Colic and Breastfeeding

When my daughter had colic five months ago I thought I was going to go crazy. She would cry non-stop all night long. After three long sleepless nights I took her to the pediatrician. First, he informed us that she had colic. Second, he told us that there was really nothing that we could do to make it better. Third, he told us that she would have colic for the next two months until her stomach matured. I went home and just cried. I had no idea what colic really was so I just assumed the worst. I believed that there really was nothing we could do for her.

How I gained control over colic through breastfeeding:

First, I got educated. My mom's friend had stopped by to see my daughter. When I told her the bad news she just turned to me and told me that colic was nothing more than a fancy word for trapped gas. We've all had that problem at one point in our lives, whether we like to admit it or not. Second, I got smart. I figured that since I was breastfeeding my daughter, I had some control over her colic. I cut out everything dairy from my diet as well as greasy and gassy foods. For example I didn't eat any fast food, beans, broccoli, cabbage, spicy foods, etc. I mean sure I had to eat bland foods but it was worth it. The foods I ate the most of were chicken and salads. Remember, if it gives you gas, it will likely give your baby gas. This simple way of thinking really helped me and my baby get through the whole colic experience.

Other things I did to help:

Taking my mother's advice, I gave her about 2 oz of chamomile tea before bed. Doing so helped relax her stomach so that she could pass gas with ease. It didn't hurt that it would help her sleep too. I would also give her gas drops after every feeding during the day and massage her stomach to relax her.

Tip:

One thing to remember is not to increase the amounts of feedings per day. That will only increase the gas which will increase the fussiness.

For the record, my daughter's colic only lasted five days total counting from day one. Not two months like we were told. Not just that but she was sleeping all night long. Remember that every baby, child, and person is different so results may vary.