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The C word every parent dreads....

 COLIC!!!!! (What C word were you thinking of? Crayons, cars, crumbs?)

I have 2 kids who are 18 months apart, both babies experienced colic. Here's some advice that worked for us, take from it what works for you, all kids are different (as I learnt) what works for one wont necessarily work for another....

                                                   

1. Swaddling: my son hated it, my daughter loved it. Follow babies lead.


2. Colic meds: Tried it all with my son and eventually found colic calm that worked for him. With my daughter, Bonnison worked for 6 weeks, then out of the blue, stopped working completely. Switched to Buscopan on the advice of a mommy friend and bam! Colic reduced immediately. What works for one may not work for the other.


3. Find a mommy friend who you can go to for help in these moments for advice or even just to vent to. Someone who won't judge you because they've been through it and lost parts their sanity in the process too.


4. Think of the most mind numbing topic you can and discuss it at length with your steaming baby. I'm talking the most BORING topic possible. Keep your voice monotone and speak s-l-o-w-l-y. This will eventually bore your infant (and anyone else within earshot) into a deep sleep.

Here are some topics if you're stuck:

* the various types of cheese and what crackers they go with

* what ingredients go into a green salad?

* name all of the colours of fruit and vegetables

* list all the different kinds of animals

* list pizza toppings

Warning : you may bore yourself to sleep, that's OK, you're a mom.... your baby has colic....sleep (before the screaming starts again)


5. The most annoying advice you'll receive is that you need to stay calm. Before you throw something at the person saying that, they're right. Babies do feed off of us. The more stressed you are the worse the colic will be. I took those herbal rescue tablets until my doctor put me on Urbanol and an anti depressant for PPD, find what works for you, stronger meds, exercise, a bottle of tequila, whatever. (OK maybe not an entire bottle of tequila, you can't be hung over tomorrow momma. The only thing worse than colic, is dealing with colic, with a hangover!)


6. Daddy HAS to help. This is non negotiable. In our house, we swopped over every 30 minutes. Having an end time will help you to stay calmer during the screaming sessions.


7. You'll start to see a time pattern, if the colic starts at say 6pm, bath your baby an hour earlier at 5pm and leave a warm cloth on their tummy while bathing them. Also give the colic meds you've found to work at least an hour before the colic starts, trust me this helps.


8. It doesn't last forever, with both of my kids the dreaded colic period promptly stopped when they turned 3 months old. I know those 3 months feel like a lifetime but you can and will get through them.


Hope this helps at least one mom out there. Find what works for you and your baby.

                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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