib so that my baby could sleep with his head higher. This in turn helped him with the spit ups at night and little by little they diminished. He seemed more comfortable lying this way as opposed to lying flat down.
Angel Baby monitor was also a life saver for me. I was able to put my mind at ease when my baby was sleeping. It alerted me when he moved and reported if there was no activity. I especially needed this when I went through a scare with him at seven days old due to his acid reflux.
Taking time for myself was always a good thing. Even if it was just for a few seconds to walk out and take a fresh of breath air. It relieved the feelings I had from my son crying and me not having control of what to do as a “new mom”. That time alone really helped. I was able to walk back in and feel better about myself and know none of this was because I was not a good mom. Most of all you want your baby to feel loved and comforted and you want to be able to bond with your baby through this beautiful time of infancy.
What are some things that worked for you and your colicky baby?
Colic Calm was the only thing that worked for my colicky son. It was amazing. Here is my video using it on him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LMrJXEQgCE
Nicole,
I am so pleased I found them and was able to share with my readers. Thank you so much for sharing your video sweetie. Baby Casey is a cutie- what a difference after you administered it.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Eileen
Another great tip is to feed them in a sitting position. Put them on their tummies when they seem to be grumpy because of colics. That helped me a lot with mine:) great and very useful article!
Thanks Eli!
So true and thanks for pointing that out.
Glad that worked for you!
I appreciate you reading and commenting.
xoxoxoxoxo
Sometimes it is more than colic. I had a colicky baby. I followed all the tips and nothing helped either her or me. Thankfully, my pediatrician agreed that this sounded like more than a frantic first time mom. He ordered a barium swallow. My baby girl had reflux. We changed what I was feeding her to help her swallow. Pretty quickly, the problem was solved.