Signs of a Colicky Baby - Warnings & Tips From Babysitters  

Your new bundle of joy is finally home from the hospital. On one hand you are so happy to be a mother but there are many things which may at times make you wonder if you are really up to motherhood.


Sometimes you might even feel a sense of despair especially if your baby keeps crying no matter what you do to try to soothe her. It is really heartbreaking to watch your baby crying for so long and nothing seems to help much. You start to wonder if you are a bad parent because your baby just won't stop crying. (Remember, this is not true. You are the best parent your child could have) . You and your spouse may feel fleeting bouts of impatience at the constant crying. You seem to be living in a nightmare and wondering how long this will go on since nothing seems to help and it all seems so hopeless.


Don't be despair. Your child might just be colicky. It has nothing to do with whether you are a good mother or not.


But first, let us be sure it is colic we are talking about. Look out for these signs..

Sign #1 Your baby cries for 3 or more hours each day

Sign #2 Your baby cries at about the same time everyday

Sign #3 You have great difficulty comforting your baby and have tried everything anybody advised

Sign #4 Your baby still cries even after being changed and fed and even cuddled till you are worn out

Sign #5 Your baby is obviously in pain when crying. This is evident when you see the knees drawn up, faced red and very distressed

So What Must You do? 


• Be sure to discuss your baby's behavior with your doctor. There may be a serious health condition such as acid reflux or other health conditions that need medical attention.


• If you feel yourself losing it, please call a friend, neighbor or family member for help and support. A colicky baby is very stressful for the parents and it might be worthwhile to engage a full time confinement nanny to help out. As confinement nannies or experienced babysitters they may have some special ways to help ease your baby's discomfort through their years of working with babies. Their presence may also give you some assurance that everything is under control.


• If you do not have the luxury of help from any experienced caregiver or grandparents and find it overwhelming dealing with a crying baby, put the baby in a safe place like the crib and walk away and take a breather for a few minutes.


• Nobody will think less of you as a parent. Many of us have been there before and understand exactly what you are going through. The important thing to remember is, no matter how bad it is, never shake your baby.


• And Daddy, please support your wife… take over the baby and let her have a rest. She needs all the care and understanding in this difficult phase of motherhood. The colicky phase WILL pass sooner than you think it could at the moment.