Baby Colic Remedies

Baby Colic Remedies explains what is colic, what are the signs of colic in your colicky baby and colic relief in the form of remedies and colic drops.

What is Colic?

Baby or infant colic affects male babies on the whole and the exact causes of this exasperating blend of indigestion and inconsolable crying are not yet known (unfortunately for all the sleep deprived mothers out there who can't sleep because they are tearing their hair out wondering what to do to calm and soothe their baby).

Colic Baby

Researchers suspect that colic may be due to the immaturity of the baby's digestive system. Other research suggests that babies who have been subjected to maternal anxiety in the uterus are more prone to being colicky.

In a typical colicky baby, the problem begins at about 2 weeks of age and disappears at about 3 months. The colic attacks usually happen in the evening (hence the term 'evening colic').

The baby will draw up his legs to his stomach and stick them out straight in an attempt to relieve the stomach cramps and wind, and cry loudly from distress and pain.

This is terrible distressing for the parents too, as there is not much you can do about it except wait for him to grow out of it.

These were some of the desperate measures I took to relieve my baby's distress and crying. She would cry for 2 hours straight every night from 8 to 10 pm and our family and confinement nanny took turns rocking her this way and that. Try them out and see which works for your baby.

Stomach Massage as described below really helps to relieve any colic pain before it even starts. You can also lie your baby face down across your lap with a warm towel or a hot water bottle half-filled with warm water, placed under his belly. You may also put your baby face down across your knees and stroke his back, and give him a dummy or pacifier to suck on.

Woodward's Gripe Water for babies

This brand has been around since we were kids, so there can't be any harmful gripe water side effects.

I fed a teaspoon every evening in my kid's night milk feed as he was suffering some stomach discomfort for a period of time and sleeping so terribly, waking up several times a night.

It is alcohol free and provides colic relief from wind pains in the stomach, digestive upsets and abdominal discomfort due to retention of gas.

Together with stomach massage, it can help to ease the discomfort.

Stomach Massage

Some babies may have Evening Colic. This is terrible if it is your first child, you really have no idea what to do because your baby is just crying uncontrollably and nothing can pacify him.

I found that the pungent-smelling Chinese medicated oil 'Po Sum On' is excellent to stop colic pain. It can be bought in any Chinese medicinal shop. After every bath, just pour some on your hand, rub your hands together to warm the oil before applying to your baby's stomach. Chinese believe that it stops 'wind' from forming in the stomach.

Whatever it is, it worked for my 2 younger kids. My elder girl really scared the hell out of me. She would cry from 8pm to 10pm every night due to the colic pain when she was a baby.

If you are a westerner, you might hesitate to use these medicated oils. Rest assured that these oils and ointments that I recommend have been used for decades over generations by millions of Chinese and there are no ill side effects.

This medicated oil is also excellent for stomach aches. Just massage onto the stomach in a downward motion. It even works on the big kids, that is daddies. ;D

Rest assured that colic is no threat to your baby's health, although it can be very frustrating for mothers. When it first begins, you should consult your doctor to make sure that it is nothing more serious.

I brought my kids to my paediatrician to be reassured and this was the Baby drops he prescribed. It apparently relieves bloating and the spasms resulting from entrapped gas.

This contains simethicone, an inert and non-absorbable substance that is safe to use as an antiflatulant. It acts by reducing the surface tension of the finely divided bubbles trapped in the intestine, enabling them to break down and coalesce into larger bubbles which are then more easily expelled from the stomach.

If after trying everything, your baby is still crying his lungs out, the last desperate measure that may work is taking your baby for a ride in the car. Babies seem to be lulled by the motion of cars.

Good luck!

* Please note that I have only done reviews on products I have used personally. I am quite an anal-retentive mom, so I compare the many brands / models / varieties available before I purchase a product. I have written about the products I really loved. I don't want to make any harsh criticisms of products that were less than stellar ;-)

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