Home Remedies To Tackle Colic And Soothe Your Baby

A baby who cries for hours on end practically every evening can wear any parent down. But if you’re struggling with a colicky baby, know that you’re not alone. Up to 40% of babies are estimated to have colic, a condition that is characterized by high-pitched, intense crying with no identifiable causes and during which the baby is inconsolable. Technically, colic is defined as crying for over 3 hours daily for over 3 days a week for a period of 3 weeks, but your doctor may provide a diagnosis of this condition before then. Fortunately, colic is not associated with any health problem and it resolves on its own eventually.

Although the exact cause of colic is not clear, various theories have been put forward. One theory suggests that the baby is unable to cope with environmental factors like sound or light and is reacting adversely to it. Other potential causes include abdominal gas, indigestion, a sensitivity to sugars or proteins found in milk, or immaturity of the nervous system. While there’s no sure-fire way of tackling colic, the measures and remedies we’ve listed here can definitely help. But do keep in mind that different babies may respond to different techniques, so you might have to figure out what works for your little one through trial and error.

1. Minimize Stimulation And Swaddle The Baby

Sometimes, overstimulation can worsen or even trigger a crying episode. So if your baby starts getting fussy around a particular time, try creating a calm environment during those periods. Avoid loud sounds and bright lights, limit visitors, and don’t touch your baby unnecessarily.

Swaddling your baby may also help. When you wrap the cloth or blanket around your baby, take care that it’s not tight around the legs or hips as this could lead to hip problems. Also, make sure that your baby’s not too warm. Babies below 2 months may do especially well if they’re swaddled in a calm, dark room.

2. Try Rocking Your Baby

Some babies respond well to movement. So gently rock your baby, walk around carrying them, or put them in a vibrating seat or swing. Some babies may prefer a car ride, or you could put them in a stroller and go for a walk.

3. Soothe With Sound

White noise is another go-to remedy that may calm your baby. While white noise machines are available, the drone of a clothes dryer, fan, or vacuum cleaner can also help. To combine movement with sound, make a “shushing” or “whooshing” sound while you carry or rock your baby. You can even get your vacuuming done with the baby in a baby carrier! White noise is thought to be soothing as it is reminiscent of the constant sound your baby heard in your womb.

4. Give The Baby A Massage Every Day

A massage a day might just do the trick! One study found that over a 4-week period, massages had a significant impact on both colicky crying as well as total crying in babies – total crying reduced by 48% while colicky crying decreased by 64%. In the study, the babies were given two daily full body massages for 20–30 minutes and one belly rub for about 15 minutes. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you give this a shot:

• Give the baby a whole body massage once or twice a day when they are calm and happy. Gently stroke the head, limbs, and the rest of the body using olive oil. You could also try sesame or coconut oil after doing a patch test to ensure your baby is not allergic to it.
• Follow your baby’s lead when it comes to deciding how long the massage should last. While some babies might only tolerate one for 2–5 minutes, others might like a longer massage. Also, don’t massage the baby when they are hungry or full.
• Make sure the room is warm and comfortable.
• A belly rub can also be useful, especially when the child is colicky. For this, lay your baby on their back on a bed, towel, or your lap and move your palms gently in rhythmic circles in the clockwise direction on the abdomen. Make sure you apply only light pressure.

5. Try Using A Pacifier

Babies below the age of 3 months are not sufficiently neurologically mature to soothe themselves. Sucking can help relieve stress and calm babies. So try offering your baby a pacifier. But do keep in mind that you shouldn’t let your baby use a pacifier till breastfeeding is established. Since the sucking motions used on a pacifier and during breastfeeding are different, it can confuse your baby and make it difficult for them to latch on.

6. Make Sure Your Baby Gets Sufficient Hindmilk

If you are breastfeeding, make sure your baby finishes one breast before offering the next. The initial milk or “foremilk” that comes out is low in calories and fat. If you switch breasts before emptying the first breast and your baby doesn’t get sufficient amounts of the richer hindmilk, they may take in a large volume of low-fat feed which rapidly empties into the large intestine from the stomach. Your baby might also not have sufficient lactase enzyme to break down the lactose from this milk, which can mean gas and colic.

7. Give Probiotics a Shot

Probiotics or beneficial bacteria may help ease colic. One study found that giving colicky babies probiotic bacteria known as Lactobacillus reuteri improved symptoms and reduced crying considerably. Probiotics can change the composition of microorganisms present in the gut and improve digestive health. Probiotic supplements for infants as well as infant formula containing probiotics are available but you should check with your doctor before using them.

8. Try Herbal Remedies Like Chamomile, Fennel, And Lemon Balm

One study looked at the impact of giving a combination of fennel, chamomile, and lemon balm to colicky babies twice daily for a week. This remedy was effective at reducing crying time in 85% of the babies studied. It’s worth noting that the three herbs included here are well known for their ability to soothe intestinal discomfort. While the study used a standard extract, you could prepare a weak tea with these ingredients and give a couple of teaspoons up to three times a day. These herbs can also be taken individually as a diluted tea to ease colic. However, do remember to check with your doctor before giving your baby any herbal remedy.

Gripe water is another age-old remedy for colic in babies. However, research on whether it is effective is not conclusive, with some studies even finding it doesn’t work and may even cause problems like vomiting or constipation. While originally made with sugar, water, sodium bicarbonate and alcohol, the alcohol is no longer added in most commercial preparations. It may contain various beneficial herbs like cinnamon, cardamom, dill, chamomile, clove, licorice, fennel, lemon balm, and ginger. If you do choose to use gripe water, check with your doctor beforehand and opt for products that are free of alcohol and sugar.

