If you’re a new parent feeling exhausted and frustrated because your baby won’t stop crying, you’re not alone. Colic is a common and challenging condition that affects many infants during their first few months of life. In this article, we’ll dive into possible remedies and strategies to help soothe your little one.

Before dismissing your baby’s behaviour as a result of colic, take baby for a check-up with your GP.

Finding colic relief

• Try gripe water for babies with colic, gastrointestinal discomfort, teething pain, reflux, and other stomach ailments. It’s available from the chemist.
• Get ready for the colicky period of the day – if you can avoid it, don’t try to get chores done while baby cries.
• If you can, carry your baby around in a baby sling while you do chores.
• Try to figure out what sometimes seems to work to soothe your baby. If you can identify one or two things, try them one by one when baby is crying.
• Get help. Try to get someone to share some time with you during this period – if nothing else, the adult company may restore a little bit of sanity to your day.
• If you can’t find anything that works, just hold baby. The crying does tend to come down a notch if baby is in your arms.
• If baby’s crying is really upsetting you, put them down somewhere safe and take a break nearby. Take some deep breaths before you pick them up again.
• Change the scenery – sometimes just taking your baby outside will quieten them a little.
• Don’t change your diet – your breast milk is rarely to blame for colic; though you may consider reducing the amount of caffeine you are having as this can be unsettling for young babies.
• If you do truly believe that your baby’s unsettled behaviour is due to a lactose intolerance or cow’s milk allergy, get advice from your GP as to the best way to investigate this.

Read more on Kidspot:

• How to prevent nappy rash on little bottoms
• Crying checklist
• Settling your baby