There are few things more nerve wracking than a crying
baby, particularly when nothing you do seems to console him. But, how do
you know when your baby’s symptoms have are just crying and when he has
colic? And, just what is colic, anyway?
No one knows exactly what causes colic, though many old
wives tales abound. Lots of older women will tell you that it is caused
by parental inexperience, but colic does not occur more often in first
children than in subsequent children, so they One thing that seems clear
is that most babies who are experiencing colic have a stomach ache. Many
are gassy, though a baby won’t cry so inconsolably every time he has gas,
so it is clearly gas plus something, though just what is not clear.
Though we don’t know what colic really is, it is hard
to miss when your child is experiencing it. The inconsolable crying usually
begins in the late afternoon or early evening and often lasts until the
baby finally falls asleep for the night, exhausted. Colic typically begins
between two and three weeks of age, and is over its worst by twelve to
sixteen weeks, though there are babies who start later and end later. My
daughter started at twelve weeks, but thankfully her bout of colic was
over in two weeks. A colicky baby will typically draw his knees up to his
chest, clench his fists and scream. He may act like he wants the breast
or bottle, but reject it as soon as you it’s in his mouth. You will get
the sense that your child is frantic, and needs something very badly, but
doesn’t know what.
If you believe your baby has colic, it is still wise to
take him to a doctor. There is no cure for colic, but you should rule out
other causes, such as an allergy to formula or some other gastric disorder.
Once your doctor has proclaimed the baby healthy, you can chalk it up to
colic.
Once you know that your baby has colic, though there is
no cure, there are some remedies you can try. Simethicone drops, which
are available over the counter as a gas medication for babies, helps in
some cases. In addition, there are numerous tricks you can try such as
taking a drive in the car or running the vacuum cleaner that will work
for some babies some of the time. But, overall, colic is just a waiting
game. Keep the baby (and yourself) as calm as possible and look forward
to the day when it will be over.
About The Author
Sarah Veda is a 41 year old wife and mother of two boys
and one girl. She spent many years as a manager in the corporate world,
and gave it up to be a stay at home mom. Go to http://www.infantresources.com
now and get her incredible baby minicourse – absolutely free.
