It can sometimes be difficult for a parent to understand whether the baby has colic or reflux (and even GERD) since some of the symptoms (eg. poor sleep, constant crying) can be similiar. It’s also extremely important to rule out reflux as a cause of this crying, as it’s becoming widely acknowledged that many cases of colic are actually undiagnosed and untreated cases of reflux. In these cases, simply treating the reflux may eliminate the colicky behavior.

The easiest way to determine whether a baby has colic or reflux is to look at the definitions and symptoms of each. Then compare them to your child’s symptoms.

Colic
Colic can be defined as uncontrollable, extended crying in babies who are otherwise healthy and well-fed. All babies cry, but when they cry for more than three hours a day, three to four days a week, they are said to have colic.

Symptoms of Colic
The main symptom is continuous crying for long periods of time. This crying can occur at any time of day but it usually gets worse at night. It’s not believed that colic is caused by pain although a colicky baby may look uncomfortable or appear to be in pain. They may lift their head, draw their legs up to their abdomen, pass gas and become red-faced. Poor sleep habits is also common.

Reflux
The term reflux is a shorter way of referring to GER (Gastro Esophageal Reflux) and is simply defined as the backward flow of stomach contents up the esophagus. GER is a physiological process that happens to everyone—young and old—from time to time, particularly after meals and many times we are not even aware it is happening. In babies it generally occurs from immaturity of the LES (Lower Esophageal Sphincter) which is the muscle between the stomach and esophagus.

Some common symptoms of uncomplicated reflux can include:

For a brand new mommy, or even a seasoned one, dealing with a colicky baby can be overwhelming. The constant crying is heartbreaking and nerve wracking, and leaves you with a sense of helplessness. But don’t lose heart; the only good thing I can tell you about colic is that it’s temporary. Here are a few ideas to keep you going.

First – Be sure it’s really colic. If you haven’t had the little one checked out by a doctor, do so. Sometimes what’s written off as colic is really a milk allergy or some other true gastric disorder, like acid reflux. If the baby is on formula, you should ask if making a change in brand might help.

Secondly, get help! If you have to deal with the colicky symptoms all by yourself every day, you’re bound to go nuts. Swap off with your spouse, another family member or a friend. My daughter had colic for the two longest weeks of my life, and it began every evening around 5:00pm. My husband and I took turns making dinner and eating with our other children while the other took care of the baby. It kept each of us somewhat sane to have a normal evening every other night, plus our other children didn’t feel so neglected.

Next, try some of those tricks everybody tells you about. A lot of them really do work! Take the baby for a drive (this worked wonders with my daughter). Vacuum, play music or sit with the baby on the washing machine during the spin cycle! Try to take the baby’s mind off her misery. For some babies a warm bath and a rock in the rocking chair is helpful. I don’t personally recommend the “crying it out” method for colic. Your baby is truly in pain and needs comfort during this time, and letting her cry for a long time will probably only escalate the situation. Mylicon Drops, an over the counter gas medication, might relieve symptoms on some babies. It’s perfectly safe, so it’s definitely worth a try. Otherwise, don’t medicate unless it’s something your doctor has told you to use. I’ve heard of moms giving the baby something to make them sleep. This is terribly unsafe.

Finally, if the colicky symptoms haven’t subsided within a few weeks, make a return trip to the doctor, just to be sure nothing has changed. Colic is a temporary condition, so just bear with it and look forward to better times.

About the Author
Sarah 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.

You are a proud parent of a happy and healthy 2 week old baby. You and your spouse have both now gotten into a routine that is comfortable concerning nightly feedings, changing and enjoying your new little one. Your life seems perfect.

Then all that changes as your baby begins to cry uncontrollably and you can not find a reason. He will not take a bottle, he doesn’t need a diaper change, he is not running a fever, but he will not stop crying. What could be wrong? The answer more than likely is colic.

All babies cry, but babies with colic cry more than usual for their age and this usually happens around the same time each day. This does not mean they will cry each and every day. Remember, colic and its causes are still a mystery.

The symptoms are basically the same for any baby with colic and is if your baby starts suddenly fussing and crying without any known reason which last more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week, and for more than three weeks. Your baby’s face may turn red and the area around his mouth may even appear pale. His stomach or abdomen area can be swollen and hard. Most infants with colic curl up in a ball and make fists with their hands. The colic episode may end when your little one is exhausted and falls to sleep.

