New parents may find it challenging to understand their newborn’s cries. Crying is natural for babies, but when their distress becomes inconsolable it should be taken seriously.
Once all other possibilities, such as dirty diapers, hunger signals, wanting to be held or being tired have been exhausted, colic may be to blame. It affects 20-25% of newborns.
1. Know Your Baby’s Crying Pattern
Babies can become fussy at times, and crying is their way of communicating their needs for food or attention.
But if your baby’s crying exceeds three hours per day for at least a month and seems intense or painful, often accompanied by gas, they could have colic. Luckily, colic usually resolves itself.
2. Know What’s Triggering Your Baby’s Crying
Crying is an instinctual communication mechanism for babies, but colic is defined as uncontrollable crying with no clear cause.
Colic occurs weeks or months post birth and usually resolves itself between 3-4 months. Colicky babies experience inconsolable episodes of crying that last hours at a time for no discernible reason.
At these difficult moments, it’s essential for you to take time for yourself. Finding a babysitter or friend to watch your infant for 10 minutes while you go get some water or take a short walk can be enough time for you to recharge yourself or simply sit quietly in a quiet space until things calm down again.
3. Know Your Baby’s Diet
Infants often experience colic, which is an episode of unexplained crying that typically manifests during afternoon and evening hours. While this can be distressful for parents, colic should usually only last temporarily and be harmless to babies.
One theory on why colic occurs is that infants may become overstimulated by sights and sounds around them, leading to them crying as an outlet to release tension.
If your baby has colic, try soothing them by rocking or massaging their tummy and back, burping regularly, using white noise (such as a fan), and trying various calming techniques – what may work one day may not do the same on another day.
4. Know Your Baby’s Sleep Pattern
Colic won’t cause your baby any long-term or permanent harm; however, it can wear on parents – if possible leave your infant in the hands of a trusted baby sitter or family member (without shaking) so that you can take some time for yourself and recharge.
Babies suffering from colic typically exhibit their worst crying spells between 6:00 p.m. and midnight, making this an entirely natural stage that should eventually pass; typically peaking by six weeks old and dissipating around three months of age.
5. Know Your Baby’s Schedule
Every newborn experiences occasional crying and fussiness; when healthy babies cry excessively or for extended periods, this could be diagnosed as colic. Crying associated with colic tends to be intense and appears painful; oftentimes babies will clench their fists or lift up their legs while crying.
Colic’s cause remains unknown, although experts suspect it could be related to neurological immaturity or an adjustment period post birth; typically lasting three or four months before dissipating completely1.1
6. Know Your Baby’s Environment
As important as it is to provide care for your infant during colic, don’t forget that taking care of yourself is also key. Stress can contribute to colic symptoms; therefore it is wise to reduce it by reaching out for support from family and friends or hiring a babysitter.
Colic does not signify that you are failing as a parent; though it may seem so when your infant cries for hours on end. While its cause remains unknown, colic could be related to neurological immaturity or an adjustment period to life outside the womb.
7. Know Your Baby’s Schedule
Infants often cry during colic episodes, yet this condition does not pose any lasting health issues for babies. To effectively address colic symptoms and alleviate colic’s impact on baby development, find ways to comfort and soothe your baby and break the cycle of crying.
Colic, also known as colic, is characterized by long periods of uncontrollable crying with no obvious trigger. Physical signs include clenched fists and appearing distressed; typically occurring between 6pm and midnight.
8. Know Your Baby’s Diet
Colicky babies often cry for long stretches each day; but this doesn’t indicate anger toward you or anything wrong; they are simply going through a normal developmental stage.
Schedule an appointment with your infant’s health care provider to determine whether there are any underlying conditions that might be contributing to his/her excessive crying. They will examine and question them on the pattern of their crying episodes as well as any factors that appear to help or hinder it; tests may be administered during this process as well.
9. Know Your Baby’s Environment
Newborns must become acquainted with the sights, sounds, and smells of the outside world in order to thrive. Unfortunately, not all babies adjust well and this may lead to colic.
Colic, which refers to persistent crying that lasts three or more hours a day – typically afternoon and evening hours – does not present any risks for your baby and should resolve itself by age 3-4 on its own. While its cries can be frightening, they don’t point to any medical issue but simply constitute part of developmental growth.
10. Know Your Baby’s Schedule
Caring for a colicky baby can be extremely draining, and prolonged stress may actually increase their crying. To give yourself some respite from all this responsibility and allow others to help out (grandma, husband, neighbor or friend), hand off colic duty from time to time so you can take a breather and decompress.
Colic is a normal part of developing life outside the womb, as babies adjust to experiencing sights, sounds and sensations for themselves. Luckily, though, episodes of inconsolable crying usually clear up by three months old.
