BABY WITH COLIC? HERE'S SOME SOOTHING TECHNIQUES

After about 3 weeks old, your baby might start fussing and crying for hours, no stop, every single evening. It’s not hunger or sleep deprivation, it’s one of the most challenging aspects of raising a newborn: colic. 

Colic sounds like such a scary word, but it’s just the correct terminology for the non-stop-crying happening throughout the first few month. No need to be worried, because after about 3 month your baby colic will magically disappear! However, those 3 months might feel like a very long time so we wrote this article to help you out soothing a colicky baby.

UNDERSTANDING COLIC

Technically speaking, it’s considered “colic” when your new born cries for more than three hours a day, at least three days a week, following a pattern. It’s also important to take into consideration your baby’s nutrition and health. Does she vomit or have diarrhea? If not, then it's probably colic.

Colic starts when your baby is about 3 weeks old with regular crying circles between 6PM and 12AM. The incessant fussing stops around 3 moths old, following a few crying spells until 6 months old. 

NOTE: During these long sobs your baby might burb or expel gas a lot. This happens because she swallows a lot of air when she cries. 

SOOTHING A BABY WITH COLIC

Sooner or later you baby will have some physical needs or sources of discomfort. Maybe he’s hungry, too hot, too cool, needs diaper changing or he’s simply over-stimulated. A baby with colic could also be crying for any of these reasons, or for some you can’t even understand. So it is important to go into comforting mode, find your inner-peace and use whatever technique helps to calm your baby. 

Each baby is different, so we’ve laid out some techniques you can experiment to soothe your new born:

• Good-old pacifier: sucking could calm your baby and satisfy his need between feedings
• Hold & cuddle: gently rub his back
• Walk & swing: sway back and forth while you’re walking with your baby
• Baby-burrito: swaddle your infant in a soft blanket
• Change it up: change your baby’s position from laying to sitting or hold them face-in to face-out
• White noise: hold your baby near low, rhythmic noises, like the sound of a washing machine or a meditational music (try classical music too)
• Take a ride: get on your car and go for a ride as the motion and noise of the vehicle helps to calm some babies

SOOTHING YOURSELF

You’ll never be able to calm your baby if you are not calm yourself. Remember that babies capture any kind of human emotion and make it their own. Be an example for her and shine off the energy you are trying to convey. 

Sometimes your baby might be crying for no obvious reason and it might get pretty frustrating. Go easy on yourself. Take a breath and try with another technique. You’ll be fine! If you really can’t relax yourself, lay your baby down for 10 minutes and take a break. Go into another room, lie down, listen to some calming music, take a shower, breathe some fresh air, distract yourself. And when you are in control again, go back and soothe your baby. 

It is important to understand that you are not alone in this. Ask for help if 10 minutes are not enough for you. I’m sure you can find a friend or a family member that can take over for a bit so you can take a nap, go for a run or just have some time for yourself. Don’t take it as an act of selfishness since keeping yourself balanced is the best thing you can do for your baby.