It’s 3:30 am and you are exhausted, frustrated, and feeling helpless. You’ve tried EVERYTHING. Your arms are sore, your shoulders are slumped forward, your eyes are trying to close, your legs are sore from bouncing this screaming infant all over your home. Why won’t the baby just let you (and him or herself) get just a few hours of sleep?

Trust me, I have been there. That feeling is so overwhelming. Not only are you sleep deprived, but your hormones still aren’t in check since more than likely your baby is less than 6 months old. Right?

You feel like crying (if you aren’t already), your bed is calling your name, and your body has never felt so limp and lifeless while standing upright in your entire life.

First let me say, you are not alone.

Secondly, this isn’t your fault.

Thirdly, you are a fantastic and strong parent.

Fourthly, this too shall pass (the only thing that kept me going was picturing a 40-year-old adult crying incessantly like this and realizing that isn’t a real life thing).

Now while all of these things may not help, I am hoping at least some will offer you a little bit of relief.

What is colic?

Colic has been defined as “excessive crying in an otherwise healthy baby”. Helpful, right?

Here is something that is even more frustrating. Nobody knows what exactly it is. While that may seem like bad news, here is a silver lining for you. If even doctors don’t know (and they’ve been dealing with it for ages) then you shouldn’t be expected to know what it is or how to fix it.

Typically, a baby diagnosed with colic will follow the Rule of 3. Your baby cries for at least:

•  3 hours per day
• 3 days a week
• For3 weeks. (I hope you haven’t been dealing with it for that long and that you don’t have to.)

What causes colic?

NOBODY KNOWS! Gaaahhhhh! How frustrating?! One of the most stressful times for you and your newborn and nobody knows why it’s happening?! This isn’t some new condition!!!

Here are some guesses as to why it happens:

1. Gas

I feel like any woman who has been pregnant can relate. You know that feeling of terrible gas that hurts so badly that you have a hard time breathing. You sit there not able to move with this gut-wrenching pain in your stomach.

Well, babies get gas too. So this is a very likely symptom. Especially if your baby is kicking extremely hard with little-clenched fists while screaming.

2. Diet sensitivity

Just like grownups, once again, babies can have diet sensitivities. I know you want to punch me. “They only drink milk, you idiot. How can that be the issue?”

Well depending on if your baby is breastfed or formula fed there can be different issues with each. Which both have cures!

Formula fed babies can just have lactose sensitivities or just issues digesting that particular formula. Talk to your doctor about getting a different formula and what they recommend.

Breastfed babies and mamas, this one is a little trickier. However, I have had this issue with both of my kiddos, and while frustrating, there is hope!

Before I give you some foods that potentially irritate your little bundle’s belly, please, PLEASE do not blame yourself. I repeat. DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF!!! You cannot know every food that will irritate your baby without first noticing a pattern.

Some possible foods for breastfeeding mamas to check and potentially take a break from include but are not limited to:

• Cows milk products
• Gas-producing foods (broccoli, cabbage, etc.)
• Citrus fruits
• Certain spices (cinnamon, chili pepper, etc.)

These foods don’t affect every baby the same. These may not have any effect on your baby so take notice when you eat them before limiting your diet.

A lot of things say to not eat garlic, while others say it will help the baby to avoid stomach issues if you eat it. Every baby is different so every mom’s diet will need to be different as well.

Finding lactation consultants in your area will help you greatly!

3. Underdeveloped digestive system

Since a baby’s digestive system doesn’t fully develop until well after birth, this could be a huge cause of the fussiness your baby is experiencing.

It takes some time for the baby to adjust to intaking milk rather than the amniotic fluid he/she is used to from their cozy home inside mommy’s belly.

Give your baby some time to adjust and remind yourself that your baby isn’t trying to upset you on purpose (that comes in the teenage years I believe).

4. Anxiety or nervous/psychological issue

Believe it or not, babies too can suffer from anxiety. Babies also tend to feed off of the energy around them, and this can affect how they act.

This is why if you are getting frustrated, the baby also seems to become more irritable. Sometimes just stepping out of the room to get a breather and calm yourself can do wonders for your little one.

It’s so difficult with your personal exhaustion from lack of sleep and you adjusting to baby and hormones, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help. It is amazing what even a one hour nap will do for you!

 

How to Help Your Baby

Okay, okay. You have read enough. Great, now you know the potential causes of what is making your little love bug into a little scream machine, but how do you fix it?

