How to Relieve Colic in an Infant

Wondering how to relieve colic in an infant? Colic happens to otherwise healthy infants during the ages of one to five months, generally hitting its peak during the six- to eight-week stage. It is a painful experience for the infant and the cause of many frustrated, sleepless nights for parents and caregivers. Isolated bouts of crying jags in an infant are normal; however, these crying jags and are not what the medical world terms colic.

Is It Colic?
Colic may be accompanied by a red face that has a strained look on it, clenched fists and knees that are drawn up to the belly. The belly may be distended and the baby may fight being held. Blood or mucus in the stool is not a symptom of colic, nor are any other physical abnormalities.

Colic does not have lasting effects on the growing infant, but parents need to be vigilant for other underlying conditions that require medical attention. Regardless of what your mother, your grandmother or your mother-in-law says, if your child begins to cry in earnest, before you assume its colic, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician to rule out any other issues.

Colic is diagnosed as crying jags that begin around the age of one month and continue until the age of about three or four months, although some babies continue to exhibit colic until they reach six months of age. Episodes of crying generally fall into groups of threes; the baby will cry for about three hours a day, sometimes continuous, sometimes off and on, typically in the evening. The crying will take place at least three days a week and last for about three months. Unfortunately, some babies cry even longer than three hours and can cry every day of the week for the entire five months.

Cures to Relieve Colic
While some cures for colic work like charms for some babies, some do not. While nothing is a cure-all, the following ideas have helped many parents find colic relief for their babies.

• Swaddling Wraps: Infants are snug in the womb, so wrapping a baby in a receiving blanket (snug but not too tight) is a great place to start when searching for the peace and serenity both you and your infant enjoyed before birth. Once the baby has been wrapped, find a quiet, preferably dark, room where you can rock the baby. 
• Holding Your Baby: Parents find that holding a colicky baby in a dark room seems to be better than moving around the house or passing the baby from person to person. Swaddle the baby first. Moving the baby into a different position is often tremendously helpful.
• Burping: Babies should be burped often. If your baby suffers from colic following a feeding, it is possible the baby is pulling in too much air and simply needs to burp before the air gets into his intestines. Burp after every ounce or half ounce if necessary, and burp frequently during the day, even if you haven't just fed your baby. Trapped air can be very painful.
• Music: Soft, soothing music, sounds heard in the womb or the gentle, whooshing sounds made by the ocean may be helpful. If you find your baby responds to particular music, keep a CD player in the nursery and use it before symptoms of colic appear. If you can calm your baby before the expected colicky period begins, there is a chance the episode will be less traumatic for both of you.
• Infant Massage: Babies enjoy a good massage just as much as adults. The difference is that a baby is more delicate. Infant massage should be nothing more than running your hands softly over the baby's body, rubbing his back, belly, legs, feet and particularly the palms of the hands. Sometimes when a baby has colic, he will clench its hands tightly. If you cannot massage the palms easily, do not force the issue.
• Football Hold: If your baby does not respond favorably to being rocked or massaged, perhaps the football hold will work. Simply hold your baby under you arm firmly as if you were holding a football. The baby should be face down in this position, with his rear pointing upward so that gravity can take over and force gas upward and out.

Releasing Trapped Gas
Gas that becomes trapped in an infant's underdeveloped digestive system can be very painful. Your first course of action should be to safely remove as much of the gas as possible. One way of doing this is to place a baby on his back in the crib and carefully push the knees upward, pressing gently on the baby's belly. If gas is released this way, you know you have found a way to help. 

Another way to release gas is to place the baby face down on the crib with his knees pulled up underneath. This positions the rear end upward, allowing gas to move into the lower intestines and be released. If you try this method, keep a very close eye on your baby and never allow him to sleep in this position. Sleeping on the stomach has been associated with an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).