Colic is not considered an illness, disease, and there are no known real cures. It can occur during the second or third week of your little ones life and can continue to occur until 6 months of age.

There is no reason to worry as about 20 percent of all babies have colic. It is not something you or any caregiver has done.

About the Author
Jason Rickard is the owner of www.yourfavouriteshop.com – Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs

The good news for all colic sufferers is that it is only temporary but the bad news, just how long is temporary.

I am not sure what kind of pain comes with dying but if ever there was a feeling of the end nearing it was in the temporary moment of my own experience where the excruciating agony was to leave me fearing for my life.

Approx 15% of children suffer from colic and the alarming thing about it is our medical world is baffled by what exactly triggers the condition. Doctors can not agree on most theories that have been raised therefore making matters more difficult when suggesting and prescribing treatment and medicines.

One of those theories to give reason why this sort of cramp flares up is said to be that a child’s intestines are working overtime (hard) another theory raised by the medical profession for colic has us to believe it can be caused by laid back bowel movements (slow) thus allowing air into the bowel causing the intestine to swell giving cause for pain.

Within 2/4 weeks after giving birth this stomach upset can start and can run for a 3 month spell.

If baby is a sufferer then he/she may cry for up to 3-4 hours very loudly. No dummy or mothers TLC can take the pain away but it will certainly help in comforting them. Spasms usually kick in about the same time twice daily, this can vary.

Bowel pains can give cause for baby to scrunch the body pulling the feet up to the chest with clenched fists. Stomach rumbles burping or passing wind can be evident also.

As a parent you know your child better than anyone so if you notice any change in your infants health giving you reason for concern, colic related or not please consult a doctor. Symptoms can be identified to other ailments so it is best to make sure.

Babies are a lot stronger than you could imagine and will outgrow spasms of colic. Any doubts you may have where it interferes with baby’s development then I suggest you put them thoughts to the back of your head.

Colic in babies can prove to be an ordeal for parents who have tried every thing possible to comfort the infant. Lack of sleep is the main cause behind the enormous amount of stress laid upon the parents at this trying time. Mum and dads have been known to lose control of their temper and intend to bawl and shout, thus frightening the baby. (Unintentional in most cases) What we have to remember, baby is also tired and is the one in pain.

PS

If ever I thought the last rights was in order was the night I suffered a bout of colic. The doctor’s theory was down to the consumption of a citrus fruit or drink on an empty stomach, and how right he was.

Granny Smith in the form of a juicy green apple was the culprit behind this vicious assault that was to leave me living in fear of the forbidden fruit. I was lucky to find the answer for my suffering but where do the answers lie for the newborn whose only connection with a granny is one who will love them till there dying day.

No dummy or mothers TLC can take the pain away but it will certainly help in comforting them. For help and advice go to www.benidormbeaches.com where you will find more information.

When a baby has colic, the family environment is stressful and many family members may become upset or on edge. This is most often seen in new parents. Some symptoms of colic may be that the baby cries loudly for three hours, the baby has bowel pains or the baby pulls their feet up under themselves and clenches their fists. New parents become alarmed and upset that their new baby may cry for hours, even though they have tried just about everything to comfort the the baby.

Causes of Colic
There is no known one cause of colic. Doctors have several theories of what causes infant colic. The most popular theory is that the child had ingested air along with either the mother’s milk or bottled milk. Drinking too fast or in gulps causes air to enter the baby’s stomach which leads to gastrointestinal pain, thus the baby becomes colic. Another theory some believe is that if the baby is breast fed and the mother is eating a lot of gas producing foods such as orange juice, vegetables, like onions and cabbage, apples, plums, spicy food and caffeinated products such as cola, chocolate and tea, the baby will receive the same result through breast milk. A third theory is that infants have an immature nervous system that is unable to cope with all the intense new stimulations of new life events. As the day progresses, the stress overcomes them and they cry for hours.

