Colic: A New Way to Soothe Your Crying Baby

By Brooke Strickland
Writer for FEP International

The sound of your newborn baby crying – it is music to your ears when your baby is first born. But soon after those cries can become non-stop, sometimes meaning your baby has colic. Before becoming a mother, I always heard horror stories of other parents who have or have had “colicky” babies, which made me pray all the more that my baby wouldn’t be one of the many that struggle with this problem. Colic can be an exhausting part of your new life as a parent, and even though it is widely written about and discussed in the medical arena as well as in numerous parenting books, doctors still aren’t sure what the exact causes of colic are.

Colic is generally defined when a baby, who is otherwise healthy and well-fed, succumbs to bouts of crying, fussing, or irritability lasting for more than three hours a day, occurring on more than three days a week, for a period of three weeks at a time. This can be draining for both the newborn and the parents, leading many doctors and scientists to study what causes colic and ways to treat it. A recent study published in the American Academy of Pediatrics reviewed studies that linked chamomile tea to the soothing and sometimes, the complete remedy of colic in infants. One study included a random clinical trial that looked at 68 colicky infants, ranging from the ages of two to eight weeks old. One group was served a warm or cool chamomile tea, the other group was served a placebo tea. After a week, parents who gave their newborns chamomile tea reported a 57% elimination of the colic [1].

If you think your baby has colic, some other suggestions for easing the crying episodes include the following:

- Don’t overfeed
- Avoid juices
- Try walking around with the baby in a sling or baby carrier strapped to the front of you
- If you are breastfeeding, avoid milk products or other foods that can cause gas, such as cabbage, beans, and broccoli
- If your baby is formula fed, consider switching to a lactose-free based formula or one that is made especially for babies with allergies
- Swaddle your baby in a warm, comfortable blanket
- Rock and swing your baby
- Don’t be afraid of trying different sounds to soothe, such as rhythmic music, a fan, or humidifier
- Take a break – anxiety in parents can often contribute to a more fussy, irritable infant

And of course, if you think your baby is ill or that there is something medically wrong with your infant, be sure to visit your pediatrician for a full examination. Raising your newborn is always a bit of a stressful adventure that is a lot of work. It is also full of learning and new surprises, so try to enjoy it – even if your baby is more work than you expected.

Reference

1. The Claim: Chamomile Can Soothe a Colicky Baby. New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/health/01real.html?ref=health Accessed on the Web 9/1/2009.