How to relieve colic in a baby naturally
You may find the following techniques helpful in calming your baby:
How to relieve colic in a baby naturally
- Hold your baby and walk or dance with him. Babies need a lot of contact and they like movement.
- Carry your baby in a front carrier or backpack type.
- Try using a baby swing.
- Sing softly to him, put on music, and talk to your baby.
- You may find it helpful to change your baby’s position by holding him more upright so that he can look around more.
- Try to calm your baby with constant noises or vibrations, for example the noise of a vacuum cleaner or washing machine or running water.
- Take your baby for a ride in the car or stroller.
- Give your baby a pacifier to suck on.
- Bathe your baby: warm water can comfort him.
Your GP or health visitor may recommend that you change your or your baby’s diet. This may help if your baby is susceptible to lactose or cow’s milk proteins.
If you are breastfeeding, you can try cutting out caffeinated drinks or cow’s milk and dairy foods from your diet for a week to see if your baby’s symptoms improve.
If you bottle-feed your baby, your GP or health visitor may recommend changing the size of the hole in the nipple, as if the nipple is too small that can cause your baby to swallow a lot of air.
Your GP or health visitor may also recommend switching to another formula, called a hypoallergenic formula, for a week. If your baby’s symptoms don’t improve, you can go back to your regular formula milk.
You can also try adding lactase drops to milk when feeding. Lactase breaks down lactose and may help improve your baby’s symptoms. You can add lactase drops to a formula bottle or breast milk. If you are breastfeeding, add the drops to a small amount of expressed breast milk and give it to your baby using a sterile teaspoon.
Try this for a week to see if symptoms improve. Lactase can be purchased at a pharmacy. Always read the patient information leaflet, and if you have questions, ask the pharmacist.
Do not eliminate any food from your diet without first consulting your GP or health visitor.
Medicines for colic in babies
A drug called simethicone might help improve colic symptoms, but doctors don’t know how well it works. Simethicone is given in liquid form, which is added to milk. It is used to relieve gas retention.
Try simethicone for a week to see if your baby’s symptoms improve.
