How do you get rid of colic?
Answers:
I have 2 daughters and both suffered with colic. The first was allergic to cow's milk and after being placed on soy formula did very well. The second one had very severe colic. She would cry 20 out of 24 hours each day. An old wives trick is to make a tea from fennel seeds. You can add a tiny bit of clear Karo syrup to sweeten it. The Karo syrup also helps to beak up gas. Try holding the baby in the colic position. You take the baby, place it stomach down on your arm and snuggle it close to your body. Some pediatricians recommend Mylicon drops. There are also some very strong prescription medications that can be used on a very limited basis for babies with severe colic. Talk to your baby's doctor (if you haven't already). A sympathetic doctor really helps. Although you might find it difficult, you need to get a break from that screaming bundle of joy periodically. Either you go out of the house or have someone take the baby out for an hour and you take a nice long bubble bath! Hope this helps! I know what you are going through!!!
Other Answers:
You don't. It goes away on it's own with time..the website below would be a good place to do some reading up on it. Good luck.
Source(s):
http://www.webmd.com/hw/raising_a_family/hw31506.asp
the stores sell gas drops for infants you can put it in the formula or give it strait in the mouth..im not sure if theres a age limit on them but the doctor reccomended them for my kids i used it with all 3 of them
They say that most colic reduces dramatically after 12 weeks (3 months). They're not sure why this is the "magic number", but some researchers theorize that it has something to do with their immature neurological/digestive systems. Basically, very young babies are still not used to all the stimulation in the world we live in, and also it takes their tummies a bit of time to get used to "eating" real food rather than drinking amniotic fluid. In the meantime, I'd suggest making sure your baby isn't too stimulated, and if you're using formula, try a hypo-allergenic brand such as Similac Alimentum. Also consult your Pediatrician.
Things today are different from when my children were babies. Mine range from 23 to 16. When mine were babes, though, I used an old remedy that my mother showed me, and it worked quite well. Here goes. Put 4 oz. of sterile water in a baby bottle. Warm it like you would normally do with a bottle of formula. Put a peppermint disc in the bottle and let it disolve a little bit. (Too much can make it too strong for the baby). The water will have a tint of pink, but it won't be red. Feed it to the baby an ounce at a time, burping between ounces. The baby should release the gas on his/her tummy pretty quickly. You may only have to give him/her an ounce or 2. It works really well. Another thing, I did that worked pretty well was to lay the baby across your lap so that his/her tummy is right on one of your legs while you burp him/her. A little pressure from laying on your leg will be soothing as well. Good luck, and I hope you get some sleep!
Colic will go away after 3 or 4 months. My son was very colicky..he would cry every day for 4 hours, especially in the evenings.
We don't exactly know waht causes colic..but a few things can help:
1. if you are breastfeeding, dairy products can be hard on baby's diggestive system that hasn't matured yet. So a non dairy diet can help.
2. Baby can be very sensitive and having hard time "weaning" off the womb, where everything was so peacefull. Allow your baby to be in a quiet/low light room. Try white noises..this really worked for us.
3. Try the colicky hold:
Place baby, stomach down on your forearm, with his head in the crook of your elbow and his legs straddling your hand. With the other hand, rub his back and walk. This was a life saver for us.
Source(s):
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/t051300.asp
Colic
Published by BUPA's Health Information Team
October 2003
Colic is when a baby cries for longer than three hours every day for more than three days a week. It is the extreme end of normal crying behaviour. The condition is harmless, though it can be very distressing for parents or carers. The cause is not known, but there are ways to help calm a baby down.
About infant colic
Colic is uncontrollable, extended crying in a baby who is otherwise healthy and well-fed. Every baby cries, but babies who cry for more than three hours a day, three to four days a week, may have colic.
About 20% of babies get colic, and it equally affects boys and girls, first-born children and those born later. In general, it appears at around two to four weeks of age and can last for three months, or longer in some cases.
Causes
The cause of colic isn't known. In the past it was thought to be related to the digestive system. However, although painful abdominal gas may contribute to colic, there is little evidence to prove it's due to gastrointestinal problems.
Another possible cause of colic is a combination of the baby's temperament and an immature nervous system. The baby's temperament may make him or her highly sensitive to the environment, and he or she may react to normal stimulation or changes to the environment by crying. Because the baby's nervous system is immature, he or she is unable to regulate crying once it starts.
