Sweep Away Colic Baby Crying with White Noise

It doesn't make sense does it? You do everything possible as a new parent to keep your baby healthy and happy. So why is it, your baby decides to start screaming inconsolably right around dinner time? Just when you need it least.

Ask yourself?

? When your baby starts crying, is it for spells of 3 or more hours at a time?
? Do these crying spells happen 3 or more times a week?
? Did you notice the crying spells becoming more apparent about the 3rd week after you brought your baby home?

If you've answered yes to the above questions, you might have a baby with colic.

Colic is the diagnosis many pediatricians tag on a baby who is otherwise healthy and thriving, but follows the "Rule of Threes" as stated above. A colic baby has episodes of inconsolable crying beginning around the 3rd week of life, lasting at least 3 hours a day, for at least 3 days a week.

Attempting to calm a colicky infant can leave a parent emotionally battered and physically exhausted. Some doctors believe the cause of colic stems from your baby having a pain in the gut. "Colic" actually comes from the Greek word kolikos, which means "suffering in the colon." Sometimes, simply changing the baby's diet can help dramatically (or changing the mother's diet in the case of breastfeeding).

However, another theory is emerging about the cause of colic.

Some doctors believe an underdeveloped and immature nervous system may be the cause of colic crying. When a baby is born, its head isn't big enough to house a brain that is mature enough to have all the survival tools a human infant needs. A baby's brain is only the size of an apple. The birth canal cannot handle a bigger head. So, when a baby is born, the only inherent survival skills they possess are sneezing, sucking, swallowing and?.CRYING!

Eighty percent of babies are capable of crying for a reason, and then calming themselves down. They are awake for awhile to learn and accept stimuli. Then they sleep to recover and awake to take in more stimuli.

A colicky baby is high-maintenance. Their nervous system is overloaded with all the sights and sounds of a new world. And by about dinner time, they've had it. The crying begins. Once they start crying, they lack the mechanism to calm themselves down. In my experience, most mothers with colicky infants tell the same story. Their baby fights going to sleep. They won't take a nap. They won't stay asleep once they do finally go to sleep. These poor babies never take the time to recover from all the stimuli they have taken in over the course of a day.

What can you, as a parent, do to eliminate these crying spells?

An effective method to calming a colicky infant is by using white noise to mask environmental stimuli.

White noise is something we hear all the time, but rarely pay any attention. You hear white noise from:

? the roar of you wheels while driving in your car,
? the hum of your fan while working at your computer,
? the hum of the motor while running a vacuum cleaner,
? and even from the roar of a crowd while watching sporting events.

White noise is the full spectrum of sound frequencies a human ear can hear combined together all at once. When you hear something that creates a monotonous hum, and maybe kind of makes you sleepy, you are hearing white noise. You can purchase white noise cds and white noise generators, download white noise mp3s or, even try running an appliance (like hair dryers, air conditioners or fans) to create the white noise necessary to calm your baby in the midst of a crying outburst.

Remember, in the womb, your baby was packed in tightly. It was dark. It was warm. And the prominent sound she heard was the "whoosh" of blood flowing through the placenta (a little louder than the noise of a vacuum cleaner running). This "whoosh" of sound actually acted as the white noise your baby heard while in the womb.

You can recreate the feeling your baby had while in the womb. If you lower the lights, swaddle your baby in a blanket, and play some white noise, a colic baby outburst can be eliminated in no time.

Cherie L. Stirewalt is a colic baby survivor and shares her colic experiences on her website Colic-Baby-Bootcamp.com. The site offers a one-of-a-kind white noise download and white noise CD to help frustrated parents cope with their fussy baby fast! Join the Free Colic Baby Bootcamp newsletter and receive more colic related tips and tricks at http://www.colic-baby-bootcamp.com/newslette r.html.

