Colic? How to Calm Your Crying Baby

All babies cry. Most babies cry a lot. Some babies are more easily comforted, others can routinely work themselves into a frenzy. Of course it sends your heart racing. That's Mother Nature's way of insuring that the human race survives.

"She cries a lot. How do I know if this is colic?"

Colic is traditionally defined as 3 hours or more of daily crying, at least three times a week. 20% of babies are officially diagnosed with colic. But you could think of colic as simply crying that goes on and on and does not seem to have a cause.

It probably doesn't matter if it's actually colic, unless when your baby's crying gets almost unbearable, it helps you to remember that there's nothing wrong with you or him; it's just colic. Whether it's actually colic, or just lots of crying, it is always stressful, and it helps to know that it's normal, it won't last more than 3 months, and you will eventually have a perfectly cheerful baby.

"What causes all this crying?"

I'm assuming you've eliminated the obvious causes -- i.e., the baby has been fed and burped and changed, and you've picked her up and moved around jiggling her, but the crying has continued. If you haven't tried all this, start there.

The truth is that we don't know what causes colic. There may be differing contributing causes for different babies, such as sensitivity to formula, food allergies, or gastrointestinal upset.

In one study of colicky babies, when the moms stopped drinking cow's milk, half the babies' colic vanished. The other half, unfortunately, kept crying.

One easy thing to try that helps many irritable babies is to cut down on the foremilk they're eating. You do this by pumping a little milk, throwing it away, and then nursing your baby. That's because the initial milk -- the foremilk -- that comes out when the baby begins nursing is especially rich. Some moms make a lot of it, and some babies have such delicate digestion that it irritates them. By skipping some of the foremilk, the baby can digest the milk better, and for many babies, their crying stops.

Another miracle cure for colic was reported in the January 2007 issue of Pediatrics. The researchers had a 95% success rate by giving babies probiotics AND eliminating cow's milk. They gave colicy babies who were breastfeeding 5 drops daily of beneficial gut bacteria (the probiotic L. reuteri). All the moms were asked to eliminate cows milk from their diet. 95% of the probiotic babies improved, as opposed to only 7 percent of the control babies, with crying improving somewhat in the first week and dramatically within a month. If this study is repeated with the same results by other researchers, probiotics will soon be prescribed as the cure for colic. In the meantime, any parent with a colicky baby will probably want to conduct their own private experiment to see if it works on their baby.

They must be dazzled and overwhelmed by the feast for the senses that greets them with every new day in the world. Their brains and nervous systems need time to mature so they can handle all the stimulation we take for granted.

"He didn't cry much for the first couple of weeks, but now he cries every evening for a few hours!"

This is very common. As babies become more aware of their surroundings, and stay awake for longer periods during the day, they cry more. It may be that the beneficial bacteria that was in her gut from your body is now gone, or that as babies get more and more stimulated all day, and by evening, have no other way to relieve their anxiety. In any case, the result is the behavior we call colic: crying for many hours, often late into the night.

"But I don't know how to comfort her and I feel so inept!"

After attending to your infant's physical health and safety, learning to comfort her is one of the most important tasks you face. That's not because crying is so terrible for infants, but because your feeling like a competent parent is a crucial building block in your relationship with her. The most effective way to reduce crying is to recreate a womb-like environment for your baby. Below, I tell you how to do that.

But while you can probably reduce your baby's crying, I urge you to let yourself off the hook here. There may be absolutely nothing you can do except hold her. Haven't you had times when what you needed was just to cry and to have someone there so you wouldn't feel so alone?

"But I worry that there might be something wrong with him!"

Every parent worries when their baby cries and they don't know why. But if you've looked for obvious causes (did you eat spicy food before you nursed him? Have you eliminated milk from your diet if you're nursing? Changed his formula?) and his doctor sees him regularly and has pronounced him thriving, you can rest assured that crying -- even long periods of incessant crying -- is considered normal for infants in our society, and there is nothing wrong with your baby.

"Why do you say it's normal in our society? Don't babies cry everywhere?"

Actually, no. In cultures where the infant is held or worn fairly constantly, colic is apparently virtually unknown and babies rarely cry for long. We don't know if that's the baby wearing or the diet in those cultures, or something else entirely.

"Is there a reason to think that baby-wearing helps?"

