Here are a few suggestions for calming your breastfed baby. Give several a try. One may work today and another may work tomorrow. Be flexible, and know that “this too will pass”.
Symptoms:
- Periods of inconsolable crying
- Clenching fists
- Drawing legs up to abdomen
- Stiffening as if in plain
- Passing gas
- Grimacing
Possible Causes:
- Immature gastro-intestinal system
- Sensitive nervous system
- Excessive gas or over-feeding
- Formula intolerance
- Reaction to foods the breastfeeding mother has eaten
- Over-stimulation
Possible remedies
- Hold your baby skin-to-skin several times each day
- Motion in any form
- Walking
- Baby swing
- Rocking in rocking chair
- Rocking side to side while standing
- Ride in the car or in a stroller
- Carry baby in infant sling
- Over-the-counter gas-relief drops (discuss with MD)
- Singing, humming
- Take a break, let someone else try for awhile; babies sense your tension
- White sound nearby (running water, vacuum, clothes dryer, hair dryer)
- Commercially available recordings with strong beat designed to simulate intrauterine sounds
- Swaddle your baby snugly when crying
- Undress your baby and allow complete freedom of motion
- Avoid over-stimulation from noises, lights or motion
- Distract the baby with different sounds, sights or places
- Place pressure on your baby’s abdomen (gently)
- Hold baby in the “colic hold” (facing floor, supported by your arm, heel of your hand putting pressure on the abdomen)
- Hold baby over your shoulder or over your knees
- Bicycle your baby’s legs
- Take an infant massage class
- Keep a food diary to determine if a particular food bothers your baby (takes 4-6 hours for most foods to reach baby)
- Consult a Lactation Consultant who may suggest feeding on only one breast per feeding or other techniques to balance the “foremilk” and “hindmilk” your baby obtains while feeding
- Contact your physician for other medical explanations and solutions