Management Tips

• Rule out other causes of crying, change the babies nappy, feed if hungry etc.

• Offer the breast or a dummy as sucking can relax and distract the baby.

• For breast fed babies, posture feed so that the baby has to suck milk up, by e.g.feeding with the baby lying on your tummy. This will help slow down the milk flow, and is especially effective with the morning feed.

• For bottle fed babies, try using a smaller holed / anti colic teat or narrow neck bottle, to slow down the milk flow.

• Burp your baby after a feed.

• Give your baby a cuddle, or try a sling or baby carrier.

• Try calming your baby with movement, such as rocking, driving, walking with your baby in a pram or even an electric powered swing. ( Some councils hire out these swings for babies)

• Music, relaxation tapes, womb sounds for newborn babies, may all help relax your baby. Experiment and see.

• Rhythmical or continuous noise such as the washing machine, dryer or vacuum cleaner is also soothing.

• A deep warm relaxation bath, or gentle massage may work.

• A warm towel wrapped around the baby's stomach, or wheat bag placed on their stomach, can relax them.

• Let your baby lie on your stomach, the warmth of your body combined with your heart beat and rhythm of your breathing, will all help to relax and comfort your baby.

• Wrap your baby snugly in their cot blanket or bunny rug with their arms and legs inside the rug. Some babies like to have a hand free for sucking.

• Try laying your baby in different positions, the colicky baby is often happiest when held in a position which puts some gentle pressure on the stomach, such as tummy down over an arm or knee.

• When sleeping try laying your baby on her left-hand side. Some mothers found their babies slept best in this position, although it must only be attempted whilst using sleep safe device available from department stores or the Royal Children's Hospital Safety Centre. It is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions to prevent your child from rolling over.

• Remove or add clothing if hot or cold, to make sure the baby is comfortable.

• Move your babies legs in a bicycling action, as this may help expel bowel gas.

• Let your baby sit in the crook of your arm with his knees drawn up and body flexed forward.

• It may be of some benefit to stay at a mothercraft hospital. Refer to helpful addresses. These units have had some success in managing colicky babies, through establishing routines in feeding, sleeping and playing times. Refer to attached listing.

Treatments

• Some medical practioners may prescribe drug therapy in an effort to treat colic and these generally consist of three types:

• Wind medication - Containing a chemical that causes the small bubbles of gas in the infants stomach to join together into one large bubble which can be easily expelled. Eg: Simethicone (InfaCol 'Wind Drops').

• Anti spasmodics -The digestive system contains glands that secrete mucus, which aids the wave like contractions of the digestive system(perstalsis) in propelling food along the digestive tract. This range of colic medication has a drying effect on the glands of the digestive system, causing the peristalsis of the digestive tract to slow down.Eg: Atropine (Donalix colic mixture).

• Sedatives - This has a sedating effect on the infant. Eg: Phenobarbitone. Usually taken in a liquid form, Phenobarbitone is actually an oral barbiturate designed as a treatment for epileptics. It works by partially blocking the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain, thus controlling epileptic fits. One of the side effects of the drug is that it acts as a sedative, which is the main reason it is prescribed today in the treatment of a distressed child, in an effort to calm the infant down. Please note that The Royal Children's Hospital no longer supports the use of Phenobarbitone as a treatment for colic. Refer to our article on Phenobarbitone for further information.