9. Take Measures To Prevent And Relieve Gas

Since intestinal gas can be a cause of colic, healthy habits that prevent this issue may help with colic. Here are a few tips:

• Lying on the back can trap gas. Giving your baby a little “tummy time” or holding them upright may help relieve discomfort. However, do keep in mind that your baby should always sleep on their back to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
• Babies below 12 months can find it difficult to digest cow’s milk while those below 4 months can have trouble with cereals. So make sure you don’t feed your baby these foods before they are ready for them age-wise.
• Juice can also lead to gas. Wait till the baby is at least 12 months before you introduce them to this food.
• Make sure you burp the baby during a feeding session as well as after feeding

10. Check And Adjust The Mother’s Diet

Breastfeeding mothers sometimes notice that certain foods in their diet appear to cause colic. Some foods may pass on through breastmilk and lead to digestive issues or gas in babies. Though more research is required in this direction, some foods linked to colic include:

• Onions, garlic, broccoli, beans, and turnips.
• Rhubarb, melons, prunes, apricots, and peaches
• Caffeine
• Cow’s milk

If you find that your baby gets colicky after breastfeeding, keep a record of what you eat to check if any particular food could be contributing to the problem. Identifying and avoiding these foods can help.
Taking care of a colicky baby can be difficult and frustrating. So don’t hesitate to reach out to family or friends if you need help. If you feel overwhelmed and immediate help is not available, place your baby in the crib and take a break to collect yourself before trying to soothe your baby again.

When my daughter was 2-4 months, practically every evening, she'ld cry due to colic pain. My grandmother taught us home remedy- to apply castor oil around the belly button, then warm a chewing pan leaf after applying some castor oil after lamp, which we normally lit in front of Gods, Then once the leaf was warm, it would be placed near the belly button for few minutes, 2 leaves were alternately warmed and applied till the child would pass gas !

I'm sure there must be more such remedies that are followed around the Earth. My blessings and loads of love to all the babies, wishing them long healthy life with loads of happiness. When you see the baby's smile, all problems just disappear.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/       
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Cleaning Your Baby’s Dummy by Sucking on It Prevents Allergies

It’s a scene parents and caregivers are all too familiar with: an infant’s dummy falls to the floor. When this happened with my first born, I rushed to clean the soiled dummy by boiling it in water or carefully washing it in the sink. But by the time my second child was born, I was considerably more relaxed, and I started do something some parents might consider a bit gross — I sucked on my child’s fallen dummy to clean it. I didn’t realise it at the time, but as new research suggests, I might actually have been doing my child’s immune system a favour.
 
Mothers who clean dummies by sucking on them have infants with a lower allergic response, according to new research. 

“We interviewed 128 mothers of infants multiple times over a period of 18 months and asked how they cleaned their child’s pacifier,” said the author in a statement. Of the 58 per cent of mothers whose children used dummies, 41 percent said they clean them via sterilisation (e.g. boiling the pacifier in water), 72 per cent said they wash them by hand, and 12 per cent of mothers said they clean their infant’s dummies by sucking on them.

“We know that exposure to certain microorganisms early in life stimulates development of the immune system and may protect against allergic diseases later.”

The researchers found that the children of soother-sucking mothers had lower levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin E, or IgE. This antibody is related to allergic responses in the body, said the author. With some exceptions, higher levels of IgE levels indicate a higher risk of having allergies and allergic asthma.

The associated decrease in IgE levels, and thus the protective effect against allergies, started at around 10 months, and the effect continued through to 18 months. More research is needed to understand what’s going on, but the author suspects that mothers are transferring health-promoting microbes to their children. The researchers would also like to know if the lower IgE production seen in these children continues into their later years.
That cleaning dummies by sucking on them could help to prevent allergies isn’t totally shocking. Research published in 2016 showed that Amish children are less susceptible to allergies, a likely consequence of their exposure to a wide variety of microbes. Similarly, kids who bite their nails and suck their thumbs develop fewer allergies. These findings add further credence to the  hygiene hypothesis — the idea that the increasing rates of autoimmune and allergic diseases seen around the world are related to society’s (relatively) newfound obsession with cleanliness. Some dirt and grime, so to speak, might actually be doing our kids some good.
“We know that exposure to certain microorganisms early in life stimulates development of the immune system and may protect against allergic diseases later,” said the author. “Parental pacifier sucking may be an example of a way parents may transfer healthy microorganisms to their young children.”

Importantly, the new study points to an association between parents who suck on their child’s dummy and children with lower IgE levels — but that doesn’t prove that pacifier sucking causes lower IgE. Correlation, as we know, doesn’t always imply causation. Another thing to remember is that this research was based on the self-reporting of parents. According to the new research, a mere 12 per cent of mothers said they use the sucking technique to clean dummies. The real figure could be higher than that, if some mothers did not want to admit to the practice. It could also be lower. Regardless, this uncertainty could be affecting the results.
And lastly, this research doesn’t speak to the risks associated with cleaning dirty, potentially germ-ridden dummies by sucking on them. Picking up a dummy from the floor of a shopping mall or airport, and then cleaning it by sucking, could be putting both parent and child at risk of contracting communicable diseases. This new study, while offering some important new insights into the factors that influence a child’s allergic response, should not necessarily be taken as an endorsement of the practice.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                             PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                                             FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                                                                https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/        

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com