Solutions For a Colic Baby
Infant colic is very common in new born children. It is not the result of poor parenting skills. In fact, about 1/3 of all babies experience colic, so having a colic baby is not uncommon. In most cases infant colic will disappear in three months. But what can you do now? How can you reduce colic symptoms? There is no single treatment for a colic baby. Many parents have experienced success trying the following methods:

1. Hold your baby and rock it in your arms.
2. Put your baby in a swing and gently rock it back and fourth.
3. Take the baby for a car ride.
4. Carry the infant in a sling or take it for a carriage ride.
5. Try turning on a fan or vacuum, using them as white noise.
6. Try using a pacifier.
7. Give the baby a warm bath.
8. Try burping the baby.
9. Use Simethicone drops to reduce the baby’s gas pains.
10. If you are the mother, and you are breast feeding, vary your diet to see if you are eating some food which produces gas. The baby would receive this food through your breast milk.

Summary of Infant Colic
Most of the time newborn colic is nothing to worry about. Make sure you go over the possible solutions for a colic baby which are listed above. Ask neighbors and friends. They have often already been through infant colic. Consult your doctor if your baby screams constantly or if the infant colic is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or absence of urine. These symptoms may indicate a more serious problem. If you are new parents, congratulations!

About the Author
Visit James M. Aust at www.AllWomensClothes.com/

The crying – oh, the crying. A colicky baby can really drive you to the edge. Failed attempts to soothe her crying may leave you wondering if you are cut out to be a parent after all. But, don’t worry, you are. You just need to arm yourself with some tools to battle each colic-crying outburst.

But, first, let’s define why your colic baby cries.

The most popular theory from scientists lately is an underdeveloped and immature nervous system. I know all women who have given birth can attest to the fact that a baby has a big head. Right?

Wrong. Actually, a baby’s head isn’t big enough to house a brain that is mature enough to have all the survival tools a human infant needs. Their brain is only the size of an apple. The birth canal cannot handle a bigger head (thank God). So, when a baby is born, the only inherent survival skills are sneezing, sucking, swallowing and….CRYING!

Most babies (80%, that is) are capable of crying for a reason, and then calming themselves down. These are usually what I call “the good sleepers” or “easy babies”. They are awake for awhile to learn and accept stimuli. Then they sleep to recover and awake to take in more stimuli.

Unfortunately, a colicky baby is usually NOT a “good sleeper” or an “easy baby”. They are high-maintenance. Their nervous system is overloaded with all the sights and sounds of a new world. And by about dinner time, they’ve had it. The crying begins. Once they start crying, they lack the mechanism to calm themselves down. In my experience, most mothers with colicky infants tell the same story. Their baby fights going to sleep. They won’t take a nap. They won’t stay asleep once they do finally go to sleep. These poor babies never take the time to recover from all the stimuli they have taken in over the course of a day.

So this is where you, as a parent, step in. Reduce the environmental stimuli and recreate the feeling your baby had while in the womb.

Remember, in the womb, your baby was packed in tightly. It was dark. It was warm. And the prominent sound she heard was the “whoosh” of blood flowing through the placenta. This “whoosh” is a little louder than the noise of a vacuum cleaner running.

However, there are other items you might have around the house that can lull your over stimulated colic baby to sleep. Most babies can be soothed by rhythmic, monotonous, low-pitched, humming sound that repeats at 60-70 pulses per minute. Here are 10 such items for you to try:

1. A shower running
2. A fan
3. A running dishwasher
4. A running washing machine
5. A very loud, ticking clock
6. A bathroom fan turned on with the light off
7. A metronome set a 60 beats per minute
8. A radio tuned to static
9. A tv tuned to static
10. Smooth jazz or easy listening stations

While listening to these rhythmic sounds, it is best to lower the lights, and make your baby comfortable. Remember, we are trying to recreate the feeling of being in the womb.

Finally, it is true what you read. Baby colic does eventually come to an end. As your baby grows, and their brains increase in size, all of the circuits mature and they learn the survival tools necessary to cope. It only takes about three to six months. In the meantime, when you feel a crying outburst about to happen, turn off the lights…and turn on all your household appliances.

Just kidding!

About the Author
Cherie is the webmaster of www.colic-baby-bootcamp.com and specializes in teaching parents methods for handling a baby with colic. Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cherie_Stirewalt.

Surviving a baby with colic truly deserves an award of some sort. The relentless screaming can really drive you to the edge.

Unfortunately for the parents of a colic baby, most of the focus of surviving is usually geared towards how to relieve the suffering for your baby. But, what about your suffering?