---

Potty Training Your Child: The Five Potty Training Methods

There are many different ways to potty train your toddler. At last count, I had found 35 different books for parents on potty training and I own... Read More

Childrens Backpack Safety and Comfort

One of the easiest and safest ways to carry your child around is via an infant carrier or baby backpack. Of course, if you plan to take... Read More

3 Simple Steps In Searching For A Baby Name

1) BRAINSTORMIt is a good idea to pick a baby boy, girl, or a unisex baby name, even if the sonogram has already shown you the sex... Read More

Baby Shower Recipes

Baby shower recipes are available on the Internet and in various cook books. It is a great idea to have a wide variety of snacks, drinks, and... Read More

Learning Activities For Your Baby

Books and Babies - For babies from age 6 weeks to 1 year Sharing books is a way to have fun with your baby and to start... Read More

Baby Crib Advice and Tips

Congratulations! You have just learned that you are having a baby. Whether this is your first or not you need to look at cribs. Do you have... Read More

Choose Baby Bedding Wisely

Every adorable baby deserves equally adorable baby bedding to complete the nursery. There are other things to consider when deciding on what is right for the nursery.... Read More

How To Deal With Toddler Temper Tantrums

It's one of the few things your child can do that will make your cringe. A high-pitched, eardrum shattering, teeth grinding scream that goes on and on... Read More

Baby Names - Unique or Common?

When it comes to naming their baby, people tend to fall into two broad categories: those who want a unique name for their child and those who... Read More

Whats With Celebrity Baby Names?

It seems that the days of naming your son or daughter with your own name and adding a second, third or a fourth sign in roman numerals... Read More

Under Carpet Heating In The Nursery ? To Help Your Baby Sleep Through The Night And More!

As new parents, we all want what's best for our babies. There are so many things to worry about, not the least of which are colds, allergies,... Read More

Should You Get Baby Shower Game Ideas for Free?

There are quite a few baby shower game ideas for free online. Low priced games on pre-printed forms are also available and make it easier for your... Read More

Tips for Decorating Your Babys Nursery

Decorating your child's nursery is an exciting experience. Your little bundle of joy will finally be in your arms soon, and you want to make sure his... Read More

Your Newborn Baby?s First Few Days at Home ? What You Should Expect

The first few days home from the hospital are important for both baby and parents. As parents you will have gone through intense birth process that is... Read More

Free Baby Shower Invitations

Free baby shower invitations are the best! Everyone knows that the best things in life are free. The best baby shower invitations are also free! There are... Read More

Welcome an Adopted Baby into the Family with an Adoption Baby Shower

The addition of a new child to a family is a wonderous occasion! An adopted baby is just as much a miracle as any other and should... Read More

Baby Names - Choosing Trendy or Traditional

Lists of baby names are always fun to look at, whether you're seeking a name for your soon-to-be-born baby boy or baby girl, wondering about the popularity... Read More

Childrens Bedroom Furniture - Three Mothers Share Their Buying Habits

Just two months ago, a group of mothers from three generations (Gen Y, Gen X and Baby Boomer demographics) shared their buying habits with retailers and manufacturers... Read More

TEA for TWO, For BABY and YOU!

Baby Rooibos Tea is naturally good for your baby. It is an anti-allergic nutritional supplementary drink and is suitable for babies from birth. It can help relieve... Read More

Potty Training Techniques That Dont Work

Your attitude and actions have a huge impact on your child's potty training success. The following potty training techniques don't work and should never be done:Punishing your... Read More

Colic Baby Bootcamp - Parent Survival Tips

Surviving a baby with colic truly deserves an award of some sort. The relentless screaming can really drive you to the edge.Unfortunately for the parents of a... Read More

Weaning A Baby Onto Solid Food

The best time to wean your baby onto solid food is at about age 6 months. This is because your baby's mouth will start to change around... Read More

The Baby Food Debate: The Benefits of Homemade Baby Food Over The Jars

Americans have long depended on jarred baby foods for convenient feeding. In the past few years more and more processed food options have entered the children's food... Read More

The Average Growth In Babies

Growth charts are tools your pediatrician can use to keep track of your child's physical growth. During each checkup, the doctor will measure your baby's length, weight,... Read More

Jogging Strollers?How to Get Back in Shape!

Add a little extra push and a jogging stroller to your exercise regime and you'll be back in top condition in no time! As well as single... Read More

Should a Toddler Wear Pull-Ups While Potty Training

As a parent, you've learned a lot while your child moved from being an infant, to crawling, to the mobile stage of an active toddler. Now that... Read More