A Natural Treatment for Colic
Does your baby ‘have colic’? What is colic anyway, and how can you actually help your baby through it? Is there a natural treatment for colic, and why don’t more people know about this?
Colic in babies is thought to have 4 different types. Did you know that carrying your baby in a sling can actually help with all 4?
1) Digestive colic
This is when your baby feels uncomfortable after feeding, wriggles, cries and pulls her knees up – and cries before having a poo. Carrying her upright in a baby sling will help the milk to go down, and get the bowels working – a bit of gravity does wonders.
2) Physical colic
This can be down to physical distress from a complicated birth, or from being too cramped in the womb. His neck, back or pelvis might be uncomfortable and out of alignment. While baby massage and gentle stretching of his limbs can help, as can osteopathy, so too can carrying in a sling.
A good sling that supports the spine and knees in an optimal position would help with alignment, and at the same time can ease some of the discomfort – and your baby can also get a cuddle and some gentle stroking on the move. Don’t force your baby into a position he finds it uncomfortable to be in, or move his head into a direction he is uncomfortable looking – he will start to move it for himself when he is ready. If your baby finds being held against your tummy/chest straight on particularly uncomfortable then speak to a babywearing consultant about finding another position that he might like better such as a ‘seated sideways’ position.
3) Intellectual colic
This is to do with your baby being over-stimulated and the busy world being too much to cope with and understand. Your baby needs to be soothed, and some of the craziness of the world needs to be drowned out – so her awareness is of you and the security that provides.
Holding your baby close, where she can hear your breathing, singing, gentle whispering and talking should help. You could use a sleep hood to block out some of the sounds and lights that she’s finding disturbing.
Your baby might need some help getting into a nap routine so she is better rested and more able to cope – so dig out the sling at a regular time each day and go for a walk or dance round the living room, to lull her to a gentle sleep. Or if she’s not the kind of baby who responds to a routine, then you’ll need the sling even more so you can soothe her, and connect with her, whatever you’re doing and wherever you are, when it all gets too much.
4) Emotional colic
Your baby is stressed and anxious and needs comfort. Maybe she just doesn’t want to be put down, yet you’ve got things to do, and she cries and cries unless she’s held. Maybe she’s picking up that you’re tired and emotional yourself and feels the stress in the air, and that just makes it worse. Be kind to yourself and give yourself a break from routine and chores. She wants to feel understood and safe. Take a deep breath and relax, you’re doing a great job. And put on the baby wrap, what better place to be than wrapped close to your chest. The oxytocin will start to flow, and things should start to calm.
If your doctor has prescribed medication for your baby, he thinks this is the best thing for your baby. So don’t stop using the medication without consulting your GP/paediatrician – however using a baby sling should ease some of the causes of discomfort, and the symptoms (i.e. the crying) should start to ease too. If you see an improvement when using a sling, you can always report this back to your GP, and they may even suggest it to other patients too.
Ready to learn more about carrying your baby in a sling? Pop along to your local sling library, or click here to see a selection of slings/carriers for newborns.
