Colic is not fun for any parent, whether new or experienced. My sister dealt with a semi-colicky baby, and I honestly don’t know how she managed. I’d go completely bonkers! I get so stressed when my 16 month old cries or whines at me for more than an hour. When she does that, she is either tired and wants to be held, or have the ninny at times when I’m trying to finish cooking dinner. It’s definitely difficult to handle sometimes.
They say that colic is usually when a healthy baby cries for more than 3 hours a day, at least 3 days a week, for over 3 weeks. It usually starts around 2-3 weeks of life and may be worse in the evening or during the night.
Crying is a way for babies to express how they feel. All babies cry. It’s natural.
In their first year of life, babies are learning to communicate, and crying is a way for them to express themselves. However, some babies can cry for long periods of time without responding to your usual comforting methods. This can happen even if they are not hungry, too cold or warm and everything seems well.
So if you’re a mom who’s dealing with a baby who has colic, I recommend trying these tips that my sister used in order to achieve less crying for babies, more smiling for all.
1. Swaddling:
Wrap that baby up like a tight little burrito just like the hospital showed you upon arrival. Babies love the feeling of tightness since they didn’t have much room in the womb.
2. Holding Position:
Hold baby face down on your arm so that their stomach has pressure which may alleviate some gas discomfort. More on this below.
3. White noise or Shhhing.
There was a lot of whooshing and noise going on in the womb, so having any type of background noise that resembles this may provide comfort. Get one of those sound machines or stick baby in a seat by the dishwasher.
4. Go for a stroll or car ride:
Sometimes babies just need a change of scenery. There are many times I’ve used this method myself when I couldn’t get my girl to settle down or take a nap, and it worked like a charm! Most of the time I’d go back to the house and sit in the driveway with the stereo on and the car off just so she’d stay asleep for a little while.
5. Try Gerber® Soothe products:
Gerber® Soothe Probiotics Colic Drops is formulated with comforting probiotics L. reuteri which is a probiotic that is safe for infants. It has been clinically shown to significantly reduce crying time in colicky babies.
Gerber® Good Start® Soothe Infant formula is specially designed to ease excessive crying, colic, fussiness, and gas while providing complete nutrition.
Research indicates that the type of bacteria in the infant’s digestive system may determine whether a child is colicky. This suggests a role for probiotics to help support a balance of good bacteria in the digestive tract of colicky infants. In particular, the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri has been clinically shown in multiple studies to reducing crying time in colicky infants.
Comforting probiotics are a great way to improve the good bacteria in baby’s digestive system, which helps promote digestive comfort. GERBER Soothe products (drops and powder formula) contain L. reuteri, a comforting probiotic that is safe for infants and similar to those found in breast milk.
My sister loves this formula and colic drops. She used both with her son and will use them for her daughter that she is about to have in October because of the probiotics. She has issues with breast feeding and not producing enough milk to feed her kiddos, so we love that Gerber® Soothe products have probiotics in them that are similar to what an infant would receive from us. This is a godsend for breastfeeding moms who struggle like ourselves!
What is your formula for happiness?
Thanks to Gerber® Soothe for sponsoring today’s story and encouraging me to speak about baby colic and excessive crying and the solution to the colic problem. Their promise is less crying means more smiling for all!
“I received a free sample of Gerber® Soothe probiotic colic drops from Gerber®.”
The post Different Ways to Soothe a Baby With Colic appeared first on Mom Life in the PNW.