Crying Baby? Help With Colic
One of the most difficult things to deal with is a crying baby. While some crying is normal, if your baby is crying excessively and displaying signs of discomfort, it may be a sign of infant colic. Learn more about how Infant Drops can help you.
What’s Colic?
Colic is defined as repeated episodes of excessive and inconsolable crying in a new-born baby who otherwise appears to be perfectly healthy. Colic episodes usually last for hours and may happen at specific times of the day, often in the evening. The condition can affect up to one in five babies, so you’re not alone.
Colic typically occurs in babies during their first few months of life. It most commonly starts around 2 to 4 weeks of age and can last until around 3 to 4 months of age. However, the timing can vary from one baby to another. Some babies may experience colic for a shorter period, while others may have symptoms that persist up to 6 months of age
Podcast: Understanding Colic & How to Cope
Mum, Georgina, shares her experiences of having TWO babies who suffered from colic. In this podcast both Georgina and host Hollie share their experiences, tips and advice, plus, what they wish they had known.
Soothing Your Baby’s Pain
It can be very upsetting, not to mention tiring, when your baby seems distressed and constantly cries. Although it seems worrying, colic is common in babies and is not harmful, your baby will continue to feed and gain weight normally. There is no evidence to suggest that colic has any long-term effects on a baby’s health.
Colic can have a number of causes. In some cases, it is caused by temporary lactose intolerance. This is when babies are unable to fully break down the lactose in breast milk and infant formula. This can cause discomfort commonly known as colic and is characterised by lengthy periods of inconsolable crying. Suitable from birth, Colief Infant Drops are completely natural and help break down lactose into simpler sugars, glucose and galactose, making it easier for your baby to digest their feeds and reducing their discomfort.
Colief Drops have been recommended by healthcare professionals and trusted by parents for over two decades. Typically, at around three to four months, most babies’ digestive systems will naturally adjust to lactose and colicky symptoms will resolve on their own. However, if your baby is still experiencing colicky symptoms, you can continue to use Colief Drops for as long as necessary.
Symptoms Of Colic
Colic is a common condition that affects many infants in their first few months of life. It is characterised by excessive and inconsolable crying, often for several hours at a time, and typically occurs in the late afternoon or evening.
3+ hours of crying
Drawing up of the knees
Arched back
Flushed cheeks
Inconsolable
Could It Be Something Else?
Other conditions can cause excessive crying, such as constipation and gastro-oesophageal reflux (GORD). Therefore if your baby has other symptoms, such as blood in the stools and vomiting, speak to your GP.
Top Tips For Dealing With Colic
Colic can be a challenging and stressful time, but it usually resolves on its own by the time your baby reaches 3-4 months of age. In the meantime, there are various soothing techniques and strategies that can help alleviate colic symptoms and provide comfort to both you and your baby.
- Soothing techniques: Introduce a soothing routine around the time of the day when your baby’s colic is usually at its worst, this is typically in the evenings. You can try different calming techniques such as gentle rocking, swaying, or carrying your baby in a baby sling. Some infants find comfort in rhythmic movements.
- Cry Diary: You could keep a log of the times when your baby’s colic is at its worst – you may be able to find a pattern associated with any triggers, allowing you to understand better how to ease the symptoms.
- Tummy time: Gentle tummy massages or placing your baby on their tummy for short periods, under supervision, can provide relief. This can aid digestion and alleviate wind.
- Create a calm environment: Limit exposure to loud noises, bright lights, or overstimulation, as these factors can exacerbate colic symptoms. Establish a peaceful and quiet space for your baby.
- White noise: Create a soothing environment by using white noise machines, fans, or playing soft music. These sounds can help distract your baby from discomfort and promote relaxation
- Burping: Ensure that your baby is properly burped after feeding, as trapped air can contribute to colic symptoms. Gently pat or rub your baby’s back to facilitate burping.
- Baby Massage: Gentle massage techniques can promote relaxation in infants and help calm their nervous system. The soothing touch and rhythmic movements of massage can have a calming effect on a colicky baby, reducing stress and tension. Certain massage techniques, such as gentle strokes on the abdomen in a clockwise direction, can aid in relieving wind and promoting better digestion. This can help alleviate the gastrointestinal discomfort that often accompanies colic
Colic Relief Video Resources
Colief® has partnered with Angela Willis, a practising midwife in the NHS for over 10 years and a registered trained health visitor, to talk you through what colic is and how to identify the symptoms, as well as tips and advice on how to cope with a colicky baby. This series of 4 videos are available to watch below, and you can also read the contents of these videos here.
Is your baby crying and fussing a lot? Up to 1 in 5 babies suffer from colic – a medical term for unexplained crying with no medical reason found. Babies with colic appear otherwise healthy, gaining weight and reaching their early developmental milestones. Want to know more? Watch this video from midwife and health visitor Angela Willis, who talks through what colic is, how to identify it and how to help soothe your baby if experiencing colicky symptoms.
Coping with colic can be incredibly challenging for parents. The transition to becoming a parent is a special time but can also have its challenges, without the addition of colic in the mix. This video from midwife and health visitor Angela Willis provides some top tips for how to cope if your baby has colic.
Here you will find instructions from midwife and health visitor Angela Willis on how to use Colief Infant Drops. For more information you can also visit our page here.
Having a baby with colic is exhausting, anxiety inducing and can contribute to postnatal mental health problems for new parents in the postnatal period. For those of you who are struggling, watch our video here from midwife and health visitor Angela Willis, who provides some advice and tips on how to cope during this tough period.
