Help ! my baby won ’ t stop crying
By Dr Samantha Pethen
Having a new baby can be one of the most wonderful times in your life , but it can also be one of the most stressful . All babies cry , but how do we know if their crying is normal , or if there is something we can do to help ?
Colic is the name given to a condition where there are repeated bouts of excessive crying , in a baby who is well in between times . The accurate definition is ; ‘ a baby crying for more than three hours a day , for more than three days a week , for more than a week ’. This is known as Wessle ’ s criteria .
It affects up to 1 in 5 infants , and usually resolves on its own after 3 – 4 months of life .
It causes no harm to the baby but is one of the biggest reasons parents bring their young babies to us . It is distressing to deal with and can be a big contributor to postnatal depression . It can cause mums to stop breastfeeding sooner than planned and is the biggest risk factor for shaken baby syndrome .
One of the biggest concerns parents have is , is there something serious going on ? Nine times out of ten , we can safely say no ! But a GP can check your baby and explore things like …
Cow ’ s milk allergy – normally associated with baby not gaining weight well , with vomiting , diarrhoea and possibly eczema or a family history of allergies .
Reflux – associated with vomiting and poor weight gain .
Lactose intolerance / overload – this can cause watery , frothy diarrhoea and bad nappy rash . It can be found in breast fed babies who are snacking on the foremilk often , which has a high lactose content , or in babies with an underlying allergy .
We can exclude other reasons for the excessive crying such as a hernia , a twisted testicle , a urinary tract infection , an ear infection or a hair tourniquet ( where a hair can get wrapped around a finger or a toe ), to name but a few !
Once we are happy there is no medical cause , we can focus on supporting families and trialling different solutions . Unfortunately , there is no guaranteed cure , but there are certainly some things that work better than others .
Despite over 40 years of research , effective management of colic remains elusive .
Our most tried and tested advice involves establishing a clear pattern for feeding , settling and sleeping . This makes life more predictable for your baby and can make a huge difference . Tips include darkening the room for day time naps , reducing excessive stimulation ; noise , light , handling , and excessive quiet , most babies find a low level of background noise soothing . Carrying the baby in a carrier on the front of the chest and doing baby massage can also help . We know these can be very difficult to put into practice , especially with a baby with colic , and sometimes we may consider referral to Family Care Cottage or Tresillian ( www . tresillian . org . au ).
Exciting recent evidence supports the possible role of probiotics , the results are a little unclear , but they do seem to suggest that Lactobacillus Reuteri DSM17938 can significantly reduce crying in exclusively breast-fed babies . There was not the same level of evidence to support it ’ s use in formula fed babies .
The next best evidence for colic management is the use of hypoallergenic milk formula or eliminating dairy products from a breastfeeding mother ’ s diet . This probably only helps babies with an underlying allergy to cow ’ s milk protein , which is more likely in babies with poor weight gain , vomiting and diarrhoea possibly with blood in it , as outlined above .
Some women find cutting out eggs , wheat , nuts , caffeine , spices or garlic from their diet helpful . If these changes to you or your baby ’ s diet don ’ t help within two weeks , you can revert to your previous diet .
Some studies have shown the benefit of acupuncture in an unsettled baby .
It is important to remember , it ’ s ok to leave your baby if they continue to cry , and walk away , take 10 minutes to get a cup of tea or phone a helpline ( like Karitane 1300 CARING ( 1300 227 464 ) OR ( 02 ) 9794 2350 , manned by caring Child and Family nurses who can answer any question regarding parenting a child 0-5 years old ). Soothing an unsoothable baby is exhausting and taking a moment to recharge yourself is important . Allow others to help , maybe try and express enough milk so your partner can do a night shift .
There are many other resources that can be easily accessed –
• http :// purplecrying . info /
• www . rch . org . au / kidsinfo / fact _ sheets / Crying _ and _ unsettled _ babies /
• Tresillian helpline – 1300 2 PARENT ( 1300 2 72736 ) Don ’ t struggle in silence , come and see your GP , or call in to your local Early Childhood Health Clinic , the details of which will be in your blue book . We can check your baby out for serious conditions , and we can help get you through the tough times .
Dr Samantha Pethen , a friendly GP at Your Family Doctors at Erina , she has survived 3 babies , who still make a lot of noise for no real reason !
22 KIDZ ON THE COAST