1. Diet Change

This can go for either the baby or mommy depending on how your little one is fed. Always consult your pediatrician before doing any drastic diet changes and see what they suggest.

Cutting back on the foods listed above could help your baby long term but sometimes this takes a few weeks to kick in.

2. Massage/Leg Movements/Chiropractic

If you notice when you lay your baby down that he/she is kicking forcefully, there is likely a gastrointestinal issue. Have you ever gone for a walk and shortly after (or during) you get a sudden urge to run to the restroom? This is what our babies are naturally trying to achieve. This is also why our doctors suggest exercise when we ourselves are constipated.

Help your baby by moving their legs for them. This lets their muscles relax and the movement gets their blood and bowels moving! A few different leg movements you can try out include, but are not limited to:

Windshield Wiper Movement

With this movement, you will have your babies legs bent at the knees and hips. Gently have your hands on your baby’s lower leg and move them left and right so that the knees go back and forth as your windshield wiper on your car would move. Do push too forcefully into your baby’s belly, but keep the knees up so they move softly back and forth across the tummy.

Large Clockwise Circles

Extend your baby’s knees out straight and make large circles with your babies legs at their hips. Make sure to get the full range of movement as if your baby’s legs are hands on a clock.

Moving in the clockwise direction is crucial as it moves in the same direction that your bowels naturally do. This will help to move the digestion process along and help your little one to poop.

Small Clockwise Circles

Bend your baby’s knees and do the same motion as with the large circles, except once you get to about 10 o’clock bend your baby’s knees and drag them gently across the tummy until about 2 o’clock and make the knees straight again.

Bicycle

Make your baby’s legs go in the motion as if they are riding a bicycle. Still laying on their back rotate their legs in circular motions with their legs kicking forward and down.

Marching

March your baby’s legs as if they are in a marching band. When their knees come upward make sure to gently press them into their tummy and then fully straighten them downward. You can do this alternating legs or both going at the same time as if the baby is jumping.

Massaging your baby’s belly can help as well but I have found they enjoy the leg movements more when their tummy hurts. You can find a local massage therapist to help teach you to learn this.

Another option is infant chiropractic. Find a local chiropractor that specializes in infant care to help your baby. PLEASE do not do this at home unless you are properly trained.

3. The Magical Baby Hold

This is the magic position that gets your baby to stop crying for a little while. I learned this through a pediatrician on YouTube and actually, our pediatrician used this hold with our son as well.

So I would say it is safe to call this a pediatrician approved method to calm your baby down. I typically use this to calm my baby down before I lay him down to do the leg movements mentioned above so he isn’t screaming and fighting me.

Check out Dr. Robert Hamilton on YouTube and his magical baby hold! (I do not have any affiliation with him or his group, just found his hold to be extremely helpful!)

4. Cruising in the Car

This wasn’t something that I personally have tried for fear of falling asleep at the wheel. However, I have heard from a TON of parents that this was always their go-to strategy for a fussy baby. The car not only is constantly moving but it also offers the soothing white noise that can calm them.

5. Gripe Water

Another option I haven’t tried simply because there isn’t enough research for me to try is gripe water. I do see it commonly offered up as a way to help though, so I threw it in just so you do know more options to talk to your doctor about.

Gripe water was originally made to treat malaria in 1851 by William Woodward. When they administered it to babies they realized that it helped calm fussy babies and was then used to treat colic, gas, teething, really anything that could cause a baby to cry.

The exact original recipe is not known but some of the ingredients said to be in gripe water were alcohol (I am not joking – remember it was 1851), dill seed oil, sucrose, and bicarbonate.

If you go this route, just make sure to double check with your doctor and the ingredient list. Common ingredients used now include ginger, fennel, chamomile, lemon balms, mint, and sodium bicarbonate.

6. Work On Your Own Anxiety

Babies tend to feed off our energy — as stated above. If you notice that when you are frustrated or happy, your baby tends to follow suit.

If you suffer from anxiety, depression, stress, or any other issues try to get those in check and it may end up helping your baby as well.

Talk to your doctor about what they recommend, but some natural ways to try are meditation, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, and exercise.

7. Wait It Out

This isn’t what you wanted to read, I know.. I am SO sorry, but sometimes it just has to run its course. Typically colic calms down or goes away between 4 and 6 months of age.

So if nothing else, just keep looking forward to the future. As the saying goes, “this too shall pass” so take a breather (or a half bottle of wine) and know that eventually, everything will be okay.

 

Let us know your tried-and-true colic relief methods in the comments below! 🙂