Your Baby's Colic
Many parents become frustrated when their newborn develop colic.The continuous screaming every night for hours on end, can'thelp but be disturbing. New mothers often feel they must bedoing something wrong or worse yet that there is somethin...
...g wrongwith their baby.Most new mothers are not aware that almost all babies develop afussy period and the actuality of colic is present in one formor another. Colic is not an illness or a physical disorder.Doctors define colic as 3 or more hours a day of continuedcrying. The baby's persistent crying is generally not due to anyobvious signs such as: hunger, wet diaper, or gas, and in manycases, the child cannot be comforted or soothed. There is goodnews though, colic generally does not last beyond the firstthree months!Several studies that involved more than 12,000 babies haveindicated that mothers who smoke during pregnancy face almosttwice the risk of having a baby with colic. Exposure to secondhand smoke also appears to increase the risk for colic.Parents dealing with a colicky baby need to be observant andpatient. Experimenting may be required to find ways to comfortyour baby. Holding your baby is notably the most effective wayto calm him.Interestingly, one doctor commented that "the more hours theyare held, even early in the day when they are not fussy, theless time they will be fussy in the evening." Holding your newbaby does not spoil your child! Swinging, rocking or singinglullabyes can also be effective.Over the years, there have been many stories about foodsbreastfeeding mothers should avoid. What do the facts show?Breastfeeding mothers who eat gas producing food DO NOT inducegas or crying in their babies. The gas mothers may get from gasproducing food comes from the undigested part that remains intheir intestines. The portion that enters the blood stream andthen makes its way to the breastmilk is not the part thatproduces the gas in the first place. It was mentioned that asingle glass of wine in the evening may be good for both mom andbaby. Foods that should be avoided would include caffeinatedbeverages, chocolate, nuts and possibly some dairy products orspices. Caring for a colicky baby can be exhausting for thealready worn out mom. Colic is no-ones fault, so don't burdenyourself with extra stress and guilt. Do your best to relax andremember that your baby will outgrow it. If you are ever unsure whether your baby's crying is colic or asymptom of another illness, check with your pediatrician, by allmeans!
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