Based on excerpts from Baby Basics: the essential guide for new parents from JOHNSON'S.
Colic is a condition that affects almost 20 percent of babies. It starts in the first few weeks of life and usually goes away after three to four months. Colic involves at least three hours of nonstop crying per day.
Why It Happens
Although the exact causes of colic are still unknown, it is believed to be a result of painful gas in your infant's tummy. Talk to your pediatrician about using a gas relief medication. Other theories about the causes of colic suggest that the baby's nervous system simply tenses up, or that the baby is over stimulated. Babies who are exposed to smoke are also more likely to develop colic.
A Change of Diet
Some moms find that if they change their own diets (by eliminating cow's milk and other dairy products; spicy foods; wheat products; bran; "gassy" vegetables such as beans, cabbage, broccoli, onions and cauliflower; caffeine; and alcohol) their breastfed babies become less colicky. If you're bottle-feeding, talk to your pediatrician about switching your baby's formula.
Other Ways to Soothe
Some parents recommend gently patting or rubbing your baby's stomach and rocking your baby. You may also try laying your baby tummy down across your knees and having a quiet time after feedings. It's helpful to remember that colic does no permanent damage and that babies who suffer from colic grow up as happy, healthy and normal as other children. What's important is to try to stay calm and patient, and to give your baby as much nurturing, soothing care as you can. If you have any questions about colic and your baby, talk to your baby's doctor.
To learn more about colic, visit babycenter.com
