Our Clinical Pyschologist Advises...

Colic in a new baby usually begins between 0 and 3 months and is often the first of many heart-breaking moments experienced by new parents, who may be left feeling utterly helpless at the sight of their precious little one crying in discomfort and pain. While not all infants get it, and we are unsure what causes it, colic is a fairly common problem experienced in the first few months of life.

While it can be a terribly frustrating time for you and baby – just remember that colic is a stage that will eventually pass. In just a few weeks, or months, you can be assured that your baby will be happier and sleeping better – as will you!

Colic is usually recognized when your well-fed, healthy and otherwise satisfied infant won’t stop crying. You’ve changed and checked and re-checked diapers, offered milk, burped and cuddled your baby and still the crying continues for no evident reason at all. While all babies cry (as it is their only means of communication), babies with colic cry much more than usual, and when they cry it seems that little can console them. Colic is usually diagnosed or confirmed if your baby cries more than three hours each day over a period of three weeks or more and no other cause is found. You may also notice that it tends to get worse at certain times of the day (most commonly during the evenings or at night) and that these episodes can last anywhere between a few minutes to a few hours. Babies with colic also tend to clench their little firsts, pull up their legs, tighten their abdominal muscles and squirm into different positions to try and relieve the cramps. As a parent, little is worse than seeing your little one in so much pain and not being able to take it away!

Your baby’s paediatrician will check for other causes of discomfort such as intestinal obstruction, or other illnesses and if nothing is found, colic is often the diagnosis. Other tests are generally not necessary, as colic, while distressing for baby and family, is not serious and not associated with other complications.

Caring for a colicky baby is no easy task and it tends to bring up a lot of emotion, especially for new parents or parents of babies whose colic is particularly bad or ongoing. The important thing to remember is that you are not doing anything wrong, and colic is just one of those things that happen. It is also essential to ask for help if you need it! Being up with a crying infant can be frustrating and exhausting and you may reach a point where you feel you cannot cope. Feeling angry, frustrated and at wits end is not a reflection of how good a parent you are! In fact it is a fairly expected reaction to sleep deprivation and continuous noise for which you feel utterly responsible. If you feel yourself reaching this point you should always ask for help and take a break. You will probably find that dad, the grandparents or a close family friend are more than willing to take your little “angel" for a couple of hours, giving you a much needed rest. Have a hot pampering bath, get out the house for a while, or get some sleep. Babies tend to pick up on our tensions and emotions and so getting fretful while trying to soothe an already fretful baby, only makes matters worse. Do not be disheartened if your baby calms down the moment you hand him to someone else. He is probably picking up on your frustration and anxiety and will probably be just as grateful if you take that hot relaxing bath!

• Consider eliminating milk products, eggs, wheat, nuts and berries from your diet if you are breastfeeding as this can provide some relief from colic. You can also restrict very acidic foods, spicy foods and caffeine and keep your diet fairly bland. It’s also a good idea to start a food diary and begin by eliminating all problem foods. You can then slowly start to re-introduce them into your diet while noting baby’s colic reaction.
• Drink herbal teas such as chamomile, vervain and lemon balm instead of your usual tea or coffee as these have a soothing effect on both mother and breastfed baby.
• Make sure that your baby is not swallowing air while feeding as this can result in wind and increases discomfort
• Try experiment with a few simple feeding changes and see if you notice any changes:
  • Try feeding your baby more frequent smaller feeds every 2-3 hours.
  • If your baby is bottle fed ensure that the nipple size and shape is correct for your baby’s age.
  • If your baby takes less than 20 minutes to complete a feed, you may need to swap over to a smaller bottle nipple.
  • Talk to your paediatrician about changing to a hypoallergenic formula.
  • While feeding, always ensure that your baby is in a diagonal position with her head higher than her feet.
  • Always burp baby frequently. This can be done every 10min of breastfeeding and every 30 to 60ml of bottle-feeding.

• Don’t stop breastfeeding. Colic is equally likely to occur in both breastfed and bottle-fed babies.
• Don’t switch and swap your baby’s formula brand. If you are considering changing to a new brand, speak to your paediatrician first.
• Don’t hesitate to call your paediatrician if you are concerned. In some cases where colic is assumed, it turns out there were other medical reasons for the crying such as an ear infection or food allergy that may need to be dealt with.
• Don’t wait until you have reached the point of desperation before asking someone for help. Accept babysitting offers and look after yourself. If ever you feel like hurting or shaking your baby, simply put him in a safe place (e.g. the crib) and leave the room for a few minutes while you gather your composure – then call someone to relieve you of baby duty for an hour or two.

The next best thing to help baby cope with colic is sleep. Colic is stressful for your little one and because this is an important stage of growth and development in your baby’s life, sleep is very important! Colic interrupts this peaceful sleep and as a result your child is exhausted on top of feeling colicky, which just adds insult to injury as babies become over-tired and even more fretful.

Triple Complex Sleep Tonic addresses just this problem. This natural remedy has been specifically formulated to help maintain the healthy balance of all the hormones involved in healthy sleep cycles. Caution is always taken whenever considering giving infants any form of medication or herbal extractions as they are not always suitable for such vulnerable and undeveloped systems. Triple Complex Sleep Tonic is therefore the perfect solution for both pregnant woman and young infants as tissue salts are 100% safe and free of side-effects. These tissue salts work by optimizing health naturally on a cellular level, making them safe and gentle yet effective in preparing the body for routine sleep patterns without sedatives and synthetic tranquilizers. (For more on promoting sleep for little ones see our informative article on sleep routines.)

Once baby is a more rested, you should notice a decrease in discomfort and fussiness. To enhance this it is a good idea to keep baby relaxed and calm during waking periods or at least one hour before sleep time. Play peaceful music and talk in soft tones, keeping lights dim and activity to a minimum.

Baby massage is also an extremely relaxing activity that can be enjoyed by both baby and you! Choose a quiet, comfortable and warm area that is relatively free of other stimulation and distractions. Lay baby on his or her back on a firm, but comfortable surface such as a bed or changing table, making sure that baby is comfortable. For massage oil, the best choices are organic aromatherapy oils that do not contain preservatives or additives. (Watch out for commercially produced mineral-type baby oils. They tend to have a non-organic, non-food petroleum base that is not the best choice). Feelgood Health’s Infant Massage Oil contains only 100% therapeutic grade almond oil, specifically formulated for babies from birth to the age of 12 weeks. Perfectly safe and gentle enough for sensitive newborn skins, this natural oil can provide therapeutic benefits as the oil warms with each soothing rub – helping parents to easily achieve the perfect loving touch. Massaging specifically around the abdominal area will also provide much needed comfort to soothe colic cramps. (For more advice on therapeutic touch see our informative article on baby massage.)

Lastly, it is important take care of yourself and your own needs! Make sure you get some rest so that you can be a supportive comfort to your baby, and take advantage of the moments when your little one is asleep!