Here are 10 tips on HOW to keep your sanity while enduring a fit of colic.

1. Buy a baby monitor with lights that indicate the level of noise coming from your baby. Take this monitor with you everywhere, put it on mute and get as far away from the screaming as possible. Physically check on your baby every now and then to make sure everything is alright. When the levels on the lights stop dancing, chances are your baby has calmed down.

2. Put on headphones. Listen to music. Keep the above monitor with you to determine when baby has calmed down.

3. Take a shower. The warm water will relax you, and the noise will drown out the ear-piercing crying.

4. Go for a walk. Exercise is great for alleviating tension and the motion might settle the baby down.

5. If possible, find a sitter and leave. Go shopping, run errands, go work out, go for a walk. Get some distance between you and the baby. Don’t leave the baby unattended. Make sure you have a sitter first!

6. Call friends or family on the telephone. Don’t bottle up your frustration. Let it out. Complain to your hearts content. Your friends and family will understand and you will feel better.

7. Do something therapeutic with your hands. Paint your fingernails, color in a coloring book, do some housework. Anything that diverts your attention away from the crying and towards something constructive.

8. Vacuum. The vacuum cleaner will drown out the screams coming from the baby. Also, the frequency of white noise output by a vacuum is particularly effective in calming a colicky baby.

9. Surf the internet. Look up ways to calm a colic baby!

10. Keep telling yourself the colic will eventually go away. Take it day by day and know there IS a light at the end of the tunnel. Colic does not last forever!

Remember, you are not an incompetent parent if you’ve done everything possible to relieve your baby’s colic and you need to step away from the situation for a while. This simply makes you human.

About the Author
Cherie is the webmaster of www.colic-baby-bootcamp.com and specializes in teaching parents methods for handling a baby with colic. Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cherie_Stirewalt.

It’s true. Colic is MUCH harder on the parent than the infant. My daughter survived six months of colic unscathed. My husband and I are a different story. We have deep psychological scars that send us scurrying for the nearest exist every time we hear a baby cry.

As parents, we were newbies. We had never even changed a diaper when we brought our bundle of joy home from the hospital. I had heard a few horror stories about babies with colic, but never thought in a million years I would be the proud owner of a colic baby. So, imagine our horror, when on about our third week of parenting, our daughter started screaming every day around dinnertime. And, I’m talking blood-curdling, “I’m-in-severe-pain” sort of screaming. Screaming that lasted four hours and drove everyone in the household to tears.

We thought for sure something was horribly wrong.

A doctor appointment later, I was assured that my daughter was fine, and she probably just had “a little colic.” Not to worry, that the colic would pass within a “couple of months”.

Yeah, right. Define a “couple of months”.

Those of you who have a baby with “a little colic” know there is no such thing. Experiencing a colic episode is extremely traumatic. You feel helpless, angry and frustrated when everything you try to stop the crying fails miserably. You feel like you’re a bad parent or that your baby hates you. But, don’t despair. Empower yourself! There are tons of strategies, tricks and products out there to help you deal with a colicky baby.

A guaranteed colic-buster we used time and time again was white noise. “What is white noise?” you might ask. Good question. Here goes.

White noise is the full spectrum of sound frequencies a human ear can hear combined together all at once. Huh?

Okay, again in layman’s terms. Have you ever been in a crowd full of people, for example, at a sporting event? Everyone is talking at the same time. You can’t decipher every single conversation, but you do hear the roar of the crowd (it happens to make me sleepy). That is white noise. Oh, yeah, I get it now!

Now, do me a favor. Put your hands over your ears and listen. Do you hear a roaring? What you are hearing is the white noise your own body produces within. The same noise your baby heard for 40 weeks or so while in the womb.

So, for a second, imagine you are a baby in the womb. You’ve spent most of your existence in a place warm and dark, where you were well fed and had no distracting noises, lights or outside stimuli. Then suddenly, you burst on the scene and have a whole big world to absorb. The stimuli eventually stresses you out, and since you can’t communicate very well, the only way you know how to blow off steam is to cry and cry and cry some more. This is the latest scientific explanation of the cause of colic. Your baby is over-stimulated throughout the course of the day. To relieve stress, they cry uncontrollably for several hours. Oh, man.

So what can you do as a parent?