Research shows that babies who are held or carried more (both during the colic spells and at other times) are definitely less susceptible to colic. It is possible that wearing babies is so soothing that they are less overwhelmed throughout the day and build up less tension. I used to think of myself as the lightning rod for my infants.

But another way to interpret this data is just that some babies need to be held virtually all the time. When they are put down, they cry. When they are picked up, they often stop.

"I do hold and carry my baby a lot. But in the evening, it seems that isn't enough, and he just cries and cries."

Sometimes holding is not enough, and babies don’t stop crying unless they are walked, jostled, danced, bounced, rocked or subjected to some other rhythmic motion, which seems to dissipate their tension. I ruined a mattress with each of our babies, because I found that holding them while jumping on the bed soothed them better than anything during that first three months, and wearing out the mattress seemed a small price to pay for a happy baby.

Whatever movement your baby responds to, it takes a lot of energy. But it is infinitely better than listening to a baby cry. And the gift to your baby is enormous, as he gets the message that you can be depended on when he’s miserable.

"I’ve tried everything: wearing her much of the day in a snuggly, holding, soothing, swaddling, rhythmic motion, adding probiotics to her diet, giving up milk in mine. She's still crying! What do I do?"

You witness. Sometimes people, especially babies, just need to cry. You override any needling suspicion in your mind that there is anything wrong with your parenting by reminding yourself that “Sometimes people just need to cry” and you hold your child, and she cries, and you do whatever you need to do to stay sane.

If you can pay attention to her, sing to her, empathize, that’s great. If not, then put on headphones and listen to music that blocks out her crying. Don’t be surprised if holding her, in your new calm state, helps her to stop crying, especially if you start dancing or singing to the music on your headphones.

"I just can't calm down when he cries like this. Even when I put the headphones on, the crying seems to reverberate in my head. It's driving me crazy!"

If you can’t calm yourself, put the baby down. It helps babies to be held while they cry (true for most of us) but not if the adult is experiencing extreme anger or anxiety.

If you think you might lose control and shake the baby, it simply isn’t worth taking that chance. Put the baby in a safe place (crib, car seat, strapped in a baby seat or swing) and shut the door to that room. Put on headphones so that you can’t hear the crying through the door. Now do whatever you need to do to calm yourself down. Step outside for a moment or open the window, and breath in some fresh air. Feel your tension draining out through your feet. Call another adult to come over. Remind yourself not to take the crying personally, and that this too shall pass.

It also might help you to remember the old proverb about children each offering a finite amount of grief to their parents, just so you know that you’re getting it over with up front and the teenage years will be easy!

"I buy the idea that babies need another month or two in a womb-like environment to mature. But what do I do to create a womb-like environment for my baby?"

Techniques to Use When Your Baby Cries

These are techniques to use when your baby cries, but they are also preventive tools to keep your infant from getting over-stimulated all day long:

1. Hold or wear your baby

...as much as you can. As Dr. Sears says: “In counseling parents of fussy babies, we strive for two goals: to mellow the temperament of the baby and to increase the sensitivity of the parents. Babywearing helps foster both of these goals. By creating an organized, womblike, environment, wearing lessens a baby’s need to cry." An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

2. Swaddle your baby.

Most newborns like to be wrapped securely. It reminds them of their snug womb. I hasten to add that as always you should listen to your baby, since there are babies who don't like to be swaddled. And of course no baby as babies get older they need to move so you'll want to swaddle only for sleeping, and only then if it helps the crying.

3. Rhythmic motion:

Again, reminiscent of the womb. Rocking works for some babies, but most of the time when they're upset, more intense motion is called for. Some parents swear by baby swings or baby hammocks, others by putting the baby in a car seat and driving. But these techniques have their limits, usually the infant needs to be held at the same time that they're moving. Some parents dance, some go up and down steps, some jump on mattresses, many develop the bobbing, swaying motion I call the Mom's dance. Experiment to see what works for your baby.

4. White Noise:

Soothing sounds can muffle or block out the jarring traffic horns or even voices that can jangle and over-stimulate baby nerves. I found new age chanting to be effective, some people swear by their vacuum cleaner or white noise machine, others just whisper repetitive shushing noises. You don't need to be loud enough to shock or scare your child, just provide a soothing, calming, repetitive sound.

