Fussiness and Colic
Between 3-8 weeks of life, many babies become more fussy, with peak fussiness at 6 weeks. All babies need help calming their bodies during this time. However, some babies cry more than others and are more difficult to soothe. We refer to this as colic if a healthy, well-fed infant cries for more than 3 hours per day, more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks in a row. Typically colic begins around 3 weeks of life and the crying is more common in the evening hours. The way a baby seems to move and cry often gives the appearance of stomach discomfort but no known cause of colic has been identified.
Remember to remind parents to give their baby the opportunity to sleep at least every 1.5-2 hours to help prevent them from getting overtired, which can cause more fussiness and crying. If a parent thinks their baby has colic, you can discuss ways to help soothe the baby safely as this is a frustrating and challenging experience for many parents. You can offer soothing techniques to families such as:
- Swaddling
- Sucking
- Using white noise
- Standing, rocking, or bouncing
Check out the video below for more information!
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