Expert Tips and Techniques to Soothe Your Crying Baby
Comforting Your Baby with Colief Infant Drops
Colief Infant Drops Awards
FAQ
Why do babies cry?
The average newborn crys up to 5 hours per day. Often this is because they are hungry, tired, needs a nappy change or are just too hot or cold. If you still have a baby who crying inconsolably this could be most likely caused by colic – excessive and frequent crying in a baby who seems otherwise healthy.
What is colic?
Colic is defined as excessive and frequent crying in a baby who appears otherwise healthy. Colic can effect 1 in 5 babies and in some cases is caused by a temporary lactose intolerance, where a baby is unable to fully break down lactose, a complex sugar found in breast milk and infant formula milk.
What are the long term effects of colic ?
It can be very upsetting, not to mention tiring, when your baby seems distressed and constantly cries. Although it seems worrying, colic is common in babies and is not harmful, your baby will continue to feed and gain weight normally. There is no evidence to suggest that colic has any long-term effects on a baby’s health.
How do I know if my baby has colic?
Common symptoms of colic include, 3+ hours of crying, for more than 3 days a week, for a minimum of 3 weeks, drawing up of the knees, an arched back, flushed cheeks and generally inconsolable. Be sure to seek medical advice if you recognise the symptoms of colic in order to rule out other possible causes.
Helpful techniques for coping with colic
Despite the characteristic inconsolable nature of the crying, it may be possible to reduce colic symptoms by trying different soothing techniques, as some babies may respond better to some techniques than others. You may find some of the following helpful:
o Holding the baby during crying episodes model prop/baby
o Wearing baby in a sling Dependent on clothing decision, could wear sling and baby
o Gentle motion, such as rocking, pushing them in a pram or going for a drive
o Background noise, such as the vacuum cleaner, hairdryer or washing machine
o White noise
o A warm bath
o Baby massage Introduce a soothing routine around the time of the day when your baby’s colic is usually at its worst, this is typically in the evenings.
Keep a log of the times when your baby’s colic is at its worst – you may be able to find a pattern associated with any triggers, allowing you to understand better how to ease the symptoms.
Advice for parents/caregivers on coping with colic
• Although there is no cure for colic there are a number of soothing techniques and other management options available.
• Be sure to seek medical advice if you recognise the symptoms of colic in order to rule out other possible causes.
• Watch our videos which give tips and tricks and shows a how-to on some of the techniques used to help alleviate the symptoms of colic
• Seek out Colief Infant Drops which are available to use from birth and can be used whether your baby is breastfed or formula-fed and which helps alleviate the symptoms of colic if caused by temporary lactose intolerance.
• Take a break – it’s very tiring, trying and upsetting caring for an infant with colic that maybe cries incessantly and seems inconsolable. Take offers of help from family or friends – even if it’s just a fifteen-minute break and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask a friend or relative to watch the baby while you walk, bathe, and calm yourself so you can better handle crying. A colic support group can help you cope until your baby outgrows crying. (And they all do!)
• It’s OK to take yourself out of the room if your baby is crying incessantly; for a few minutes as long as baby is left in a safe position in their cot or crib to take a few breaths if you are struggling.
• Remember that colic does not last forever – it’s a temporary issue which effects only infants and usually babies that suffer with colic grow out of the condition by about six months old
Helpful feeding tips for coping with colic
• You could try to burp your baby after feeding. You can sit your baby upright, or hold them against your shoulder, whilst supporting their neck and head. Then gently rub their back and tummy until they burp.
• It may also be helpful to try sitting your baby upright during a feed as this can help prevent them from swallowing air.
• If symptoms persist you could try keeping a food diary.
• You could alternate teat flow, to find a more comfortable feed.
What are Colief Infant Drops?
Colief Infant Drops have been trusted by parents and healthcare professionals for over 25 years as a natural remedy for infant colic. Suitable from birth, Colief Infant Drops are completely natural and help break down the lactose in milk into simpler sugars, glugose and galactose, making it easier for your baby to digest milk whilst reducing discomfort. The drops contain the naturally occuring enzyme lactase which helps relieve colic symptoms caused by temporary lactose intolerance – common in many babies as their digestive systems develop. Adding a few drops to infant formula or mum’s expressed breast milk helps to break down the lactose in the milk, making it easier to digest. The drops are classed as a food supplement and can be used from birth onwards.
We know that all babies are different and not every case of colic is caused by temporary lactose intolerance. You could try a one-week trial of Colief Infant Drops to help diagnose whether temporary lactose intolerance could be causing your baby’s colic symptoms.
What does Colief Infant Drops do ?
The addition of Colief Infant Drops to the baby’s usual milk compensates for a possible temporary lactase deficiency in the baby’s digestive system. Colief Infant Drops added to a baby’s usual milk greatly reduces the level of lactose by breaking it down into glucose and galactose before the baby is fed.
Can Colief Infant Drops help relieve my baby's colic symptoms ?
Infant colic can have many causes. In some cases, it is caused by temporary lactose intolerance. This is when babies are unable to fully break down lactose, a complex sugar in breast milk and infant formula. This can cause discomfort commonly known as colic and characterised by lengthy periods of distressed crying. Suitable from birth, Colief Infant Drops are completely natural and help break down lactose into simpler sugars, glucose and galactose, making it easier for your baby to digest their feeds and reducing their discomfort. You could try a one-week trial of Colief Infant Drops to help diagnose whether temporary lactose intolerance could be causing your baby’s colic symptoms.