5. Nurse your baby.

For some babies, nursing is a guaranteed instant soother. Why work any harder than that if you don't have to? And, for the record, babies fed on a schedule are more likely to have colic. Feed your baby whenever he or she asks, and colic is less likely.

6. Explore other "cures."

Some babies have food allergies, and if you change the formula, or if the breastfeeding mother changes her diet, the crying stops. Often a diet free of cows milk, wheat, or other common allergens is a miracle cure. Every parent of a colicky baby should try probiotics, as mentioned above. Some moms swear by infant massage. If you try all these suggestions and your baby keeps crying, by all means talk to your doctor, and keep asking the parents you know what worked for them. And hang in there. Sooner or later, your little screamer will be a perfectly charming baby.

19 Ways To Keep Your Baby or Toddler Happy During Diaper Changes

   " Dr. Laura,
    My 11 month old is really happy he's learned to sit up, explore everything in hands reach and roll during diaper changes. He gets so distraught during diaper changes when I prevent him from using these new skills. If I flip him back onto his back after he's rolled onto his tummy giggling or if I keep him from practicing his sit-up skills he turns from happy giggles to sobs and tears. And it is clear that he thinks I am being mean by not allowing him this sweet play exploration that prevents me changing his diaper... he tells me he's so frustrated in his sobs and yells of "momma". I've tried many different things to distract him or keep his attention... toys, dancing, singing, talking, music... all to no avail. He wants to sit-up, roll over and play with whatever diaper accessory I've brought his way. I hate that he hates diaper changes and have no idea what to do. The changes are now trigger of anxiety for him. I can totally understand his upset during certain changing times such as middle of the night wet diapers while he's hungry and sleepy. But what can I do during other times when he's clearly distressed that my changing his diaper is preventing him from newfound skills and exploring?"

MOST little ones go through stages of hating diaper changes. Unless you have the rare child who is uncomfortable in wet diapers, then he has no incentive to have a diaper change. Your son is old enough to want to be more in charge of his body and his time. He doesn't want an adult to swoop in and pick him up and disrobe him when he's busy with something.

Sometimes, simply slowing down and connecting changes everything. Sometimes, giving the child control is the key to avoiding a power struggle. Often, not interrupting their play solves the problem by meeting their needs as well as yours. And sometimes you will probably find yourself resorting to distraction. So here's a list of ideas to try, most of which will work sometimes, or for awhile. You may find some good combinations that work for you. I suggest printing this list and adding to it as you come up with more solutions that work for you and your child.

1. Connect with him.

Children are always more likely to cooperate with us if we connect first. Take a deep breath. Get on your child's level and connect. Comment on what he's doing. Then, point out that his diaper is wet. Ask if he has noticed it. This gives him an opportunity to check in with his body. (This is a good foundation block for eventual potty learning.) He also feels, since you've connected, like you're on his side. You aren't just pushing him around, which of course would make him feel resistant.

2. Be more mindful.

Cassandra Vieten suggests that our ability to stay calm and connected during a diaper change models for our children how they can stay grounded in the face of their own discomfort. She stresses bringing compassionate, open-hearted full presence to the diaper change, rather than just rushing through it. In fact, she calls this the "Mindful Diaper Change Practice." (And you thought you didn't have time for mindfulness practices anymore!)

3. Give him some respect.

Magda Gerber, founder of RIE, taught that even though babies can't understand our words, they feel the difference when they're treated with respect. So from the time they're infants, instead of just scooping them up, move slowly and explain what's happening. Receptive language is about a year ahead of expressive language, so your son already understands much more than you think. And even tiny babies understand your tone of voice. If you do this from the time your baby is born, they have better associations with diaper changes and don't build up such resistance.

4. Give him some control and choice.

Always ask "Ready for a diaper change?" If he says no, say, "Your diaper is wet. Do you want to change it now or in three minutes? 3 minutes? Ok, let's shake on it!"

5. Depersonalize it.

If this feels like a power struggle, depersonalize it by setting the alarm for three minutes. Tell him,

         "When the alarm rings, it is three minutes and time for your diaper change, ok?"

When the alarm rings, say "Oh, listen, there's the alarm, it's been three minutes -- Time for that diaper change!" Then help him transition using one of the other ideas on this list.

