The crying of infants during the first few months of life is often explained by what is known as infant colic. This infant colic normally calms down after the child is 3 or 4 months old.
Behind this term, there are different subjects. Colic refers to the stomach ache of infants. Indeed our little babies have a brand new digestive system and the setting up can be painful.
The term colic can also be used to refer to the “anxieties”/need for comfort of infants. In this case, I advise you to consult our page : 5 TRICKS TO SOOTH NEWBORN CRYING
Here are 5 tips to soothe a baby’s colicky tummy ache
1- CHECK THAT YOU ARE NOT MAKING MISTAKES IN FEEDING
- If you are breastfeeding, be aware that what you eat goes into your milk and your baby must also digest it. It’s quite intuitive but if no one tells you (which was the case for my daughter…), you don’t necessarily think to adapt your diet. So basically if you eat cabbage, chickpeas, lentils, your baby is likely to have a lot more gas.
- If your baby is bottle-fed, you can check that the water used for the bottles is the right one. Discuss this with your health professionals.
By adapting what your baby has to digest, you can quicly ease infant colic.
2 – THE FART DANCE
Massaging the tummy to help digestion and evacuate gas is very effective. In our house we call it the “fart dance” and my children still ask me for it when they have a tummy ache! Lay your baby facing you, bring his legs up gently against his tummy and make clockwise circles. This movement will help the gas (or whatever) on its way to the intestine and colon.
3- GAS-RELEASING POSITION
You can also try holding your baby with his belly pressed against your thigh. The warmth and slight pressure on his belly will help release the gas. Basically it’s the same concept as lying with your belly against a pillow to relieve a tummy ache (a fart that gets stuck ).
4- PROBIOTICS
Talk to your doctor about the possibility of giving your child probiotics. They can help their digestive system to function by enriching their microbiota. I was given BIOGAIA for my daughter, a few drops a day and it helped.
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE INFO ABOUT BIOGAIA
I have also heard a lot about a miracle product that I have not had the opportunity to try.
5- CHERRY PIT HEATING PAD
You can also invest in a newborn warmer. Made with cherry pit inside, it can be heated in the microwave and used against the baby’s tummy. The heat relieves the colicky pain.
Some courageous moms make their own, for them, here is a tutorial : LEARN HOW TO MAKE A CHERRY PIT HEATING PAD