Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Colic

I didn't really know what colic meant before Hugh was born. It's a descriptive term for prolonged inconsolable crying in an otherwise healthy baby. It occurs in up to 30% of babies (more common in boys) and usually lasts a good few weeks. More colic info here, for anyone who needs it.

Poor Hugh. He has been crying 'inconsolably' in the evenings and the middle of the night for a few hours at a time. It's a total heart-breaker. The midwives have said if you have a 'colicky' baby it's just something you have to get through. It reminds me of the early days of ME when medicine just shrugged its shoulders.

Ah well, when wee Hugh is calmer, I feel even happier for him. I love to see his big eyes looking about the room, with tears forgotten. Oh, the wee man...

Apologies for not keeping up with social stuff. Any e-mails I manage to send are typed on one hand. The other hand is reserved for Hugh joogling.

-C

7 comments:

Jane said...

I used to get awful colic mum said I was fine till she gave me milk only found out I was dairy intolerant in my adult life so worth seeing if Hugh might be dairy intolerant. I have added you to my fave blogs, you write so well and interestingly.

Sue Jackson said...

Same here! My first son, Jamie, cried horribly, and the doctor thought it was colic at first, but it was actually dairy intolerance (and soy, too). If you're breast-feeding, try giving up dairy yourself for a week (with Jamie, he was affected by the milk I was drinking). If Hugh is drinking formula, try switching to a hypo-allergenic formula. It's expensive but so worth it to help your baby feel better, if that's the problem. And, after switching to hypo-allergenic formula for the first year, Jamie outgrew his intolerance. Maybe it will help Hugh, too - who knows? Wishing you many hours of sleep...

Sue

Anonymous said...

I've never tried it, but I heard the sound of a vacuum cleaner can calm a colicky baby.

Hm, there might be something to this theory after all...:
http://www.123-go-baby.com/colic-baby.html

Look, a CD!
http://cdbaby.com/cd/vacuumcleaner

Hope you guys are able to get more sleep!

Ciara said...

ta anonymous!

I was amazed that he feel asleep to my hoovering the kitchen. It lasted a good 20 minutes :-)

Ah well, we'll keep on keeping-on.

-C

Anonymous said...

Oh I feel for you, I really do. My first had colic and looking back, I can only remember how grim it was, pacing up and down the flat while she cried and cried.

What worked for us was a combination of gripe water and a dummy. The reflex sucking on the dummy helps their wee tummies to relax and seems to ease the soreness. The colic disappeared after three months (aka a lifetime) and the dummy was rejected a few months afterwards.

Whatever you choose to do, you're doing a great job! Keep your chin up and know that this, too, will pass.

Anonymous said...

Nice to know it has some results! :) I also concur with other Anonymous - you are doing a great job and this will pass.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the safe arrival of Hugh - he's gorgeous! I expect you've been given loads of advice about colic, but here's some more. While I was breastfeeding I found the following would often result in a colicky/windy tummy and much pacing of the floor at night with a grizzly babe over my shoulder and I avoided all of the following: alcohol, onions, curry, cabbage, grapes and citrus fruit.
Enjoy him.