<—— 9. Anti-Colic Strategies

Many Pediatricians recommend a warm bath as a way to relax an upset baby. This technique often helps to soothe a colicky infant. However, it often takes some practice by parents and some getting used to by infants. In fact, this new experience for infants may not be enjoyable until after several attempts. If you choose to utilize this strategy, place your baby in a bathtub, making sure that the water is lukewarm or at room temperature. Use baby soap or shampoo that is proven safe for infants less than six months of age.

A warm pack or hot water bottle on the baby’s tummy is an old-fashioned colic remedy as well. There are also lots of recommendations in old medical texts about placing the baby on her tummy over your knees or over a rolled-up towel to increase pressure on the abdomen. Some parents put the baby’s tummy across their knees and then gently bounce the baby to help break up gas bubbles and relieve pressure. There are no scientific studies evaluating the effectiveness of these time-honored remedies. Because they are safe, you may want to try them. Just be sure that if you use a warm pack or hot water bottle, you test the temperature and make sure it is not too hot for a baby’s sensitive skin.

According to Journals of Pediatrics, in an otherwise healthy and well-fed baby, symptoms of colic include:

• Intensity of crying. Your baby’s face is red and flushed, the crying is intense and furious, and there is little or nothing you can do to comfort them.

• Body posture. Your baby may clench their fists, draw up their knees, or arch their back.

• Babies with colic often have difficulty sleeping, and feeding patterns may be disrupted by the bouts of crying. Feeding is not normally reduced, but it may take longer if the baby is crying persistently. It is also common for babies to pass wind during periods of vigorous crying.

• Colic is milder in some babies than in others, and periods of restlessness in the evenings may be all that is noticed.

• He or she does not want to feed, and may pull up their knees. Sometimes the baby’s abdomen (tummy) appears to ‘rumble’. The cry may sound different and more piercing than normal. He or she may appear to be settling when suddenly another bout of crying occurs. This may go on and off for several hours until he or she settles and falls asleep. The rest of the time he or she is fine. However, the bouts of colic occur regularly, commonly every evening, but can occur anytime. Bouts of colic gradually become less frequent, and have gone in most babies by the age of 3-4 months.

Oh, yeah, there’s plenty about how great breastfeeding is, tips, tricks, and stats on how horrible of a mother you are if you don’t do it. Yep, our kids are going to be delinquents because we’re not dedicated to art of breastfeeding for life. Give me a break!

I could find hardly anything on the internet about stopping breastfeeding. This is a pretty important topic because so many things have to happen for the end of breastfeeding to be a smooth transition. I’ve taken notes on my own experience so I can share the information with other mothers. Consolidated down, my approach for stopping breastfeeding can be done in three easy steps.

1. Start by eliminating a feed a day. I started with the after lunch snack, then lunch, then dinner, night snack, then breakfast. Give your child a bottle or sippy cup with whatever breastmilk alternative you feel comfortable with. I used watered down goats milk in a NUK sippy cup. My son was almost 10 month old so I didn’t think formula was necessary or desirable.

2. Don’t be confusing. When you sit down to both nurse continue to do so in your normal place. This will help your baby feel comfortable and secure. Do not give your child a sippy cup alternative in your typical nursing place or position. This is confusing and will result in crying, frantic rooting, and you feeling like a heel (or giving in).

I found that sitting down with my son facing out (his back to my stomach) worked really well. He never nursed in this position (how could he?) so there was no confusion. The added distraction of a book on my knees helped keep him entertained while he drank his milk.

Also, it might be helpful to have someone other than you feed the baby in the morning. This was the hardest one for my son to take because he was used to snuggling into bed with me for breakfast and a cuddle. My husband doesn’t smell like milk so James wasn’t confused by a cuddle and a sippy cup from him.

3. Stay Comfortable. Feel your breasts as you eliminate feedings. If they feel very full, leaky, or hard then you might need to pump or express some milk. Don’t pump so much you trigger let down. This will keep your milk supply going, which isn’t what you want. Just make sure you are comfortable and you don’t leave gallons of milk in your breasts.

One thing I started doing was a breast massage. I would get hard lumps in my breasts where the milk was in the ducts. I would gently massage the lumps in the shower until they softened up and dissipated. I did this in the shower because my breast would often leak while I was doing it.

Generally my breasts were sore and tender for about three weeks. My son transitioned very fast and now shows no confusion or disappointment about being handed a cup rather than a breast. I have increased the amount of mama time and book reading so he doesn’t feel too cut off from me.

He is a little more of a mama’s boy now and sometimes I’m the only one that can soothe a hurt or put him to sleep. I doubt this has anything to do with ending breastfeeding, but more to do with just general mom/baby bonding.

Honestly, our end to breastfeeding was much less traumatic than I was led to believe it would be. It was remarkable how little James seemed to care that he is now getting milk from some other source. His poo smells a little stronger, but other than that I can see no difference in his health or attitude.

Happy Freedom!

Leah Day

By: Leah Day

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