5 Steps to coping with colic

1 Try to stay focused

If you’re trying one method to address the problem, stick with it rather than trying lots of options at once.

2 Be united with your partner

Keep supporting each other so you’re both working on one solution before discussing and moving on to another possible treatment, if the first didn’t seem to alleviate the problem.

3 Get dad in on the action

If your baby is upset in your arms, he may associate being soothed with more milk – and another feed might be the last thing his tummy needs. Take yourself away to get a break in another room, and let your partner rock your baby far away from the scent of your breast milk.

4 Alternative medicine

Alternative therapies could help – some parents swear by cranial osteopathy, while others question its value, and some mums swear by camomile tea. So long as a therapy is non-invasive, you might consider trying it to see if it works for your child. If you are at all hesitant, talk it through with the health visitor at your baby clinic first.

5 Don’t blame yourselves

While feeding habits could well be the cause of the colic, it happens to many babies and you are not at fault. If you’re part of a baby group, talk about it and share your feelings. Even if another parent isn’t going through exactly the same problem as you, she is probably experiencing other worries, and you can both help each other by giving voice to your experiences.