The pregnancy journey was long and tedious but you made it through. You have got your bundle of joy with you as a reward for your efforts. You’re now settling into being a parent and seem to be getting the hang of things. However, you can’t get over your baby crying for hours on end with no obvious reason. What you are experiencing may just be another stage in raising a newborn; Colic in Babies.
Unfortunately, many new mothers may have to deal with these prolonged crying fits in the first few weeks after birth. No doubt, colic in babies can be a huge source of stress to these parents. But what is colic and how do you manage one? Read on to find out!
Colic is simply when a baby, who is generally healthy, fusses or cries a lot for no obvious reason. However, colic in babies is beyond fussiness or crying. These crying fits usually last for more than three hours per day, for at least three days a week, for longer than three weeks. It may affect up to 1 in 4 newborns and it occurs most often during the newborn’s first six weeks of life.
Colic episodes often begin suddenly and may leave you feeling like there is nothing that you can do to relieve your child. Managing colic can add a great deal of stress to taking care of your newborn. This is because aside from the fussiness and crying which will eventually stop, colic episodes tend to take place in the evening when parents themselves are even more exhausted from the day’s activities.
Some parents might get upset with themselves when their child has colic episodes. They may begin to feel the colic happens because they are inadequate or doing something wrong. If this is your situation, be assured that you are doing the very best that you can.
The causes of colic in babies are still a bit of a mystery to experts. However, it is suspected that colic in babies may occur due to:
You may not be able to avoid or prevent your baby from being colicky. Unfortunately, you may not be able to relieve your baby on some days no matter how hard you try. Nevertheless, here are some tips to help your baby calm down:
Other suggestions for managing colic in babies include:
Thankfully, colics do not cause short-term or long-term medical problems for a child. However, it can be very stressful for parents. In addition to increasing the risk of postpartum depression in mothers and early breastfeeding cessation, colic could also cause feelings of guilt, weariness, helplessness, or rage.
To deal with colic, you need to try to be as calm, patient, and attentive as possible to help your baby. Take a break and ask for help when you need it.
Remember, being in the best condition means that you can soothe your baby to the best of your ability so you must take care of yourself as well.
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