6. Help him transition

...by taking an object he's involved with and carrying it with you. For instance, "Let's drive the truck to the changing table!"

7. Don't make him move.

If you can, use a portable changing pad and change him where he is playing, so there is less interruption to whatever's he's working on.

8. Don't interrupt his play.

Play is your baby's work. Naturally, he doesn't want to be interrupted. Why not change his diapers standing up, if they're just wet? This will minimize the times that is necessary to ask him to lie down, so he is more likely to cooperate when absolutely necessary for messy changes. Since he may not be fully stable yet, pick a toy he likes and put it on the couch, and stand him against the couch. (I know it's harder than lying down, but if you practice, you get good at it. I did this with my daughter beginning at 11 months, until she was out of diapers.)

9. Invite him to a party.

Most kids can't resist a party. Grab the drum, have a conga line, sing and dance your way to the bedroom: "Gonna change that diaper right off of your tush!" or "Happiness is a clean diaper" or whatever song gets him moving.

10. Let him do the walking.

Many kids object to being carried off to be changed, but if you're making it into a party and he's dancing along into his room next to you in celebration, he's actively taking part in the plan, not feeling pushed around.
11. Ease into it by first diapering his doll or teddy.

Let him help. Shower admiration on Teddy for how quickly he does his diaper change. Then say, "Your turn! Are you quick too?"

12. Ask for his help.

Team up with your child to get the job done. For instance, maybe he would like to take off his own diaper? Kids love mastering new skills. Tell him what you are doing at each step and involve him, for instance,

         "I'm going to wipe you off now -- do you want to hold the wipes?"

Ask him to put his feet flat and lift up his bottom so you can slide the diaper under him, if he doesn't want to, say
 

 "Ok, I'm going to lift your bottom now to put the diaper under you."

13. Slow down.

If you treat this as a chance to connect and enjoy your child, he is more likely to stay cooperative. If you rush through the diaper change like it's something unpleasant, he will react as if he is being held down and subjected to something unpleasant.

14. Empathize:

"Does that feel cold on your bottom?" When your child gets upset, try not to get reactive. Instead, soften and stay compassionate. That way he'll know it isn't actually an emergency, and you understand and are looking out for his best interests.

15. Make it something to look forward to.

When you absolutely have to ask him to lie down for a change, for instance when there's a messy diaper, have a basket of toys ready that he only has access to while you're changing his diaper. You might even go hog-wild and find very small presents that you actually wrap in newspaper, and put in the basket. Every diaper change, he chooses one. What kinds of presents? Stuff you have around the house, or would have bought him anyway: Plastic measuring spoons or a funnel, small board books, little figures, a block with a letter A on it, a roll of masking tape, a broken cell phone, a plastic cup, Chapstick, colorful trinkets from Ikea, clay or playdoh with a plastic garlic press so he can make "noodles," a puppet, a tiny flashlight, little wind-up toys, stickers, an unbreakable mirror, you get the idea. You can even re-wrap things that he's left lying around and has forgotten about.

16. Get him laughing.

Laughter reduces stress hormones and increases bonding hormones. So getting your child laughing for ten minutes is always a good strategy when you know you'll need cooperation. Before you start the diaper change, start roughhousing in a way that makes your child squeal with laughter. Chase him around the house, be completely silly. After ten minutes, make the diaper change part of the fun.

17. Provide live entertainment.

If he's fussing, try singing to him very softly. He will usually stop fussing to listen to you. Sing, dance, kiss his belly, blow down his neck, make as many silly faces and noises as you can. Somewhere in there, get the diaper changed as unobtrusively as possible.

18. Keep a cd that has an interesting story on it ready to turn on while you change him.

He might even come to look forward to the next installment.

19. Let him decorate.

Keep a stash of stickers by the changing table. Every diaper change, let him choose one that he is allowed to put on the wall next to the table.

No one approach will always work, so you'll have to mix and match and be willing to try different things. But keep your sense of humor, and remember that this too shall pass. It will seem like the blink of an eye before you find yourself trying to get your six year old to take his bath!

Author,

Dr. Laura

The Case Against Ferber Sleep Training

I'll admit up front that I'm biased against Ferberizing, or Ferbering, as it is sometimes called. As a psychologist, I follow the research, which has convinced me that babies do better if they are held when they cry.

