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.

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

Step One
Pick a time when you and your baby are the most relaxed or calm. After your baby’s bath is a great time, while you are applying baby lotion. Make sure you are in a warm environment, especially if you are just pulling your baby out of the bath since his body temperature may be dropping already.

Step Two
Use baby lotion to keep your hands smooth and help them run evenly. There are various kinds of baby lotion out there from the classic pink bottles to night time lotion that includes lavender and is supposed to help calm your baby and help them sleep.

Step Three
When massaging your baby you should start with his head and work your way down. Be careful that you do not press on your baby’s soft spot if he still has one, but you can still lightly massage around the top of his head, his forehead, and behind the ears with your fingers. Massage your baby’s face including eyebrows, cheeks and chin. Move down to this neck, and shoulders, then his chest. Don’t forget his back! Massage his belly and down his legs, front and back, including his feet and toes. Bend and move his legs while massaging him helping him stretch his muscles.

Step Four
Don’t be afraid to look at, talk to and even sing to your baby while you are massaging him. This interaction is likely to build a very big, tight bond.

Step Five
Don’t stop with just one run through! Your baby will love how this feels so continue it two even three times, for as long as your baby is calm and enjoying it. Follow your baby’s cues. If he wants to change position let him, and if he seems to be frustrated, looking like he has had enough, stop the massage. Get your baby dressed and cuddle, feed, play with, or put your baby to bed, depending on your baby’s schedule and the time of day it is.

It forms gradually and is established over time.

A secure attachment develops from predictable, responsive, and nurturing care giving. One of the most basic tasks your baby undertakes is figuring out how it can get its needs met. Promptly responding to your baby’s needs in a loving manner will help him develop a strong sense of trust in you, himself, and his environment. The quality of an infant’s initial attachment is extremely important. It lays the foundation for your baby’s ability to learn, develop confidence, and to form healthy relationships.

Holding, talking, singing, rocking, cuddling and other nurturing interactions between you and your baby are bonding experiences. Not only do these interactions strengthen the emotional connection between you and your baby, it also strengthens their learning connections.

Here are some tips for deepening the bond between your baby and you:

1. Provide your baby with plenty of face-to-face interaction. Bring your face close to your baby’s and gaze into each others eyes. Your smiling face, changing expressions, and loving voice will captivate him.�
2. Loving touches nourish your baby’s emotional development and improve sensory awareness. Gently kiss and stroke your baby whenever you dress or change her. As your baby is feeding, caress her cheeks, shoulders, and arms. Gently rub its delicate little hands and fingers.�
3. Baby massage is one of the most nurturing gifts that you can give your baby. It is a language of love between parent and child, which provides so many benefits. It relaxes, reduces stress, and helps your baby to sleep.�
4. Skin-to-skin contact is soothing and comforting for both you and your baby. Hold your baby against your chest and breathe slowly. The warmth of your body, the smell of your skin, and the beating of your heart are very reassuring. You can also treat your baby to a soothing bath with you.
5. Talk to your baby! Don’t worry about sounding silly. Involve him in your activities by talking about everything that you do. Once your baby’s starts cooing and making sounds, respond to his growing vocabulary by repeating those sounds back to him.
6. Sing to your baby! What better way to express your love and joy? Even if you think your singing is not the best; it’s the best to your baby (hey, how often do you get a captive audience?). Don’t limit yourself to lullabies or nursery rhymes–sing whatever makes you happy. Your baby will love the effort and attention!
7. You don’t need expensive toys to play with your baby–You are her most important toy. Look for all the playful opportunities as you go through your care giving routines. Help your baby learn and explore the world during these early months by making her toys and her world come alive!
8. Babies make great dancing partners. They love the music, the movement, and the closeness to you. Play soothing music and gently dance with your baby around the room.
9. Your baby will benefit from gentle and playful exercise. Providing physical movement is a simple, fun way to express love and to enhance your baby’s physical development. Sing songs as you move your baby’s body to the rhythm!
10. Reading is a wonderful way to bond with your baby while developing language skills. Start with large books that have simple bold illustrations. Cradle your baby in your arms and let him experience the closeness that reading a book provides.

Copyright 2002 Susan Ann Stelfox.

About the Author:
Susan Stelfox, mother of one, is the author of Baby Be Loved: Growing and Learning Together During the First 24 Weeks

Kelli turned to the calming properties of natural lavender essential oil to make both her baby and herself tranquil again. “I use Aura Cacia’s lavender essential oil to calm my sweet baby, and to bring back my sanity,” says Weber. “It helped with the transition to my new motherhood lifestyle.”

Lavender’s relaxing properties have long been acknowledged. The use of lavender-based herbal sleep pillows, for example, goes back centuries. And now there’s growing scientific evidence supporting lavender’s soothing properties.

Medical journals have published research conducted at universities and hospitals around the world that suggest the aroma of lavender can affect our moods by altering our brain (EEG) activity. A classic study at the University of Miami School of Medicine in 1998, for example, found that subjects exposed to the aroma of lavender for just three minutes showed more positive moods, greater relaxation and increased drowsiness.

Mindy Seiffert, the mother of twin four-year-old boys and the aromatherapy manager for Aura Cacia, a leading U.S. manufacturer of aromatherapy products (www.auracacia.com), offers these tips on using lavender to enhance the experience of caring for a baby:

• Massages: Both baby and mom can benefit from a lavender massage. Ready-to-use lavender massage oils are available, or a few drops of lavender essential oil can be mixed with sweet almond oil or unscented lotion.
• Baths: A soaking bath with lavender is another way to relax. A variety of lavender bath products exist (be sure to use an all-natural product), or simply add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the bath water. For a baby’s bath, use just two or three drops; for Mom, use five to ten.
• Quick touch-up: No time for a bath today? Rub a few drops of lavender into a baby’s hair for a fresh, floral aroma, or add 2 to 3 drops of lavender to a bowl of warm water to enhance a quick sponging off.
• In baby’s room: Sprinkle a few drops onto a simple terra cotta diffuser, or use an electric diffuser to disperse the scent of lavender throughout the room during naps and bedtime. Another option is a lavender mister. And don’t just limit these to baby’s room — a lavender diffuser can help Mom relax during “down time.”
• Laundry: Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the baby’s laundry (including the crib sheets), not only for the aromatherapy benefits, but also for the soft, clean aroma.
• In the car: Parents are usually excellent multitaskers, but trying to calm a fussy baby while negotiating traffic is never easy. To help keep calm in the car, try sprinkling a few drops of lavender onto the baby’s car seat or a handkerchief or use a special car diffuser (which plugs into the lighter) to spread the lavender aroma throughout the car.
• Diaper cream: Add a drop or two of lavender oil to diaper cream to help protect and soothe baby’s bottom after diaper changes.

Essential oils are extremely concentrated. Follow usage directions carefully and keep them tightly closed and out of the reach of children. For more information on lavender, essential oils and aromatherapy, visit the Aura Cacia Web site at www.auracacia.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content