Recreate for your baby the feeling of being in the womb. Lower lights, reduce visual stimuli, swaddle the baby and turn on some white noise. Babies seem to be positively effected by the noise frequency of a hair dryer, clothes dryer and vacuum cleaner.

Unbelievably enough, this works! When I first heard about this theory, I was extremely skeptical. But out of desperation one day, I pulled out the vacuum cleaner and plugged it in. It was like turning off a water faucet. Immediately, our baby quit screaming. If you unplugged the vacuum, she started screaming again. It was weird. But, it worked.

Wait, though! Don’t just plug in your vacuum cleaner and run it for several hours. The noise decibels will damage your baby’s hearing. You need to be able to control the volume of the white noise your baby is hearing.

White noise downloads and white noise CD’s are available for purchase almost everywhere. Just go on Yahoo! or MSN and do a search for “white noise baby”. For just a few dollars, your baby can have the comfort of white noise, and you can have your sanity back.

About the Author
Cherie is the webmaster of www.colic-baby-bootcamp.com and specializes in teaching parents methods for handling a baby with colic. Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cherie_Stirewalt.

It doesn’t make sense does it? You do everything possible as a new parent to keep your baby healthy and happy. So why is it, your baby decides to start screaming inconsolably right around dinner time? Just when you need it least.

Ask yourself…

• When your baby starts crying, is it for spells of 3 or more hours at a time?
• Do these crying spells happen 3 or more times a week?
• Did you notice the crying spells becoming more apparent about the 3rd week after you brought your baby home?

If you’ve answered yes to the above questions, you might have a baby with colic.

Colic is the diagnosis many pediatricians tag on a baby who is otherwise healthy and thriving, but follows the “Rule of Threes” as stated above. A colic baby has episodes of inconsolable crying beginning around the 3rd week of life, lasting at least 3 hours a day, for at least 3 days a week.

Attempting to calm a colicky infant can leave a parent emotionally battered and physically exhausted. Some doctors believe the cause of colic stems from your baby having a pain in the gut. “Colic” actually comes from the Greek word kolikos, which means “suffering in the colon.” Sometimes, simply changing the baby’s diet can help dramatically (or changing the mother’s diet in the case of breastfeeding).

However, another theory is emerging about the cause of colic.

Some doctors believe an underdeveloped and immature nervous system may be the cause of colic crying. When a baby is born, its head isn’t big enough to house a brain that is mature enough to have all the survival tools a human infant needs. A baby’s brain is only the size of an apple. The birth canal cannot handle a bigger head. So, when a baby is born, the only inherent survival skills they possess are sneezing, sucking, swallowing and….CRYING!

Eighty percent of babies are capable of crying for a reason, and then calming themselves down. They are awake for awhile to learn and accept stimuli. Then they sleep to recover and awake to take in more stimuli.

A colicky baby is high-maintenance. Their nervous system is overloaded with all the sights and sounds of a new world. And by about dinner time, they’ve had it. The crying begins. Once they start crying, they lack the mechanism to calm themselves down. In my experience, most mothers with colicky infants tell the same story. Their baby fights going to sleep. They won’t take a nap. They won’t stay asleep once they do finally go to sleep. These poor babies never take the time to recover from all the stimuli they have taken in over the course of a day.

What can you, as a parent, do to eliminate these crying spells?

An effective method to calming a colicky infant is by using white noise to mask environmental stimuli.

White noise is something we hear all the time, but rarely pay any attention. You hear white noise from:

• the roar of you wheels while driving in your car,
• the hum of your fan while working at your computer,
• the hum of the motor while running a vacuum cleaner,
• and even from the roar of a crowd while watching sporting events.

White noise is the full spectrum of sound frequencies a human ear can hear combined together all at once. When you hear something that creates a monotonous hum, and maybe kind of makes you sleepy, you are hearing white noise. You can purchase white noise cds and white noise generators, download white noise mp3s or, even try running an appliance (like hair dryers, air conditioners or fans) to create the white noise necessary to calm your baby in the midst of a crying outburst.

Remember, in the womb, your baby was packed in tightly. It was dark. It was warm. And the prominent sound she heard was the “whoosh” of blood flowing through the placenta (a little louder than the noise of a vacuum cleaner running). This “whoosh” of sound actually acted as the white noise your baby heard while in the womb.

