When A Baby Is Crying & Inconsolable: How To Cope With Colic
All babies cry. Crying is how babies communicate their needs. But when crying turns into ear-piercing screaming, flailing arms, and a bright red face on an inconsolable baby, parents are often at a loss for how to calm their little ones. Crying for more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week, for three weeks or longer is colic unless there is a medical reason for the crying. Here's what you need to know if you are the parent of a newborn who is crying inconsolably.
Take your baby to the pediatrician
It's important to have your baby examined by a pediatrician to rule out any serious medical reason that could be causing your baby pain or discomfort, such as a spinal misalignment, brain swelling or a neonatal infection. Once serious medical reasons for the crying are ruled out, your pediatrician can diagnose your baby as having colic.
The pediatrician will then focus on what could be causing colic, such as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), food allergies or sensitivities, overstimulation of senses, immaturity of the digestive system, or exposure to tobacco. Discovering this can help your pediatrician develop a treatment plan for your baby's colic, which could include antigas or probiotic drops or a change in diet.
Take your baby to a pediatric chiropractor
You've seen and felt how tensed up your baby gets when he or she cries and screams during bouts of colic. This tensing up can put pressure on their spine, which can further aggravate their feelings of pain and discomfort and cause them to cry louder and longer than before. A pediatric chiropractor can use gentle chiropractic adjustments to release that pressure so proper function and movements can be restored.
Irritation of the nerves in the abdomen is what leads to the build up of gas within their digestion system, which can cause further discomfort and crying. The chiropractor may also include soothing massages in their treatment plan for your baby, which can help reduce the irritation of the nerves from abdominal distress, such as due to GERD or an immature digestion system.
In conclusion, it's important to take care of yourself as well during this time. It's upsetting listening to your baby cry for hours at a time. Have the other parent watch the baby and take yourself out for a break, whether it's to sit on the porch for a few minutes, have coffee with a trusted friend whom you can confide in, or relieve your tensed shoulders through chiropractic care.