I understand how desperate a parent can be to get a child to sleep, and I have many good friends who have used the Ferber method with their babies. But I've found that there are kinder, gentler ways to teach babies to put themselves to sleep. And with all due respect, Richard Ferber is trained in physical health, not mental health. He readily admits that he is not trained in infant psychology.

Most interesting, Ferber now says in interviews that he regrets some of the advice he's given. He's been quoted as saying that he feels badly that child health professionals are encouraging parents to leave very young babies to cry, and that it's ok to co-sleep.

Here's how Ferberizing works:

You never start this process with a baby younger than three months. First, you let the baby cry for five minutes, then go in to reassure him verbally and by patting him. You don't pick him up. Then you leave, let him cry for another ten minutes, then go back to reassure him again. This time, you let him cry for fifteen minutes, then go back to reassure him. If the baby vomits, you clean him up (preferably without picking him up), but leave him in the crib and continue with the Ferberizing. Each time you leave, you wait longer to return.

With a very determined and resourceful baby, this crying can go on all night, but more usually the baby will become exhausted and fall asleep after a few hours. When he reawakens later in the night, the process is repeated. Often the next interval of crying is shorter, either because the baby has given up on the parent staying, or because he is exhausted. Sometimes it is longer, because the baby is re-energized (or an extremely determined person, who will someday accomplish great things by virtue of his strong will.) Usually, though, the crying diminishes on subsequent nights, as the baby learns not to expect the parent to stay with him.

While listening to their baby cry is hard on parents (not to mention the baby), most babies do eventually give up calling for their parents, and sleep. Because they do not yet talk, and live so completely in the moment, we do not hear from them the next morning how they felt about the experience.

However, even when parents are consistent, this approach does not work on all children. Some babies are still crying on the seventh night in a row. It is not uncommon for babies to get an ear infection in the middle of it (from the congestion caused by the crying); it is recommended that the Ferberizing be discontinued during the round of antibiotics that follows, to be re-initiated later. In addition, since any change in the routine (a brief illness, a trip to Grandma's) requires parents to respond to the baby's cries and then to repeat Ferberizing on another night, this process must be endured repeatedly by both baby and parents.

There are many studies claiming that repeatedly leaving babies to cry it out is a risk factor that predisposes kids to permanent brain changes and mental health issues in later life. However, advocates of Ferberizing say that because the parent keeps returning to the child's room, this offers the child reassurance that he has not been abandoned, and therefore keeps the experience from traumatizing the baby in the way that just letting them "cry it out" does.

The most recent claim that letting kids "cry it out" without reassurance may cause lasting damage is the finding that when a baby is left to cry alone, her cortisol level shoots up, indicating distress. That's not surprising. What is surprising is the finding that on subsequent nights -- even when the baby is put into bed and does not cry -- her cortisol level still shoots up. Researchers interpret this as an indication that she is distressed. So why doesn't she cry? Because she has been "trained" -- she knows that no one will come.

Margot Sunderland's The Science of Parenting cites many studies that Sunderland claims support her view that repeated, sustained crying without adult reassurance causes babies' brains to develop less than optimally. My perusal of her sources showed some that probably should not be used to support her claim because they studied more extreme circumstances. But many of the studies seem credible.

Harvard Researchers who examined emotional learning, infant brain function and cultural differences claim that babies who are left to cry themselves to sleep suffer long-lasting damage to their nervous systems. The researchers claim that this makes these children more susceptible in later life to anxiety disorders, including panic attacks. The incidence of anxiety disorders has increased dramatically in recent years, but I personally don't think this is necessarily correlated to the practice of letting children "cry it out." My own view is that such a susceptibility could be caused by many aspects of childhood in 21st century North America and would need to be triggered by later trauma to play out.

So the question is whether the intermittent parental reassurance (but refusing to pick up the pleading baby) as specified by the Ferber method protects the child from the risks of just letting him "cry it out." Some anti-Ferber folks claim that the parent coming into the room and ignoring the baby's distress might actually increase the trauma by undermining the baby's trust in the parent.

