Does your baby cries for hours at a time and make you feel like you want to join in those cries? Moms, this is what we call baby colic. Your baby is described as having colic if he or she has extended and uncontrollable crying more than 3 hours a day and at least three days a week. Colic starts to affect babies around three weeks of age, and getting worse at around six weeks of age. The good news is it usually stops at around three of four months of age.
Nobody knows what the exact cause of colic is. But, many experts believe that colic is cause by baby immature digestive system, while others say that colic is caused by an immature nervous system. Another theory about the cause of colic is milk either from breast or bottle is the cause. Every baby has different symptoms of colic. There are babies who show many symptoms of colic, while others only show one.

So, how do you know that your baby is having colic? Below are some guides to know it:

• Your baby cries with loud and continuous crying that can last from one to three hours at a time and these “disaster” occurring about three or four days a week.
• These crying episodes usually happen in the late afternoon or evening, although some babies can cry at any time.
• Your baby’s face gets red during the crying episodes.
• Legs are pulled up to stomach and then may be fully stretched.
• Feet may be cold and hands may be clenched and may lift their head or legs and pass gas.
• Your baby refuses to eat or become fussy after eating.
• Your baby has difficulty to fall and stay asleep (sometimes makes you have to stay awake all night long).
• Your baby seems uncomfortable and appears to be in pain.

If your baby has those symptoms, here are some smart tips to handle them.

• Make your diary of when your baby cries and in what activities. For example, she cries when I feed him, nap him. You can use this diary to look patterns, which can give you some clues to the solutions.
• If you’re breastfeeding, may be it would work if you eliminate dairy products and gas foods such as, cabbage, onions, and avoid spicy foods and caffeine. But, please be sure to check with your doctor first before eliminate those foods.
• If your baby is bottle-feeding baby, you may need to reduce the amount of air that your baby swallows. Choose a curved bottle or a bottle with collapsible disposable liners.
• Burp your baby frequently.
• Don’t over feed your baby! That will make the colic worse.
• For bottle-feeding baby, ask your doctor whether colic is cause by the formula that you give to your baby.
• When colic happens, take away your baby from bright lights, noise, or a large number of people.

You can also get suggestions from other parents and friends on what their methods to calm their baby. Not every baby will react to the methods the same. So, try one method at a time, and pray that it will comfort your baby and stop his or her cries. If it doesn’t work, try another method and you fill find the most effective one. Now, baby colic won’t make you want to cry anymore!