You can recreate the feeling your baby had while in the womb. If you lower the lights, swaddle your baby in a blanket, and play some white noise, a colic baby outburst can be eliminated in no time.

About the Author:
Cherie L. Stirewalt is a colic baby survivor and shares her colic experiences on her website Colic-Baby-Bootcamp.com. The site offers a one-of-a-kind white noise download and white noise CD to help frustrated parents cope with their fussy baby fast! Join the Free Colic Baby Bootcamp newsletter and receive more colic related tips and tricks at http://www.colic-baby-bootcamp.com/newsletter.html.

Any parent whose baby has suffered from colic can tell you that colic is one of the most excruciating experiences ever imaginable. Nothing is worse than seeing one’s baby in pain and not being able to help take it away. Finding relief for colic quickly becomes a top priority. There are many different colic remedies that may come to the rescue for your particular baby. Each baby is unique and may only respond to some or a combination of colic remedies. Unfortunately, parents may have to use the old trial and error method to determine which provide the greatest amount of relief for their little colic sufferer. One thing is certain…the days of “waiting it out” are long gone for those determined to find an answer. There is no need to suffer needlessly along with baby. If you’ve tried all proper feeding and burping techniques and baby is still crying, try the following list of the most effective remedies available:

#1 Music / Sound – Traditional lullabies, classical music composed for infants and heartbeat/womb CDs are very popular external remedies that relax many babies suffering from colic. You can find some particularly good ones at the SlumberSounds web site. Some parents have had great success by placing baby in carseat on top of running dishwasher, washing machine, dryer or near running vacuum cleaner. A gentle “shhhhhhh”ing sound in baby’s ear can work magic, as can soft whispers and humming or singing.

#2 Diet – Bottlefed babies with colic may show improvement if switched to a different formula, such as soy. The mothers of breastfed babies may have to pay close attention to their own diet to make sure that babies are not having negative reactions to certain foods. Try eliminating the following common culprits one at a time for a week to see if there are any signs of improvement for baby: dairy, caffeine, chocolate and gas-producing foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, peppers, melons, tomatoes, citrus fruits, beans and peanuts.

#3 Gripe Water – Be sure to check the ingredients before buying a gripe water. Many claim to be natural but include artificial ingredients and preservatives. Colicky infants’ digestive systems certainly do not need any of these potential irritants. Some gripe waters are not very helpful. There is a new, very effective and safe gripe water on the market called ColicCalm, which you can purchase online at Colic Calm Gripe Water. It has the highest success rate on the market.

#4 Warm Aromatherapy Bath / Massage – Add a few drops of lavender to a warm bath and follow with the soothing touch of massage. Focus massage on the tummy area to relieve painful trapped gas. You can research baby massage techniques on the web or pick up a book on the subject. A good one to try is The Practical Art of Baby Massage by Peter Walker. You can buy lovely lavender, chamomile and fennel massage oils specifically designed for baby massage on the Web. There is also a popular baby massage tool called “Snukkles” which may work well for you.

#5 Swaddling – Babies are often soothed when swaddled or held close to a parents chest and heartbeat since they are reminiscent of the comfort and safety of the womb. Newborn babies are soothed in nurseries with swaddling. Techniques on folding soft, stretchy blankets are easy to learn. Find instructions and diagrams online or pick up a book/ magazine on the topic. A good ready-made wrap to try is “Swaddleme”, easy to find on the Web.

#6 Motion – Walking, rocking and movement are very comforting to most infants. The good old rocking chair may be all it takes. Some parents have been known to push stroller or drive around in car until baby falls asleep. Try putting baby in an infant chest carrier or sling so that your hands can be free. Walk with baby facing down across arm with hand under abdomen, applying gentle pressure. This position is often referred to as “the colic hold”. Many babies like to be outdoors. Almost all babies love swings. Try a combination of the above to see what helps soothe baby the best.

About the Author:
After experiencing colic firsthand, it fast became this mother and educators mission to conduct extensive research on colic towards finding a solution. This article outlines some useful techniques including music, motion, swaddling, gripe water, and diet.