It's hard to evaluate research in this area because there are so many other factors (many of which are arguably more important) in how babies develop. However, it is well-documented that sustained, uncomforted infant crying causes increased heart rate and blood pressure, reduced oxygen levels, elevated cerebral blood pressure, depleted energy reserves and oxygen, and cardiac stress. Cortisol, adrenalin and other stress hormones skyrocket, which disrupts the immune system and digestion. It's a reasonable guess that if this is repeated over time, these babies would build a slightly different brain, more prone to "fight, flight or freeze."

We know that with adults, even one panic-inducing experience like a car accident or mugging that causes an extreme stress response can have ongoing stress effects for years. Since babies' heart rates and blood pressure soar during Ferbering, I don't think there can be any doubt that sleep training without parental comfort causes the experience to be indelibly etched on the memory, much as any panic situation can evoke strong feelings years later. That the memory is sensory and preverbal just gives it more power, as it cannot be adequately processed.  

So there are a growing number of critics who see Ferberizing as barbaric. Their position can be summarized as follows:

1. Richard Ferber is a pediatrician with no psychological training.

While his approach works on some babies, it may not be simply "teaching them to sleep in their own beds”, as Ferber maintains. Other, less desirable lessons are unwittingly being taught.

2. Your baby is learning that you cannot be depended on,

and in fact will regularly desert her when she needs you most; that she is powerless to have an impact on her world in the ways that most matter to her; and that her world is a cold and lonely place. The most important developmental work your baby is doing right now is learning how to trust. Why sabotage that?

3. She learns that you will not help her when she needs it,

...by your coming back into the room and telling her to go to sleep. She concludes that she is not, in the deepest dark of the night, really lovable. She may even conclude that you are intentionally tormenting her.

4. It is possible that these early lessons will underlie her sense of self and worldview for the rest of her life.

Insomnia is rampant in our culture, and some Ferber critics argue that all those adults who can’t fall asleep without the TV on, or who wake up at night and can’t sleep, are Ferber casualties.

I should add that I've heard that there are families where the baby learns to fall asleep with a few minutes of crying and never needs to be retrained. In those cases, it seems to me a wonderful solution.

I should also acknowledge that I know many kids who were Ferbered as babies by their parents, who shall remain nameless because they are dear friends of mine. These kids all seem fine to me. So while I think Ferbering is a risk factor, it's hardly the worst thing you can do to your kids. Regular yelling because you're exhausted would be worse, in my view. And sleep deprivation definitely makes you a worse parent.

But Ferbering is a risk factor, and an avoidable one, so it's important for you to know there are other, gentler methods for teaching your baby to put herself to sleep. You can begin encouraging gentle sleep habits that make it more likely that your chid will sleep at night even as early as three months.

When your baby starts crawling

When my babies went through the crawling phase, there were many exciting, shiny bits of the milestone. It was delightful witnessing my babies moving from that sitting Buddha, to the rocking-on-all-fours, dog-like creatures who were just raring to go. Finally taking that first frontward heave, with a face of surprise and accomplishment, was certainly priceless. The realisation they could move from one point to another was definitely a joy to behold.

But once I overcame the thrill of my baby meeting a new developmental landmark, I realised the practical implications of living with a crawler were not so sparkly.

On the go

Put your baby down in one place, turn around and they're in another. That takes some getting used to. Be mindful that crawlers are curious and their newfound freedom to get around can have them in places you wouldn't imagine. With a lack of spatial awareness they can get themselves into some sticky situations; I've had babies crawling with curiosity, only to find them stuck under the couch, under the change table or between a cupboard and a wall.

Stairs

We have a house full of stairs, which is equivalent to an extreme adventure sport for crawlers. Some of them sense the danger and quickly learn to turn around and slide down on their tummies. Others, not so astute, learn the hard way that full frontal down a flight of stairs isn't fun.

Don't fret, we had stair gates everywhere. But it was the bright crawler who figured out he could climb into the gap between the railings that had us on our toes.

Dead flies & stray toys

I don't care how immaculate your house is, when you set a crawler down, they find stray things. Mine always seemed to find the single dead fly and proceed to test it out as a snack. You can bet that a lost Lego piece will be located by a crawler, which is why being anally retentive about "a place for everything and everything in its place" becomes imperative when there's a rugrat around.

Baby-proofing your house when a crawler is on the loose can be a work in progress as they discover items you hadn't considered at their level. I found myself crawling around on all fours, analysing my home from their viewpoint; it was very useful until I couldn't get up.

