WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What is infant colic? Infant colic is a condition that causes a healthy infant to cry often and for long periods of time. Crying often starts in late afternoon or early evening. Infant colic may affect babies during their first weeks of life. It usually goes away by the time the baby is 4 to 6 months old. What causes infant colic? The exact cause of infant colic is not known. The following may increase your baby's risk for infant colic: - An allergy to the milk formula he is drinking
- GERD (acid and food in the stomach back up into the esophagus)
- Gas, which may be caused by swallowing too much air during a feeding
- Sensitivity to normal noise, movement, or changes around him
- Allergic reaction to something his mother ate and passed through breast milk
- His mother smokes cigarettes
- A parent who is stressed, anxious, or depressed
What are the signs and symptoms of infant colic? - High-pitched crying sounds or screaming as if he is in great pain
- Baby cannot be soothed
- Flushed or red face
- Kicking or moving more than usual
- Abdomen that looks or feels hard
- Pulling his legs up close to his abdomen
How is infant colic diagnosed? Your baby's healthcare provider will ask you about his health since his birth. Tell him when your baby cries, eats, sleeps, and has bowel movements. His healthcare provider may want to know if anyone in your family has allergies. A physical exam will also be done. Your baby will be weighed to check if he is gaining enough weight. How can I manage infant colic? There is no treatment for colic. The following are ways you may be able to comfort and soothe your baby: - Help your baby rest and get plenty of sleep. Let your baby rest and get plenty of sleep in a quiet room. He may relax if you play lullabies or other soft music.
- Try the following:
- Swaddle him snugly in a light blanket. Your baby's healthcare provider can show you how to swaddle him.
- Side or stomach placement can help relieve gas. Lay your baby on his side or stomach in a safe place.
- Shush your baby loudly, or play white noise for him. White noise can come from a clothes dryer, white noise machine, or a vacuum cleaner.
- Swing your baby with gentle, soothing motions to comfort him. You may rock him in a rocking chair or cradle, or put him in a swing. You may also take a car ride with your baby or carry him in a front-pack.
- Sucking on something such as a pacifier may help.
- Be patient and stay calm. It can be very stressful listening to your baby cry for long periods. Take time for yourself to help you better cope with your baby's colic. Ask someone that you trust to care for your baby so you can leave the home, even if it is only for an hour or two. Ask your spouse, a friend, or a relative for help with child care and household chores. Never shake your baby. Shaking your baby can hurt him and cause brain damage.
What can I do to help prevent colic? - Change your baby's milk or the foods you eat. You may need to change your baby's formula if he has an allergy. If you breastfeed your baby, you may need to avoid foods such as milk, cheese, wheat, and nuts. These foods may cause your baby to develop an allergy. Ask your baby's healthcare provider for more information.
- Hold your baby upright while you feed him a bottle. This will help him swallow less air from the bottle. You could also try using a curved bottle or a bottle with collapsible bags to decrease the amount of air he swallows.
- Burp your baby after each feeding. This helps remove gas from your baby's stomach.
- Do not give your baby a bottle every time he cries. A baby may cry for many reasons. Check to see if the baby is in a cramped position, is too hot or cold, or has a dirty diaper. Only feed your baby if you think he is hungry. Do not feed him just to make him stop crying.
When should I seek immediate care? - Your baby has trouble breathing or his lips and fingernails turn blue.
- Your baby is not able to eat or drink.
- Your baby is urinating less or not at all.
- Your baby looks very weak, sleeps more than usual, and is hard to wake up.
- Your baby's bowel movement has blood in it.
When should I contact my baby's healthcare provider? - Your baby has a fever.
- Your baby's skin has swelling or a rash.
- You have questions or concerns about your baby's condition or care.
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