Tips to Soothe Your Colicky Baby
New mothers sometimes will meet fussy babies. But they have no idea why the baby is crying. There are many kinds of reasons for crying in babies, excluding diseases. And if your baby eats, sleeps, and grows normally. It can be considered colic.
Have you ever heard of colic? Once the baby has colic, he/she will be very uncomfortable and cry more often. New mothers will also be deeply tortured. Today, I will tell all the mothers how to do with their babies’ colic.
- Colic Definition
- Colic Causes
- Symptoms Of Colic
- Colic Soothe Tips
1. Colic Definition
Baby colic is also known as infantile intestinal cramps. Colic is not a specific disease. It is a syndrome that is caused by several different factors. Colic is common in newborn babies under three months of age. And there is also a small percentage of babies from four to five months or longer who will have it.
2. Colic Causes
The exact causes of the baby’s colic are still unclear. Because it may be related to many factors, such as constipation, flatulence, diarrhea, or milk allergy, etc. There are also some psychological factors, like anxiety, tension, emotional instability, etc. In fact, parents do not need to worry too much. As a newborn grows up, his/her neurophysiological mechanisms will continue to develop, and the colic will improve naturally.
Below are some factors that may contribute to the colic:
2.1 incomplete development of the Intestinal peristaltic nerve
Babies in 3-4 months of age, their nerve development of the intestinal peristaltic is immature. So it easily causes irregular intestinal peristalsis. Because some intestines wriggle fast, some intestines wriggle slow. Then intestines will be strangled together and leading to painful spasms.
2.2 food allergies
If your baby is allergic to milk. It means his/her immune system has an abnormal reaction to milk protein. Babies don’t have enough digestive enzymes or digestive juices in their digestive tract. It is not easy for babies to digest breast milk or formula. And it can cause painful flatulence.
On the other hand, babies may swallow too much air during crying or feeding, which can also cause flatulence.
2.3 overfeeding, or not eating enough
Overfeeding will increase the workload of the digestive organs of babies. And it will cause digestive malabsorption. But on the other hand, if your baby doesn’t eat enough. He/she can not stimulate his/her digestion.
2.4 early signs of migraine
The attack of migraine usually is accompanied by severe abdominal pain. And it is mostly around the umbilicus. And your baby may have some symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.
2.5 family stress or anxiety
Sometimes, the anxiety and irritability of a mother can be transmitted to her baby. The family stress will cause your baby anxiety.
3. Symptoms Of Colic
Newborn colic usually occurs at any time of the day. It happens with a high frequency in the evening and almost at a regular time of day.
It is normal for infants to be irritable and cry, especially in the first three months. Sometimes, it is difficult to define the range of normal crying. Usually, baby colic will make your baby cry for three hours or more per day. And it can last for three weeks or longer. Your baby will cry for three days per week or more.
Baby colic includes the following symptoms:
3.1 Cry loudly like screaming.
3.2 Cry for no reason. And it is different from crying for hunger or the need to change a diaper.
3.3 Your baby still has extreme irritability even after crying.
3.4 The timing of crying is usually at night.
3.5 The facial color will change, such as reddening the face or pale skin around the mouth.
3.6 The body will be tight. Like stiff arms, clenched fists, bowed back, or a tight abdomen.
4. Colic Soothe Tips
Although people have been studying the problem of baby colic. There is still a lack of effective treatment. Because the exact cause has not been identified.
It is the easiest way to restore calm to the baby. Sucking gives the baby a sense of security. And breastfeeding is also effective in preventing milk allergies. So it is usually the first trick that mothers think of. Some breastfed babies also often have colic problems. Mothers should pay attention to whether ingredients in their diet may cause allergies, such as milk, coffee, spicy foods, etc. They can try to stop ingesting these foods and observe their baby's reaction.
4.2 rub your baby’s abdomen or do some massages
Mothers can apply some baby moisturizer or baby oil to their hands and then gently rub their babies’ little tummies clockwise. It can help eliminate gas from their babies’ intestines.
Mothers also can massage their babies’ back to make them feel better.
The other effective method to soothe your baby is to gently wrap him/her in a small quilt or swaddle. It can let your baby find the most familiar memories in the swaddling blanket. The swaddling blanket is equivalent to the mother's womb. The feeling of being wrapped can make the baby feel like being in the mother's womb. And the baby’s physical discomfort will gradually reduce and slowly quiet down.
First of all, we gonna talk about this swaddle with its material. It is made of bamboo fiber. A natural fabric that is ultra-soft and super-breathable. Besides these, it still has other additional features, such as thermoregulation, hypoallergenic, and moisture absorption. And the biggest selling point of these kinds of sleep sacks is ergonomic with an anti-startle reaction. It can soothe a fussy baby effectively.
Besides, this sleep sack also has other advantages. Each of them has a two-way zip. It is designed for parents to change the sleep sack easier. And they also can change their babies’ diapers more conveniently, even in the middle of the night. It helps parents to save money and energy. A zip protector can help protect your baby’s chin from getting hurt. Considering that newborns are small, our designer especially created a fit neckline designed to prevent suffocation and get your baby away from danger.
There is a new launch of our summer 2022. It is roughly the same as the above newborn swaddle. But this one is an upgraded version. We have changed the fabric. This swaddle is made of 100% organic cotton that is organic and sustainable without any chemicals.
Check out more information about organic cotton in our previous post: Why is organic cotton better than regular cotton?
Have you noticed that this swaddle has a mesh design? Yes, we designed this for summer. The mesh cotton is good for letting the heat out, making your baby feel cooler and more comfortable on hot days. Parents do not need to be worried that their babies are overheated.
4.4 ease the external stimuli
Parents should try to ease the external stimuli, such as lights and smells. Playing some soft, gentle music to distract your baby’s attention and make him or her stop crying. The bright light can get your baby excited. The correct way is to dim the light to create a peaceful environment for babies.
4.5 gently rock the baby
Usually, when the mother moves around with her baby in the womb, the baby will also feel a gentle swaying. If you gently rock your baby, he/she will get a feeling which is more similar to the feeling when he/she is in the womb.
But I have to remind the mother must control the strength of the shaking. If you shake too hard. It may lead your baby to serious brain damage, it even can lead to death.
4.6 go for a doctor
If you do not know what to do, the most scientific approach is to go for a doctor.
After reading this post, I believe that soothing a colicky baby is not a particular hardship for you anymore.
An expert in sleep sack design, is a valued contributor to Kaiya Angel's blog. With a strong background in baby sleep bags and maternal care, she is highly regarded for her professionalism. Yujia Shi prioritizes baby comfort and safety in her designs, using high-quality materials. Her insightful articles on sleep bags have been featured in reputable publications and have gained a significant readership. Trust Yujia Shi to help you create a comfortable and safe sleep environment for your baby, backed by her proven track record in the industry.
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