Don't let this that cute face fool you. My baby boy, my one and only son...cried at least 5-6 hours out of the day for the first 10 months of his life. That is not an exaggeration. I am pretty sure God made him extra cute so I wouldn't loss my mind. Unless you have had a baby who has colic...you have no idea...the strain it can have on you.
I remember taking him into the pediatrician and asking the Dr. what was wrong with my baby??? He was born 6 weeks early...I actually thought something was wrong with him...I mean surely there had to be...in order for a bundle of joy to cry as much as he did. I very clearly recall the Dr. telling me he was completely healthy and I should be thankful he is colic during the day and not in the middle of the night. Talk about silver lining.
I tried a lot of things that "helped" colic...fancy bottles...food...positions of holding...I was desperate. The thing with colic is...it's colic...often times there is nothing you can do. It can make you feel helpless as a mom.
A few tips I do have to offer that seemed semi-effective are as follows:
Music- Babies love music...find a song...and play it on repeat. A friend recommended Single Ladies by Beyonce...don't laugh...she read that babies love the beat and the black and video. She was right!! It worked like a charm! I propped my son up in front of YouTube, and It bought me a least 15 mins of non-crying a day.
Burping- Burp and burp often. Even when you think baby doesn't need to be burped...trust me...try it anyways.
Quiet time - Often times I just needed to not be around a screaming baby. I would put him safely in his crib. I would set my phone timer for 2 mins. and I would go outside on the porch and listen to silence. It's not mean, it necessary. You never want to get to a breaking point, and a 2 min break is long enough to regroup. Those 2 mins were enough for me to get through the rest of the day.
Get a sleep pattern - Sleep training isn't for everyone. It was for me. I knew that it didn't matter how long or how much my son cried during the day...I could handle it...because I knew at 8pm...he was going to bed...and would sleep...with out waking...until 7am. So from 8pm-7am I didn't have to hear a crying baby.
Lastly, looking back...I can see now...the crying was a direct result of the formula we were using. I tried every formula under the sun...and with out too many details...the one we went with...the one that made him scream...because it was the lesser of the other evils. He was born early, the crying was clearly a tummy issues...at the time...there just wasn't a product for colic.
I wish Gerber Good Start Soothe Infant Formula and Gerber Soothe probiotic Colic Drops had been around. I would have been all over this! It is clinical prover to reduce colic. For anyone with a colicky baby...it is worth trying!
Did you have a colic baby?
Do you have any tips?
Also, I would like to add...that while my blue eyed boy tortured me for the first year of his life...I often tease that I put all the hard work in then...because he is the most chill...laid back kid...ever...he is such a joy. So to any colic baby parents out there...that will give you something to look forward too. ;)
Post a Comment