A new baby with colic is one of the most difficult problems a new parent has to cope with. Most new parents are under pressure trying to deal with a new routine and lack of sleep, the added burden of a crying infant you seem powerless to help can be overwhelming. The only comfort that can be offered is, with 1 in 5 babies developing colic, many other parents are suffering too and that by the time the baby is four months old the problem normally disappears.

The normal symptoms of colic are continuous loud crying, flexing and extending the legs, clenching fists and often a distended tummy. Very often this occurs in the late afternoon or early evening, although it can happen at any time.

So what is colic and is there a remedy for it? There are many possible causes, but initially the most important thing that a parent must do is establish that the child is actually suffering from colic and there is not another reason for the crying. Colic, however distressed the baby seems, is not life threatening, but it is essential not to assume a crying baby has colic, check with your doctor immediately.

Once colic has been diagnosed you should try to identify the cause. If you are breastfeeding avoid foods that are likely to cause gas. Make a note of what you are eating, baby may be intolerant to something in your diet, including dairy products. If the baby is bottle fed your doctor may suggest a change of formula. Don’t overfeed the baby, we all know that bloated feeling when we have overeaten, so why shouldn’t baby feel the same. Try hard not to get stressed, I know this isn’t easy but many experts believe that babies are sensitive to stress around them and react. It’s a catch 22 situation, the more crying the greater the stress. Try to take turns in dealing with the crying baby, even rope in grandparents or a close friend so that you can walk away for 30minutes.

A continuous soothing sound such as a washing machine or tumbledryer often works. There are CD’s available that can help and I found that a tape of sea waves worked well, particularly when gently rocking the child.

Seek your doctor’s advice on medicines, he may recommend some colic relief. If colic has been diagnosed but there is any change in the baby’s behaviour, go straight back to your doctor, it’s better to err on the safe side.

Finally remember that it will pass, in a few months that screaming bundle will be toddling about getting into more mischief than you can possibly imagine!

This article is for information only. You should always consult your doctor before commencing any treatment and no liability is accepted.

About the Author:
Margaret Tye runs the FromTots2Teens website that offers information on supplies for children of all ages as well as advice on health and other child and teenage related problems.

Colic hurts. Any parent who has an affected child will know that there is almost no pain like it – the physical and vocal response to the problem can be highly tiring and its very difficult to stand by and cope as a parent. It’s often tough to ask – what the hell is going on inside my baby?! When the problem arises, as it’s so common many health visitors expect parents to be aware of the nature of the affliction and how to deal with it.

The fact is: no one knows what colic is, although it was thought for a time to be a intestinal problem, and related to trapped wind. However, the only thing that even the medical profession knows about the cause of such pain is that it causes up to three hours of crying a day, for more than three or four days a week. Your baby isn’t alone either: 20% of children, males and females, suffer colic as infants; usually when they are but a few months old. Apart from the application of gripe-water (a, shall we say, interestingly flavoured product) there was, for many, many years, no cure for this elusive problem. Until now.

Many parents instinctively rub their children when they are in pain. We all know that, just as we need to massage our limbs when we get cramp, they need physical stimulation so that blood flow and wind movements can be righted. Baby massage allows for intense and structured contact with colic-afflicted babies – and massage has been credited with ending problem completely.

Flowing from the head to the toes, this specialist form of massage sees babies have full, much needed skin to skin contact with their caregiver; a soothing prospect for those suffering pain. A particularly encouraged technique for parents of colicky babies is the stomach massage, which sees the masseuse rub the baby’s belly in a gentle, circular motion beneath the rib cage, an action that encourages the correct movement of digested food through the body.

Classes teaching baby massage techniques are available worldwide, and many families have now begun to reap the benefits of the special, quiet times massage allows them to spend with their children. The BBC recently ran an article on the enriching quality of the massage for mothers who have suffered from post-natal depression and their babies, noting that the bonding process can be strengthened by the intimacy of massage. It has also been suggested that the strong bond developed naturally by the massage can prevent behavioural disorders later in life, and that the muscle stimulation involved can see children sitting, and even walking much sooner.

Available at a number of Sure Start centres in the UK, baby massage provides at last a positive solution for parents suffering the effects of a colicky child. Correcting sleep patterns and ending infant anxiety, it is perfectly simple, and the perfect solution to a huge number of childhood ailments.

About the Author:
This article written by Lucy Curran. For further details on Baby Massage teachers in the UK visit www.busylittleones.co.uk