Colic can be very stressful and many babies experience it. There is little evidence or research to indicate what exactly causes it but there are some things you can do, while at other times there isn’t much you can do by cuddle your child and let them work it out. This article goes over some tips to help you cope.
First of all before going through some tips, it is really important that you understand that sometimes you just can’t do anything to help soothe your baby. This is scary and very stressful, I know! There were moments when my son was first born when I just felt helpless and felt like I was a terrible parent. But I wasn’t – these things just can’t always be worked out by the parent, sometimes you just have to let your child scream it out and be there to hold them. So remember, if nothing works, just holding your child, accepting the circumstance and letting them work through it in your loving arms is enough.
Besides knowing this there are a few things you can help your child with. Sometimes babies get trapped wind that can take forever to come up. I found this out when I decided to use a sling to take my son for a long walk. After 45 minutes of walking he suddenly burped and was completely fine after that. But before that moment, every time I stopped walking he would get upset. I was extremely shocked when he burped and couldn’t believe that’s what the cause was and why it took so long, but it did! So my first tip is to get a sling.
Walking is a very effective way of calming your child down but using a sling is much better for baby because it will help calm them down more effectively than walking them in a pushchair. Babies want to be close to their mother. When they can feel their mothers warmth and hear their mother’s heart rate they will be instantly soothed in most cases. A sling can keep your baby close and movement will help calm baby down also. Sometimes fresh air and getting out the house can work wonders on your baby and sometimes you just need it for yourself. Parenting can be stressful, especially if it is your first time.
Another tip is baby massage or moving your baby’s legs. Lay your baby down and move their legs in a cycle motion or one up and down one at a time. This isn’t always effective but can help relieve trapped wind.
Sometimes we feel at a lost what to do as we don’t know what is wrong but sometimes it can be really obvious! I remember one time my son was really upset and it wasn’t until a long while after I realized he was teething. I started rubbing his gums and he was fine. He wasn’t very old then so I didn’t think about his teeth but it was obvious once I finally worked it out.
Exhaust everything, but try to remember that sometimes there isn’t always an answer. Colic isn’t nice for mother or baby but it can be helped.
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