The joy of having a new baby is unrivaled, but it can also be extremely challenging, especially if your little one suffers from colic. New and experienced mothers alike struggle with this common ailment so today we partnered with our sponsor Colief, to bring you eight ways to survive colic from moms who’ve been there.
Learn how to soothe your crying baby and live through those tough early months.
How To Survive A Colicky Baby
1. Check with your doctor. Put your mind at ease by knowing that the crying isn’t about anything more serious. Once you know for sure that it is colic, you will know how to treat it. “Assuming your baby is breastfed, diet is typically the first thing your pediatrician will look at and is generally the “easiest” to address,” says Stephanie Canale, MD co-founder of Lactation Lab in Colic for Babies: Here’s What The Science Says About Breastfeeding & Diet.
2. Try something different. Before you turn to major lifestyle changes, such as radically restricting mom’s own diet or switching to expensive infant formulas, Colief Infant Digestive Aid (affiliate link) has been shown to help reduce colic-associated crying time caused by temporary lactose intolerance (TLI) in infants. Colief Infant Digestive Aid is not given directly to the baby, but added to the formula or breast milk before each feeding, making it easier for them to digest the milk by breaking down most of the lactose.
3. Keep them close. Babies with colic might benefit from being carried in a wrap. The closeness to mama can be very soothing, and it allows you to comfort your baby with gentle rocking or bouncing while keeping your hands free.
4. Try motion. Moms who have survived colic found driving in the car, long walks, and bouncy on an exercise ball soothing to baby and helpful for mom’s sanity.
5. Consider a change. Some breastfeeding moms found eliminating certain foods such as dairy and gluten from their diet helpful. Other moms recommend special formula. As we mentioned before, try Colief first, since such changes may be unnecessary.
6. Get support. Ask for help. You will need a break and a friend to vent to so that you can return to your baby refreshed and ready for whatever may come next. You are not alone, colic affects approximately one in five infants born in the United States- about one million new babies annually.
7. Celebrate the good stuff. Sometimes the key to surviving any challenging parenting moment is to focus on the good moments. The struggle of a colicky infant is not constant. There are still plenty of wonderful moments from meeting family members to first smiles and rolls. Have your camera ready, capture the good stuff, and save those wonderful memories in a scrapbook or album. Having a reminder of the happy moments can help you get through the tough ones.
8. Remember that it’s temporary. Colic does not last forever. Your infant will outgrow it and you will live to tell the tale. Although it can feel like an eternity when your bundle of joy is crying, in reality it isn’t your new normal. Hang in there, this too shall pass.
Parenting is Challenging
Parenting isn’t perfect, and that’s okay. It doesn’t look like it does in beautifully edited instagram feeds, there are diaper blow outs and exhausting nights. I remember certain days when nothing seemed to go right. But for all the hard things, there are those first smiles, sweet coos, and the unconditional love you have for your baby that make it all worth it.
