Colic In Babies – Why Does it Happen & How To Cope

If you’re a new parent and your baby has colic, you know it’s a nightmare.

With my daughter, we took turns walking her up and down the hallway through the night. So, why do babies develop colic?

First of all, the digestive system isn’t fully yet developed. There could be an imbalance of gut bacteria in the digestive tract. Your baby could have food allergies or intolerances that they’re receiving through moms milk. Perhaps the baby’s being overfed or underfed, and also there’s a possibility the baby is gassy and not burped enough.

How does this affect you as a parent?

The constant crying of your newborn can put a huge amount of stress on any new parent and this can cause marital stress. Mom can get depressed and of course both can get angry about the crying. And start shouting at each other, causing any new parent to suffer greatly.

What can you do about this?

First of all, get support. Find a mom support group, find your tribe, and talk to them about tips and tricks. Because you’re not alone. There’s a lot of colicky babies out there, and it’s a phase that will pass. And remember most of all, that colic is not your fault.

Secondly, get rest. Get good sleep. This phase is stressful and remember to take care of yourself as a new mama. Make sure that you take turns with the baby and with the free parent or whoever supports you. Maybe your mom or your grandparents or whoever is helping you get time away from the crying, because that can really be nerve wracking.

Third, use a chemical free nipple cream that contains Lactobacillus Reuteri. There are a lot of studies out there just showed the benefits of this probiotic.

Here are some additional tips that can help you:

reduce stimulation
hypoallergenic diet for Mom
try the colic carry
try gripe water. Gripe water is an over the counter supplement of sodium bicarbonate and herbs that are safe like fennel, ginger, chamomile, dill, lemon balm and peppermint. And that that’s depending on which grape formula you take.

When babies are first learning to breastfeed, they often swallow too much air which goes down into their tummies and this leads to gas and fussiness. This excess gas can build up and cause your baby to spit up, burp, pass gas, and all other funny noises that your baby makes.

Unfortunately for baby and for new moms and dads, this access air can cause a lot of discomfort and end up in what seems to be like unending crying and sleepless nights. And both baby and parents are affected. This is why it’s super important to help your baby release the air inside themselves to help prevent colic.