Does Your Child Have Colic? Here Are Parenting Skills You Might Need

It's normal for infants to fuss and cry. However, if your baby is inconsolable and cries up to three hours at a time more than three days a week, there could be a possibility that he has colic.

This is a common disease that usually starts a few weeks after birth, but it won't last -- the condition improves by the baby's third month, and by the fourth and fifth month, majority of babies will have improved their condition.

Mayo Clinic noted that the cause of colic is unknown. Researchers have already explored a few possibilities, however, such as allergies, lactose intolerance, and changes in the normal bacteria in the digestive system. There is also a possibility that mothers who smoke during pregnancy of after delivery have a greater risk of the infant developing the condition.

Soothing a colic child can be tiring and overwhelming. Parents would have to find what works for each baby -- what works for one will not necessarily work for another. So what's a parent to do when facing a colicky child? Here are some tips:

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Ask for help. Family and friends will be more than willing to help out if needed, so ask. It doesn't matter if it's only for an hour a day, if only to decrease stress.

Change baby's menu. "Up to one in three babies with colic actually suffers with milk protein allergy," Bryan Vartabedian, author of 'Colic Solved' told Parenting. For nursing mothers, it is okay to cut out dairy from the diet for a few weeks to see if it helps. For bottle-fed babies, switching formulas is also an option.

Use the pacifier. When mealtime is still a few hours away, offer a pacifier to soothe the baby. Don't forget, though, that babies need feeding every two to three hours during the day.

Take a breather. If nothing works for the baby, it is essential that parents get their own breathers. Make sure that the infant is in a safe place, like the crib, and take a time out.

Colic causes a lot of distress for the parents and babies alike, but don't worry -- the short-lived situation blows over pretty fast. In a matter of weeks or moths, colic will see its end, and parents would have weathered the storm of one of the major challenges of having a newborn.