Colic is one of the most feared five-letter words known to parents, and with good reason. It leaves you feeling helpless, lonely, and desperate for answers. Below you will find one of my columns on colic as well as a link to my article, "How to Help Parents Cope with Colic," which was featured in Pharmacy Times.
From The Medicine Mom Series:
The Colic Creature
I still cover my eyes with the nearest pillow when the Abominable Snowman appears in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Who wouldn’t be afraid of a jagged-tooth hairy beast with a roar that shakes the earth? After the birth of my second child, I had no idea that she was next in line to win first prize for the scariest creature ever! If I had known she was going to have colic, I would have bought more pillows.
Colic is characterized by long periods of inconsolable crying in otherwise healthy and well-fed infants. This condition usually rears its ugly head at about two weeks of age, peaks at 6 to 8 weeks, and usually disappears by the time your infant is 12 weeks old. The cause and cure of colic are still a mystery to the medical community but, luckily, there are things you can do to try and lessen the cries:
What you can do:
-Call the pediatrician. It is important to rule out any underlying medical cause of excessive crying such as reflux or infection.
- Make use of your household appliances. Bathroom fans, clothes dryers, and vacuum cleaners are all excellent white-noise makers and often help colicky babies calm down.
- Swaddle them. Get you pediatrician’s office to show you the best way to swaddle if you’re unsure of the proper technique.
- Dance. Hold your baby close and sway the night away to your favorite melody.
- Give them something to suck on. Whether it’s a pacifier, or your finger, many babies are instantly soothed with sucking.
- Go for a touchdown. A lot of colicky babies are more comfortable lying on their bellies or tucked under your arm like a football with their belly resting on your forearm.
- Give them a bath. The calming effects of water can do wonders for a screaming infant. Try a “tubbie for two” to help both mother and baby relax.
- Consider a change of diet. If breastfeeding, ask your baby’s pediatrician about eliminating certain foods such as dairy, nuts, and wheat. In bottle fed infants, a two- week trial of a hypoallergenic formula may provide some relief.
- Ask for help. Never hesitate to ask someone for help. You deserve it.
What NOT to do:
- Run away and join the circus.
- Assume that you are a bad parent. You know what happens when you assume. Colic just happens, and it happens to the best of parents.
- Hit strangers. You will want to tackle the passers by who offer their well-intentioned advice such as “Maybe she is hungry,” or “Why don’t you try burping her?” As if you have not tried everything under the sun already! Just remain calm and remember, “Mommy knows best.”
- Shake your baby. Never ever shake a baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics uses the phrase “Take a break. Don’t shake.” A fifteen-minute crying session won’t hurt an infant but shaking them can lead to irreversible neurological damage and death.
The world of colic is a scary place. If your baby has colic, do your best to keep your sanity and be on the lookout for a good babysitter. If you don’t have a baby with colic, but know someone who does, help them, ASAP.
*P.S.S. (Parent Sanity Saver): When the cries really start getting under your skin, put some headphones on and chill out for a few with Jimmy Buffett or rock with Janis Joplin. Anything works, as long as it drowns out the squeals of terror and revives your wounded spirit.
"How to Help Parents Cope with Colic"
Pharmacy Times
November 2006
http://www.pharmacytimes.com/article.cfm?ID=4111
