Babies cry. But there are some babies who cry incessantly for no reason all together. They can cry all day and never tire. For new mom’s it can be scary and take a toll on their emotional and physical state.
The reason that babies cry so much has been linked to the fact that the babies miss the warmth and noise stimulation in the womb. Some pediatricians have found that most babies with colic stop crying when they reach the 3months mark or even before and the cause might be due to immature nervous system.
The best ways that actually work are the 5 S’s.
1. Swaddling
Wrap your baby in a swaddling cloth. He or she will feel as if they are in the womb itself. The tight fit that a swaddling cloth brings is like a duplication of the womb itself.
You can start by wrapping the baby in it for 12 – 14 hours. It might seem like a lot to you, but the fact remains that your baby was in the womb 24/7.
The swaddling cloth actually soothes the baby and encourages it to sleep.
2. Side or stomach soothing
Doctors say that by placing a baby on its stomach or its side, we are getting rid or soothing its ‘Moro reflex’ that is responsible for making them feel as if they are going to fall.
Just make sure you don’t make them sleep on their stomach as it can sometimes lead to SID (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
3. Swinging
Swinging a baby in a rocker or cradle or even in a moving automobile will soothe the baby’s colic or discomfort. The rhythmic movement while you rock the baby to and fro is a tried and tested method to calm a baby with colic.
It can tire you out, so keep someone else handy around so that you can take turns in soothing your baby with colic.
4. Shushing sounds
Your baby is used to living in your womb. Inside the womb, the baby is used to hearing whooshing and shushing sounds. Recreate the sound by using a hairdryer, washing machine or even a vacuum cleaner.
Nowadays you can even get CD’s that contain sounds to soothe a baby with colic that are proven to be effective.
5. Sucking
A baby will find the act of sucking it mother’s nipple, a bottle or a pacifier comforting and will distract him from the discomfort he is feeling.
So if you follow the 5 S’s there are chances that you baby will calm down and give you a few hours of sleep. All the best!
