Does your baby have colic?
So, I have to be honest. When I had my children, I read a-lot about colic but never really knew what it meant. It wasn’t until I delved into my sleep course that I really started to understand what it was and what it really meant for families. My son would definitely be a crying mess in the early evenings and I spent more than one evening crying along with him because it all felt too much. I thought he was hungry, cold, tired, all of the above! The unknown is stressful when you are a new parent. This sound familiar?
Want to know if your baby has colic?
Remember the colour P-U-R-P-L-E….
P- Peak of crying – Baby may cry more each week – mostly in month 2, with less in months 3-5.
U – Unexpected – Crying comes and goes and you don’t know why
R – Resists soothing – May cry non stop no matter what you do
P- Pain like face – look in pain but are not
L – Long lasting – Can last as long as 5 hours or more
E – Evening – May cry more in the late afternoon, early evening
A doctor will only diagnose colic if your baby is following the 3 Rule:
Crying lasts 3 hours a day
3 or more days a week
For 3 weeks.
So what do you do if your baby shows some of the signs of colic but not enough for it to be diagnosed by the doctor?
There have been many different theories on what causes colic, making it hard to work out how to help your little one. The best way to view it is to think about everything your baby is going through and has been through since birth, they have a lot going on, they are growing and developing rapidly. Extremely fussy or colicy babies tend to be the ones who are over stimulated and over tired.
- Keep things calm and quiet in the late afternoons/evenings.
- Allow lots of opportunity for sleep.
- Swaddle – this can help control their startle reflexes and soothe them.
- White noise may help soothe your little one as it mimics the sounds of the womb.
- Place your baby in a sling and let them be close to you, they need help and empathy
- Get some support from loved ones or friends, take a shower, a walk or grab a coffee, it can be hard going for you when your little one has colic or colic like symptoms. You don’t need to go through it alone.
- Try to remember that it will pass. Around 50% of colic disappears at 2 months, 30% at 3 months and 10% at 4 months. Most babies experience some colic like symptoms but only 20% of babies suffer from extreme fussiness/colic.
If you are at all worried about your baby, please speak to your GP or health visitor.
For personalised sleep support contact Cara by clicking her profile at the top of the page.