MM Colic
If your baby is bottlefed and only takes small
feeds, try using 4fl oz bottles instead of the 9fl oz ones, so that he
doesn’t suck in too much air when he’s drinking.
Using a slow-flow teat
(or one of the specific anti-colic teats or
bottles on the market) may help him to stop gulping in air.
Camomile tea can
make your baby feel calmer, so try giving him a few drops of
Whichever way your feed your baby, you
may find that feeding him in an upright position may help
prevent the build-up of wind.
weak camomile tea in his bottle.
bursting the bubbles! Colic: Unfortunately, colic can affect as many as one in five babies. While it generally
surfaces around the third week and usually only lasts until about the three-month mark, it can seem much longer when you’re a distraught and exhausted parent!
The distressing thing about colic is that it's totally relentless and, no matter what you do, you feel unable to comfort your child during what can often be three-
hour crying spells. Needless to say, it’s totally upsetting for both baby and you! Colic is caused by the build-up of tiny bubbles of trapped wind in a baby’s bowel. While babies will usually bring up this wind as a burp after a feed,
Infant colic drops can be
given before a feed and can often help. (The old ‘traditional’ treatment – gripe water – actually
contains alcohol, so try and avoid, if possible.)
'White noise’, ie, the noise from a
tumble dryer, vacuum cleaner or TV, has
Rocking your baby
gently in your arms, putting him into a
bouncy seat, or taking him out for a walk in a pram can provide a
distraction and help to calm him.
If you’re breastfeeding, work on the basis that, if a
food makes YOU windy, then it’s likely to be passed on to your baby. If you suspect a
particular food, avoid it for a few days and see if your baby's colic improves.
been shown to calm very young babies.
smaller bubbles of wind may be more difficult to release, causing discomfort and pain. Endless crying is the most common symptom in a baby, but curling up or writhing – often with a red face and screwed-up eyes - are also classic signs. With colic, prevention is always better than cure. Try these tactics...
Letting your
baby suck on your finger, or on a
sterilised dummy, can help to comfort or distract him.
18 Modernmum
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