A colicky baby can disrupt your household and your lifestyle and make you miserable from lack of sleep. The Mayo Clinic staff defines colic as three hours of crying, three or more times a week, by a baby less than 3 months old. While scheduling a complete examination by your pediatrician is important to determine whether there is another underlying cause for your baby’s colic, there are some methods you can try at home to get your colicky baby to sleep.
Feeding
Feed your little one or give him a bottle of warm water, and make sure you burp him often. Often breast milk, formula or water will relieve his misery by filling and warming his tummy, even if it’s not feeding time. Offer him a pacifier if he’s not interested in the bottle, as the sucking will give him comfort.
Bathing
Give your baby a warm bath with a soothing, scented baby wash such as lavender. Lavender is an aromatic relaxing scent, and the warm water will tire her as well as relieve her bellyache. Dress her in a loose-fitting outfit and wrap her snugly before laying her down after bath time; adding the same scent to her crib may help extend the feeling of the bath.
Warmth
Purchase a baby hot water bottle to warm your baby’s belly. Fill the bottle with very warm (not hot) water and lay it on his belly when you place him in his crib. Often the warmth will be just what he needs to relieve the cramping of colic.
Sound
A soft metrical sound, or “white noise,” may be beneficial; the idea is to simulate the sounds of the womb such as your heartbeat. Soft music may help, or a louder ticking clock placed near the crib.
Motion
Rocking your baby in a chair or baby rocker sometimes relieves colic, as does going for a drive in the car. The key is any kind of rhythmic motion or vibration; if you don’t have access to a rocker or vehicle, try laying her on her tummy on your lap and jiggling your legs to give her a gently bouncing motion. Walk your baby in a stroller or on your shoulder; sometimes the rhythm of your pace will lull a baby to sleep and give you both a much-needed break from the pain of colic.
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