Filth

As with the dead insect point, you can polish your floors until the reflection of your tired, haggard face stares back at you, but a crawling baby will always have dirty knees and filthy palms. Or, in a commando crawler's case, an entire layer of dog hair and dust coating their stomachs. And we don't even own a dog.

My firstborn was a commando crawler; had I thought to strap an Enjo to his front, he could've become a human swisher.

If you're not quick enough to sweep up the collateral damage from lunch in the highchair, then expect to find your crawler eating scraps off the floor. Like a stomach swisher, the crawling food machine has benefits: think 'human vacuum'. Not so handy if the food scrap lying on the floor is chilli beef jerky ... it turns out that human vacuums don't like random samples of chilli.

No two crawlers are the same

It's funny how as parents, we want our first baby to reach every milestone quickly. We are so excited when they roll, then look like they're going to crawl. Then they crawl and you want them to stand, then walk, then talk, then pay some bills and move out.

With our second children, we wanted him to do it all late - keep him immobile. Well, not quite, but we know what we were in for, so could be accused of being a little less passionate about certain phases.

I expected my second child would crawl commando-style like my firstborn. I was all over that by the time he was eight months, and was ready with the stomach rags for him to shine my floor. Instead, he chose a very labour intensive style; he leant to one side like he was about to roll, then pushed off his back foot and did it again on the other side. He sometimes forgot to get his arm out the way so would fall on his face. It was a harrowing time for all involved.

The third child mixed it up with some commando, some leg drag, and some bog-standard all-fours crawling.

The fourth was a more traditional crawler but actually preferred to crawl and sit, crawl and sit.

I never got myself a bum-shuffler, with the nappy being dragged down just enough to show off a bit of builder's crack. Shame about that.

The point is, the contingency plans you had in place for your first child may not apply when subsequent children start crawling. Each child has a unique style.

So although it was interesting to watch my babies on the move, I'll admit crawling was not my favourite phase. That was until I was introduced to climbing ... then I really knew I was alive. 

5 Signs of Baby Colic Every Mom Should Recognize

Bringing home a new baby can be a stressful time for parents, especially if the baby cries for unknown reasons. Baby colic is defined as a condition in which an infant under the age of four months frequently cries for more than three hours a day. Nobody knows why colic occurs, and it is not life threatening. However, it can be a terrifying feeling if you do not know what the problem is. Feel like your child may have colic? Take a look at these five signs of baby colic that every mom should recognize:

Excessive Crying

All babies cry. Whether it is from hunger, boredom, a dirty diaper, or a stimulant, most babies cry for a very specific reason. Once a baby's needs are met, she will generally cease crying. However, for a baby who suffers from colic, no amount of comforting will calm the child. Colicky babies are inconsolable. This can frighten and frustrate parents who must consistently comfort their screaming infants, with no clue as to why the child is crying.

Age

Baby colic is limited to those children who are usually between the ages of two weeks to four months. For most children who suffer from this, their symptoms will ease once they reach the age of three months. However, some children will continue to cry into their fourth month. If a child continues to cry excessively after five months, most doctors agree something more serious may be occurring.

Predictable Crying

Another telltale sign of baby colic includes not only inconsolable crying but also crying that occurs regularly and predictably. Most babies who suffer from colic have set times of fussiness. They usually begin in the late afternoon or early evenings and continue well into the morning hours. Colic is sometimes described as an episode of uncontrollable crying that lasts more than three hours and begins at relatively the same time each day.

High-Pitched Crying

Colicky crying, as you have probably noted, can be a very stressful situation. Often, the crying is very intense and high-pitched. Many babies scream for long periods of time, and their faces turn red. It is nearly impossible to comfort these infants who suffer from baby colic. However high-pitched the tone, true cases of colic are non-life threatening. Seek help if you are uncertain as to the cause of your child's fussiness, or if you feel you need help coping with the situation. If you are unsure as to what is causing your baby's fussiness, it is best to seek the advice of your pediatrician.

Arched Posture

While no one sign is an indication of baby colic, multiple symptoms together may be a basis for a colic diagnosis. Babies who experience colic generally tend to arch their back, tense their abdominal muscles, and clench their fists. Often times, a baby will pass a significant amount of gas or have a large bowel movement at the end of the episode. Experts generally do not agree gas causes colic in babies, but it can be an indicator.

