Colic Remedies?

Question

I'm just curious what other seasoned moms recommend to help soothe a colicky baby.

Mom of 5
Noelle Marie 06/08/99
Amelie Elizabeth 12/08/03
Ezekiel James 12/19/04
Anakin Michael and Angelique Michele 05/18/06

I'm 28 years old!

Answer 1

you can try taking a bath with him, the warm water will help relax him and you.

Answer 2

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

Answer 3

My first son had colic for about 2 months. The only thing that would calm him down was one of those little baby seats that vibrates. I swear, we went through 3 of them. My youngest son, who doesn't have it near as bad as his older brother, loves his vibrating seat too. But when he's REALLY fussy, he likes to hear the vacuum. Car rides are too much of a "to-do" he hates getting clothes on and getting in his car seat when he's like that, so the vibrating seat is the next best thing.

Answer 4

Once the doctor switched my baby girl to the Nutragimin formula she never was colicky again

Answer 5

lol, patience was the only thing that worked for me. That and keeping her angled while she ate, never flat. I would burp mine multiple times while she was feeding. She would fuss for a second, then let out a huge burp. Other than that, nothing else worked for me. Mine had mild colic for almost 6 months.

Answer 6

My baby always like going for rides in the diesel truck (Dodge Dually) It didn't make him less irritable usually but he would cry himself to sleep. The vibrations and noise are what helped I think.

Answer 7

White noise from the tv or radio, hair dryer etc... and the ocean sounds (also has a heartbeat and rain on it too )from the baby lullabye thing from target...

Answer 8

My son was a huge collicy baby.
We had to have the t.v. turned to static.
Really it worked. We would turn it up so he could here it loud enough and my gosh it soothed him wonderfully.
WOW with the kids. What is your age? You must be very patient.

Answer 9

Stop and burp during feedings even if baby is falling asleep back up plan gripe water.

Answer 10

GripeWater is the BEST it REALLY works I have 4 kids and it worked on all of them. You can get it at most drug stores, I usually got it at an english import store