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All babies cry when they have a need that must be met. But it's different when your baby's crying is due to colic. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, if your baby is crying a lot between 2 weeks and 5 months of age and you don't know why, it may have colic. Some estimates suggest that 10-20 percent of babies in the United States have colic.
Examination
Dr. Morris Wessel, a pediatrician, was the first to medically define colic by "the rule of threes." He did so because colic begins in the first 3 weeks of life and the crying lasts for 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for 3 weeks. Fortunately, colic normally ends after 3 months of age.
But before a diagnosis of colic is made, it is very important for a newborn baby to be seen by a healthcare provider. They'll need to know your baby's medical history and do tests to make sure there are no serious medical problems. They'll also test to see if your baby is having problems with certain types of food.
Calming Techniques
Patting a colicky baby on its back 60-70 times a minute can help calm it. Other times, a colicky baby can be calmed by doing things that make it feel like it did inside mom's womb.
Dr. Harvey Karp, in his book, "The Happiest Baby on the Block," outlines five such steps for calming a colicky baby. He calls the steps the "Five S's":
Swaddling - Wrap your baby snugly in a soft blanket with its arms held straight down at its sides to limit uncontrolled arm movement.
Side-Stomach - Put your baby in your lap on its side or stomach. WARNING: Never let your baby sleep on its stomach unsupervised as this can cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
"Shhh ." - Hold your baby closely to you and make "shushing" sounds close to one ear. This noise is similar to the sounds your baby probably heard while inside you and can help calm it. A vacuum cleaner creates a similar noise, but they are loud, and so they should only be turned on in another room in your house in order to keep it from upsetting your baby.
Swinging - Rock your baby in your lap or place it in an infant swing. Let your baby decide if it wants to be rocked fast or slow. You'll be able to tell by its response to the swinging motion. Swaddling and swinging together often keeps the infant calm longer. CAUTION: A baby should not be put in an infant swing until it is at least 3 weeks old, and it must be calmed before it is put in the swing. Otherwise, the baby may become more upset by the swinging. Always make sure the baby's head is supported and that it is strapped securely in the swing.
Sucking - Ultrasounds show babies suck their fingers in the womb. Offering the baby the nipple of one of your breasts, a finger or a pacifier is normally calming. If the baby still cries after sucking for a few minutes, it may be hungry. (If your baby is being fed enough, it should have 6-8 wet diapers in 24 hours, and also be producing bowel movements.)
Your baby may respond to one of the "S" techniques or it may need all five to calm it. Each step has to be performed correctly, and it may take several tries for it to work. Once the infant starts to respond, it may take 10 minutes or more before it falls asleep.
As the baby matures, the steps used to soothe colic can be gradually withdrawn. It is instinctive to respond to a baby's cry, but it is a learned skill to soothe.
Resources
American Family Physician. (2003, May). Colic: Prevalence, risk factors and potential sequelae. Retrieved July 1, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030501/tips/9.htm
Karp, H. (2003). The Happiest Baby on the Block. New York: Bantam Dell Publication Group.
Morris, D. (1997, Reprint). Intimate behavior: A zoologist's classic study of human intimacy. Kodansha Globe.
Information compiled by Carol M. Tighe, RNC, CCE, who has experience in neonatal nursing, neonatal intensive care unit, and maternal health. She lives in Naples, FL.
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