Most babies are fussy and cry off and on. So, just because a baby cries, that doesn't necessarily mean she has colic. If your baby seems healthy and well-fed, but cries a lot, especially in the evenings, she could have colic. Below are the three warning signs of colic.
Colic Sign 1 - Predictable crying episodes
This is sometimes referred to as the "rule of threes." If your baby
cries for three or more hours a day, three or more days a week, for three
consecutive weeks, it can be diagnosed by a physician as colic. The crying
episodes generally start in the early evening and can last until way past
bedtime. Your baby may be really gassy and pass gas near the end of the colic
outburst.
Colic Sign 2 - Intense,
inconsolable crying
Colic crying is unlike simple fussiness. A baby with colic seems to be in
pain, and the crying is indicative of pain. Her face will likely be very red.
And she will be almost impossible to comfort. The inconsolable crying causes
baby to swallow too much air which contributes to her discomfort.
Colic Sign 3 - Change
in posture
Your baby will curl up her legs, clench her fist and have rigid, tense stomach
muscles.
What Causes Colic?
Despite much research, no solitary cause for colic has been pinpointed. The fussiness associated with a colicky baby has many different causes, and that's why you need to familiarize yourself with different colic remedies to help soothe your baby.
Some theories of the cause of colic are:
According to Barry M. Lester, Ph.D., the director of a one-of-a-kind colic
clinic at
Lester indicates in his book that you can tell the difference between a "normal" baby cry and a "pain" cry.
"The pain cry is usually high-pitched, loud, and of sudden onset and includes long periods of breath-holding," Lester writes.
Parents who have babies with colic can assure you, the cry you hear is very much a "pain" cry. If you think your baby is exhibiting this type of cry, please talk to your doctor right away. Other conditions may be present other than colic.
As a parent, watching your baby suffer from signs of colic is excruciating. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Colic will typically disappear by the third month of life (although some cases have been known to last up to 9 months).
Even if your doctor confirms your baby is exhibiting signs of colic, don't despair. Although colic will disrupt your household and make you feel like a bad parent, you're not. It's not your fault, and there are lots of tools and remedies you can try to help soothe your baby and make her happy and comfortable again.
Cherie Stirewalt is a colic baby survivor and outlines the colic remedies she mastered to soothe her baby's crying. Download her white noise mp3 and get started on stopping your baby's colic today!