Even though it has been a year and a half since those days, I still remember them vividly. On one day in particular, as I was walking in circles in my living room with my crying baby, I frantically called my husband. “She won’t stop crying!” I said. When my husband got home that evening, he found both mother and baby in tears. This my friends is colic. When it is severe, it is stressful to both parent and child. As parents, to watch your child cry and not be able to do anything about it is an incredibly helpless feeling. I know. I’ve been there. Time and again, parents come into our office to ask what they can do to help their child through this time. Well let’s first talk about what colic is: Colic is when any healthy, well-fed baby cries for three or more hours per day for three or more days per week for three weeks or longer. The most frustrating part about colic is that we don’t know what causes it and there is no clear way to treat it. It starts around three weeks of age and tends to go away around three to four months. Now I know what you are thinking. Three weeks to three months?? That’s a long time. And yes I agree! It is. Once your child has been seen by a pediatrician to exclude other medical causes AND you have a diagnosis of colic-there are a few things we can do:

1) Recreate the womb

Have you read Dr. Harvey Karp’s book, The Happiest Baby On The Block? In it, Dr. Karp explains his theory that babies are born a trimester too early. He calls his theory ‘The Missing Fourth Trimester’– when infants are not fully developed to deal with the stresses of life outside the womb. Because of this, they end up stressed and crying for hours. So how do we help them? By recreating the womb. My favorite recommendations from Dr. Karp that I used with my own baby were swaddling, shushing and swinging. Swaddling babies recreates the tight quarters in which they have spent the last nine months. After swaddling her, I would often turn on the white noise machine. Because the womb is so loud with the sounds of the functions of the body, white noise is often soothing to the little ones. Finally, I would either rock my baby or put her in the Ergo or baby carrier and walk around the house. Not only did it feel wonderful to have my child cuddled so close to me, but it finally gave her some relief from hours of crying.

2) Probiotics

Probiotics are the good bacteria that are found in our digestive systems. They help us digest food properly and help reduce intestinal inflammation. Many theories around the cause of colic focus on stomach issues and for this reason, it is thought that probiotics may be helpful with soothing the symptoms of colic. We recommend half a packet of Culturelle Kids Probiotic Packets.

3) Lavender Aromatherapy

If you have been following us, you know we love lavender. Lavender as aromatherapy has been used to insomnia, anxiety and pain. Often, when I would put my baby to sleep, I would put a few drops of lavender oil on the bedding in her crib. Not only was it soothing to her, but it was calming for me as well!

4) Removing dairy

Some allergenic proteins in dairy products can cross into breast milk and can be found in formula. Cow’s milk is the most common colic causing culprit. You can try and remove it from your diet or switch to soy formula for 14 days and see if it makes a difference. Other food and drinks that are thought to cause colic are caffeine, chocolate and sodas. You can also try and cut down on foods that commonly cause gas such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. You would have to eliminate foods in steps and not all at once so you can identify which foods if any are the culprits. Finally, if you are feeling frustrated, ask for help! Get a trusted family member or friend to watch your baby for a few hours so you can get some rest or go outside and eat a meal with adults. You must remember to take care of yourself so you can care for your child. While I remember those days of crying and exhaustion vividly, I also remember the first time my daughter smiled at me, the nights that she would fall asleep on my chest and those soft, tender moments in those fleeting moments of silence when I heard her heart beat against mine. I am here to tell you that this phase will pass. And one day in the near future, you will be enjoying a happy, giggly toddler in your life. I am still in awe that our incredible child chose us as her parents. And for that, I am thankful…crying and all.