Coping with colic

Who can help?
You can help yourself by being prepared for the possibility of colic. Prepare meals, arrange a sitter and avoid over-scheduling in anticipation of this time.

Your doctor can also help. I like to thoroughly examine a colicky baby and review his weight gain. This is important as it reassures parents and me that there are no underlying health concerns. Parents should seek medical advice if crying is accompanied by fever, if a baby in the first weeks of life is crying excessively, if a baby is crying in a way that is out of character, if a colicky baby doesn't settle to feed, or if something doesn't "feel" right.

Other parents are wonderful supports as no one understands better than someone who has been there and back.

Accept all offers of help from friends and relatives. Caring for a crying baby is highly stressful. Don't think, We should be able to handle this ourselves. I highly recommend asking a trusted helper to help out so you can take time for yourself, which will reduce your stress and give you a higher tolerance level to get through the colicky period.

Many parents of colicky babies have mixed feelings; while they love their little baby, they may also feel angry and frustrated. This is normal, and you shouldn't feel guilty for having these feelings. But do notice these feelings and ask for some help.

A special note to mothers
All too often mothers blame themselves or feel inadequate because they can't calm a colicky baby. This is unfortunate because colic is not due to ineffective parenting; it's simply a pattern that requires an adjustment period.

Is there anything else parents can do?
I am a great believer in gently working on infants' sleep habits early on. All infants -- even colicky ones -- can be helped to develop good sleep habits. That's the focus of my upcoming book.

Dr. Cathryn Tobin is a pediatrician, trained midwife, mother of four and author of The Parent's Problem Solver (Three Rivers, 2002). She is currently working on her second book about her highly successful methods for preventing infant sleep problems. Go to www.askDrCathryn.com to learn more about Dr. Tobin.