We consider colic a four letter word in my family, in that we don’t say it. Jackson’s colic was so bad that I was afraid of having another baby with colic. Then eight weeks came around and suddenly Grace was crying every few nights from 5:00 till about 8:00 or 9:00. Is it colic? I would say and John would quickly shush me. Luckily with Grace the crying stopped between 10 and 12 weeks, one day it just disappeared. With Jack that wasn’t the case, the colic hung on longer than I thought possible.
When a baby is crying for hours on end it is stressful on the whole family. It’s not just about soothing the baby but making sure that you are taking care of yourself and still able to focus on the rest of the family.
Tips for Coping with Colic
Take Care of Yourself
The airplane rule applies here, take care of yourself first so you can successfully take care of the baby. Colic usually occurs in the evening and lasts at least 3 hours, 3 or more nights a week. For us colic was always like clockwork starting right around dinner time and ending between 10 pm and midnight. Make sure to take some time during the colic free hours to do something that is just for you. Whether its reading a book, exercising, cooking, or getting coffee with a friend. Do something that is just for you.
Get Outside
Things tend to seem worse when you are trapped in doors. Get out of the house. If you have a friend who doesn’t mind a screaming infant take the baby to their house for a bit. When Grace was in that phase a friend told me to still come over for our Bachelor watch party, she said we would all take turns with the baby. It was the first night I had been out in weeks and the help and kindness were so appreciated. If you can’t do that take a walk. Grace loved being worn, so I would put her in the carrier and walk around the neighborhood, it helped calm both of us down.
Give Siblings Attention
A new baby is a big adjustment for a kid, a new baby crying for hours, who mommy has to give all of her attention to is downright aggravating for a kid. Make sure that your other child is getting one on one attention. Plan a special lunch out or a trip to the park just the two of you. Make sure that when the baby is sleeping you give him or her your undivided attention.
Gerber® Soothe
There are lots of possible remedies for colic and every baby is different, what works for one baby doesn’t necessarily work for all babies. One way to help your infant cope with fussiness and crying is with Gerber® Soothe products. Gerber® Soothe Colic drops are great for breastfed babies and Gerber® Good Start® Soothe Infant Formula. Both products contain L. Reuteri a probiotic that is safe for infants. Research has indicated that colic symptoms may be caused digestive discomfort from the bacteria in an infant’s digestive system. L. Reuteri has been clinically shown to reduce crying time in colicky infants.
Get Help
After you have a baby, people will offer to help, take them up on the offer. Having someone who can hold the baby while you shower or take the crying infant from your hands when you need a break, can be a big help. I had a friend who offered to just come over and hang out in the evenings when my husband was working late, so that I would have someone to help out during the witching hours. Gerber® has registered dieticians, certified lactation consultants, and certified baby sleep consultants available by calling 1-800-203-4565
Colic is only a phase and before you know it there will be less crying for baby and more smiling for all.
Thankfully my kids didn’t have colic but I will pass this on to my friends with newborns!
Colic is not fun. Add twins to the mix and it’s really not fun. I would have used those drops if I had had them for sure.