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.

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/

A child’s rocking horse is a toy for your child in the shape of a horse mounted on rockers. The rockers are essentially springs, which enable a child to rock and ride. The rocking movement entices many a child. It is also popular as a hobbyhorse. These riding toys give your child the illusion of riding a real horse and therefore are a favorite with most children.

Although only a small horse, a child’s rocking horse is strong enough for your child to sit and ride. It is in the shape of a typical horse with a head, legs, back, and tail. However, the hooves are along the bottom with curved bow type joints. These joints are similar to those commonly found in a rocking chair. These provide a forward and backward movement and allow your child to rock on the horse.

The child’s rocking horse also has proper footrests or straps which serve as stirrups. Your child can place its feet firmly into these stirrups. There are normally two handles at the sides of the horse, coming from the head portion. Your child can hold on to these handles for a firm grip while rocking on the toy.

The earliest known child’s rocking horse dates back to the middle Ages. Although initially such horses were for knights to practice jostling, later, Germany made such wooden horses as children’s toys in late 17th century or early 18th century. Nevertheless, only the rich could afford such toys for their children.

However, the scene changed later and the child’s rocking horse was present in almost every house all over the world. It is now so common that these toys are often in the attic even after the children outgrow such toys. The newer ones are also available in plastic rather than wooden. Despite the popularity of other toys like Barbie dolls, computer games, and robots, children find the simple rocking horse as enticing as ever.

Some of the child’s rocking horse also has real horsehair manes. Most of them are padded sufficiently to make them comfortable for your child to sit and rock. Some have reins and cloth saddles too. Colors of today’s rocking horses are now far from being the traditional grey or brown. You can choose from an array of bright and vibrant colors. Other accessories are also available in leather, fabric, and similar others.

Innovative models of the child’s rocking horse include the rocking horse toilet. This toy serves the dual-purpose of being a child’s toy and helps you teach basic toilet etiquette to your child. Prices for such toys range from $200 to $3,500 depending on your choice of the toy. However, always keep a watchful eye on children younger than four years while riding this horse.

About this Article:
Jodie Phillips is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Perfect-Rocking-Horse.com and she provides more rocking horse facts, tips and advice on choosing the right childs rocking horse on her website, where you can research in the comfort of your own home.

Swaddle
Wrap him up quite firmly in a baby quilt or receiving blanket, tucking the ends under him to make a neat bundle. It may comfort him to feel safe and secure. Carry him around in your arms still swaddled up until he seems happier, and put him down to sleep on his back without unwrapping him. If your baby is crying because of something you’ve had to do to him–perhaps he hates being dressed or washed, for example–swaddling may be the best way to reassure and calm him, and stop the crying.

Rock
Movement often comforts a cranky baby, and may put him to sleep. Rock him in your arms, and if he doesn’t quiet down, try rocking faster — perhaps 60 to 70 rocks per minute. Or just jiggle him up and down by shifting from foot to foot, perhaps with your baby in an infant carrier on your chest. Or rock with him in a rocking chair, if you have one. Or put her in her stroller or carriage and push her back and forth or go for a walk around the block.

Cuddle
Very often, this will be just the sort of loving contact your baby needs to calm down and stop crying. If he quiets when you hold him upright against your shoulder, or face down in your arms, it may have been gas making him cry. If he has been passed around for relatives and friends to hold, he may just want a few quiet moments of being cuddled by a familiar parent.

Distract
Something to look at may make your baby forget why he was crying, at least for a while. Bright, colorful patterns may fascinate him. He will often gaze intently at postcards, wallpaper, or your clothes. Faces and mirrors are also excellent distractions, and a walk around the house to look at photographs or to peer into a mirror may calm him.

Pat
Your baby may be gassy and need to burp. Rhythmically patting and rubbing his back or stomach will often calm him down and may help him to bring up gas. The feel of your hand will often comfort him when you first put him down to change his diaper, too. Try patting his chest or belly to help him calm down.

Sucking
Almost all babies are soothed by sucking, and nowadays mothers are often sent home from the hospital with a pacifier for their newborn. Obstetrical nurses have been known to use them, so don’t be afraid to try one. You might also offer your cranky baby your own clean little finger. Some newborns suck their own thumbs or fists. Your baby may not want to suck on a prop, but would rather nurse for comfort. This is ok, too. It will just help strengthen the bond between you and your baby.