Colic is a condition that causes pain in your child’s gastrointestinal tract and results in a very fussy baby for up to 3 months and some very exhausted parents.
There is no medical cure for a baby with colic, however, there are a few things parents can do to help soothe their baby’s stomach and make them feel more comfortable.
10 Ways to Soothe a Baby with Colic
Here are 10 ways to help soothe your baby during this not so fun time.
1. Slower, more frequent feedings – Feeding too much, too fast, can increase intestinal gas from the breakdown of excessive lactose, either in mother’s milk or in formula. So, feed your child half as much but twice as often.
2. Colic carries – Lay your child belly side down onto your forearm with your baby’s head in the palm of your hand or the crook of your arm. Lightly press forearm onto baby’s abdomen.
3. Colic dances – The choreography that works best to contain colic is movement in all three plains: up and down, side to side, and forward and backward – essentially, the movement that a baby was used to while in the womb.
4. Baby bends – At the peak of an attack, lay baby face-up on your lap with their legs toward you and their head resting on your knees. Gently pump their legs up and down in a bicycling motion while making a few attention-getting facial expressions.
5. Tummy rolls – While laying a securing hand on baby’s back, drape him tummy-down over a large beach ball and gently roll in a circular motion.
6. Tummy tucks – Place a rolled-up cloth diaper or a warm (not hot) water bottle enclosed in a cloth diaper under baby’s tummy. To further relax a tense tummy, lay baby stomach-down on a cushion with her legs dangling over the edge while rubbing her back. Turn her head to the side so her breathing isn’t obstructed.
7. Tummy touches – With baby lying on her back, picture an upside down “U” over the surface of your baby’s abdomen and using warm massage oil on your hands and kneading baby’s abdomen in a circular motion with your flattened fingers, massage from left to right along the lines of the imaginary “U.”
8. Warm touches – A famous fuss-preventer is a technique call the warm fuzzy: while lying on a bed or the floor, drape baby tummy-to-tummy and skin-to-skin with his ear over dad’s heartbeat. The warmth of your body, plus the rise and fall of your chest, is a proven fussbuster.
9. Lessen outside stimulation – Reduce environmental stimulation. Lower the lights, reduce the noise around the house, and speak or sing softly to your baby.
10. Babywearing – Babies tend to fuss less. We use the term “babywearing” because wearing means more than just picking up a baby and putting her in a carrier when she fusses. It means carrying a baby several hours a day, before baby begins to fuss.
Each day remind yourself what your baby needs most is a happy, rested mother!