Baby colic can be a very tense and nerve-racking condition to experience, both as an infant and as a parent. If you are still unsure or would like further information regarding baby colic, contact a reliable physician today.


Author,
Kaitlyn LaPenn

Gripe Water Pros and Cons

ripe water for babies has been a tradition since time immemorial. But do you know what some gripe water pros and cons are? Read this article to know all about it.

Gripe water has been given to babies for several centuries as an accepted tradition, and society seems to have taken that as a natural course of order. I'm positive that many of us rarely stop to think about the pros and cons of giving gripe water to babies. For example, the ingredients that are used in its making or whether there are any harmful side effects of the same or other similar details. But, is that the right way to go about it? If you're pregnant and about to have a baby soon, then it would do you good to read the article because it focuses on the gripe water pros and cons and helps you in taking an informed decision for your baby.

Gripe Water for Babies: Pros and Cons

All mothers are every bit careful when it comes to their babies, especially newborns. Then being skeptical about gripe water or having thorough knowledge about the pros and cons of gripe water is not a bad idea at all. In fact, it should be encouraged. If there are any gripe water problems then they should be brought out in the open.

Gripe water for babies helps to relieve them of colic, i.e., extended periods of crying (over 3 hours or more), in an otherwise healthy baby, believed to be caused by a digestive system that is not mature enough. It is said that the gripe water ingredients provide the much-needed relief that massages or any other medication cannot provide. These gripe water ingredients include ginger, fennel, dill, peppermint, cinnamon, cardamom, angelica, caraway, catnip, fructose, and chamomile. Although these herbs are used in gripe water, the most common ingredients that are found in all gripe waters include fennel, ginger, peppermint, and chamomile.

Gripe Water: Pros

Natural Ingredients

Gripe water contains natural ingredients like fennel, chamomile, and more (as is mentioned above). So that makes it a very healthy drink to have.

Aids Digestion

Colic usually affects 25% of the babies and starts around the period of 3 weeks after birth. It is said that this comes about because the digestive system of the baby is not fully developed at this time and, therefore, they develop gas in their stomachs. This gas is what makes them cry out in pain. Gripe water is known to convert the tiny bubbles of gas into one whole gas bubble, which becomes easier to burp out and leads to relief. That is how gripe water aids in digestion.

Teething Pains

Some parents have reported that gripe water also helps to soothe the pain that comes with baby teething.

No Side Effects

Another gripe water advantage is that it has no side effects on the baby. Being made out of all natural ingredients like, fennel and peppermint-which if taken individually, would also help the baby-do not lead to any untoward effect on babies. This is a major advantage.

Easy Availability

Gripe water is easily available at all medical shops and the price is very affordable as well. So it's not like one has to struggle to get it. And, therefore, it can be easily given to colicky babies.

Gripe Water: Cons

Alcohol Content

One has to be very careful when giving their baby gripe water. It has been known that some gripe water brands have alcohol in them (probably to induce sleep). Which is not good for an infant. Make sure that you read the contents and ingredients on the label of the bottle before purchasing it.

Time period

Gripe water, it is said, should not be given to infants who are less than a month old. Their systems are still fragile and might not be able to deal with the influx of so many ingredients. So if a baby becomes colicky, one cannot do anything but try and deal with it in other ways, even though gripe water might act as the perfect pacifier.

Trial and Error

The thing with gripe water is that, one can never be sure that one particular product will be best suited for their baby. One has to undergo a process of trial and error to see which brand is the most effective. It is possible that while one product might not work for the baby, the other might be just perfect. So until the time one keys in on the most effective product, the trial and error method has to be taken as a natural course. Many times, one might find that gripe water does not work at all, as one might have hoped it would.

Hiccups

Quite often infants are affected by hiccups along with suffering from colic. It is said that gripe water does nothing for hiccups in babies. However, there have been other cases which report otherwise. So, one needs to test it for themselves to ensure the same.

These were some of the gripe water pros and cons that I have listed and explained through this article. 

 

Choose a product well and hope that your baby is not troubled by these niggling problems anymore. 

 

All the best!

Author,

Rujuta Borkar