Colic is a term used to describe uncontrollable crying in an otherwise healthy baby. If the baby is younger than 5 months old and cries for more than three hours in a row for at least three weeks, the chances are that he is colicky. Colic is not a disease and does not harm your baby in the long run; however, it is a tough thing for both the colicky baby and the parents. Babies suffering from it usually get over it by the time they reach about 6 months of age.
In order to soothe such babies, there are a few different tried and tested techniques which work well.
The most common way to sooth a colicky child is with the use of a pacifier. Infants have powerful sucking instincts and studies have shown that pacifiers can help to soothe babies during these incessant crying spells.
Creating a white noise provides the baby with a soothing womb-like environment. This can be easily achieved by turning on a fan, running a vacuum cleaner or tuning the radio to a low level static sound. All these can help relax a crying baby to quite an extent.
Another tip which can be used to sooth a colicky baby is to take her on the ride. As babies in the womb get a lot of motion, putting him in a swing or going for a walk or rocking the baby in a rocking chair can help relax the child. This slow and constant movement can help you lull your baby to sleep.
The most important thing to do is to RELAX! It might be frustrating to see your child in pain but bear in mind that your child can also sense your frustration and that can make him cry even more. So the next time when your baby wails constantly, take a deep breath, relax and try one of these tips to help your baby.