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Tips for Soothing a Colicky Baby

It’s heartbreaking to see your newborn suffering from colic. You feel so helpless, not to mention tired and worried. The first thing to do if you’re not sure that your baby actually has colic or some other ailment is to see your pediatrician. He or she will be able to confirm if your baby is indeed suffering from colic and even give you some helpful solutions.

Here are a few things you can do to help soothe your baby’s colic:

Baby Massage – You don’t need any fancy books or classes to do this. All you need to keep in mind is to be very gentle and look at your baby for any cues of discomfort. Lay your baby on her back and add a little baby oil to your hands. Rub your hands together to warm them up before touching baby. Then lightly massage starting with babies arms, gently massage in long gentle stokes, then move on to babies tummy and massage in gentler circular motions, move on to the legs and finally the feet.

Play Soft Music – Some babies love soft music while others may cry even more. Experiment and see what works for your baby. You can try very low classical music, be careful not to play it too loud as the tempo can sometimes agitate baby. Try background or “white” noise such as the dishwasher or dryer. You can also purchase one of the white noise CDs available at many baby stores.

A Warm Bath – Add a little chamomile lotion or natural lavender oil to your baby’s bath. Then gently place baby in water and just let her relax. The water will often relieve the pressure on their tummy and help the colic.

Swaddling – A lot of babies love the feeling of security that comes from being swaddled. It may be due to the warmness or the fact that he won’t be startled by his own reflexes but swaddling is definitely worth a try to help soothe a colicky baby.
To swaddle your baby lay a blanket on a flat, soft surface and fold one of the corners down a little. Place baby on his back with his head on the folded section. Pull one of the corners over one of your baby’s arm and across his body. Tuck the edge under his back. Bring the bottom corner up under baby’s chin. Then bring the last corner over your baby’s right arm and tuck it under the other side. If your baby doesn’t enjoy this you can try swaddling but leaving his arms free.