Symptoms
The main symptom is continuous crying for long periods of time. Although this crying can occur at any time, it usually worsens in the evening. Although colic is not thought to be due to pain, a baby with colic may look uncomfortable or appear to be in pain. Babies may lift their head, draw their legs up to their tummy, become red in the face and pass wind. Some babies refuse to eat. Difficulty falling and staying asleep is also common.
Normally, colic is not a serious condition. Research shows that babies with colic continue to eat and gain weight normally, despite the crying.
The main problem with the condition is the stress and anxiety it creates within the home. Parents and other family members may find it difficult to cope with the constant crying, so it's important to have support and to take a break now and then.
When to see a doctor
Colic does not need medical treatment. However, any parent or carer who is worried about their baby's crying may want to get advice from a healthcare professional to make sure there is no serious problem.
Before visiting a doctor, all other possible causes of crying should be eliminated. These include:
hunger
tiredness
lack of contact - some babies want to be cuddled all the time
startling - eg due to a jerky movement or sudden noise
undressing - most babies don't like the feel of air on their skin
temperature - is the baby too hot or too cold?
pain - is there an identifiable source of pain, eg a nappy rash
Before going to the doctor, parents should take note of when the baby cries, eats and sleeps, as well as the pattern of bowel movements. This will help the doctor determine the cause of the crying. The doctor will examine the baby and ask about the symptoms to help exclude any other disorders that may be causing the crying.
If the doctor diagnoses colic, there are many things parents can do to help the baby - and themselves - through the next few months.
Treatment for colic
There is no single medicine or proven cure for colic, but there are several measures that may help. Different babies are comforted by different measures, and parents usually need to try various methods to see what works.
Parents who bottle-feed their babies may want to try a different formula. For parents who breastfeed, it's a good idea to continue this because weaning the baby from breast milk may make the colic worse.
Some women find that certain foods in their diet seem to make colic worse and they may find that cutting these foods out helps. These might include cruciferous vegetables (eg cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts and parsnip), beans, onions, garlic, apricots, melon, spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol. By reintroducing foods gradually, women may be able to identify which food, if any, is causing the problem.
If there is a family history of milk sugar (lactose) intolerance, breastfeeding mothers could try eliminating cows milk from their diet. Sometimes babies are not able to digest lactose well - this improves as they get older.
Some parents who bottle-feed their baby try changing over to soya-based formula, but there is no evidence that this is effective at reducing colic.
If the baby seems to have a lot of wind, make sure he or she is burped frequently. Babies who are bottle-fed may swallow air from the bottle: try feeding the baby in a different position, or using a bottle and teat designed to reduce the amount of air the baby swallows during a feed. These include curved bottles, bottles with a collapsible bag inside or bottles with a vent.
To soothe babies with colic, the following techniques may be helpful:
carry the baby in a front sling or back pack
wrap him or her snugly in a blanket (this is called swaddling)
keep the baby moving in a baby swing
place him or her near continuous noise or vibrations from household appliances like the dishwasher, vacuum cleaner or washer-dryer
take him or her for a car ride or a walk outside
give him or her a dummy to suck on
give him or her tummy or back rubs
take a shower together - the warm water may be comforting
Medicines
Medicines are not used to treat colic. However, medicines may help to relieve abdominal symptoms. It may be worth trying "colic drops" or "gripe water", which are available without a prescription. A medicine called dimeticone (eg Infacol) is available to relieve trapped wind.
Care for the parent or carer
Having a colicky baby can be very stressful, frustrating and challenging for any parent, particularly if it is the first child. Babies may pick up on anxiety around them, and this may make colic worse.
It's important for the parents or carer to have time to themselves. Parents who feel overwhelmed should take a break. Ask a partner or friend to take over for a while, even for an hour or two.
Further information
National Childbirth Trust
http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com
0870 7703236
CRY-SIS
Helpline for families having difficulty with a crying baby
020 7404 5011
Source(s):
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/Mosby_factsheets/infant_colic.html
A home remedy that works is to take a peppermint candy and put it in a bottle of water. Shake it up so that the peppermint dissolves a little in the water. Something in the mint helps to soothe colic.
You can't get rid of it. It will go away on it's own. But some tips on how to make it alittle easier. Lay baby on your knees on their bellymove legs back and forth, put a towel in dryer get it warm not to hot but just warm and place on their belly. Walk around with them talk to them they get comfort in you talking to them.
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