Colic: A True Test of Patience

When my son was a baby he was an angel. Quiet, peaceful and not fussy. He wasn't a great sleeper but he was so happy all the time I didn't care. When I became pregnant with my second child I anticipated the same cheerful, cuddly bundle I had gotten the first time. WRONG! My daughter, who is now four months old, is the fussiest, loudest, and most irritable child I have ever seen. Her first few weeks were uneventful. She liked being held a lot but most newborns do. When she was five weeks old it was like a switch had been flipped. Every evening for two hours, sometimes more, she would cry uncontrollably. Nothing I did could stop these intense crying jags. I tried everything. She did not want to be swaddled, or bounced, or sung to. She did not like riding in the car or in a sling or rocking in a chair. She did not respond to gas drops or changes in my diet, I breastfeed. By the time she was two months old I had cut so many foods out of my diet; broccoli, onions,dairy, soy and any other irritating foods, that I basically ate dry cereal and pretzels. Not good for me or her. I tearfully went to her pediatrician and begged for a cure. I was sure she had some horrible malady that produced the hours of inconsolable crying every night. My pediatrician patted my head and said, "She has colic. She will grow out of it eventually."

Eventually? That could be like, forever. I went home from the doctor and scoured the Internet for a miracle cure. Something, some trick, or device to soothe her through the rough patches. To my dismay I had tried everything suggested by doctors and other parents. I called my mother hysterical because I couldn't imagine living through this. My mother was less than sympathetic. "You had colic. You just have to deal with it." Deal with it?

How do you deal with hours of persistent uncontrollable crying? What I couldn't find on the Internet were ways to cope with colic. My daughter has outgrown her colic, mostly. Here are a few ways I coped;

1. Don't get mad at the baby. It only makes things worse. Babies are very sensitive to the moods of their caregivers. If you're on the brink of exploding set the baby in a safe place and walk away. Go outside, scream in the bathroom, punch a hole in the wall if you have to.

2. Realize you're only human and not supermom/dad/grandparent. Babies are infuriating it is okay to get upset. Just direct your anger in the right way.

3. Take a night off. If you can have someone else take care of you baby for a few hours do it. But make sure you leave the house. Don't hang out in the basement while grandma's upstairs.

4. They will outgrow it eventually. I know these words may piss you off. They pissed me off when I heard them . But they're true.

5. Talk it out. Talk to other parents. Chances are they have been through the same thing and can understand your pain.

6. Most importantly, love your baby when they're happy. Pay extra attention to them when they're in a good mood. It will help pull you through their bad moods.