Once you bring your new baby home from the hospital there are a million things to do to ensure they are happy. For several weeks all you may do is spend time marveling at the wonder that is your new bundle of joy as they sleep in a cocoon of parental comfort. While most newborns do little more than poop, sleep, and eat, sometimes babies suffer from uncontrollable bouts of tears.

Normal Crying or Something Worse?

Let’s face it, babies cry, and sometimes they cry a lot. Most infants will cry until they are fed, changed, or simply picked up. Whether you are a new parent or a veteran wrangler of infants, chances are you will know what your child needs when they are upset.

Sometimes, there is more to crying than meets the eye. Imagine little clenched fist, ear-shattering wails, beet red cheeks, and flailing legs. Does this sound like a nightmare? Well, for many parents this is exactly what they may be facing. Small infants don’t understand or know how to throw a tantrum, and when you are unable to soothe your child in any way, chances are their tears are a result of something else. Infants who suffer from stressful bouts of uncontrollable tears every night, or in some cases during the day, probably are suffering from Colic.

What is colic?

Babies communicate through their tears, after all, they are unable to form words at this age. The best way to signal a need if for them to raise their voice in the form of crying. Parents instinctively respond to infant cries and address their needs, be it feeding, diapering, or simply providing comfort.

Unfortunately, infants who suffer from colic cry without provocation, or any actual need. Most of the time the tears will start randomly and are difficult if not impossible to soothe. Colic is not considered a disease and won’t actually harm your child, however, it can cause an intense amount of mental duress for caregivers. Colic is also a term that pediatricians use as a catch-all for uncontrollable crying in infants who are healthy otherwise.

How Long Does Colic Last?

Colic is so common in infants that one out of every five parents can expect their infant to suffer from it at some point in the first year of life. There is no general treatment for colic and all infants eventually outgrow the behavior as they get older.

Crying episodes can last as short as a couple of hours or as long as the entire night. Most babies who suffer from colic can’t be soothed, and those that are, with great patience and difficulty. As we mentioned before, these episodes won’t harm your infant, but they can cause caregiver distress and fatigue.

What is the Age Range for Colic?

If you are reading this before the arrival of your bundle of joy, don’t be alarmed. Colic is a rather short-lived behavioral condition. It is most often found in infants between the ages of two and three weeks old. Most instances of colic will naturally resolve by the time the infant reaches their 12th week of life. It can persist longer, but it’s rare.

Around the three month mark, the infant may become suddenly amiable and no longer prone to uncontrollable crying. In some cases, colic will start to taper as the infant gets older. If you are worried about colic, or if your infant suffers from colic, Mommy Formula has a few suggestions to help you weather the storm during this troubling time.

Symptoms of Colic

Knowing for sure that your infant is colicky is the first step in managing the situation. Here are a few signs to look out for that may indicate that your infant has colic.

• Crying at the same time each day
• Flailing limbs while crying
• Holding breath and excessive eye movements
• Crying without identifiable cause at the same time each day
• Increased bowel activity without reason
• Sleeping & eating interrupted by crying without cause
• Crying spells last at least 2 hours.

These are only a few signs that your infant may have colic. Some of these signs may also indicate a medical concern, so make sure to speak with your pediatrician for confirmation. Remember, there is no exact cause of colic, so before doubting your parenting skills take heart that you are not at fault.

How To Soothe Colic

While there is no exact cause or even cure for colic, they may be ways to help ease the duration of colic flare-ups. Some infant suffers from GERD, which is a form of infant acid reflux. The condition is quite painful and is known to be a colic trigger. Food allergies can also contribute to colic in infants. Although cow milk proteins are a good source of nutrition, not every child is able to tolerate them at a young age. Consider giving your infant an organic formula such as Nanny Care stage 1 goat milk formula to help ease the symptoms of colic.

Many people attribute colic to an infant becoming overstimulated. Infants usually cry to get the attention of their parents, but they also do it to release stress. One way to help reduce stimulation is to create a calm environment in the home around the time the episodes usually start. Turn off any televisions or radios in the home and take your infant into a quiet room. Consider purchasing a white noise machine to help drown out background noise and further limit the chances of sensory overload.

Digestive distress is another common reason that babies may become colicky. Infants have a new digestive system that may find certain food or formulas hard to digest. This can cause discomfort from gas or formula that has not been able to completely break down. Consider changing from a synthetic formula to an organic goat’s milk formula instead. Kabrita Stage 1 goat milk formula is a great option for newborns and infants who suffer from colic.

Our Final Thoughts

We understand how frustrating it can be to deal with an infant with colic. Make sure to ask your partner for help and to remember that this is only a short phase in a long, happy journey. We hope our suggestion for soothing your infant prove successful, be sure to check out our other post for more helpful parenting topics.