Discover tips on how to feed a colic baby to help minimize colic symptoms.
Colic is a condition that babies sometimes develop; the condition is associated with unexplained crying fits that occur roughly three times a week for a period of several weeks. The crying spells can last for several hours with no relief, even if the child has been fed, changed, and cared for. The causes for colic remain unknown, but it is believed that the child’s digestive processes play a role in the onset of colic. When a colic baby cries, he or she may swallow air which contributes to gas and abdominal discomfort.
The Colic Baby
A colic baby will often exhibit symptoms just a few weeks after being born. The colic symptoms can last for 90 days or more. If your colic baby continues to display systems of colic after three months have passed, you should get the child seen by a physician to determine if the child has a reflux condition.
Bottle Feeding the Colic Baby
Since a colic baby tends to develop issues with gas and abdominal discomfort, you will want to ensure that any extra air inside the bottle is not trapped in the nipple. Extra air will be swallowed by the colic baby and will eventually cause them to experience discomfort. Special bottles have been designed for the colic baby that diminish the amount of air that the baby swallows during feedings: these bottles may prove a worthwhile investment. Otherwise, you may want to try and use the baby bottles that have flexible plastic refills. Once you fill the bottle, you can push on the plastic refill’s outer portion to remove the extra air from inside the bottle before feeding a colic baby.
Feeding Times for the Colic Baby
You should pay close attention to the colic baby to note signs of hunger early on. If you feed your colic baby the minute he or she is hungry, the baby will not gulp down the bottle too fast during a feeding. Catching hunger cues early allows you to diminish problems with an upset stomach, abdominal tightening, and discomfort. Look for signs that your child is hungry: the baby might stick out his or her tongue, they might display the rooting reflex, or they might put their tiny hands in their mouth as an indication of hunger. In addition, you do not want the colic baby to cry for too long before a meal; this may cause them to swallow a lot of air as they cry.
Positioning During a Feeding
During a feeding, you will want to make the colic baby as comfortable as possible. The colic baby will enjoy being swaddled in a warm blanket while eating; this will intensify the child’s sense of security. You should elevate the infants head, so that the baby is not fully reclined while feeding; a fully reclined position leads to gas and discomfort. Once you have started feeding the colic baby, you need to burp him or her in frequent intervals during the feeding to diminish air accumulation in the belly and abdomen.
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